If you are planning to take up multi-day wilderness hiking, or backpacking as it’s also known, congratulations, you are about to embark on one of the most satisfying and beautiful journeys of your life! Imagine waking up at dawn to watch a spectacular sunrise over snow-capped peaks that look so close you feel like you could reach out and scoop snow off their summits, all while you enjoy a steaming mug of coffee or tea from your portable camp stove! Spend the day hiking down into a turquoise-hued Alpine lake and spend the evening fishing with your telescoping rod, then cook your fresh catch over the campfire coals as the sun sets over a new mountainous vista! Nature is fantastic and thrilling, and hiking allows you to delve deeply into it, far beyond anywhere a motor vehicle can take you!
Now let’s turn to that most important and essential piece of equipment that is going to make your sojourn into the heart of the wilderness possible- your hiking backpack! Be warned, it’s going to feel a bit heavy at first, and the farther you plan to travel the more weight you will need to carry, but you do get used to it, and you are always glad to have it when it’s time to stop and make camp because all the essentials for your comfort and safety are contained within! The weight can be made more bearable and your gear can be stowed for ease of use with the following backpack packing tips!
Start At The Bottom – Obviously, but the trick is what items to place there and in what order! That way, the items you probably need first are always within reach and you don’t have to dig through the whole thing to unearth them! So, the pack’s bottom is reserved for those things you aren’t going to need until it’s time to set up camp. Big, bulky, and squishy things that can be compressed like your sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, and nighttime cosy clothing! Extra pairs of socks can be shoved in to fill out the sides!
Move To The Middle – This is where the heavyweight items go because that’s the best place to save your back from discomfort, as well as creating an even load that won’t shift as you walk. these items aren’t as squishy, so you might need to experiment to get the perfect fit! This is where you put your tent, camp sneakers, clothes, camp stove and fuel, cooking and dining ware, mug, and food. In the old days, they packed in cans of pork and beans, life is better since freeze-dried just-add-water meals came along!
Top It Off – This is where the handy dandy odds and ends go that you might want to reach for on the way! Put in your rain jacket, first aid kit, trail snacks, fire starter, portable water filter, torch, phone, and toiletries.
You will want to keep your camera strapped around your neck for quick snaps! Those are the basics, and remember it’s best not to overpack, just the necessities, please! Oh, and bring along a deck of cards and a good book, the nights can be long! Happy hiking!
