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How to Pack for a Trip

Backpacking is a favorite outdoor activity, but it is very physically challenging. One of the most important steps to making your trip more pleasurable is packing well. Taking only the items and articles absolutely needed will add to your enjoyment, by lightening the load you carry.

Steps

  1. Make a list to include everything that you will possibly need on your trip. Don't leave things out and think you will remember what you needed. Include everything that you will need, as well as what you may need, and even things that you might need.
  2. Follow the rule for backpacking which is, if you cannot decide if you need it, you probably will not need it. Instead of bringing an extra heavy duty flashlight, bring a second set of batteries.
  3. Bring a backpack, but if you can't afford to buy one borrow one from a friend, and have them help you adjust it for your body. When the pack has a load in it, nearly all of the weight should be on your hips and sacrum. The shoulder straps are mostly there to keep the pack vertical and close to you.
  4. Cut back on food by packing primarily freeze dried meals. Avoid excess raw meats especially on long trips. Pack calorie dense food but try to spread your calorie intake through a variety of food groups. Calories per unit volume is also a concern. Eat a lot of protein and carbohydrates, and make sure that something you are eating regularly has salt in it. You'll sweat a lot of it out. Most food packaging is bulkier than it needs to be, and less waterproof than you want it to be. Before you go, divide up your food and repackage it into zip-top bags.
    • Consider the following foods: oatmeal, Pop-Tarts, granola bars, nuts, and dried fruit for breakfast; bagels, cheese, crackers, peanut butter, summer sausage, raisins, nuts, and apples for lunch; and pasta, macaroni and cheese, couscous, instant black beans and rice, instant soup, Ramen, quesadillas for dinner, and don't forget dessert--pudding or cookies are lovely.
  5. Shop for a tent that suits your needs. Anything excessive will be heavy and not necessary. A two man tent will be sufficient for two people so do not be tempted to buy a larger one. Bring a sleeping bag and a ground cushion to insulate you from the ground to keep you warm. You may want a pillow.
    • Borrow a tent if you can. Make sure you've got a rain fly and a ground cloth. Generally you want something small and lightweight. You don't need more floor space than your bodies will take up for sleeping since you'll keep your pack outside. If you are going somewhere rocky try to bring a tent that stands up on its own when it isn't staked in. It will often be hard to find good places to put stakes, and you don't want to have to rely on them if you can help it.
  6. Check your map and figure out how far apart the water stops are, then determine how much water you will need between the two points. 64oz is a good amount, but more may be required in desert areas. Water will be available at your campsite or from natural sources such as streams and lakes. Use water purification tablets in natural water, no matter how clear it looks. Make sure the water sources are reliable. Some may be dry during droughts or in summer months. Call the park rangers for the area to ask if you are in doubt.
  7. Wear whatever is comfortable; there is no hiking dress code. Bring a poncho in case it rains. Hiking boots protect your feet, support your ankle, and are rainproof. Buy heavy wool or synthetic socks to wear with them. Stay away from cotton clothing where possible. Polar fleece, polypropylene, olefin, Thermax and CoolMax are among the suitable materials for outdoor wear.
  8. Buy a titanium or aluminum pot with a Teflon non-stick surface. Since all your meals will be cooked in these, make sure they have handles and are large enough to be used for one pot cooking.
  9. Bring a handheld flashlight and a headlamp for hands free use.
  10. Take along tinder to start a fire. An excellent tinder is dryer lint. Cotton balls and newspapers work, but the ultimate is dryer lint rubbed with Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly. These will start easily and burn very intensely. Take firestarters that create sparks and fire without a match and a large supply of waterproof matches.
  11. Use a hiking bag for packing. Put your heavy and solid gear at the bottom of your bag, for good support. Strap your sleeping bag onto the bottom of your bag. Then add your cook gear. Strap your tent poles and sleeping mat to the sides or top of your bag. Place your tent at the base of your pack, hopefully in a separate, purpose-built compartment. Fill the rest of the inside of the bag with clothes and the likes.In your outside pockets, place miscellaneous things that you may need easy access to: map, compass, knife, light, fire starters/matches, etc. Make sure you pack a trash bag or two for garbage at your campsites and wet clothing.
    • Pack your clothes inside of a garbage bag with the top folded over. Put the heaviest items closer to the small of your back. Keep your rain gear, snacks, and whistle easily available. Use zip-top bags and stuff sacks liberally. Keep all of your smellable things in a small number of places so you don't miss any when it's time to pack up things in the bear keg/bag.

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need


Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Pack for a Backpacking Trip. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.



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