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Knowing how to pack your backpack correctly is very important! You want to make sure that the weight is evenly distributed and that the gear you need right away is available when you need it. Here’s how I pack mine!
I start by putting a large plastic bag inside my pack. Some people use trash bags. Mine was given to me and it’s perfect in my opinion. The bag is to protect everything inside from getting wet if it starts raining.
Now that the bag is in there, it’s time to start filling it! My sleeping bag goes in first, laying on its side. Then my pillow, because it’s tiny, fits right next to my sleeping bag.
Next goes my sleeping pad, also laying on it’s side and then my tent, also on it’s side. Because my poles are too long for that, they don’t go in my tent bag. They end up standing up inside the bag.
Here’s my reasoning for how those go in. My tent comes out first so that I can set it up. Next, I blow up my sleeping pad and pillow and then lay down my sleeping bag.
Next in my pack is going to be my stove, my bag of clothes my bag of toiletries for the evening, and my food bag. They all sit next to each other above my tent.
Sitting on top of those would be a small bag with lunch and snacks and my bathroom bag that holds my shovel and toilet paper.
I carry 2 liters of water, one on each side pocket.
One the outside pockets you’ll find my first aid kit and my rain gear.
The front pockets on my hip belt hold my lip balm, ear buds and my inhaler. I sometimes have some water flavoring in these front pockets for when water starts to just bore the heck out of me.
