Finding the right Pack is like fitting a good pair of hiking boots. You have to try it on. However, knowing exactly how to pack your pack once you’ve chosen it, is as equally important. Once you’ve selected an itinerary and heaped up everything you want to bring in the middle of your living room, you need to find a way to stuff all of it in your pack. For walking on decent trails, you generally want to put the heaviest gear high in your pack and as close to your spine as possible. That allows you to assume a more comfortable, upright posture because the weight is balanced over your hips.

I generally put things I need least in first, then continue to stow items in ascending order of daytime utility. That means my sleeping bag always goes in first, followed by my extra sweater, stove, fuel, tent, main bag of food, etc. Lunch goes in the pack’s top pocket. I stow my water bottle at the very top of the main compartment or in a side pocket. If you’ve got an internal-frame pack, try to get heavy items inside your pack near your spine. If the item won’t fit inside, try to divide the item in two and lash half on each side.

In rainy country, almost every item in your pack should be stowed inside a stuff sack or plastic bag. That way, if it’s raining when you unload your pack at camp, you can set things down on the ground without them becoming instantly soaked. Sleeping bags are worth extra care. I often reinforce the water-resistance of the sleeping-bag stuff sack with a plastic bag or second, larger stuff sack. I’ve put a large garbage bag inside my pack and then packed my pack. This way if it’s pouring rain when you get into camp, it’s easy to just pull everything out, and keep everything dry until you set up your tent…in the rain. Of course keeping competley dry in a rain storm is probably NOT going to happen.

Adjusting your pack is actually a continuous process that most people learn to do while they’re walking. Hip belts sometimes loosen and need to be retightened. Shoulder stabilizer straps get loose and need to be snugged down. Hips get sore, making it imperative to shift some weight to the shoulders by loosening the hip belt. Then the shoulders get sore, and it’s time to cinch down the hip belt again and loosen the shoulder straps. One serious symptom to watch out for is numbness or tingling in your hands, caused by too much weight on your shoulders. If that happens, take the pack off for a few minutes until the tingling eases. When you put it back on, make sure the hip belt is tight enough to carry most of the weight.
When I’m carrying a heavy load, I try to take the pack off for at least a minute or two every 30 to 60 minutes. These “blood flow breaks” let blood flow back into my hips and shoulders, easing the soreness that inevitably develops with even the best packs. I find I can carry the same weight further, with greater comfort, if I adopt this procedure.

Happy Hiking.

Scott Janz

Feel free to contact me at any time. Started Backpacking in 2003 and have never looked back. My all time favorite hike was last April when I hiked the Sycamore Wilderness Canyon. No trails, no signs, just wilderness and a 3,000 foot steep drop into the Canyon. I ran out of water my third day. Why? There was no water in the Canyon. You can check out my video on the “backpacker.tv” page. Thanks for dropping by.