How To Pack A Backpack

What if you are out in the wild and you suddenly go starved? You have food in your bag, all right! So you know you won’t die of hunger. You unload the knapsack, zip open your bag and to your utter dismay, there is nothing but a real mess inside. The cooking utensils are all over the place, the fuel for the cooking stove has spilled on to the tent and as you rummage through the bag, you discover that some of the fuel has tipped out on your food too! To prevent the occurrences of such mishaps when on a hike or a trek, it is an absolute necessity to pack your backpack in the right way. You can’t just randomly throw in every item you need for the trek and go on a hike. It does not work this way. There is a certain way of going about the whole process of packing your backpack. Read on for instructions on how to pack your backpack in the best way.

Packing A Backpack

When it’s about packing your backpack in the right way, the general rule of thumb is to put in first what you are likely to take out last. This is one thing you have to bear in your mind when packing your backpack.
As far as your sleeping bag goes, it would make a lot of sense to pack it in a compression sack. Putting your sleeping bag in a compression sack will actually help you save on quite a lot of extra space. You might also consider getting a waterproof compression sack as this will help you keep your sack dry, even in wet conditions.
Inspect your backpack and look for a compartment that should have played host to your sleeping bag. Instead of dumping your sleeping bag in this compartment, you can use this space to pack in your clothes and socks. Not only will this save your socks and underclothes from getting lost, but will also ensure that all your clothes are easily accessible.
Let’s focus on your bivy sack or tent now. If you are lucky, your backpack should have storage options for your tent too. If it doesn’t, you can always attach your tent to the straps of your back. Alternately, you can stuff your tent into a compartment in your backpack and then go on to strap the poles to the outside of the bag. As for the stakes that almost always manage to vanish, they should be stored in a sack along with the tent.
Never mind if your bedroll is a closed cell or open cell foam, you can always roll it and attach it to one of the straps outside your backpack. However, if your bedroll is inflatable, make it a point to store it deep inside your backpack and in a tough sack. This will keep your bedroll safe from sharp branches, rocky edges or any other sharp object.
While exploring the great outdoors, you will have to carry along your cooking gear. If you love to eat your food hot, you will have to carry along utensils and a stove. These can be stored in one of the larger outside pockets of your pack. As for your fuel, you have got to be extremely careful when packing it. Store the fuel away from your tent and bedding and your food. You really don’t want fuel leaking onto any one of these items.
You most definitely can’t hit a trail without some food tucked in your backpack. Store your food in two different manners. The food that you will prepare when you reach the campsite or a similar set up should be stored in a separate sack or in a place that is not too close to equipment. The food that you plan to eat on the go can be placed in your pockets or in easily accessible locations.

You now are good to go, pack your bags and hit that trail like never before. The world is all yours to explore!

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