Backpacking Checklist (page 9)
Now that you’ve gathered everything you need, likely by now strewn across your living room floor, its time to cram all of it into your pack. If you are traveling with other people, it’s easiest to gather everyone’s gear in one place and pack together. While each person of course can carry their own personal items, such as their clothing and sleeping bag, there are many items that are shared. These include things like the tent (or tents, depending on the size of your party), stove, and water filtration. Try to divide the weight as evenly as possible; it’s hardly fair to make one person carry all the heavy gear for everybody else. Not all packs need to necessarily weigh the same: different people can comfortably carry different amounts depending on their size and strength, so take this into consideration while loading up.
How you pack your bag is important, as the weight distribution will affect its ease of carrying. If you are using an internal frame pack, begin by putting your sleeping bag in first, this will form the base for all your other gear. If you are using an external frame pack, your sleeping back will be attached to the bottom of the pack. In either case, pack your lightest gear towards the bottom. Your heaviest items should be packed higher, close to your back and centered between your shoulder blades. This will help keep the weight centered on your hips, saving your back unnecessary strain. However, if you plan to wander off the trail into some more uneven terrain during the course of your trip, you may want to repack the heavier items a little lower; lowering the center of gravity of the pack in this way provides better balance. Also, women and people of shorter stature may feel more comfortable with packing the heavier items a little lower. Mid-weight items should be packed behind your heavy items and in the top of the pack. Although I realize all the loops and straps on the outside of packs look very impressive, try to attach as few items as possible to the outside of your pack. Stuff swinging around out there behind you can interfere with balance. Items which you may need during the day should be packed where they are easily accessible. These include things such as small snacks, sunglasses, sunblock, insect repellent, your first-aid kit, toilet paper and shovel, your trail map if you have one, and water bottles. If you are using a water bladder, pack this in last towards the top of the pack, run the hose out through a small opening (you may need to leave a small space if your pack doesn’t have one for this purpose) and clip the end of it to the shoulder strap. Space is essential, so use it wisely. You don’t want items shifting around while on the trail; stuff every nook and cranny tight. Stuff small items around your larger stuff and into any hollow compartments. For instance, that empty space in your cooking pots or mugs can be filled with utensils or socks.
Once you are all packed up, tighten all your external compression straps (the ones that wrap around the outside of the pack) as much as you can. This will keep everything nice and snug in there. Try putting the pack on, then adjust the hip and shoulder straps until they are comfortable. The pack should feel balanced and not unwieldy: if one side feels heavier than the other, or if it feels like the pack is pulling too far back even after pulling the shoulder straps nice and tight, you may need to pull some things out and make adjustments. In fact, you may have to pack and repack your bag a few times to figure out what feels the most comfortable for you. This is why it is best to get it all packed up at home before hitting the trail. We always pack up the night before, excluding only the clothes we will be wearing the first day. That way, when we crawl out of bed at some unholy hour before dawn to get out to the trail nice and early, all we need to do is throw the packs in the trunk and we are on our way.
The weight of you pack will vary depending on the length of your trip, and the number of members in your party who can help split the weight. After packing up, weigh yourself, then weigh yourself again immediately with the pack to calculate the weight of the pack. In general, it’s a good idea that the pack weight not exceed 20 % of your body weight. (To figure out your pack weight/body weight ratio, divide your pack weight by your body weight and multiply by 100.) Those who are more physically fit may be able to handle up to 30% of their body weight. However, advocates of “ultralight backpacking” strive for something closer to 15% or even 10%. This is certainly more comfortable; there are many resources in books and online with tips on reducing pack weight that are definitely worth checking out.
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