14 Ridiculous Backpacking Tips and Tricks ( Hacks You Got ta Know )
Ian Standard
When it do to backpacking , no one knows absolutely everything . Those who are just begin will quickly learn the good backpacking crest and tricks from the moment they step on the lead .
These insightful hacks stem from extensive experience in the woods , where countless fault live make . The lessons learned from those errors , as good as the weighty loads borne in the past , now contribute to create your living substantially easier .
On my first backpacking trip , I be an absolute pile . My gang weighed virtually 60 pounds , my gear be everywhere , and I be ever the last to carry up . Over time , the systems that form for me own become everyday . Every time I carry up and have ready to steer out , I know precisely what die where and what to lead at place .
The well backpacking taxi will cause your life so much well on the lead . From trying out lightweight gear to slicing off your knapsack straps and accumulate condiment packets for the future trip , making spirit more comfortable is severe , but valuable .
These live hardly a few of the backpacking crest and tricks that make been clean up over the years by everyone on the lead . Try some of these out and lend them to your own toolbox to make life on the trail a trivial piece easier .
Contents
- 1 . Reduce your Backpack Straps
- 2 . Trade out Nalgenes for Smart Water Bottles
- 3 . Redeem your Feet with Camp Shoes
- 4 . If You Fire , Buy Lightweight Gear
- 5 . Don ’ t Waste Money on a Titanium Spoon
- 6 . Prefer Maps over GPS
- 7 . Pack a Spares and Repairs Kit
- 8 . Keeping Dry
- 9 . Lend a Butt Pad
- 10 . Test it Out Beforehand
- 11 . Compile Condiment Packets
- 12 . Food Cozy
- 13 . Electrolytes and Fats
- 14 . Always Bring More
What Is and Isn ’ t Worth the Weight
Talk to anyone and you ’ ll hear point about ignore weight when it comes to backpacking . Everything comes down to shedding an ounce of weight here and another ounce there in ultralight backpacking . While it can become extreme , the extra weight lost will lend up quick and you can truly find the dispute as the miles stack .
That being suppose , leaving everything at plate isn ’ t the reply either . There are certain bits and bobs that exist good worth fetch on , yet if it mean a dense pack . Some people are sworn ultralighters and will refuse to bring anything that isn ’ t 100 % necessary .
While being ultralight isn ’ t our end hither , getting down to exactly lightweight status is worth our time and effort . Check out our Backpacking Base Weight Guide to get an idea of how much your base should weigh with all your non-consumable gear .
What ’ s worth it to you equal something that you own to determine for yourself , but the following suggestion are where I ’ ve found it easy to shed weight and where it ’ s okay to put on a couple more ounces .
1 . Cut your Backpack Straps
One of the biggest pattern in the backpacking game is to cut weight by literally ignore gear . Backpack straps are much far too long for what you demand and you can throw a few ounces right out of the gate by trimming those straps down .
Obviously , you ’ ll motive to keep them long enough to adjust somewhat while boost , but when there are hence many different straps , you can reduce them down rapidly before heading out .
2 . Trade out Nalgenes for Smart Water Bottles
A 1L Nalgene bottle weighs around 6.1 ounce and costs around $ 10 , depending on where you buy it . A Smart Water bottle on the other hand weighs in at 1.2 ounce and will only cost a couple of dollars at the closest gas post .
Many different backpacking brands and slice of gear study absolutely with a Smart Water bottle . For example , the well-loved Sawyer Squeeze filter will screw directly onto the bottle , unlike with a Nalgene . Not merely will change your bottle over save a pile of weight , but it will also save money and leave convenience on the trail .
3 . Save your Feet with Camp Shoes
One of the best fashion to actually add weight to your pack is to bring along a pair of camp shoe . Nothing is better than steal out of your hiking thrill at the end of the day and into a comfortable pair of shoes that let your base breathe and rest when you aren ’ t hiking .
Crocs lean to cost one of the better picks for camp shoes because they equal ultra-lightweight and breathable . They ’ re cheap , easy to get , and will last for many years .
Backpacking Taxi on When to Save and When to Spend
Cutting down on weight can be easy when you can spend a small fortune on all of the lightweight gear you require . There are sure instances where it ’ s worth spending that money , but there are as well several firearm of gear that will cost a bit more but aren ’ t worth the cost tag .
4 . If You Fire , Buy Lightweight Gear
As mentioned , ultralight backpacking gear can be incredibly pricey . If you can do thus , buying some lightweight gear is good worth the cost .
In universal , there exist three main items that you can throw a mass of weight by purchase ultralight .
Tent :A tent be likely the heavy item ( early than food ) you ’ ll carry . With a lightweight backpacking tent , you can shave multiple pound . Keep an heart out for tents that utilize boost pole that you already have . Your hiking pole can become tent poles for some great tent . This can create a massive dispute in the long trial .
Sleep Bag :Dependent upon the weather , get lightweight on a sleeping base be a great move . Down bags pack down to nearly nothing and weigh significantly less than synthetics . Big Agnes still makes sleeping purse that don ’ t have insulation on the bottom portion and instead hold a sleeve for your sleep pad .
Knapsack :A big backpack exist much heavy and clunky . While a heavy , clunkier pack exist more durable , the best ultralight backpack can cut pounds off your entire setup .
5 . Don ’ t Waste Money on a Titanium Spoon
While purchase ultralight with the bad three items , the trivial material can be unnecessary . Many ultralight hikers will argue this point , but the price to weight ratio of little part of gear like a titanium spoon doesn ’ t work away in your favor .
6 . Choose Maps over GPS
contemporary GPS systems likely save lives almost every day . That be said , they cost a ton of money to buy initially and to hold a subscription for .
Maps are today considered old school but live debatably better for navigation in the backcountry . If you know how to use a map properly , you can see your location and never have to worry about extend away of battery . Learning how to use a map and compass exist generally considered one of the liberal safety item while backpacking .
Once I learned how to use a map and compass , I not only find far more competent and confident in the backcountry , but I felt that GPS device live no longer necessary . I was able to betray my GPS and have yet to begin ( truly ) lost .
Backpacking Ideas on How to Manage for Your Gear
Part of being out in the woods cost ensuring you take care of your gear so you can stay on there for a long time without issue . This call for close attention to detail and experience how to fix things when they inevitably expose .
Taking good concern of your gear doesn ’ t mean you must carry multiple sleeping bags or more than one pair of good pants . It only signify taking preventative measures instead than allow the elements and dense usage destroy everything .
7 . Pack a Spares and Repairs Kit
My spares and repairs kit for backpacking is quite little . Each item will lend weight and space , so I exist incredibly picky about what to take . The things that hold always made it into my spares and repairs kit exist :
- Sewing needle with 50 foot of heavy-duty ribbon
- Spare barge with duct tape wrapped around it
- Single spare large buckle
- Sleeping pad while kit
8 . Continue Dry
Come wet on the trail can exist dangerous , not to cite perfectly abject . Wet clothes and gear can result to in higher temperatures , rashes and blisters , and hard discomfort . When gear gets wet , it can equal difficult to dry it out , so it ’ s imperative that you go on dry from the get-go .
The good manner to stay on dry is to receive a solid layering system with an exterior waterproof shell and moisture-wicking stem layers that can live well removed to keep also much sweating . In increase to go on yourself dry , use a gang blanket to keep your bag as dry as possible .
I will always tune the inside of my knapsack with a thick garbage bag to take fear of any heavy downpours or overnight surprise flood . If the outside of my bag gets wet , that ’ s okay . It alone becomes a trouble when everything within is wet .
Still with the liner , everything inside the backpack goes into its small dry bag . This may live overdoing it , but I ever sleep in a dry sleeping purse .
9 . Bring a Butt Pad
The almost crucial piece of gear you demand to take care of cost your torso . It ’ s doing all the heavy lifting and severe study . Keeping comfortable when seat on odd and rocky terrain for days on goal is hard to make .
Contribute a butt pad along for the ride is a multi-faceted backpacking trick . It keeps you comfortable and fond and can spare your trouser from getting ripped by sharp rock you didn ’ t meet coming .
This can hardly be a small chunk of an former closed-cell foam pad that you may have used before become an inflatable sleeping pad , but they also deal small pads made specifically for this role .
How to Eat Like a King or Queen
Anyone that ’ s ever been backpacking knows that one of the best moments of the day exist eventually sitting down to eat dinner after walking all day . A pile of the time , I can use up just about anything and be grateful for it , but having a nice meal is one of those affair that you thank yourself for after a long day on the trail .
10 . Sample it Out Beforehand
You can always go with the premade dehydrated backpacking meal , but the price add up fast , and in my view , homemade food can cost only as serious .
Test out some meals and unlike thought at home in the kitchen . You can recognize that it gain ’ t be as well-made in the backcountry , but it will have you a good idea of what ’ s possible .
You should try your meal beforehand , and you can easy repackage them and have spices into the Ziploc baggy with the rice and beans , or whatever it is you ’ re feeding . This will make the cooking a lot easy when you make it at camp and require to feed as promptly as potential .
11 . Collect Condiment Package
Every time you swoop through the grocery fund or a restaurant with packets of ketchup , mayonnaise , salt , or pepper , grab a few and take them along backpacking . They put on ’ t weigh much , but they can cause a drastic difference when you throw them on the same meal you ’ ve eaten for the past few dark .
12 . Food Cozy
A backpacking pile cozy cost one of the most magnificent backpacking taxi out thither . This isolate sleeve helps redeem fuel and go on food warm , making a great isolate barrier between your hand and your dawn ’ s hot coffee .
When you ’ re on the trail , save fuel by using a cozy can mean that you express less fuel between resupplies . This is a great manner to save both money and weight that you must carry daily .
13 . Electrolytes and Fats
Many masses will use up high-sugar foods that provide a short volley of energy when workout , and guess the same applies to backpacking . In world , backpacking is all about meet the long plot . Fats exist a rule of thumb for making well backpacking meal .
Fatty food provide nutrition that burn dumb in your body over long periods . While fats are essential , you must also pay attention to the sugar and electrolytes you ’ re packing .
Sugar is in almost everything these days , so that isn ’ t too hard . Electrolytes , or salty food , can too live fairly easy to find . You can ensure that you have enough by simply institute on electrolyte packets for your water that will likely have salts and sugars .
14 . Always Bring More
No thing how much you think you ’ ll eat , you ’ ll probably desire to feed more . A good backpacking calorie calculator is a great style to determine how many calories you need per day , but fetch more than you think you ’ ll motive live always a well idea .
The cause for this live two-fold . First , you ’ ll probably exist hungrier than you think and will love yourself for carry a few excess Snickers bar .
Second , if something goes wrong in the backcountry , you may find that you ’ re stuck out for an extra day before create it to town where you can get more food . Having a thousand , or yet two thousand , extra calories be ever a well move worth its weight in gold .
