how to pack.

what to bring.

Without any specialty equipment, this list is a baseline for a simple day hike. Being a baseline, you will need to add items for any environmental variations or additional activities that may arise on any given trip.

The subpages of this page have more detailed information on each category.

clothing.

The clothing you bring is critical to the success of any trip. If you take nothing else from this section, understand to AVOID COTTON. Cotton gets wet and stays wet leading to all sorts of health and safety concerns. Otherwise, pack for the weather and environment of the activity. Your base clothing however has less effect than the layering you do above it.

Mid Layers

Mid layers are usually in the form of fleece style layers with a looser weave to create that dead air space for a warm air barrier. These layers are also highly wicking and breathable to keep moisture moving away from the body. Mid layers are made from thicker layers of materials for better insulating properties and can be stacked for increased warmth. Breathability in these layers Is key for thermal regulation, letting excess body heat escape while also remaining warm.

Fleeces or anything with a soft exterior and generally counted as mid layers. They should be relatively thin so that a shell layer can fit on top of it.

Shell Layers

Shell layers are climate/environment facing layers designed to prevent the elements from sapping heat away from the body. Involved in this process is the prevention of rain and wind from entering the mid layers. These layers generally have a tight weave for less air permeation and increased weather resistance.

Rain jackets and wind breakers are the foremost examples of shell layers are incredibly important to staying warm in windy conditions.

For longer than a day trip, you may want to consider bringing other base clothing although it may be an unnecessary additional weight.

footwear.

Footwear is always highly dependent on the environment and type of activity.

Generally hiking boots are recommended for any land base activity especially hiking and camping. See the footwear page for more information.

If you don't have access to boots, sturdy sneakers are a good starting option on mild terrain.

four essentials.

You will need to create a four essential kit for everything you may need in a pinch whilst conducting the activity. The contents of which should be different for every activity and environment. See the four essentials tab for more information on how to construct the kit.

An example kit for a hike could be the following. DO NOT COPY THIS EXACTLY, USE AS A GUIDE.

Equipment to fix gear

Multitool, Duct Tape, Electrical Tape, Lighter, Safety pins, Patch kit

Equipment to fix people

Bandages / gauze, Tape for small cuts, Emergency food, Water Purification method, General purpose relief medications, Lighter / sparker for fires

Navigation

Map / chart of area, Compass, Mobile Phone, Emergency light source

Communication

Mobile Phone, Emergency Whistle, Lighter / sparker for fires, Pre-determined plan and check in times shared with relevant third parties

food and water.

In the backcountry, you are aiming to consume about 4000 calories per day. You can accomplish this by eating fulfilling meals and by snacking up to 200 calories per hour. Granola bars that are high in carbs and low in fat are a fantastic trail snack. AVOID GORP , there is too much fat in gorp to really benefit you throughout the day.

From a hydration standpoint, try to drink a liter of water an hour. Ample hydration is the most important factor in any day outside and poor hydration can very quickly turn any mild adventure dangerous. Beware of the effects of Dehydration and Hyponatremia as outlined in the food and water section.

Once again, refer to the food and water section for more information.

backpack.

There are many different carrying systems available for any given activity. For most day-long activities you would choose a relatively light and comfortable day pack with enough space for everything you may need, but not too much excess room that weight shifts around in. In an ideal world a hiking daypack of around 35-50 liters in size would be perfect for any day out on the trail. Realistically any backpack will accomplish the same feat so don't be afraid to pack everything into an old school bag if you don't have the proper equipment. It may be less comfortable but it will work fine.

equipment.

Camping

Tent / Shelter system - See shelter page.

Cooking / Cleaning equipment.

Sleep bag. - See sleep system page.

Tons more information about camping needs in the subpages of 'how to camp'.

how to pack your carry system.

There are some useful features for packs that could determine which one to bring on any given outing. Dedicated hydration pouches and tube feeding openings are great for those who prefer the bladder hydration methods over bottles. This feature allows you to route the hydration tube through a small opening in the main body of the pack to increase functionality and avoid having to contort your head to difficult angles to have a steady stream of hydration. Another common feature on standard packs are mesh and or bottle holding external pockets. These are designed to hold smaller items that you may want to grab in a pinch, a similar use to that of the brain of the pack but much less secure so important items shouldn’t go here. The bottle holders are useful for bottle-based hydration systems, allowing for on the fly drinking rather than having to break each time to take a sip. Specialty packs are where features really shine. Alpine / Climbing packs are notable here due to their specially designed exterior. With a harder shell, these packs have preset loops and tabs for holding ice tools and crampons. Some packs of this verity will even have locations for ski poles. Some packs even have climbing grade gear loops lining the hip belt for easier access to mountaineering tools. Specific to climbing, haul packs are rugged widemouthed bags with no exterior features. These top loading packs are designed to be dragged up jagged rock and are built with the strength and materials to fit that purpose.

Features of each pack aren’t necessarily more important than others, its all dependent on the desired use for the pack and the effectiveness of that carry system in the climate that it’s put in. From experience, most carry systems are versatile enough to work in most situations, but it can be an added comfort and benefit to have some specialty designed features.

Absent simple day activities, proper weight distribution can increase your effectiveness, reduce the chance of injury, and make it easy to locate anything you may need whilst in the backcountry. Starting from the bottom, most packs have a specialized sleeping bag compartment that is separated from the main body of the pack. This is not only for better organization, often the sleeping bag is the heaviest and most fragile piece of gear in your pack and it helps to protect and separate it from your other gear. There are significant benefits with regards to overall mobility by keeping the heavier gear lower down in the pack. Thus, whatever tent portion you are carrying should go right at the bottom of the main compartment followed by food, cookware, and extra clothing. If there is no designated pocket, water and other liquids should also be placed as low as possible as it is usually the heaviest item in your pack. When packing a bag, try to keep the gear as compact as possible as loose items in a pack can throw the weight off balance and make carrying it uncomfortable.

for novice outdoorsmen..

Make sure you do your best to remember everything you need for a campout. Remember its perfectly normal to forget things and have to deal with it, in fact it's not a proper camping experience unless you forget something. Just try not to forget anything too important. For an example I once forgot a sleeping bag for a -10 degree campout so don't worry about it too much.

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