There are two main aspects of being trek-ready that need consideration: your body and your backpack.
We talk about preparing your body for the trek in our post Fitness for Trekking.
In this article, we throw some light on how to pack your trekking backpack so it doesn’t weigh you down. Before we get into the details, let’s understand one thing – you are bound to unpack and repack your backpack on every trekking day. It’s inevitable and just comes with the sport.
That said, here are four tips to ensure you pack your bag in the best possible way.
Heavy stuff at the top
Most trekking backpacks are designed to spread themselves beautifully and sit on your body as part of it. But it’s our job to make sure we enable the bag to do so. The heavy stuff always goes on the top. Namely your books, electronics, toiletries, protein bars, anything else that weighs more than the fabric of your clothes. You may not need some of these items at the top, but shoving them at the bottom will only pull the weight of your bag down and strain your lower back. Hence all the heavy stuff goes at the very top of your bag.
Zip-locks for electronics
Power banks, phone chargers, batteries, any electronics that aren’t water resistant, put them in a zip lock bag and seal it up. The weather is always unpredictable in the mountains, and you could find yourself caught in rain in moments. Save those electronics from getting wet.
Garbage bags for dirty clothes
If you’re walking for multiple hours a day, you will sweat. And you’ll sweat all the way through to your underclothes. Keep the sweaty clothes and smelly socks separate from the clean clothes in small garbage bags or light plastic bags that aren’t too heavy.
Keep the most needed objects handy
As you’re trekking, there are some things you’ll need accessible along the way.
- Water to drink
- Dry fruits / snacks for quick fuel at rest stops
- A napkin for your sweat and runny nose
- Lip balm
- Wet wipes for natures call along the way
- Garbage bag/ zip lock to carry the waste
- Poncho / rain jacket (we already talked about unpredictable weather)
- Rain-cover for your bag
- Pain-relief spray, just in case of an unforeseen ankle twist or wrist sprain.
Imagine if your lips are dry with all the breathing and your lip balm is stuck somewhere inside your toilet kit. Unstrapping and unpacking your bag along the way won’t just cost you time, but also break your flow.
Most bags have pockets at the very top, some on the side, at the bottom and on the hip cushions. You know your bag best. Find the right spot for each and keep them handy.
Once you’re done packing, do the backpack standing test to know if you’ve done a good job. You can also check out our video highlighting the right way to wear your backpack.
Remember, the bag may weigh a few kilos, but once strapped onto you, it should feel like it’s part of your body.