Outdoor Backpacks Packing Tips

Absolutely practical outdoor backpack packing skills, turning you into a backpacker in minutes! 

For travel friends who play outdoors, an outdoor backpack is almost always handy. As long as it is an overnight climbing activity, a large backpack is needed.

A backpack with good storage can make you feel comfortable while walking, can always maintain your balance, and will not start to slosh after a long trek.

Today we will teach you how to pack equipment, as long as you read the following article, everyone can become a pack expert in minutes! 

Principles of Packing

There are three principles for packaging:

• Easy to hold,

• Balance

• Compress as much as possible (that is, take up as small area as possible)

Therefore, you can’t put all kinds of messy equipment directly into the backpack, but you need to sort them out, that is, put the same items together. On the one hand, it saves space and is easy to find (that is, easy to get); Compressible items take up minimal space. 

Commonly used items should be near the opening, and items used only during camping should be placed inside.

Light and soft items are on the bottom, and heavy and hard items are on the top (the items that cannot be pressed should be on the top). The heavy on the top is beneficial to make the center of gravity of the backpack as close as possible to the center of gravity of the human body, and it is not easy to make people's waist and abdomen muscles fatigue.

Pay attention to the balance between the left and right sides of the backpack. At the same time, pay attention to the tightness of the two shoulder straps to be adjusted properly and equally.

The external items of the backpack are the tent on the top and the moisture-proof cushion on the bottom.

Generally, the weight of each person (calculated as the weight of the backpack) should not exceed 1/3 of his body weight. If it exceeds this weight, it will cause damage to the knee. It may not be felt once or twice, but the damage accumulated over the years is very serious.

Packing methods

From top to bottom general backpacks are divided into

Top-cover bags (used to carry rain gear, maps, snacks, etc.). When such items are needed, they can be easily taken out by fellow travelers.

Two side bags (used to carry some common items, such as kettles, flashlights, toiletries, toilet paper, compasses, emergency medicines, emergency food, sunglasses, gloves, small cameras, film and other items).

The large bag (main bag) carries other important items (such as sleeping bags, changes of clothes, tableware, etc.). 

The correct packaging method

From the side of the backpack, first divide the cross section into upper and lower halves. The lighter items are below and the heavier ones are on the top. Generally speaking, the items below are sleeping bags or lighter items for a change of clothes. And then cut the upper half straight from the middle, placing the heaviest one on the inner side near the shoulder and neck, and the lighter one on the periphery.

The backpack is packed from bottom to top, layer by layer, the left and right weights should be the same, and there should not be too large gaps when filling, so as not to affect the stability of the backpack, these are the general principles.

The small principle is to make slight adjustments in accordance with the habit of using. For example, raincoats are light, but when the rain comes suddenly, in order to get them quickly, it is more recommended to put them near the top pocket. It is best to put a large black plastic bag inside the backpack when packing, which can effectively waterproof and does not affect the handling of things.

In addition, remember that when the backpack is packed, be sure to tighten all the straps, which will greatly help the stability of the center of gravity of the backpack. If not necessary, do not take things from the middle part of the backpack, this can easily damage the original packed center of gravity of the backpack.

When the backpack is packed, place the backpack on the ground. Except for the special shape of the backpack, whether the backpack can stand upright is an indicator of whether the backpack is packed correctly

Packing steps

Put sleeping bags, pillowcases, sleeping pads, etc., larger in size, but the last equipment used in the day's trip is placed at the bottom of the backpack. The tent poles should be stored with straps and placed on the side of the backpack vertically.

The heaviest equipment should be placed on the sleeping bag, such as cooking utensils, oil stoves, oil tanks, pots, dry food and other items. Remember to keep the part that is in contact with the back as a flat surface that can fit snugly and avoid leaning the back against angular items.

Put clothes, shoes and other items into the remaining space in the backpack one by one. If there is a place for a water bag, place the water bag. If the backpack has a side pocket, place a water bottle.

Other tools such as trekking poles and crampons are placed on the outer hangers of the backpack.

 Frequently used items such as mobile phones, GPS, snacks, etc., can be placed in the dedicated compartment on the top of the backpack, or in the pocket on the belt.

Carrying bag method

As a backpack full of items is heavier, you should learn how to carry the backpack on your back.

One is that it is the easiest way to carry it on the back of a high platform. Or a person sits on the ground with his back, and then puts the backpack on his right leg with his right hand, first with the right hand, and after standing up, he can put the left hand again.

It is necessary to adjust it to the height of your carrying, and sometimes you need to take out the support bar in the carrying system and bend it to the curve that best fits your body.

Packing is also different for men and women 

There is also a little difference between male and female backpacks, because boys’ upper torso is longer and girls’ upper torso is shorter but legs are longer. When loading, boys’ weights are higher because boys’ center of gravity is close to the chest, the girl’s center of gravity is lower, and the position is close to the abdomen, and the heavy objects are as close to the back as possible, so that the weight is higher than the waist.

Adjust the height of the center of gravity adjustment belt so that the angle between it and the shoulder strap is about 20-30 degrees.

In the actual operation of loading bags, there are also many small details worthy of everyone's attention: for example, you must relax the external straps and shrink straps on the backpack before loading the bags, so that the space inside the backpack can be fully expanded.

Hope our packing tips can be helpful to your outdoor sports. If you have more skills, welcome to share with us.