| believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way | | | | to push everything into a nice fit. |
| of how to pack a backpack. Get it wrong and you will | | | | At the bottom of the main compartment I put my |
| find that your backpack will soon get very very | | | | spare clothes; the ones that I will not need during the |
| uncomfortable. This will then affect your whole trip, | | | | day, such as spare socks, underwear, tee-shirts etc. |
| making it a miserable experience rather than one of | | | | on top of them go the smaller heavier things such as |
| enjoyment and pleasure. | | | | wash kit, repair kits, personal items and anything fragile. |
| There are slightly different ways on how to pack a | | | | Then on top of that goes a jumper or fleece so that |
| backpack depending on the kind of backpacking or | | | | everything is cushioned between two soft layers. |
| hiking you intend to do. For instance if you are hill | | | | The tent goes in next; the poles are carefully slid down |
| walking or hiking on steep rough ground most of the | | | | into the pack so that they are at a corner near my |
| time where balance is the most important aspect, then | | | | back. The actual tent I like to have packed in such a |
| the heavy non-bulky items should be packed lower for | | | | way that it can be flat in the pack and not rolled up |
| better stability. | | | | into a cylinder, this takes up less space and can be |
| I’m not a great fan of having lots of things | | | | packed down tighter. On top of this I put any food and |
| strapped to the outside of my pack. To me this not | | | | water that I will not require during the day and also a |
| only looks untidy but these things are likely to get lost | | | | warm jacket. |
| or damaged. The only exceptions I would make would | | | | Into the lid and side pockets go my first-aid kit and the |
| be my waterproof jacket and trousers, so that they | | | | food and water I will need for the day and anything |
| are easily accessible in the event of rain or showers | | | | else that I will need to use often. This way whenever I |
| during the day. I also used to strap my kip-mat to the | | | | stop for lunch or just a quick brew up every thing is |
| top of my pack, but as I now use a ¾ length | | | | easily at hand and I don’t need to go searching |
| inflatable mat this goes inside. | | | | through the main pack just to find one thing. |
| My backpack has a separate lower compartment and | | | | All that you need to do now is make sure that the |
| in this I put my sleeping bag, I don’t use a | | | | whole backpack feels comfortable and well balanced. |
| compression stuff-sac as this tends to make the | | | | This is best done by putting it on and walking around |
| whole thing into a solid lump.It`s much better to use the | | | | with it for 15 or 20 minutes. This should let you know if |
| rucksack compartment as the stuff-sac itself, then it | | | | anything needs to be adjusted or moved. This is |
| will not leave empty corners, and when the pack is put | | | | obviously just a rough guide and will depend on your |
| on, the waist-belt will help the whole thing to contour to | | | | personal preferences and the type of gear that you |
| your body, making it much more comfortable. My | | | | decide to take. But the most important thing is that it |
| inflatable kip-mat goes in after my sleeping bag helping | | | | feels comfortable as it's you who will be carrying it. |