Packing Backpack

imported
#1

I’m leaving for GA tomorrow and just started packing my bag tonight. The first thing I thought to myself was, “****, I have one huge tent.” I pushed the tent all the way down and it looks like it takes up most of the space from the back to the front of the bag, and half of the space from side to side. Aside from that, I really can’t fit all my stuff in the backpack. It’s not that I have a lot of unneccesary junk, it’s just that I didn’t put any effort into getting small necessary stuff.

Any comments on packing my tent or anything else would be appreciated.

danny

danny

#2

Try straping your tent to the outside of your pack, its possible that it comes with straps already attached that would be good for doing this… you’ll probably still be able to get your rain cover over your entire pack (and over the tent). Good luck man…

Jeff

#3

Oh my god! … pack a smaller tent man!!! or buy a hammock! But, if it’s to late just strap what you can on and GO! you’ll figure how to pack everything eventually, even if it takes a few weeks … i think it took me months to figure out the best way to pack! Enjoy and have a ****ing kick ass time! :cheers

Peace

Boorah

#4

I remember the night clearly. All that time I’d been researching and buying or making -and it didn’t fit!

 But somehow I squeezed it all in there and after a while it got lighter and smaller. Make some decisions. Get rid of that extra fleece or gaitors or get to sqeezin'!

It’s a GOOD PROBLEM! Enjoy it!

Tha Wookie

#5

Keep the heavier stuff close to the top. That will put the center of gravity closer to your back. Put your sleeping bag at the bottom, then some clothing items. Next maybe your cooking stuff. Then finally your food and on top of that your water(if you carry a bladder)If you can break the tent down. Put the tent itself somewhere under your food bag. Then you can possibly strap the rods to the outside. Roll your sleeping pad up and strap it to the outside as well(bottom,top or side) Ive seen all three. But really,as Boorah said" get a smaller tent,man" 3pounds or less. I used a hammock. Just under two pounds

Virginian

#6

if youve got compression straps (straps on the side of pack) and an outside side pocket, slide the poles in there. take the tent out of its stuff sac and put it in the bottom, cram crap on top of it, fill any nooks and crannies with it. it sounds wicked heavy so i wouldnt strap it to the outside since it would pull you way off balance. even if its only 3 pounds. like mr VA said, strap the pad to the exterior, unless its a therma rest in which case you dont wanna risk puncturing. if it still doesnt fit, take the sleeping bag out of the stuff sac too but line your pack with a trash bag to keep it drizzny.

and if it STILL doesnt fit…just carry it while you walk, i mean youve got two hands.

milo

#7

…Any Suggestions!!!Yeah PLAN AHEAD.why did you wait until last minute to shake down,you think mayby a overnight hike might improve your odds of a succesful hike?Here is two suggestions,Buy a smaller tent or a bigger backpack.have a happy hike

newb

#8

You are going on a thru hike tomorrow and never packed your pack before. Come on, this is a joke right?? Good Luck Danny.

freeranger

#9

Well, I’m not hiking tomorrow, I’m leaving tomorrow (which is now today), so I have a couple of days in hotels to figure this out, I’m driving. Anyway, got to go pack the car.

Thanks for the help.

danny

#10

If you bought you pack the way I have suggested several times, this would not happen.

As posted previously, the way to buy a pack is to first buy all your other gear. Then, take all your gear and go to your local outfitter and try packing all the gear, food, and water into different packs and find out what fits and is comfortable for you.

Peaks

#11

Take a picture, you’ll laugh about it when you are done.

Seriously, when stuff doesn’t fit, thats when you start doing some serious gear pruning.This happens to me all the time. Good thing you don’t have a bigger pack, or you probably over fill that one too. All else fails, start tieing things on the back as others suggested. Short term an overloaded pack isn’t too much of a problem. A few miles of hiking will get you properly motivated to get rid of some stuff. On the trail ask for some advice, plenty of people
out there to help you. A few of them might actually know what they are talking about too. :smiley:

pack rat

#12

Before I left California to head back east to hike,I thought I was going to have to buy a new pack.Just about wore it out packing, repacking and overnight trips.By the time you reach Neels Gap,you’ll have it figured out.
Too late now but,you should have spent more time with your gear.By the way,what does your tent weigh?You’ll be just fine,there are plenty of good people on the trail that will help.:cheers to you and your hike.

Bill Harris

#13

I would suggest driving straight to the outfitting store at Neel’s gap. The people there have helped a lot of hikers. I think Neel’s gap is about thirty miles into the hike so you could just hike there from Springer but why not save your self some grief.

reddog