Packing can actually be kinda daunting for an obsessive person like me. Here is what I’ve done to get a routine down and save time:
- First, I get a small day pack or grocery sack and put in a fresh change of clothes that are season appropriate, adding in a stick of deodorant. This is what I’ll change into once I return to my car at the trail head. I put this beside the front door with my trekking poles, gazetteer and hiking shoes.
- Then I lay out the easy stuff… quilt, sleeping pad, shelter, stakes and of course my pack. This is what I’ll carry on every trip no matter what. I feel halfway done at this point LOL.
- I put my water bladder in, because it will be an absolute pain in the ass to put in later, requiring a total unloading and reloading of everything.
- In the bottom of my pack I put my down quilt in a garbage bag, and I put other down or moisture sensitive items in as well. I cram it down.
- I break out all my clothing that I’ll need, putting the stuff I will wear while hiking in a separate area, so I can put it right on after work or the morning I drive out to the trail head.
- Around the garbage bag, I stuff in the items I don’t need until I break camp. That being my shelter, stakes, sleeping pad, and base layers etc, I wont need till then. I just stuff stuff all the way down.
- On top of that bulky base, I put my cook set and food. This ends up being midway up my pack/back.
- I put my gallon ziplock bag that has bear line, headlamp, toothbrush and other miscellaneous items that come with me on every trip, usually to one side of the food bag.
- In the very top of my bag, I put the stuff I may need while hiking like my rain jacket or even binoculars which I bring on some trips for wildlife viewing.
- Anything I need access to as I’m hiking will be in my hip belt pockets and shoulder strap pockets, like snacks, first aid, phone, PLB.
- I put it all beside my front door, so everything is in one spot ready to go.
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