What's in Your Pack?
How much gear I should pack? I don't want to bring too little, and I don't want to be overexerting myself with too much. What's in the ideal pack?
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Question:
I’m an amateur hiker/backpacker and I’m wondering how much gear I should
pack. I don’t want to bring too little, and I don’t want to be overexerting myself with too much. What’s in the ideal pack?
Submitted by – Zack, Sacramento, CA
Answer:
The golden rule is this: Never carry more than 1/3 of your body weight. A common mistake among many beginners is to carry too much clothing and food. With experience, you’ll learn how to pare these items down.
For example,I never pack a clothing item that doesn’t work within my layering system. I always bring long john bottoms for chilly nights, a pair of waterproof/breathable rainpants, and I wear a pair of synthetic hiking pants. All three layers can be worn together when it gets really cold, and I strip down to just the pants during the day. Packing a second pair of clean pants is a luxury I just don’t allow myself.
As for food, the best thing to do is keep notes on how much you packed and how much you ate versus threw away. I’m a firm believer of always having a little extra, in case something happens and I get stuck out there longer than I expected, but I’ve also learned that a half pound of dried pasta is plenty for two ravenous campers to have a big dinner.
Check out our gear lists right here and watch our editor in chief Jon Dorn’s two-part video packing series for dayhikes and week-long trips here. They’ll help you figure out all the essentials, and prevent you from totally spacing out on any critical items.