pack a rucksack
just pack a rucksack and go!
Do you ever have those “pack a rucksack” dreams? You know, those nightmares where everyone is in the car, engine running, or the taxi to the airport is arriving and you haven’t packed yet? In fact, you’re naked and you haven’t even made a packing list? So you fly around the house packing, sobbing, frantically stuffing things into random bags, one shoe on, one shoe off, while your mum yells up the stairs, “Just pack a rucksack!”
I hate those dreams. I probably have them every couple of months. And the thing is, I’m really good at packing. Insanely so. This possibly has something to do with my mother and her tendency to suddenly decide to leave an hour before the scheduled time. But that’s another story for another day.
I also hate it when people say “You know, you can buy toothpaste in Indonesia” or “I’m sure there’ll be shops in Scotland” as though having everything you need is the only aim of packing. No! Packing is not just about having things. It’s about having MY things. In the RIGHT place. The thought of having to buy a flannel at the airport cos I forgot mine is NOT OK for me. Packing must be perfect.
packing perfection
My training in how to pack a rucksack began early. At my school, the teacher in charge of expeditions (Duke of Edinburgh etc) had the nickname ‘Chop’. This gives you an idea of the sort of person he was. You didn’t get on the wrong side of Chop. Chop issued strict packing lists for his trips, and there we pre-packing meetings and packing assessments long before we ever got on the minibus. It was instilled in me from an early age that packing a rucksack was a science, not an art.
Later on, I got taught the 5Ps of expeditions: Prior Planning Prevents (*) Poor Performance. In my Army training, a 6th P was added (*I’m sure you can imagine!) and the requirements (and weight of the rucksack) were even heavier. The rucksack needed not just to be packed, but to balance. Equipment wasn’t just put in, it was organised. Packing a rucksack became a precision task, and one at which I took pleasure in excelling.
I think I’m not the only one. I remember on Outward Bound at Aberdovey, the instructors warned us that the seagulls on the local beach had learnt the OB packing drill and knew that lunch and snacks were always stored in the top pocket of the rucksack. But this wasn’t enough to change the drill; food belonged in the top pocket, despite the airborne threat. Intense rules and drills about how to pack a rucksack are a mainstay of many outdoor pursuit organisations, and I’m sure packing geeks are ten-a-penny in the adventure industry.
Despite being free to relax these rules in my later civilian life, I found that my reliance on packing routines persevered. Even while living the boho traveller lifestyle in Thailand, I had a packing list for beach weekends. I had it down to a fine art, so I could pack a rucksack and leave Bangkok after work on a Friday evening to get to Koh Chang by nightfall armed with all I needed for a tropical mini-break.
the pre-pack pack
For larger and longer trips, I have developed an important preliminary pack routine. Over the 2 or 3 weeks prior to the trip, I start to vaguely gather kit into a corner of the room. At some point, I create a packing list, and start to run through it. This will generally result in a shopping trip: Boots for travel toiletries, M&S for a 6-pack of pants, and an outdoor shop for extra kit.
After this, the preliminary pack can occur. This is when I pile everything onto the bed, adding clothes, wash kit and shoes. Then I refine the clothes selection and pack a rucksack. Generally, it all fits. Because I haven’t included snacks, water, jacket, makeup, books etc etc. But broadly speaking, it all looks good. This is the preliminary pack.
At this point, I wonder whether it’s the right bag. I might swap and pack it all in another rucksack instead. Then go back to the first one. There are decisions to make at this time about hand luggage too, and there are usually too many pairs of shoes involved. I consider warm layers for air-conditioned transport, stop-over wash kits and reading material. Possibly a second shopping trip is needed at this stage. The bag stays in the bedroom, and items can be added, removed or swapped.
A few days before the trip and it’s time for the proper pack. This is the serious business, where the list gets its final row of ticks. Bags within bags are used. Placement is considered. Pockets are balanced. And the hand luggage bag is packed too. I then write a list of final things which I can’t pack until the day before the trip, or even the morning of departure. Phone, charger, wallet, keys, coffee cup etc. And the rucksack gets placed by the front door, the list on the kitchen table. The game is on.
ignore the balloons and this is actually a well-packed rucksack!
pack with pride
As you can see, ‘just pack a rucksack’ is not really how I like to roll. I love leaving for a trip with all my things carefully stowed, in their rightful place, with no excess and no wasted space. I pride myself on my packing skills, and I know I can pack a rucksack that packs a punch. I was thrilled to be complimented on my packing skills by a Ranger at a South African game reserve. He took one look at my rucksack and asked whether I’d been in the army. The inner glow lasted all day! Judging by some of the photos I see on social media adventure groups, packing is a deep joy for many others too. Done properly, it’s definitely part of the pleasure of a trip, and an exciting ritual to be enjoyed.
However, I know some people get in a muddle over packing. And it’s particularly important for the sort of trips I lead now; 3-4 day hiking trips carrying daypacks. If you’re going to be walking and carrying your rucksack every step of the way, it had better be well packed and well balanced. Few things worry me more at the start of a trip than seeing a lop-sided, baggy or exploding rucksack on a participant. I’ve seen some crimes against packing in my time: sleeping bags bouncing around on the outside of the rucksack; hardback books and journals carried into the jungle; rucksacks packed with the straps in the tight position. And I know that a well-packed rucksack can make a massive difference to the pleasure and efficiency of a multi-day hiking trip.
how to pack a rucksack
What follows is a guide to how to pack a rucksack for a 3-4 day hike. NB this does NOT apply to a camping trip. On all ipse wilderness trips (apart from Up on the Downs) we stay at hostels or B&Bs so this advice is geared towards hikers who (like me) appreciate their creature comforts like a hot shower, pub meal and soft bed at the end of a day’s walk.
Those who follow my blog will know I hate kit reviews and I don’t recommend brands. My general rule is, get one you can afford and use it until it breaks. But rucksacks for hiking are one area where quality matters slightly more, and I have two recommendations. It will need to be at least 20 litres in size. And it needs a hip strap. Schoolbag-style nylon jobbies won’t do. But neither will you need some enormous thing with a frame. You’re generally looking for something called a ‘daypack’. If it has handy side pockets and a waterproof cover you’re in the right ballpark.
Before packing the rucksack, release all the straps as fully as possible and stand it up on the floor. If it has a hip strap, it should stand up on its own. Imagine the bag divided into 4 parts: top, bottom, middle back and middle front. The heaviest items should be in the middle back part, I.E. against the middle part of your back. This keeps the weight close to your centre of gravity. At the bottom should go lightweight items, which handily are often those items you need only at night-time; towel, sleepwear, flip-flops etc. You can fill the remaining space in the middle with mid-weight items such as spare clothes, notebook and wash-kit. The top part of your rucksack should be for light but useful items that you might need during the day; your extra layer, first aid kit and waterproof jacket. All the things you’ll want super handy on the walk should go in the small side or top pockets: suncream, water, hat, snacks etc. Hopefully you’ll have a couple of pockets in your clothing for small items such as cash, lip-balm and phone.
proofing your packing
Which brings me on to waterproofing. This is so important, and actually also really helps with kit organisation as well as making packing easier. Nothing can ruin a walk quicker than the growing realisation that your spare socks, pyjamas and book are all quietly getting soaking wet as you walk. And I’m sure we can all identify with the sinking sickening lurch of realising our phone has been water damaged.
Most outdoor shops sell those sets of coloured drybags, and I love them. But you don’t need them. Plastic bags will do. Top tip: put a black bin-liner in your rucksack before you pack it. It will fit the space perfectly and the handles or lip mean you can tie or tuck it in securely at the top. Most rucksack rain covers are not very waterproof, and they easily blow off. In a downpour, they won’t prevent water seeping into your rucksack fabric. Hence the bin-liner. Also, it makes the packing space smooth and slippery. You’ll find you can slide packages and bags into tiny spaces more easily.
Then, you want to put all your kit into waterproof bags. Again, plastic bags are fine. The aim here is to protect kit and to minimise faff when unpacking and re-packing. If you use just one large drybag, you’ll need to rummage through it to get to the bit of kit you need. If you have to do this during a downpour, you’ll be unpacking clothes, chargers etc to get to your gloves and everything will get wet. So use lots of small bags.
And rather than packing kit by type (socks together, tops together etc), make packages organised by day/use. So cold weather gear, clothes for the evening, and spare set of walking clothes can all be stored separately. Meaning you only need open one package to find your warm layers or to get ready for the evening, rather than three separate packages. You can also label your bags if you like, for even slicker organisation! This system correlates really well with the advice about weight balance. Night things at the bottom, clothes in the middle, useful things for walking at the top.
The beauty of having all the kit in your rucksack waterproofed, inside a waterproof liner is that wet or waterproof kit can be kept outside this, stuffed between the liner and the rucksack. For example, flip-flops can be right at the very bottom, and your swimming costume or wet socks can be slid into a tiny space out of the way. Be warned though: your first aid kit and waterproof jacket are not fully waterproof. They should be in separate waterproof bags at the top of your rucksack. Putting on a waterproof jacket that’s wet on the inside is a very unpleasant experience!
Don’t forget about your side pockets. Packs of tissues are not waterproof once opened. You can get waterproof covers for phones, I suspect of varying quality. It’s a good idea to bring a couple of zip-lock freezer bags. They’re great for books, notepads, papers etc and to use as little rubbish bags. If you’re going to have a litre bottle of water in one side pocket, you’re going to need some heavy things in the other one to balance it out. Obviously, you’re going to be drinking the water, and then refilling it, so it’s not an exact science. Test it out by adding your full water bottle and seeing if the rucksack stands up straight on its own.
When you’re done, there should be some space left. Just a tiny bit. Because you’ll take a layer off, or need to squeeze in your packed lunch. If you’re packed to the gunwales already, maybe ditch a t-shirt, or see if you can attach your flip flops to an outside strap. No dangling though; wedge them in tight! Carabiners, bungee cords and clips can be really useful here. Finally, you can tighten the straps. There’s normally a pair of straps at the bottom, and at least one strap on each side. Tighten them just enough to keep your kit secure from moving, not so much that it squeezes things out of place.
putting it all together
Now haul the rucksack onto your back. Remember, all the remaining straps should still be fully loose, so it’ll be really low on you. Lift it by the hip strap and position that on your hip bones. Not belly button. Nice and low. Clip the strap and pull that sucker as tight as you can bare. You want your hips to carry 60% of the weight. The rucksack should kind of sit up on its own and should feel balanced. Now put the shoulder straps on, lean forward slightly and pull the straps hanging down the front at the same time. You want the shoulder straps even, secure but not too tight. Most daypacks will have smaller straps at the top of the shoulders which pull the rucksack in towards the back. Pull those tight. Sometimes there’s a chest strap which some people like to use to keep things snug. Personally, I can’t bear how it makes my boobs look so I don’t use it. Up to you.
Stand up tall and have a little walk around. It might feel slightly uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt or pinch. Adjust the straps and find what works for you. If your rucksack has an adjustable back-plate, you can change that for your height before you start the process. But unless you’re extremely tall or short, the mid-range setting it was on when you bought it will probably be about right. Try leaning over to right and left and check that nothing wobbles or clanks. The worst possible scenario is having a water bottle hanging loose on a carabiner, swinging from side to side and putting you off balance. Likewise, there should be no loose dangling straps. Ideally, the rucksack should feel snug, secure and your hips should be carrying most of the weight.
I hope you have found this article useful. You can find the ipse wilderness kit list here, and I have written an article of hiking hacks, including why you should always attach a couple of safety pins to the front of your rucksack, here.
Do get in touch with your packing hacks, or any questions. I hope to see you out and about soon; no doubt we’ll be able to identify each other by our well-packed rucksacks!