When you head off for a backpacking trip, it is difficult to feel like the world is your oyster if you can barely stand up straight since your pack is so heavy. A pack that’s too heavy draws all the enjoyment out of a journey into the backcountry. There are a few very easy tried-and-true ways to cut a bit of weight without shedding too much comfort. Here are some easy ways to lighten your backpack load.
1. Repackage personal items and food
You’re not going to use a whole tube of sun block or toothpaste on a three-day trip. Put a little into a smaller sized container will save weight as well as space, so you may even be able to get away with a smaller sized, lighter pack. Do the exact same thing with food.
2. Sleep System
When it pertains to your base weight, few things effect your pack as much as your sleep system. Having an understanding of ASTM/ISO scores and also R-values will guarantee you will be comfortable at camp without carrying any unneeded weight.
3. Choose a camping tent that pitches with trekking poles
If you’re currently hiking with trekking posts this is a piece of cake. Camping tent poles can weigh upwards of an extra pound, so if you just use the posts you currently have in your hands, you can get rid of outdoor tents posts altogether. If you’re super minimalist, choose a basic tarpaulin arrangement.
4. Limit your closet.
Many backpacking pros understand it’s not worth worrying much about body odor. So, unless you’re taking a trip so long you visualize cleaning one set of garments–and you can not just use your rain equipment or external layers while you do it or you’ll need a dry collection of garments to switch right into to stay warm, you can probably leave out an extra change of clothing.
5. Never bring books
Or manuals. Rather, snap pictures of the appropriate web pages with your phone and also describe them when essential, you can always zoom in on the display. If you like to read in your tent at night, utilize the Kindle application as opposed to toting a paperback.
6. Advanced planning and ration your water
If you’re headed somewhere with plentiful streams, or if there’s a reputable spring along the road, plan out how much water you’ll need to arrive, and then utilize a filter as opposed to simply bring all the water you’ll require for the whole journey.
7. Swap out heavy canteen for a retractable bottle
If you’re selecting containers as opposed to a bladder system, it’s worth keeping in mind that the typical 32-ounce plastic multiple-use canteen weights over 6 ounces. So to load 3 liters of water, that includes greater than a pound of water bottle weight to the already-heavy weight of the water.
8. Switch over to tennis shoes or lighter boots
A huge part of lightening your tons is remembering that your backpacking lots isn’t simply in your pack. Although you’re not keeping them on your back, a hefty pair of backpacking boots can be a serious weight factor to consider.
