HIKING GEAR Backpacks demand balance, comfort

Go easy on the number of items you take and the weight, one expert says.
TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE
Masters in the art of packing a backpack -- an artistic algebra involving weight, necessity, arrangement, balance and keeping pesky, pointy things from digging into your spine -- have one overriding suggestion. Don't pack too much.
"You really have to minimize and say, 'Am I really going to need this?'" advises Karen Berger, author of nine outdoor guidebooks, including "Everyday Wisdom: 1,001 Expert Tips for Hikers."
Beginners tend to pack too many things and carry too much weight, Berger said from her home in Great Barrington, Mass. Hike the Appalachian Trail through Georgia in April, she said, "and you will find enough stuff that's been thrown out by other backpackers to outfit you completely."
"I saw one guy once carrying three different kinds of footwear," Berger said. "Time will teach people what they can get away with."
The art of arranging
After would-be backpackers trim their outdoor inventory list, the next step is deciding how best to arrange all those items in a single fabric bag with lots of straps and one large compartment.
Here, backpacking masters don't always agree on every detail or tip. But most follow trail-tested guidelines designed to keep loads balanced and comfortable.
In general, hikers traveling on maintained trails should pack the heaviest items so they are positioned comfortably high on the back. Equipment also should be packed according to need, with the most-often-used items near the top so they are easily accessible.
Bruce Reynolds, an instructor with the Tacoma, Wash., branch of The Mountaineers who has been hiking for 40 of his 47 years, suggests that beginning hikers pack with each day's schedule in mind.
"Ask yourself: What am I going to need while I'm moving and hiking during the day? And what am I not going to need until I'm setting up camp after I get to my destination?"
Bottom of the pack: Almost everyone suggests putting a sleeping bag (squeezed into a stuff sack or space-saving compression sack) at the very bottom. Sleeping bags typically aren't needed until camp is complete, and their size and shape make them a comfortable fit against hips.
Tip on waterproofing
Sheryl Kent, program director with Passages Northwest, an outdoor organization that works to foster courage in women and girls, lines her stuff sack with a waterproof plastic bag when she hikes in the damp Northwest.
"Stuff sacks aren't waterproof," Kent said. "A wet sleeping bag is just the most unhappy way to end the day."
Tents can go in next, although more backpackers choose to simply shove the tent's canopy and rain fly around the sleeping bag. The small bag containing tent stakes can be fitted where the pointed ends won't poke.
Lower level: Next comes clothing -- a spare shirt, shorts, socks, hat and perhaps a small towel.
Berger advises hikers to pack just two sets of everything, so clothing can be worn on alternate days.
In summer, if the weather is good, a fleece jacket and rain gear also can be packed deep. If the forecast is dubious, outerwear should be kept near the top so it can be pulled on quickly or worn during rest stops to prevent chills.
Middle level: Here, hikers tend to pack heavier items that don't need to be within easy reach. Typically in the middle are the stove, fuel, cookware, shovel and water filter.
Stoves, cups and even food packets often can fit inside pots, so every available cubic inch is used effectively. Many longtime hikers reduce kitchen inventory to one or two cooking pots.
Rugged sandals -- helpful if hikers must ford streams -- also can be placed in this relatively accessible middle position. At day's end, sandals offer a welcome break from hiking boots.
Upper level: Hikers often pack the main food container here, although the containers vary.
Many backpackers use tight-sealing bags to store packets of coffee, sugar, instant oatmeal, dried milk and other foodstuffs that could be ruined if they become wet.
A bag of essential toiletries or personal-care items also can be packed near the top, but Kent advises hikers to bring as few items from the bathroom as possible.
Making scents
Her typical kit is just a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, a small comb and a small bottle of Dr. Bronner's biodegradable soap to wash dishes, hands and hair. Leave deodorant and scented soaps or shampoos behind, Kent said.
"You don't want to have anything with any scent, because of bugs and bears," she said.
Water -- either in plastic bottles or flexible hydration bladders -- also goes near the top, particularly if the backpack doesn't have an outside pocket or pouch.
Top level: Typically topping off the pack are snacks, cameras, first-aid kits (stripped to just the essentials) and emergency supplies such as tent cord or duct tape.
If the weather is threatening, pack rain gear and fleece up high.
In an accessible pocket: Most modern packs have a small hood or flap with a zippered pocket. Items that are crucial to safety and comfort and should be kept handy ought to go here.
These are maps (zipped into watertight bags), compass, knife, small flashlight, bug repellent, sunscreen and lip balm. Many hikers also pack car keys, blister remedies, hand sanitizer and frequently used first-aid items such as aspirin or ibuprofen.
Lashed to the outside: Awkward items can be strapped to the outside of a pack, but many guidebooks advise hikers not to store things this way if possible, so they won't be lost.
Tent poles often tuck down nicely within a pack's outer straps, as do foam or inflatable sleeping pads.
All that advice is relative to comfort and personal needs, longtime backpackers say. It's OK to break any rule that doesn't feel right.