Gearing Up: Packing with a purpose may sidestep trail troubles

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May 28, 1998

Gearing Up: Packing with a purpose may sidestep trail troubles

By KRISTIN HOSTETTER
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

There are two kinds of backpackers in the world: organizers and crammers.

Organizers always know exactly where everything is inside their backpack. They can whip out the water filter in three seconds flat. They can find the moleskin for your throbbing blister before you get your boot off. And at rest breaks, they're happily munching gorp while crammers -- who, you guessed it, simply cram -- are still burrowing through their stuff sacks.

But organization isn't the only logic that should influence how you pack your pack. The proper distribution of weight can help you achieve better balance and a more upright walking stance.

Take it from me, a recovering crammer: Follow these tips and not only will you spend less time searching for your peanuts, you'll have a tighter center of balance that will let you scramble, climb and hike without feeling as if you've got the Leaning Tower of Pisa on your back.

The following tips apply whether you use an internal- or external-frame pack:

Heavy items (such as food, water, tent) should be placed close to your spine and about shoulder height to keep your center of gravity tight. Note: Weight distribution is largely a personal preference. I suggest trying different arrangements, taking into account the features and feel of your own pack, to see what works best for you. Women, who naturally have a lower center of gravity, may want to experiment with packing heavy items more toward the middle of the back.
Sleeping bags generally go inside the compartment at the bottom of your pack, designed specifically for that use.
Sleeping pads, because they're bulky, usually are strapped to the outside of your pack. If you sleep on a rugged, closed-cell foam pad, there's nothing to worry about. But if you prefer an inflatable air mattress, be sure to protect it inside a rugged sack before strapping it to your pack.
A leaky fuel bottle can be a catastrophe. Double-bag fuel bottles inside resealable plastic bags, then pack them far away from your food and clothes, preferably in their own side pocket.
For the same reason, only screw-top, leakproof water bottles or bladder bags work inside your pack. Other types, such as bike bottles, should be packed outside, preferably in a pocket that's easy to access while you're walking.
Keep oft-used items such as water filter, sunscreen, map, compass and munchies somewhere handy, say in your pack's top lid or in a pouch that attaches to your hip belt.
Store your stove inside your cookpot to protect it from dings and dents.
Keep your rain gear close at hand by tucking it under the top lid of your pack.
Try to keep as much of your gear inside your pack as possible. Otherwise, you're apt to get hung up on a tree or, worse, lose something important.

Kristin Hostetter is the equipment editor for Backpacker magazine. She resides in Portland, Ore., but spends most of her time in the wilds testing gear. For more information on equipment, check out Backpacker's Web site atwww.bpbasecamp.com.