Best For:
Individuals interested in backpacking, beginners looking for a backpacking guide to use when packing their pack for the first time, and trekkers wanting to learn what information they should use when deciding what to bring on a backpacking trip.
The Essence:
Read Time: 🕰️ 9–11 minutes | Weight: ✍️Practical, Educational | Mood: 🎒Prepared, Excited
The Vault:
- How I packed my first 90L backpack for a four-day backpacking trip.
- Tips for organizing your pack, avoiding overpacking, and balancing weight.
- A simple way to waterproof matches before heading into the backcountry.
Before You Go on Your Through Hike:
Sure, I’ve been camping. We all know I go hiking. I’ve just never done them both together in the manner that I’m getting ready to do. From July 14th through the 17th, Cyb and I will be spending several days in the backcountry of Seneca Creek, West Virginia.
Having never backpacked before, I needed a little more gear than I already owned.
We realized before leaving just how easy it is to overpack. It really doesn’t take long before each item starts to feel needed. Remember every extra pound is one you’ll carry for miles.
Knowing when to start trimming things down I learned is more important than deciding what to bring.
I also remembered a piece of camping advice I’d tucked away years ago that could save us from one very frustrating situation once we’re out there.
I’m curious. Do you know how to waterproof a match? If not, do you have a backup plan if both your matches and lighter become soaked?
What are you waiting for? It’s time to pack our bags.
Through Hiking New Gear:
I know fast fashion and otherwise low priced side of Internet shopping aren’t the most ethical options. I also recognize that not all of us have the privilege of buying premium outdoor equipment. Whenever I can, I try to thrift, buy locally, or trade with others.
This time, though, Temu came through.
I ordered a self-inflating sleep mat, a 90L backpack, a solar charging power bank, and a sleeping bag. I placed the order less than two weeks before we left, and everything arrived within four days of our trek.
The Pack:
The backpack I chose came in several color combinations. I settled on dark blue and black with gray accents. It isn’t customizable, but there were enough options to choose something I liked.
The pack itself cost me $20.23 plus $2.99 shipping. Honestly, it feels far more durable than I expected. It includes padded shoulder straps, a hip belt, a sternum strap, and several storage compartments that make organizing gear surprisingly easy.
The bottom:
The bottom compartment is typically recommended for extra shoes. Since I wasn’t bringing a second pair, I used it for my neck pillow, my new self-inflating sleep mat, tarot deck, pendulum, reading mat, and a few miscellaneous items.
The Main Compartment:
The large main compartment was packed from the bottom up. My sleeping bag went in first, with my clothes next to it. On top of those I packed my food, separated into zip-lock bags by item, and finally my first aid kit so it would stay easy to reach.
As I packed, I paid attention to balancing the weight evenly throughout the bag. A backpack that constantly pulls to one side or leans backward will wear you out much faster than one that rides comfortably against your body.
The Sides:
Each side of the pack has a water bottle pocket with a zippered compartment above it. One side carries a knife, lighter, and a few small essentials. The other holds my personal care items, including soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, lotion, and a handful of cotton swabs.
The Front:
The front compartment is designed to hold a hydration bladder with an opening for the drinking tube. Instead, I used it to store my pre-rolled joints, headlamps, inhaler, identification, another lighter, another knife, and a few medications, including pain relievers and allergy medicine.
The Top:
The top of the backpack closes with a drawstring and buckle flap. Inside the top zipper compartment I packed toilet paper, chargers, vape supplies, and ACE wraps.
Fitting Your Pack:
Packing your backpack correctly is only half the battle. Wearing it correctly matters just as much.
Start by fastening the hip belt so it rests on top of your hip bones. Your hips should carry most of the pack’s weight. After that, tighten the shoulder straps until the backpack sits comfortably against your back. Then adjust the load lifters near the top of the shoulder straps before fastening the sternum strap across your chest.
Once everything is adjusted, walk around with your pack for a few minutes. If it shifts constantly or feels like it’s pulling in one direction, stop and rearrange it before heading to the trail.
Waterproofing Matches:
Years ago I watched a camping video where the creator asked a simple question.
“What happens if your lighter stops working?”
Most people answer with, “I’ll just use matches.”
Then came the next question.
“What happens if your matches get wet?”
That one catches a surprising number of people.
The solution is incredibly simple. Coat the heads of your matches with melted candle wax. When it’s time to use them, simply scrape or crack the wax away before striking them. They may take an extra strike or two, but they’ll still light after getting wet.
The Necessities:
Besides the major gear, I also packed a trash bag, a LifeStraw with its filter bag, two hiking outfits, one outfit to sleep in, swim trunks for the lake we’ll pass on day two, a towel, washcloth, and Dude Wipes.
For clothing, I packed nine pairs of socks and nine pairs of underwear.
Food was planned around convenience and calories. We packed dry meal replacement shakes you mix with water, protein bars, noodles, freeze-dried meals, Liquid IV, powdered Gatorade, single-serving cold brew tea bags, trail mix, coffee, and, of course, Red Bull.
We also packed cooking supplies, dishes, garbage bags, weed, a pipe, art supplies, compasses, bug spray, homemade bug spray, sunscreen, and enough flashlights that neither of us should ever be left in the dark.
I downloaded a bunch of offline maps too, of course.
Sharing the Load:
Backpacking with another person means you don’t always have to duplicate every piece of equipment.
Cyble is carrying the cook stove along with her own personal gear. We originally planned to each bring our own hammock, but while trimming my pack we realized that made very little sense. Sharing one hammock and bringing the tent gave us everything we needed while cutting unnecessary weight.
A lot of the time what you leave behind is just as important as what you bring, but sometimes it’s more important
Outside the Pack:
Not everything fits inside.
Attached to the outside of my backpack are my trekking poles, outdoor gloves, LifeStraw, battery pack, tube carrying my roaches, and a water bottle. The tent is secured beneath the pack.
For the drive there and back, I also packed a comfortable outfit and a pair of shoes to leave in the car so I don’t have to wear my hiking shoes. After several days on the trail, I have a feeling they’ll be one of the things I’m happiest to see.
Now You’re Ready:
Packing a backpack is more than seeing how much equipment you can squeeze into one bag. It’s learning to prioritize, organize, and prepare before you ever set foot on the trail. Every choice, from trimming unnecessary weight to deciding where each item belongs, affects how comfortable the days ahead may become.
This is my first backpacking trip, so I’m sure I’ll come home with a list of things I’d change. Maybe I’ll discover I packed too much. Maybe I’ll wish I’d brought something I left behind. That’s all part of learning.
Preparation doesn’t guarantee a perfect trip, but it does give you the best chance to spend less time worrying about your gear and more time appreciating why you went into the woods in the first place.
TLDR:
We realized that carrying what you’ll actually use while organizing it in a way that keeps your pack balanced, comfortable, and easy to access.
the loadout for my first backcountry backpacking trip. From choosing a budget-friendly 90L pack to trimming unnecessary weight, waterproofing your matches, and sharing equipment with my hiking partner, every decision was made to prepare for several days on the trail.
Plan your Trek:
90L pack -Temu. Solar Charging Power Bank. Sleeping Bag. Self-Inflating Sleep Mat.
Leave a Reply