How to pack a Bag? (Methods)

[marclynnette]

Hola!
Leaving in FOUR WEEKS TODAY. Got all our supplies ready to go. Shoes getting broken in. My only problem is how to properly pack our bags. I read some helpful links, but it just doesn't seem right. What suggestions do you have for packing your bag correctly? Where should it hurt (if anywhere) at first? What tips and tricks do you have?

Here's what will be in the bag daily (briefly):
- sleeping bag
- jacket
- t-shirt
- turtle neck under armor
- 3L water pouch (should I fill it all the way?)
- 1 underwear/2 socks (put in zip lock bag)
- all my bathroom/med care stuff in a zip lock bag)
- pillow liner
- sleeping clothes (tshirt/shorts)
- sandals
- poncho
- bag cover
- sunscreen
- guide book

Looking forward to learning!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Try this website:

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ ... kpack.html

 

[Tia Valeria]

We put the heavier and aslo less needed stuff at the bottom and the lighter/needed on walk nearer the top.
Basically:- clean socks in the 'ears' at the bottom, trousers, shirt, undies, fleece. Waterproof trousers in one zipped side pocket, towel and soap etc in the other. Poncho in top lid pocket. My husband puts the sleeping bags in the bottom of his pack first. Keeping the pack balanced is also important so we also carry a water bottle in each open side pocket. All the clothes are rolled tight, so they crease less and pack smaller.
Our packing laid out and list can be found on our blog under March and February

 

[Deleted member 3000]

We put the heavier ... stuff at the bottom

That will pull on your shoulders a lot, and is the opposite of standard recommendations. Heavier, including water, is better higher up and against your body.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

We put the heavier ... stuff at the bottom

That will pull on your shoulders a lot, and is the opposite of standard recommendations. Heavier, including water, is better higher up and against your body.

It is all really marginal isn't it. The "expert" Rei website says that most people put their sleeping bag in first at the bottom because it won't be used until the end of the day then recommends putting heavier gear on top of that. My sleeping bag is about 3 inches deep when in my pack so putting heavier stuff on top of it or under it creates only a marginal difference. A lot of these recommendations were made with heavier loads in mind rather than the 6 - 8kgs of the pilgrim. My advice to the OP is to pack your bag in different ways and see what is comfortable for you - I bet that you end up doing exactly what the rest of us do - stuff used more often goes to the top and all the spares and sleeping bag go to the bottom

 

[mspath]

This is how I organize my kit; however, what works for and pleases me may not be good for you! Packing preferences are VERY personal!! Since no backpack is entirely waterproof all 6.5 kilos of kit is kept in three opaque white soft plastic bags. White greatly increases visibility within the backpack and the soft plastic is noiseless. On the bottom of the backpack one large bag holds all clothes except the poncho which travels in a handy exterior pocket. For tidiness (and my aesthetic pleasure) this clothes bag always remains within the backpack. Thus there is never a messy pile of clothes haphazard on the floor. On top of the clothes bag goes a similar smaller toiletries sac in soft white plastic which also holds my tiny towel. Within the sac soap, sponge and shampoo are kept together in doubled small plastic bags; after using these in a shower all are placed into a small dry bag before being returned to the main toiletries bag. Thus other toiletries stay dry. On top of the toiletries bag a large clear plastic envelope serves as my 'office' with diary, pen, accounts list, phone charger and head lamp. At night it safely holds my glasses. Within the backpack on top of everything is the sleeping bag in its own nylon stuff sac plus another soft plastic bag for added protection. With water bottle and cup in a handy side pocket plus food, utensils and water heating coil in the large back pocket the backpack is neat, compact and quickly ready to go.

After all my caminos I can even pack it in the dark!!

Margaret Meredith

 

[grayland]

Hola!
- 3L water pouch (should I fill it all the way?)

Looking forward to learning!

1 liter of water = 1 kilo or 2.2 pounds

3 liters would weigh 3 kilos or 6.6 pounds.
That would be a large percentage of what most of us would want to carry in total.

On the Camino Francis water is available all along the way and it is not necessary to carry large amounts of water. I would personally never have more than 1 liter total with me...except in very unusual conditions.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We put the heavier ... stuff at the bottom

That will pull on your shoulders a lot, and is the opposite of standard recommendations. Heavier, including water, is better higher up and against your body.

Just shows how we differ. I find that with heavy stuff at the bottom the pack sits snug on my hips and is held firm by the shoulder straps. Heavy stuff at the top makes my shoulders and neck ache as the pack sits 'wrong'. Terry does the same for the same reason.
I would stress that we balance the pack 'left to right' so it hangs 'straight' and agree that experimenting with pack etc is the best way forward.

We could pack ours in the dark if we had to too

 

[DurhamParish]

I use packing cubes. I use them for non-backpacking travel, so when I walked the Camino Portuguese last September, I used them, and found them invaluable.

http://www.ebags.com/category/travel-ac ... in=flyaway

I used a medium sized one for shirts, another for pants, and a smaller one for socks and underwear. I used another medium sized one for the odds and ends (camera batteries and charger, glasses case, swiss army knife, cable lock for backpack, head lamp, alarm clock, clothes line and pins, etc. etc. etc.).

These individual cubes are easy to keep straight, and then very easy to slip into the backpack. My backpack had a small compartment from the bottom for my sleeping back and poncho.

I don't leave home without my packing cubes. My wife and I went on a 3 week trip to Greece and Turkey last year, which was the first time using them. After a couple of weeks, my suitcase was still neat and tidy and my wife's looked like a bomb had gone off in it. Gave a set to a couple of friends that like to travel. They are sold on them now, also.

BTW, I am not connected to e-bags in any way nor do I even know anyone there. There are other brands of packing cubes just as good elsewhere. My wife has some packing cubes purchased at REI.

 

[MoniRose]

You will pack and repack so many times until you find what you need and what you don't, what works and what doesn't, then you will be able to find everything with your eyes closed.

 

[SabsP]

Individual compression bags and ziplocks.
1 compression bag = extra set of clean clothes/ socks
second compression bag = lonjohns pj's and t-shirt
third bag = raintrousers

ziplocks
1 = meds
2 = soap and tootbrush
3 = misc. like batterycharger
4 = spork / knife , torch

 

[PEI_Heather]

Here's yet another take on it, marclynnette...

When I bought my pack from MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op), the fellow who helped me was an experienced hiker/backpacker. He told me to pack light at the bottom, heavy in the middle and light at the top. That way the heavy stuff is sitting mid-back. In my case, it was my sleeping bag (very light but of all my stuff, the heaviest thing).

You should try whatever feels best to you; rearrange your pack every time you go out for your training walks and decide which feels best to you.

When I left Halifax (Nova Scotia), I got a big heavy duty plastic bag from Air Canada; when I got to my B&B in England, I stuck it inside the pack as an extra waterproofing. I also had everything in individual plastic bags. The good side: nothing got wet or 'bugged'. The bad side: it was noisy (I would try to take everything--pack and all--out of the dorm to pack in the morning. And I basically had to repack everything in the morning. That became an annoyance! :?

I'm not sure I will do this again the next time. Big plastic bag: yes; little plastic bags: mmm, maybe not!)

You'll find the best way that suits you either by trial and error before you go or as you go!

Buen Camino! You will love your journey (I believe)!

Cheers!
PEI_Heather

 

[Pieces]

heavier stuff goes where ?

I don't bring heavy stuff on the camino...

just shove it all in really, with about 5 kilos I am not sure it really makes a difference where one puts ones sleeping bag :lol:

 

[williamlittig]

The use of "Cubes" , travel bags, large ziplock bags, whatever you want to call them is an effective way to compress your load, separate and waterproof sections. If done well, removing as much air as possible before sealing, you shouldn't have a noise problem. Roll each towards the seal, (already 90% closed ), keep it under pressure and close the seal. Don't buy cheap bags and you might be able to eliminate the poncho, pack cover.

I had planned to pack a polipro jacket and light rain shell. Now I'm thinking a synthetic down puffy jacket. They compress to nothing, are light weight, very warm and dry pretty fast. Any thoughts?

 

[Pieces]

okay, but unless the oP is using a 15L bag there don't seem to be much need for compression does there...

 

[dougfitz]

I use a pack with a divider in the main compartment and zip access to the bottom compartment. I put my sleeping bag and rain gear in the bottom compartment, with clothes and food into the top compartment. Within each compartment, heavier stuff goes next to my back. Emergency kit, small items and snacks go into the lid pocket.

So my basic pattern is least used lowest (or furthest from an opening) and heaviest closest.

This works with day packs as well, although as others have pointed out, the smaller the pack, the less likely you will have much heavy stuff anyhow. If you have a bladder compartment (and are using a bladder) you will already have dealt with the heaviest item in that alone.

I once used a travel pack combination where the water bladder compartment was in the day pack, which was then clipped onto the main pack. This put my water bladder, the heaviest individual item, almost as far from my body as it could get. I was far from ideal, and would only have added to the strain it placed on my shoulders to have it that far from my back. Needless to say, I have not tried that combination for back packing again.

Regards

 

[dougfitz]

I had planned to pack a polipro jacket and light rain shell. Now I'm thinking a synthetic down puffy jacket. They compress to nothing, are light weight, very warm and dry pretty fast. Any thoughts?

I prefer a light fleece to down. Down is great as an outer layer when it's not raining, but needs to be protected from getting wet. I have not seen down jackets which are designed to be worn with a pack, eg with shoulder reinforcing. Further, down relies on its bulk for the insulation benefits it offers. I am not sure these would be retained compressed underneath a pack, and will be lost completely if the fill gets wet and cannot be dried. Fleece will at least retain some of its insulating property even when it hasn't been able to dry out completely.

Regards,

 

[Dawntreader]

I use packing cubes. I use them for non-backpacking travel, so when I walked the Camino Portuguese last September, I used them, and found them invaluable.

http://www.ebags.com/category/travel-ac ... in=flyaway

What a fantastic idea that appeals to the Virgo in me! I will be traveling Europe for 4 months which also includes about 6 weeks walking the Camino...i think these will be perfect - thankyou for posting this!

 

[Kitsambler]

I too am a confirmed user of packing cubes; but when I was packing for my first Camino, my digital scale told me how much the darned things weigh (it's hard to win an argument with a digital scale, by the way -- it's a little like arguing with your mother).

Eagle Creek has recently come out with a lovely new line of silnylon packing cubes, at less than half the weight of the originals (Specter line). And they are sooooo much more quiet than the darned ziplocks. REI carries them as well. http://shop.eaglecreek.com/travel-cubes-pack-it-specter/l/231

 

[whariwharangi]

Two dry bags ... (OR makes good light ones) One is stuff sack for the sleeping bag and night wear. The other is for all of your clothing (and don't change midday just because the stuff you are wearing got wet in the rain) Plastic bags are not reliable to keep stuff dry and usually make a lot of noise if you try accessing them during silent hours.

I put the sleeping bag on the bottom of the pack. At breaks I sat on the bottom of the pack where the bag is. The clothes bag goes in the middle.

I carried three small stuff sacks: one for toiletries; one for bits and pieces such as headlamp and charging equipment; and, one for eating utensils. These go in the bag near the top.

Documents are always kept in a ziploc. I've seen people pathetically waving their soaked documents in the wind trying to dry them and anxiously trying to discern if their passport entry stamp is still legible.

A water bottle should be attached outside the pack or 100% reliable that it won't leak. You'll have to decide how much water you want to carry. 1 liter should suffice except on hot days or long stretches.

Food goes in pockets outside the pack so you can get at them for snacks and lunches. You don't need to carry more than a days worth.

A main consideration is to keep things like a jacket and raingear at the top of the pack where you can get at them quickly should they be needed.

Convention is that heavier stuff (like tents and cooking gear) should go in the top of the bag and as close to your back as possible. You shouldn't be carrying enough to make this matter.

 

[gerardcarey]

I quit using the water bladder after being advised on the CF to try carrying two 600ml standard water bottles, one in each of the lower side pocket of my cargo pants.
That saved a couple of kilos in my pack each morning and boy did I like that.

Regds
Gerard

 

[SCL]

Hola!
- 3L water pouch (should I fill it all the way?)

Looking forward to learning!

1 liter of water = 1 kilo or 2.2 pounds

3 liters would weigh 3 kilos or 6.6 pounds.
That would be a large percentage of what most of us would want to carry in total.

On the Camino Francis water is available all along the way and it is not necessary to carry large amounts of water. I would personally never have more than 1 liter total with me...except in very unusual conditions.

I have to agree with this post. I never carried more than a liter of water but was careful to top them off at each cafe except for the last few km.

I also like heavier items further up in my pack. If I carried heavy items near the bottom, my pack tended to sit on my "bootie shelf".

 

[marclynnette]

Thanks for the help.
Too late to take the water pack back, but I plan to drink lots, so I think it might come in handy. I repacked a few times and I think I got it to work. Plan to start practising in the morning.

Good call on docs in plastic bags - even if there are on my neck!

Gracias.

 

[NicoZ]

Hola!

- 3L water pouch (should I fill it all the way?)

If your pack has a slot for this then this is the easiest choice. It'll be a special place near your back. Keeps the weight balanced .