HOW TO CHOOSE: Pack Volume for Hiking

Looking for your first hiking pack and not sure where to start? Here's our guide on the kind of gear you'll be carrying for various trips, and the pack size we recommend to carry it all.

The just-in-case folks, the “I-forgot-my-***-can-I-borrow-yours” people, and the Mary Poppins of the world, gather ‘round.
When it comes to deciding what size bag you need for a hike, climb or camping trip it largely depends on several factors:

• Where are you going? Will there be services such as accommodation, food stores, restaurants or amenities for preparing food?
• What time of year are you going? Will it be cold, wet and windy? Will you need several layers or waterproofing?
• What sort of terrain are you dealing with? Do you need trekking poles? Ice pick? Crampons? 
• How long are you going for? Is it overnight? Multi-day? Several weeks?

Let’s look at this in terms of a few trip lengths:

Day-trip

A simple day hike with easy terrain usually does not require any more volume than 30L, on average 20L is sufficient to store your essentials including:

• Water: this should be enough for the entire hike. Depending on the weather and how much you sweat, this could range between 500mL and 1L per hour
• Snacks: consider snacks which are easy to store, can handle being jostled around in your bag and have little preparation. Eg. If you want to snack on watermelon, don’t pack a quarter of a melon, cut it up first and remove the rind to minimise waste and space. Snacks should be energy and nutrient-rich. A chocolate bar can help when you hit a wall (figuratively), but trail mix or a peanut butter sandwich can maintain your energy levels for longer, avoiding the wall altogether.
• First-aid kit: know how to apply first aid to yourself and others. Make sure everything is well organised and stored properly to avoid unsanitary items and stress if you can’t find something. 
• Rain jacket or extra shirt and socks: avoid discomfort from the weather by taking a lightweight wind or rain jacket and an extra shirt and socks in case you get wet. Arriving back to the car to drive home for an hour in wet gear is not how you want to finish a hike.
• Sunscreen: take care of your skin and apply regularly. Remember, there’s nothing healthy about a tan.
• Navigation: if you haven’t completed this hike before, then a map can be very valuable. Our phones of course contain different apps and navigation systems that can be very helpful, however most hikes don’t offer great phone reception, and having a map handy could just save your skin. For longer treks or poorly marked trails, having a compass and knowing how to use it are also advised.
• Light source: again, our phones can provide a small amount of light, however if you’re hiking and you’re caught out with little to no light, having an actual torch or headlamp can save your life. I was once halfway down a mountain in winter when the sun set. Thankfully there was enough snow that I could make out the difference between dark trees and white snow and my final destination was a glowing town, but it was sketchy and I don’t recommend walking in the dark in unfamiliar places. Take a torch, people!
• Personal gear: medication, identification, charged phone, power bank, keys, permits or receipts for the park.
• Optional gear: trekking poles (usually strapped to the outside of your bag), fold up seat, binoculars, bird book, multi-tool. A trowel and toilet paper may be worth carrying too, depending on the length of the walk and availability of facilities.

If you’re planning on carrying more than this, such as if you’re going climbing, then you will require a larger pack.

Overnight

In addition to your essentials (daypack list), you will also need to include: hygiene products (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.), extra clothing, and food if there aren’t any facilities nearby. If you already have accommodation organised at the end of the trip and don’t have to carry a tent and sleeping system, then you can get away with a pack as small as 30L. However if you’re bringing your own accommodation you’ll likely need a pack between 30-50L. Here is a list of equipment you’ll need for overnight:

• Tent/hammock: regardless of whether you prefer to sleep in a hammock or on a mat on the ground, make sure your shelter can protect you and your gear from rain, wind and critters like mosquitoes. 
• Sleeping mat and a pillow: this comes down to personal preference as to what kind of mat you will use, based on your sleeping habits. Pillows are optional (a rolled-up jumper might be enough for you), but inflatable camping pillows pack down so small they’re an easy choice to throw in your pack for a bit more comfort.
• Sleeping bag: if you are hiking in winter, a liner is also recommended. Make sure your sleeping bag is rated for the expected temperature. See our blog here for all you need to know about selecting sleeping bags.
• Stove: a warm meal at the end of a long day does wonders, and can’t be achieved without a heat source of some sort. Many campsites don’t allow open campfires (check with the rangers or park website) or have firewood available, so a lightweight camp stove is your most reliable cooking option.
• Firestarter: this could be a handy lighter or matches, or you can try your hand at a classic flint and steel fire-lighting set. 
• Lightweight pot and tableware: a pot is handy for boiling water for tea, coffee or freeze-dried meals, pans are less common but if you want to have a special breakfast of fried bacon or mushrooms, then a pan is much easier. Don’t forget cutlery and something to eat and drink out of!
• Food for dinner and breakfast: don’t forget your nutrition here to get you through the first and following day. While it can make for a funny story relying on nothing but protein bars for 24 hours, your digestive system will not thank you. Check out our vast range of dehydrated and freeze-dried foods for easy preparation and clean up. I personally recommend the Radix Nutrition blueberry breakfast and Turkish Falafel. 
• Trowel: DO NOT SKIP THIS. Thinking a stick will do the same job is a fool’s dream. Always take a trowel, dig deeper than you think and cover it up properly. Exposed faeces are a hazard for several reasons: firstly nobody wants to see or step in human waste when they’re hiking in what is supposed to be a pristine area; secondly, when not covered up correctly, faeces can cause environmental and human health problems like gastro, diarrhoea, or food poisoning. In Tasmania, rangers are encouraging use of poo pots, the gold standard for leaving no trace when hiking. If you’ve ever owned a dog you know how to use a poo pot: do a poo on the ground, wipe yourself, pick up your nugget with either your toilet paper or a biodegradable bag and deposit it in your container to dispose of when you get home. As always, be responsible for yourself and considerate of others when hiking. 
• Toilet paper: you don’t need an entire roll. I find pre-tearing squares and folding them up to be useful for saving space and knowing I have enough. Just make sure you store the clean sheets in a waterproof bag so they don’t get wet prematurely. Depending on the type of toilet paper you have (non-scented, single ply is better for degradation) you can bury it, or ideally take it with you to dispose of. Is that gross? Can be. You know what’s more disgusting? Finding someone else’s dirty toilet paper which hasn’t been buried properly.
• Hand sanitiser: clip a small bottle to your bag and keep things clean to avoid contamination, especially when preparing food. 

Multi-day

Another kettle of fish altogether! Multi-days don’t always include facilities for cooking so now is when extra planning is required and lightweight equipment is a game changer. To be able to hold your essentials, sleep system, tent, cooking equipment, extra water storage, and food (including any rubbish you create) you will likely need a pack between 50 and 70L. 

The biggest space-takers here are your food and water, you’ll need to know where you can refill your bottles or bladders along the way, otherwise your entire pack will have to hold water for several days. If there’s any doubt about the quality of the water sources you’ll have access to, carrying a small water filter is a smart plan.

Plan your meals carefully, of course freeze-dried meals can save a lot of space, but budget restraints, allergies and the joyous act of cooking need to be considered.

• Don’t bring canned items, they’re heavy and must stay with you as rubbish once you’ve used them- DON’T bury cans!! 
• Bring dried goods which are light and only require water and a little seasoning to be the perfect meal.
• A small container of salt or your favourite spice mix can take your beans from simple to 4 stars.
• Pre-portion foods where possible to avoid large bags or containers
• Buy pre-cooked rice or curries which only require heating. The plastic pouches can easily be folded up into your rubbish bag and contain the entire meal. They’re also robust enough that they should be able to withstand a little bit of jostling in your pack. 

Zip-lock bags are your best friend for storing food, rubbish and water-sensitive items. Additionally, employ organiser bags to know where all your items are and keep a well-balanced pack. 

Still not sure which size pack to choose?

Remember that most packs can be compressed down in size when not completely full, but they each have an ideal volume range and their own weight (you wouldn’t want to bring a mostly-empty 100L pack on a day hike). You can also strap some items like trekking poles and sleeping mats to the outside of your pack, meaning the volume of your pack can be flexible. Choose something that will suit your needs for the foreseeable future, and that feels comfortable to wear. And of course, feel free to visit us in store for advice and to try on a range of packs.

It all comes down to knowing yourself and where you’re hiking. If you know you need a lot of snacks or prefer to sleep on the ground, go right ahead! Remember to always be considerate of others and responsible for yourself when hiking. A small amount of planning can avoid a number of uncomfortable or undesirable situations, so do your best to prepare before leaving and leave no trace.