How to Pack a Backpack — Weight + Tetris Approach

Packing a backpack badly is like trekking with ten angry koalas wrestling on your back — it rubs, shifts, pulls, unbalances + annoys you for the entire hike. Done well, the pack disappears + you barely notice the weight. The difference is technique + practice.

Here's the practical guide to packing a backpack — weight distribution, the Tetris approach, accessibility priorities + the spare-parts kit that saves trips.

Photo by Alex Moliski on Unsplash

Don't just stuff items in. Plan first.

1. Decide what gear you need for the type + duration of hike
2. Lay everything on the floor in front of your pack
3. Assess each item by:
   • WEIGHT — how heavy?
   • ACCESS PRIORITY — needed during the day (water, jacket, first aid) OR only at evening setup (sleeping bag, tent)?
4. Combination of weight + access determines where each item goes in the pack

Different terrain demands different weight strategies:

Flat hikes / easy walking:

• Keep heavy stuff HIGH + CLOSE to the body
• Heaviest items between shoulder blades, in the main compartment, against the back
• Light items at the bottom + far from back
• This puts the centre of gravity high — feels lighter in flat conditions

Steep / technical / rough terrain:

• Load heavy + bulky items in the LOWER section of the main compartment
• Closer to back + lower down = better stability
• Lower centre of gravity = less risk of falls when scrambling

Women's bodies generally have a lower natural centre of gravity — many women prefer the LOW + CLOSE-TO-BACK weight strategy regardless of terrain.

Photo: Patrick Hendry / Unsplash

For the standard "high weight" arrangement:

1. Sleeping bag at the bottom — bulky, lightweight, never needed during the day
2. Tent + bulky lightweight items next layer up
3. Cooking gear + heavy food in the upper-middle section, against the back
4. Heaviest items at the top, against the back
5. Lightweight items fill any gaps

For the "low weight" rough-terrain arrangement: heavy items at the bottom against the back; bulky lightweight items above; remainder fills space.

Critical: even side-to-side weight distribution. Heavier on one side = unbalanced + repetitive strain injuries.

Don't leave caverns of space — bricks together for stability + space efficiency.

• Stuff sacks transform packing — roll clothes into stuff sacks; zip up; you have a solid rectangular brick to pack efficiently
• Different sack sizes let you fill various internal spaces
• Sleeping bag in its own waterproof stuff sack for compression + dryness
• Brick approach prevents shifting when you're walking
• Compression straps + clips on the pack — USE them. Cinch the load down for security + stability

Items needed during the day MUST be accessible without unpacking the whole bag.

• Wet weather gear + extra layers — top lid compartment (in waterproof stuff sack); grab in seconds when weather turns
• First aid kit — top of the main compartment pile; one click away in emergency
• Toilet paper + sunscreen + hat + sunglasses + compass + knife — small external pockets
• Most-accessed items (compass, map, snacks) — front pocket, hip belt pockets, side pockets. Reach without removing pack
• Camera, phone, PLB — easy-access pockets in ziplock bags for protection

Photo: Andrew Ly / Unsplash

The classic dirty-trekker stereotype with tin cans + mugs hanging off the pack — don't be that person.

• Pushes the centre of gravity OUT = unbalanced
• Snags on branches + scrub = annoying + dangerous
• Items get lost when straps fail or come loose
• EXCEPTION: tent — most pack designs have straps for tent attachment at the bottom. Keeps it dry overnight inside; allows it to dry in morning sun outside

• Waterproof stuff sacks for sleeping bag, clothes, electronics — separate the dry from the wet
• Pack cover OR pack liner — pack covers are external; liners are internal large dry bags. Both protect against rain
• Camp stove fuel stored AWAY from food — leak risk. External pocket if possible
• Food in waterproof stuff sack, ESPECIALLY anything that may leak
• Cookware tip: store food INSIDE pots — saves space, protects gear from charred pot exteriors

Pack failures happen. A few spare parts save trips:

• Extra pack strap + buckles — for snapped harness components
• Spare boot laces — surprisingly useful (spare laces / shock cord for tent / clothesline / lashings)
• Heavy duty needle + thread — sew failed seams in pack material
• Extra belt with buckle — surprisingly useful for securing things
• Strong plastic bin liner — emergency dry-pack OR sit pad. Lightweight but valuable

Pack-packing technique is one of those quiet skills that transforms hiking comfort. Five minutes of planning before stuffing = hours less back pain on the trail. The right items in the right places make a 20kg pack feel like 15.

Practice at home before any serious hike — load the pack with everything you'll carry, walk around with it for 30 minutes, adjust the placement of anything that rubs or pulls. Iteration before the trail = comfort on it.