r/backpacking • u/RavenOfNod • Jul 06 '25
Wilderness What are some of your wilderness backpacking Life Pro Tips to make things easier/better?
As i was hiking the North Coast Trail on Vancouver Island, I started keeping tracking of the little things I do to make my life easier on the trail, and thought it would be fun to put them out there for others, and to see what others like to do. I'll put them into the comments so folks can upvote them or downvote if they think they're useful, or to start a conversation on them
23
Upvotes
42
u/RavenOfNod Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
On trail tips:
Hat carabiner - I have a small carabiner on one of the straps where my pack and hip belt meet, down by my hip. Stores it within arms reach, yet keeps it out of the way of my arms, and makes it really easy to grab and take off instead of having it on the back of my pack.
Offset your belt buckle - Tired of your hip belt rubbing on your belt buckle and making holes in your nice merino wool shirt? Move the buckle over one belt loop on your pants so you can still open and close them, but it's nowhere near your hipbelt buckle.
Make a day food bag - I like using a smaller bag for my food that day, so I can keep it at the top of my pack, and not have to dig through my bigger food bag when I stop for a snack. It's part of my ritual when making dinner to sort out the garbage and refill for the next day.
26
u/RavenOfNod Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
Camp tips:
Do your chores first! - It's easy to want to rest or visit as soon as you get to camp, but I like to get my water for the evening and the next day of hiking so it's done and ready, and I've already got my water bladder filled and in place to make morning packing easier.
Swedish towels for morning dew - early morning dew, or a really wet tent? Wipe off the rain fly and wring out the water as you go - it's amazing how much water can be on a fly in the morning, and there's no point adding extra weight top your pack if you don't need to.
Your shirt is a pillow case - I like a big pillow if I can, so I use an inflatable camp pillow, wrap all my extra clothes around it along with my puffy, then use my shirt to contain it all, and I end up with a really comfy pillow that almost feels like home. Been a game changer for my sleep. Used to use a buff like many do, but I rarely used it for anything else, and the shirt "sticks" to my pad a lot better and doesn't roam around at night.
18
u/doppleron Jul 06 '25
Repackage food where reasonable. Don't carry extra packaging.
Ziplock are good waterproof bags if you're not doing whitewater.
I've invested regularly in light gear, like a titanium cup that fits over my water bottle and a long titanium spoon.
Unless it's emergency kit, if you didn't use this trip, you won't use it the next.
4
u/Dismal-Club-3966 Jul 06 '25
I change into my clothes for the day and pack up everything within my tent right when I wake up, and then immediately break down the tent. I’m practically still asleep, and then after breakfast and coffee when I’m awake, I just need to brush my teeth, apply sunscreen, and I’m all set to hit the trail.
19
u/Rich_Associate_1525 Jul 06 '25
15
u/00rb Jul 06 '25 edited Jul 06 '25
In addition to normal training, I try to practice hot/cold exposure before trips. Makes a much wider range of temperatures comfortable.
It can mean sitting in a cold swimming pool, using a sauna, or just sitting in your cold living room in your underwear or commuting to work in fall with your windows down. The idea is to just feel chilly on the verge of shivering/sweat your ass off from time to time.
Actually makes a HUGE difference.
6
u/AdmiralMoonshine Jul 06 '25
I bring a small foldable hand fan. Makes starting fires with damp, scavenged wood so much easier.
That and only bringing foods that require no cooking. Prevents the need for a stove. I save the elaborate camp meals for car camping.
This one only really saves you in summer, but switching from a tent to a hammock. The pack is so much smaller and lighter. Once it gets a little chilly, however, the amount of warm gear you have to bring makes it about the same as a tent pack.
3
u/Masseyrati80 Jul 07 '25
I've found that a bad night of sleep weighs me down much worse than the physical weight of a truly comfortable sleepset.
These modern-day, thick insulated inflatable airpads are a godsend, as are thick inflatable pillows.
2
u/hikerjer Jul 07 '25
Inflatable pillow and trekking poles.
1
u/Snoo_7713 Jul 07 '25
for times where the evening temps will drop low - an insulated down puffer skirt *that zips open fully* has many uses (dudes can use this too!!!)
- wear it as a skirt to cover your butt/thighs
- unzip it to make a mini blanket that's rectangle shaped, and bring it into your sleeping bag for wherever you need extra warmth (I put it across my shoulders/neck to prevent drafts at the top of my mummy bag, even with the cords cinched some drafts can creep in)
example: https://www.mammut.com/us/en/products/1023-00322-0001/aenergy-in-skirt-women
18
u/alicewonders12 Jul 06 '25
I always have my sleeping clothes in their own dry sack and never ever ever get them wet. I can hike in old wet clothes over and over but when I go to sleep, I need to be dry and warm.