Save Weight on Your Next Camping Trip with These Packing Tips

An excessively bulky and weighty pack can really remove the shine from any camping trip. Of course, nobody sets out with the intention of weighing themselves down with an excessive load. Nevertheless, once you’ve crammed everything you need (or think you need) into your pack, you may find yourself with more than you can handle.

Thankfully, there are ways and means by which pack weight can be reduced significantly – without having to compromise on the essentials you need. It’s simply a case of learning how to pack smarter, with the help of the following tips and guidelines:

1. Repackage Full Sized Products

First up, don’t weigh yourself down with full bottles of sunscreen, shampoo, hand wash and so on. Squirt just a small amount into a smaller container, and don’t take any more than you need. You can also do the same with any food items you intend to take, swapping their original packaging for something smaller and more portable.

2. Pack a Multitool

Save yourself the trouble of carting a multitude of tools and gadgets around with you, by swapping them for a single multitool. Or better yet, a wearable multitool that won’t take up any space in your pack at all. From saws to whistles to flints and so on, a good multitool can be the ultimate convenience on any wild camping trip.

3. Choose a Tent That Pitches with Trekking Poles

These things can be an absolute godsend, and are fantastic for minimalist packing when out and about. If you are taking trekking poles with you on a camping trip, it simply makes sense to make full use of them.  There are various tents on the market these days that are designed to pitch with tracking poles, meaning no additional poles need to be carried. Popup tents can also be surprisingly lightweight, that have a tendency to be rather large and cumbersome to carry.

4. Plan for Water

With careful planning and a rudimentary purification system, it may not be necessary to take any water along for the ride. Liquids in general will weigh you down like nothing else, therefore should be kept to the bare minimum. That said, it’s essential to take at least enough water with you to get you where you are going in the first place. Not to mention, an emergency supply to keep you hydrated, in the event that things don’t turn out as planned.

5. Take the Bare Minimum Clothing

Bear in mind that when packing clothing for outings like these, practicality is all that matters. It really isn’t important if you end up caked in dirt and not exactly smelling your best.  All you need is to stay dry, comfortable and warm – looking good can be saved for other adventures. Pack with practicality as your priority, and forget about keeping up appearances.

6. Pack Dehydrated Food

You could save yourself a significant amount of space and weight in your pack by switching to dehydrated foods. Some of which have a tendency to be more expensive than their conventional counterparts, but can also be worth their weight in gold. Particularly if you will have a ready supply of water at your destination, dehydrated foods are well worth considering.

7. Make a List of Unused Items

Last up, it’s a good idea to make a note of anything you haven’t used after returning home from every camping trip. Slowly but surely, you’ll compile a list of all the things you really don’t need next time around. Of course, this doesn’t include any emergency equipment or first aid gear, which hopefully you’ll never have to use. But if there are superfluous items you never seem to get any practical use out of, consider leaving them at home.