Packing a bag for a hike can be a work of art. Whether you are embarking on a day trip, multi day or even longer, packing effectively is a skill. Everyone knows that weight saving is crucial but so is space. A ruck sack can only take so much before it is bursting at the seams even if it underweight.
Here is what I do to save space when packing. If I am going to bivvy under the stars, these are the items I pack.
- Decathlon Forclaz inflatable pillow (I cannot recommend this enough, lightweight and better than using shoes or clothes!)
- Sea to Summit Ultralight Sleeping Matt
- Rab Storm Bivi
- OEX Fathom EV 200 (this is a 2 season but I have a 3 depending on conditions)
These 4 items are light but take up a lot of room in my pack. To reduce their size, they can be packed together. I pack the roll mat inside the sleeping bag as shown below.
The same can be down with the pillow inside the bivvy bag.
Put them together and 4 items become 2 which saves a lot of room in your pack.
The same applies for hiking with a tent. In this circumstance I will take
- Decathlon Forclaz inflatable pillow
- Sea to Summit Ultralight Sleeping Matt
- Vango Zenith Pro 200
- OEX Fathom EV 200 (not in photo below)
If I take my tent I can combine the 3 items above.
And voila, space has been officially saved. Now go get creative with you packing. How can you save weight? Try not to make it too complicated as it can be difficult to pack neatly on the trail due to weather or time.
Write in the comments if you have any space saving tips.
