Backpack Load:How much is enough?

By George Nikolakopoulos

Every outdoorsman throughout the centuries had to carry some essential items that would help him withstand nature’s elements and survive during his wandering. Two questions had to be answered, and they remained unchanged no matter the age and technological developments: “What to carry” and “How much to carry.”

What to carry

What to carry is the easier to answer. The items that anyone should carry must cover the basic needs of survival; water, fire, food, and shelter. These are the priorities for anyone at any time.

• Tools like a knife (at the minimum), a saw, an axe, or a multitool are welcome additions to the inventory.
• Containers for storing and drinking water should be carried too.
• The means to start a fire by using tinder, like char cloth, cotton balls with vaseline, or any other natural or man-made tinder is important.
• A flame source, and/or an ignition device (lighter, flint and steel, ferro rod, matches) to ignite the tinder. 
• Something to protect you from the elements, either a tarp, a military poncho, or a heavy-duty space blanket.
• Sleeping gear, like a sleeping mat, and a sleeping bag or wool blanket.
• Food provisions, canned or dehydrated, something to give you calories. 

How much to carry

This question is more complex to answer. What to pack depends on different factors, which are the following: the duration of your outing, the climate(winter/summer), the location of the trip, and the level of expertise you might have. These factors create more questions that should be answered before making any trip.

To explain these factors, let’s begin with the duration of your trip. If you plan a short walk for a few hours at the local park, carrying just a haversack with the essentials would probably be enough. The haversack that I use for example, during a full day of hunting weighs nine pounds(four kilos) and has all the items that can help me spend an overnight if the need arises.

The climate plays a significant role in the load of your pack. During winter months, more heavy and bulky gear is going to be carried. As an example, I could mention a minus -20 degree sleeping bag. This sleeping bag is heavy and big, even if you put it in a compression bag. On the contrary, during summer months lighter gear will lighten the load of your backpack.

The location and additionally the terrain of your outing is a factor that affects your load-out. How long will it take you to reach your campsite? Is it a hilly terrain? Does it have any water source? If not, how much water should be carried to cover your needs? Have you ever visited that place, or is it the first time?

The level of expertise refers to an individual’s skillset and experience. Are you an experienced hiker? Have you ever participated in any survival/bushcraft class? This factor can summed up by the phrase of the legendary Mors Kochanski: ” The more you know, the less you carry.” These words applied to experienced and seasoned woodsmen, not to the average or casual outdoor enthusiast. Some people like to use ultralight gear and many times refer to another legend, George Washington Sears  better known as Nessmuk, as the father of ultralight backpacking. Allow me to disagree with that to a point. Nessmuk hadn’t provided accurate details about the actual weight of his load. He sure did not like to carry a ton of equipment and he describes what he carries with him, but only assumptions can be made for the actual weight of his load.

I also don’t like to carry a lot of gear, but that doesn’t mean that I carry ultralight gear either. My backpack with all the provisions and equipment for a three-day excursion, weighs thirty pounds. I like to have a pack ”tool heavy.” I always have my axe and saw and my roll with woodworking tools. More information about the backpack and load that I typically carry can be reviewed in a previous article.

As you can understand, answering “how much to carry” creates a chain of questions that have to be answered for each individual. It is important to acknowledge that everyone has different needs to cover based on their background. Don’t overestimate your abilities and expertise. Always prepare your load carefully because it’s the link that will make your trip pleasant and bring you back home.

George Spent nine years in the Greek Army Raiders where he learned survival skills. Since being honorably discharged, he has been working in the tourism industry. After every season ends, you will find him at his olive field harvesting olives to make oil. In his free time, George loves spending time outdoors hunting, camping, and practicing traditional archery. He enjoys writing articles, sharing his experiences of his trips to the woods, gear reviews, recipes and survival tips. George was a a contributing writer to Self-Reliance Illustrated magazine and has a YouTube and Blog under the name Mountain Raider. 

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