Backpacking for Beginners: How to Plan, Pack and Fit a Backpack

Before buying gear, the U.S. National Park Service recommends settling the basics of a trip: confirm whether the destination requires a permit, check park-specific regulations, and decide on a destination, trip duration and daily mileage that accounts for elevation change. The agency also advises sharing a detailed itinerary — including vehicle information — with someone at home and with rangers, and checking back in once the trip ends.

Testing gear before you leave

The Park Service says every piece of equipment should be tested before departure: stoves lit, headlamps charged, and the correct fuel canisters or batteries confirmed. It also recommends trying on a loaded backpack and hiking boots on a test hike beforehand, traveling with companions rather than alone, and staying alert to terrain and weather hazards such as rockfalls, flash floods, avalanches, lightning and sudden temperature drops.

Building the gear system

According to the packing checklist published by outdoor-travel site Fresh Off the Grid, a backpacking kit is built around a shelter, a sleep system, a cooking setup, clothing, navigation tools and safety items. Sleeping bags in its list are commonly rated to either 15°F or 30°F depending on expected conditions, while sleeping pads are rated by R-value, ranging from about R-2 for warm-weather use up to R-5.5 or higher for cold conditions. Cookware is sized to the group: a 650–750 mL pot for one person, or 1.2 liters or larger for two.

Clothing recommendations in the same list call for non-cotton, moisture-wicking hiking tops, two to three pairs of quick-dry underwear, a warm base layer top and bottom, an insulated jacket, and separate rain jacket and rain pants. For emergency communication beyond cell signal, the list cites the Garmin inReach Mini, a satellite messenger weighing about 3.5 ounces, as an example device.

Fitting the pack correctly

The American hiking organization AMC Outdoors states that a correctly fitted pack should transfer roughly 80 percent of its weight to the hips and lower body, with only about 20 percent carried at the front of the shoulders — none should rest on top of them. To get there, the bony point of the hip (the iliac crest) should sit centered in the middle of the hip belt, with the belt's padding extending roughly halfway between the hip and the buckle. Shoulder straps should attach to the pack about one to two inches below the top of the shoulders — a fit check is sliding a finger between the strap and the shoulder. Load-lifter straps, once tightened, should form a 30- to 45-degree angle with the shoulder straps.

Packing the bag: bottom to top

1. Fit and clip the hip belt first so the iliac crest sits centered in the belt, following the AMC Outdoors guidance above.
2. Pack the bottom zone with bulky, lightweight items you won't need until camp — a sleeping bag or quilt in a compression sack, camp-only clothing such as a puffy jacket, and sometimes the sleeping pad, as described by gear maker Enlightened Equipment's packing guide.
3. Load the core/middle zone, pressed close to the internal frame near the spine at shoulder-blade height, with the heaviest and densest items: food, water, stove, fuel canister, cook pot and the tent body.
4. Fill the top zone with bulky items you may need during the day — rain gear, an insulated jacket, a first-aid kit and snacks you can reach on breaks.
5. Use external mesh pockets, hip-belt pockets and the pack's lid for grab-and-go items: water bottles on the sides, trekking poles in external loops, and phone, snacks or headlamp within easy reach.

Safety, waste and Leave No Trace rules

The National Park Service lists seven Leave No Trace principles for backcountry travel: plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimize campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of other visitors.

• Camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams, concentrating use on existing trails in popular areas and dispersing it in pristine ones.
• Pack out all trash and leftover food; for human waste, dig catholes 6 to 8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water, camps and trails.
• Wash dishes or yourself at least 200 feet away from streams or lakes.
• Use a lightweight stove instead of a fire where possible; if fires are allowed, use established rings and burn only dead wood down to ash.
• Store food securely and keep a safe distance from wildlife; never feed animals.