Five Free Ways to Reduce Pack Weight

1. Don’t pack your fears.

This is the most common cause for extra weight, especially among newbies. Not knowing what to bring creates anxiety which results in trying to bring everything we might need “JUST IN CASE.” The more experience you gain, the less this will affect you. But instead of packing your fears, do some research or ask in local groups and you can get a better idea of what you truly need.

2. Avoid Redundancy:

Do you really need two pairs of pants? Two pots? 4 pairs of underwear? Avoid bringing items that serve the same function unless absolutely necessary. Even better, bring items that are multi-functional and you can save even more weight.

3. Plan your food:

Your food bag is one the heaviest things in your pack. So try planning your meals so that you eat the heavier ones first. This will be more effective at lightening your load quicker. Generally, dehydrated meals are much lighter, but consider the water you need to carry (if camp isn’t near a water source). Sometimes a meal you only need to heat up can actually be lighter in the end.

Remove all the extra packaging and store in resealable bags. This cuts down on weight, reduces trash produced and when the bags can be used as trash bags when the food is gone.

4. Share Gear:

If hiking with a group, share the load by distributing communal items like cooking gear and tents among group members.

5. Know where the water is:

This one can be a little tricky since water sources aren’t constant. However, with a little research you can get a good idea of where and how abundant water is on the trail. This can prevent you from carrying excessive amounts of water which will quickly weigh you down. A portable water filter and a little research can easily knock 3-5kg off your pack weight.