Top Backpacking Hacks for Your Hiking Adventures
After hiking several thousand miles, here are my top hacks.
It’s not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.
Sir Edmund Hillary
Article objectives:
To hike lighter
To hike safer
To enjoy more
Mountains, forests, unpaved paths, and natural sounds hypnotize me. I have been fortunate to live close to mountains my whole life, except for the first decade when I was a kid.
I’m born to walk over gigantic mountains. I consider myself a pro or an avid hiker. I started hiking when I was 17 years old, in 2007.
Why Hiking?
Hiking is also one of the best exercises to boost your mental health. Many studies show that hiking conveys several health benefits beyond typical exercise. I am also a firm believer that trees always boost my mood and overall psychological well-being.
Here are my top backpacking hacks to boost your hiking adventures this summer. Use these experiential tricks on your next trip.
Download offline maps to your smartphone
Objective: To stay safe and on the trail
I usually avoid using my phone on the trails, but this one is pretty handy. I used to have hard copies of the maps back in the old days, but now with the advent of smartphones/apps, I prefer to use the AllTrails app (pro version), and it’s merely $23 per year.
What’s more, the AllTrails app keeps me safe and on the path.
The best part after downloading the maps, you can use them pretty much anywhere without cell service.
Suggestion: It’s also a great idea to read maps and hike guides for the area you’ll be hiking in before and always carry a compass.
Say no to first aid kit
Objective: To reduce weight because every gram counts when hiking
I know you are not going to be happy when I say do not carry a first aid kit. When I hiked 336KM long trail last summer my first aid kit was a roll of duct tape, a pack of paper towels, Neosporin, and Ibuprofen. I think that’s enough to take care of most of the cuts, blisters, and scrapes.
However, if I am guiding a hiking group, I make sure to take a full first aid kit. I only prefer to take the above-mentioned things on personal trips on a max of 20KM hike before I go back to the next one.
Question: Do you think you’re going to use all the Band-aids on your weekend trip? I think 2 to 3 are enough.
Less water
Objective: To reduce weight
I know water is really important on hikes, but it doesn’t mean you have to be full all the time. This hack is really helpful for newbie hikers; all they carry is water. In that case, your bladder will be full, which will make your hiking harder.
For the 5–10KM hike, you need two bottles of water. That’s enough.
I also suggest investing in a light water filter in case of emergency. I bought this one; I rarely used it, but it’s pretty good for the peace of mind. It has more than 90,000 reviews with 1000+ answers on Amazon if you would like to read. Here is the LifeStraw. I bought two of them, one for me and one for my partner.
Electronics/Gadgets
I carry only these two gadgets in my backpack all the time.
i) Smartphone
and if I am hiking overnight, I would add:
i) Kindle
ii) Camera (sometimes) — very rare
iii) Powerbank (solar)
Split gear with your friend/partner
Objective: To reduce weight
I love to go solo hikes. However, I also enjoy going on hikes with friends and family; if I am hiking with friends, it’s the best time to share hiking gear with them, especially if we are hiking overnight.
For example, I will give my tent to someone or a couple of water bottles. I will love to take more cooking supplies if I am hiking with friends. In the end, food is the best part.
How to combat insects
Always carry a strong insect repellent. I prefer to use this basic one, and it has more than 30,000 reviews on Amazon in case you want to read.
I have been using it for the past couple of years. I think it was less than $9. I am also sharing a link if you would like to give it a try. Here is the image and link. Here is the image.
I highly suggest carrying insect repellent, especially in summer.
Personal favorite — always carry duct tape
Objective: To save time while setting campsite
I prefer to roll a couple of feet of duct tape around the trekking pole. This trick always works to save extra room in the backpack. Here are a couple of examples of when I used duct tape.
To fix the tent pole (it's also waterproof)
Patch almost anything
Always use for first aid
Reseal food packages
Always handy to build shelter within no time
Always pack baby wipes
Pack baby wipes if you are staying overnight on the trail. Baby wipes have many uses; one of them is to clean and get that freshness back.
You don’t need to carry the whole pack; maybe a 2 to 3 (sealable plastic bags) are enough for a weekend hike.
Comfy pillow: Fill a t-shirt/shirt with clothes
I don’t bring a pillow on hikes; one of the best tricks is just to tuck some clothes inside a shirt, and you are good.
The bottom line
Carry as little as possible, but choose that little with care. Earl Shaffer
I would love to see more backpacking hiking hacks. I am always up for learning. Please feel free to share in the comments. Let me recall the hacks in a nutshell.
- Pack your food in separate sealable bags and add a paper towel to each bag for clean-up!
- I prefer duct tape, but you can also try zip ties.
- Use offline maps
- Baby wipes
- Always carry a water filter
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