When you’re getting back to nature on a camping trip, there are ways to make it even better by utilizing clever backpacking hacks. Before you go away, make sure that you have the right size backpack for your trip, you can wear it comfortably and aren’t bringing anything you don’t need. Always take a waterproof cover as there is nothing worse than getting your stuff wet and not being able to dry it.
For extra waterproof protection and to keep things organized, arrange items like your medical kit, clothes, wash bag, and food into different packing cubes with extra bags for dirty laundry and rubbish. When you go camping, one important thing to consider is keeping your backpack safe as well as knowing where it is, which is why hanging it up can help you. One way to protect your bag from getting wet, dirty, or being crawled on by insects is using the stick and tree hack.
The stick and tree hack
A tip from the Revolution Race TikTok account shows how to keep your bag off the ground by using a stick. The way to do this is by getting a strong stick and finding a suitably sized tree to hang your bag on. Put your bag against the tree with the stick horizontally placed on the other side of the trunk and then loop both straps around it. If it doesn’t hold on its own then adjust the straps to create enough tension to ensure that it can. You can also tie your boots to the stick so they can dry after a day’s hiking.
To take this hack to the next level, wrap duct tape around the back of the straps to keep them together and be extra sure that your bag won’t fall off even if it’s windy. Duct tape can be used for all kinds of things when camping, such as preventing blisters or taking out splinters. If you don’t have space in your bag for it, don’t worry because you can simply wrap some around your water bottle for when you need it. As well as the stick and tree hack, there are more great backpack hacks that will make your trip even better.
Other backpack hacks
In addition to duct tape, a bungee cord and carabiners are essential for camping as you can use them to easily carry extra things. A bungee cord is great for attaching a coat to your backpack when you’re not wearing it and it can double as a clothes line for drying any wet items. Carabiners can be used to carry a spare pair of shoes or a cup so they don’t take up space in your bag. In the evenings, changing into sandals will give your feet a break from your hiking boots which can help prevent blisters.
If you’re going to be in a national park or reserve, take a filter water bottle or purifying tablets so that you don’t have to carry too much water with you. Also, check the park maps as sometimes there are drinking water taps on popular trails. Another great safety hack is to tie a whistle onto your backpack strap so that if you get into trouble, you can blow it to get attention. So next time you go out trekking, make sure to remember these backpack hacks and have a big stick ready as you never know when you might need it to hang your bag up.
