1. How to Pack

2.  All non-essential equipment should be at the bottom, sleeping bag, tent, evening meals, cooking equipment  Heavy equipment should be close to the inside of the pack(near the back of the wearer) to put less strain on the back  Items such as water, trail mix-lollies, maps and waterproof clothes should be at the top of the pack

3.  It is important not to over fill your pack. Too much weight can put undue pressure on the body  An adult can comfortably carry a pack weighing 20 kg +, a teenager (14-16) can safely carry between 14-18 kgs.

4.  Unwrap all food from original containers, tins plastic etc. and repackage in snap lock bags were possible  Eat the heavier foods/meals on the first couple of days/nights, you can reduce weight by up to 2kgs in the first 2 days, you’ll notice the difference by the afternoon with the pack.  Dehydrated and powdered foods are much lighter and easier to carry than fresh food.

5.  It is important to make your packs as light as possible as it lightens the load and makes travelling easier  You don’t want to rest every 15 minutes when you are on a hike  Sounds good but how do I do it?

6.  Wear light weight clothing, e.g. fleece jumpers rather than wool.  No denim, it’s heavy and has a low warmth rating, doesn’t breath and stays wet for a long time  Only bring 1 change of clothes, (socks, and underwear not included) anymore takes up space and is heavy.

7.  Share your cooking equipment between 2-3 people, a self contained camping stove in 1 bag, fuel in the other.  Try to get light weight utensils, plates, bowls knives and forks, melamine is strong and low weight  Share your tent between 2-3 people, separate poles, pegs and material between all people.  A thermarest is much lighter than a lilo. Try to get a light weight self-inflating camping mat. They also take up much less space than a bulkier mattress.

8.  All items in your pack need to be waterproofed.  How can you do this?

9.  Line your pack with a durable waterproof bag. (Big good quality garbage bag)  All items need to be waterproofed. Clothes can be placed in a strong garbage bag that can be sealed/tied  Your food already in snap lock bags can be placed in a larger food bag or strong plastic container, this should be able to be tied to keep airtight.  Most important is to keep sleeping equipment dry. It has been suggested to double wrap your sleeping bag so that it stays dry.

10.  In groups of 4-5 pack a hiking bag using the procedures outlined earlier.  All equipment apart from food is at the front of the classroom.  Waterproof all sleeping materials.  Don’t unpack tents or cooking sets