by Brian Douglass

Created on: August 18, 2008

One of the most important considerations, after picking a backpack, is where your gear will go. There are two basic considerations: weight and protection needed.

The first, weight, is the most important for the hiker's comfort. A rule of thumb to remember here is "heavy goes low." Packing items that are heavier higher in the pack increases the strain put on your back from the leverage of the item pulling away from your center of gravity. It's rather simple, really, a heavier item with a longer lever (distance from the center of gravity) will move you easier, much like a see-saw. With a heavy item (such as bottles of water) pulling your back over backwards as you hike, it's easy to see how a simple move will make the hiker much less sore in the evening.

Care should also be taken with items attached to the outside of the pack. Items further away from your body in any direction pull on your back harder. It may be better to keep a heavier item closer to your back and higher "up" the pack than at the bottom, but strapped onto the outside of the pack.

While keeping heavy items further down in the pack, there may be exceptions to this rule. Ponchos or other rain gear may need to be in easy reach. Depending on your pack design, this could be in the very bottom of the pack, if for example, you have a zipper at the very bottom of your bag.

After the first consideration is taken, care should be noted for any fragile items, such as cameras, which can't just be tossed in anywhere. Most packs have a pocket on top for similar items, which also makes it easy to get to. This is a good idea for most hikers, but perhaps not if you're going to be hiking around in caves where you might smash your camera against the roof.

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep fuels away from drinkable liquids. This should be done by making the containers holding each impossible to mistake, even in the dark. Drinking fuel is deadly and is not to be taken lightly. Keeping the fuel away from items that it could contaminate should also be a priority.

In the final analysis, it is always best to know what you intend to take on a hike before you pick a backpack. If you lay out your items, you can get a rough estimate of how big a pack you will need. However, even if you didn't do this, or have changed your hiking habits, it is still possible to minimize stress from bad placement and have a fun hike.

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