KIT: What’s in the backpack?

I’ve had a number of people asking me if I really fit everything for a weekend hike in my 30L pack. So I thought I’d right a post with a details what’s in the pack for a typical summer weekend hike. The photo was taken at the end of a trip so there’s no food in the pack.

Pack contents

• A – Sea-to-Summit Outhouse & Coughlans trowel
• B – Clothing – a few pairs of underwear, spare socks, spare baselayer (Rab MeCo 120 SS)
• C – RAB Siltarp 1 + 6 x Alpkit Y beam pegs in Treadlightly bag
• D – Evernew 1.5L water pouch
• E – Mountain Equipment Lamina 35 sleeping bag
• F – Osprey Tempest 30 Backpack
• G – Exped Synmat 7 UL, Schnozzel pump bag, Exped Pillow UL, RAB silk sleeping bag liner, Mossie headnet
• H – Alpkit Hunka XL bivvi bag.
• I – Sawyer Mini, 2L bag, gravity conversion kit.
• J – Powertraveller powermonkey Extreme + cable
• K – Evernew Appalachian set + Evernew 400ml mug
• L – Paramo Bentu fleece
• M – Svord Peasant Mini + EDC Fire Kit (both in right pocket)
• N – Meths
• O – Paramo Fuera Ascent Jacket
• P – Brewkit.

Not labelled is the silver foil coated bubble wrap insulation that I use as a ground pad under the Exped Synmat.

Brewkit contents

In the brew kit I have teabags, hot chocolate, soup, knife, fork, spoon, salt, pepper, oil, pot gripper, and the BPL universal trivet. The tub doesn’t weigh much more than a similar size stuff sack, and protects the contents.

When packing I try to make sure everything goes into the pack in the reverse order that I need it, so the sleeping bag goes in the bottom, then the bivvi bag, then sleep mat, then tarp etc…

The powermonkey pack goes in the zip pocket on the underside of the lid, the sawyer goes in the stash pocket on the front of the pack, the trowel and fuel in a side pocket, and the water pouch in the other side pocket.

Contents of the pack pockets

In the hip pockets I have a few odds and sods, the first aid kit (large dressing, pouch of plasters, tube of pills) goes in the left pocket, the right pocket has sunblock, insect repellent, small saw, and the Zelph Starlyte stove. I keep my inReach Explorer on my left shoulder strap, and my Petzl Zipka 2+ on the right strap, so I don’t have to rummage about in a pack to try and find it in the dark.

With everything in the pack there is room for food on the top, and in the stash pocket. The lid pocket is also empty and I usually fill it with food. Dry weight, it’s 6.6kg.

Packed and ready to go

Everything I need for a few nights hiking, all carried in a 30L pack, with room for food.