5 Most Common Mistakes in Packing an Ultralight Pack

Why Is Proper Packing So Important?

When hiking with an ultralight backpack, regular hikers often wonder about packing. How can everything possibly fit into such a small pack? Is the tent or sleeping bag missing altogether? How do you pack a backpack as efficiently as possible?

A well-packed ultralight backpack is like a magician’s hat, producing sleeping bags, down jackets and cooking pots like white rabbits seemingly out of nowhere. Even when preparing for a trip, you may sometimes wonder how everything can fit into such a compact pack. In this article, we’ll go through the best tips and tricks!

There is one major reason why packing your backpack correctly is so important: if your sleeping bag gets wet, you are likely in trouble. This is the biggest risk of careless packing. A poorly packed backpack is also frustrating to use, as essential items end up buried at the bottom when you need them.

5 Common Packing Mistakes

There are a few common mistakes people make when packing an ultralight backpack. Avoiding them will save you trouble and help you pack more efficiently.

No waterproof liner: The biggest mistake of all is forgetting to use a waterproof pack liner. Without one, your sleeping bag can get soaked during heavy rain or a river crossing. Many ultralight backpacks are made from waterproof fabrics, but you should STILL pack your gear inside a waterproof liner because water always seems to find its way in—and in the worst case, it pools at the bottom of the pack.

For waterproofing, use a Nylofume pack liner or a sealable dry bag. A Nylofume bag can be sealed with a bag clip. Garbage bags tear too easily and are not a particularly good option.

Pack your sleeping bag, camp pillow, sleep clothes, down jacket, and other items that must stay dry into the liner or dry bag. Do not pack food or cookware inside, as getting them wet is generally not a problem. Electronics and first-aid supplies are often more conveniently packed in a separate waterproof bag.

Rain gear buried deep in the pack: Don’t pack rain gear at the bottom of your backpack, or worse, inside your waterproof liner. Otherwise, you’ll have to open the liner when it starts raining. The best solution is to store rain gear in the external mesh pocket, where it can be accessed without opening the pack in the rain.

Too many small stuff sacks: A common mistake is packing gear into many small, rigid bundles that leave empty gaps inside the backpack. This wastes space and slows down both packing and unpacking. Don’t store your sleeping bag in its original stuff sack; instead, pack it directly into a large dry bag. Do the same with your down jacket and other clothing.

Air trapped inside stuff sacks: Once your dry bag is packed, squeeze out as much air as possible. This can reduce its volume to a third of its original size. The whole point of down insulation is that you don’t have to carry unnecessary air.

Poor packing order: In most cases, sleeping gear should go at the very bottom because it is the last thing you’ll need. During the day, you’ll need food, cooking equipment, rain gear, and possibly blister tape, repair supplies, and a headlamp. These should be easier to access. Your tent must also be pitched before your sleeping gear can be brought inside.

Step-by-Step Backpack Packing Guide

• Start by placing your deflated sleeping pad, folded accordion-style, against the back panel inside the backpack. This is the most space-efficient way to pack it. Leave the valve open so any remaining air can escape as the pack fills.
• Next, place your dry bag inside the backpack. Pack your sleeping bag or quilt, camp pillow, sleeping socks, sleeping pants, and a sleeping shirt if you use one. Place your down jacket on top.
• Press down on the dry bag carefully to remove all trapped air, then seal it quickly. After that, slide a two-liter soft water bottle into the space created by the folded sleeping pad. If you use a CNOC-style soft bottle with a rigid plastic opening, place it in position already when packing the sleeping pad.
• Place your tent on top of the sealed dry bag unless you prefer to carry it outside the pack.
• Next to the tent, place a water-resistant pouch containing repair supplies, first-aid items, a power bank, and charging cables.
• Add your food bag as the next layer. At this point, you can close the main compartment of the backpack.
• Store your cook pot in one side pocket, with the stove, sponge, and gas canister inside if it fits. Put your water bottle in the other side pocket or in a shoulder-strap pocket.

• Pack your shell jacket, rain skirt, waterproof mitts, stake bag, and some snacks in the external mesh pocket.
• If your backpack has a bottom pocket, it’s a great place for a map and perhaps a few durable food items.
• Keep at least a knife, phone, and lighter in your pockets so the most important survival items remain with you if you somehow lose your backpack.
• On autumn hikes, it’s also convenient to keep your headlamp, beanie, and gloves either in a pants pocket or hip-belt pocket. Slightly damp gloves dry best when kept inside pants pockets.

Where Should You Pack Your Tent? And Other Common Questions

The tent is one of the most flexible items to pack and often the piece of gear people think about the most. In my opinion, there are four good packing options, listed here in order of preference:

1. In a side pocket, if the tent is compact and packs into a long, narrow shape
2. Inside the backpack, if there is enough room
3. Stuffed directly into the mesh pocket without a stuff sack
4. Strapped to the bottom, back, or top of the backpack

Another common question is whether you can leave the sleeping bag stuff sack at home. Absolutely! A sleeping bag conforms much better to the shape of the backpack when packed directly into a full-width dry bag such as Nylofume. This saves space and eliminates the weight of the stuff sack itself.

What about storing the sleeping pad folded against the back panel—won’t it get wet? During heavy rain, the section of the pad touching the backpack fabric may become slightly damp. In practice, this is not a problem. The outer fabric of an inflatable sleeping pad absorbs very little water and can easily be wiped dry. Folding the pad accordion-style against the back panel is still more space-efficient than rolling it, making it the preferred packing method despite the small moisture risk.

Backpack packing naturally varies from one trip to another and depends on your gear, but by following these principles you can make your pack smaller, more organized, and easier to use.