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Eliminate the Unnecessary
In order to ensure you take 'just the essentials' before
packing spread everything you plan to take together say on a bed sheet spread on the floor, or some other suitable
place.
Group similar things together, outer clothing, under clothes, etc. Then ruthlessly eliminate the
unnecessary, the duplicates, etc.
Remember, Travellers to Indochina are going to an area famed for lost cost
manufacturing of clothing and footwear - so rather than take your old stuff, buy new stuff at destination - it's
economic and it is easier to carry money.
If you cannot determine what is essential - use one of our
checklists that are designed for different types of travel.
Segregate the frequently needed items from those
only required at night.
Mini-Sacks
A convenient method of grouping small items together is to use mini-sacks
which can be easily fabricated from small swatches of cloth - sheeting is good - and closed by a simple draw string.
By colouring the cloth with a marker pen, or selecting a variety of colours, it is easier to determine the nature of the
contents without endless searching.
Such mini-sacks can be easily stuffed into crevices as the contents are
small and malleable - achieved by not overfilling.
Packing the Backpack
As soldiers know, a properly packed heavy load is easier to carry
than a lighter one that is poorly packed
A properly packed Backpack will not throw your balance off nor will
it cause pain or strain.
Divide your Backpack into distinct areas - see the diagram - and in each of the areas
pack distinct types of material.
 In
Area 1 (bottom) place lightweight items such as sleeping bag or bedroll - some Backpacks have external straps on the
lower extremity with which to support such items - large clothing items that will not be required during the daytime.
Remember: Delicate, non-crush, items can be protected by a sleeping bag, or similar.
In Area 2 (middle)
place the heavier part of your load such as food, water, tent, etc. with the heaviest items closest to your back. Use
clothing to soften a hard protrusions that may press into your back.
In Area 3 can be placed bulkier or
middle-weight items.
Backpack Balance
Whilst you are packing your Backpack stand it, occasionally, on its
base to ensure that it doesn't topple over - a possible sign that your packing efforts are not the best.
It is
essential to achieve balance both back-to-front AND from side-to-side.
Whilst your body can compensate for
your poor packing you will pay the price in pain and extra effort.
The goal in packing is to avoid having a
top-heavy pack - with the risk of pulling you over backwards, or a bottom weighted Backpack which will give that feeling
of drag.
Packing heaviest items forward in the Backpack will maintain your centre of gravity - located in the
middle of your back - when properly packed.
A properly balanced Backpack is an extension of your body, natural
extension of your body - not a load on your body.
Summary
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Check Backpack balance during the packing cycle;
Mini-sacks permit easier packing, grouping of like use items - such
as food preparation or washing and bag colour eases identification;
Equalise weight distribution;
Adjust load
according to the nature of the terrain:
on easy terrain, pack heavy items a little higher for the best posture and on hard terrain lower the
position of the heavier items;
Use shoes and other items such as pots to protect easily damaged items;
Use
compression straps to move the load closer to your torso and prevent load movement;
Place fuel outside the Backpack
and below the level at which the food is packed. |
Identification
Internal and external identification is essential. A detailed itinerary can be carried in an external pocket and
your name and address of where you will be going can be appended.
Silver foil (aluminium/aluminum foil) is
visible to X-ray machines - cut your name into a sheet, place the sheet into a plastic page protector then insert flat
along a side of your bag. This will permit identification without the necessity of opening the Backpack.
An
old trick of the 'steamer trunk' era is to use a strip of bed sheeting some 18 inches long and 2-3 inches wide which is
cut longitudinally from one end for about 6 inches.
On to the uncut portion write some form of identifier but
NOT your name - and NOT your home telephone number - you could use your office number or e-mail address.
Security
Backpacks are inherently weak security items.
First, they are
designed to be carried and therefore can be stolen.
Second, being manufactured of woven material it can be
cut.
Third, if entrusted to the likes of Air Canada, it will likely be damaged - or even have items stolen
from it.
That is for those who cannot afford a Kevlar plastic Backpack.
The answer to these concerns
is the Australian designed Pac-Safe which is a stainless
steel wire mesh net which is placed over your Backpack and any accoutrements attached to it, then a wire is drawn tight,
enclosing your Backpack safely within its web.
The draw wire is secured with a stout lock (provided).
Surplus wire can be used to secure your Backpack to an airport pillar, or the railing in the baggage compartment of a
Open Bus vehicle - stopping others from stealing it at stopover points.
Backpack Cover
Finally, to dissuade the really determined, and to protect baggage
handling machines, enclose the whole Backpack in a cover.
This will stop the indomitable Pac-Safe from
snagging on the baggage handling equipment and causing damage to the machinery - as happened to this author on one
occasion, travelling with the unremarkable Air Canada.
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