Now that I have an UQ - where do I put everything?

[Five Tango]

I use a compression sack.

[Stabbastion]

Could Buy a 9 point compression sack like the military uses and then attach that to bottom, Could get all your quilts in that no problem

[souperjen24]

Hard to believe you can't get a 20* UQ in a 60L pack. I've been on five-day trips with my 20* HG quilts and have plenty of room in a 50L GoLite Jam.

I didn't say I couldn't get it in... I said that everything was really tight once it was in there. Everyone has different gear and I was looking for advice as to what people did with their gear.

I don't think you're taking too much stuff; your gear seems reasonable. An alcohol stove and a single pot may save some space, but not that much. My suggestion would be to pack and re-pack with what you have until you find something suitable.

Compress your down and put it in the very bottom of your pack. Put your heaviest items close to your back. I would expect your pack to have plenty of room for your items. What food items are you packing?

That's good advice, thanks silverback. I should probably work on packing and re-packing once my new UQ comes. For dinner, I basically pack a freeze dried meal, snacks for lunch, and pop-tarts for breakfast. I've only gone twice, but that seems to be what I'm heading towards right now.

I would probably try to put the bulkiest items that don't compress (or don't compress very well) on the outside. The cook kit and/or chair might be good candidates for an outside pocket on the pack. If that doesn't free up enough space in the main compartment, maybe then try putting your sleeping bag in a dry bag of some sort (either a legitimate dry bag or thick/durable trash bag), and strap that to the bottom or top of your pack on the outside. Not knowing exactly what your pack looks like or all the contents of it, that'd be my best advice at the moment.

Yup, I had my chair on the outside. I think putting my cook set on the outside would definitely free up some space in the main compartment. It makes me nervous to put any down on the outside of my pack, even if it's in a dry bag! But I could do that - I could put the UQ on the outside just as I did the sleeping pad.

I have to "highly" compress my 20° top and bottom quilts and all other gear in my Gregory Baltoro 65L. With my 0° set I have to set on the backpack to fit these with my Warbonnet Ridgerunner.

Good to know. I compressed my friend's UQ in the sack I use for my sleeping bag, and it hardly fit... whereas my sleeping bag usually compresses to the size of a grapefruit. I think I would need a bigger compression sack if I go that route.

Both quilts and hammock should fit in the bottom 1\3. I snake skin my tarp in a outside pocket. My packs 55 and not full full with full 3 season gear.

My quits, hammock and tarp definitely take up about 1/2 my pack. I think after reading responses on this thread, I should put my tarp in an outside pocket. It's definitely small enough to fit!

I can get both my 20 degree incubator (one oz extra down) and 15 degree burrow, all my cold weather clothes and hammock in my pack (45 liter) by using a heavy-duty trash bag. I just cram it in, push it all down really well, then start push all the air out of the bag, which further compresses everything and then twist the top of bag around several times and fold it over. This uses up every little bit of pack space with no gaps like a compression sack can do. Food goes in next along with other small gear. My tarp goes on the outside. I can do trips of 3 to 4 days this way in cold weather. In warmer weather, I use lighter/smaller quilts, less clothes and can do trips of 4 to 6 days.

Thanks for sharing what you do. You said you put your food on top of the trash bag - does that include your stove/cook set?

I'd consider what can get wet and what can't. For example, you could carry your rain fly roll up on the outside or in an outside pocket. In fact, you'd want to if it was wet. I have a few pack rain covers but honestly, can't remember when I've used them - then again, I live in high desert country of Bend OR, not Seattle. I am amazed at how much weight the rain cover adds. If I know something like that was needed, I think I'd use a lighter plastic bag. In other words, instead of putting a cover on the outside, you can line the inside with a large "trash" bag - much lighter.

Also, I believe your stove is much larger than it needs to be to get the job done. Compare this (11,75 oz.):
https://www.rei.com/product/791308/j...cooking-system

to this (3 oz.):
https://www.rei.com/product/660163/m...kpacking-stove

[warning: Titanium cookware might be in fashion but it can have a downside (in addition to cost). I've found it very slippery and once had to boil water three times because the first two times, the pot, once boiling and vibrating slightly, would slid off the top of the, not perfectly level, stove.]

I've read about putting down goods inside, unstuffed so it fills up space. But it is also subject to possible snagging and tearing on other pack contents. The compression sack is a mixed blessing. It might compact smaller than a stuff sack, but it is heavier because of the compression straps. And the stuff sack itself may compress enough with "encouragement" from the other items in the pack. One downside to the Z-rest - in the olden days, when we rolled the CF pad and attached it to the top of bottom of the pack, there was an opportunity to roll something light inside. The additional bulk of the pad roll wasn't that much more and it did live on the outside of your pack.

The one item you might leave at home is the camp chair - you can use your hammock for that (they are not just for sleeping). When I have space (Kayak Camping), I often bring a small, 5 ft., DIY gear hammock (waterproof ripstop nylon cover flap). As things come out the pack or dry bags, they go into the gear hammock. It's such a pleasure not to be being over, digging through the pack when I need them them a second time.

I think there's a part of me that is/was scared to go from the rain cover to the bag - but I've read it enough on here, I'm just going to make the leap and give it a try. I day hike a lot, and it rains a lot. So I definitely will want things protected - the guy I talked to at REI when I originally bought my pack (who has thru-hiked 3 times) told me that a rain cover was the way to go because you wouldn't want your pack to get wet, even if you have stuff inside protected by water proof bags, because the rain will weigh the pack down. So I've had that in my head over the last 2 years that I've been researching and starting this journey, so I think it's going to take me a while to get out of that mindset.

I got my partner the pocket rocket for Christmas... I'm amazed at how small and lightweight it is, but I wasn't entirely convinced that after that plus a pot, it would weigh less. I guess it depends on the type of pot you use - but does it really take up that much less space? I also got her this tea kettle because we had friends that used it and she really liked it. That's 5.8oz, plus the stove at 3oz is 8.8oz ... still lighter than the jetboil, but not by much. I'd be happier if I could get a setup that was a better size than the jetboil... it's kind of bulky. What kind of titanium cookware do you use? Something like this?

Yes, the camp chair is something I've gone back and forth with... I didn't take it on our 3 day trip last year, but I did on this overnight because it was just 1 night and I wanted to see if I'd use it. I definitely did, but I'm not sure how often I would. It is nice to sit on when you are cooking and further away from the hammock, but I also have a sit pad that could do the job too, just not as comfy.

I have a Z-Packs Arc Haul Zip, which is 64 liters in total. I mainly use the large compartment, with small items such as my first aid kit in the outer pocket. I have, though, switched the use of my side pockets. I now use the thin smart water bottles, and I can now fit both on one side. In the other bottle pocket, I now put my tarp and stakes in a snake skin, so I can get them deployed quickly. I also put my entire cookset in the higher side pocket. This is often the most awkwardly shaped item, since I take my cast iron skillet with me often, which has an odd handle sticking out. Long story short, in the 49 liter main pocket, with my tarp and cookset on the outside, I can fit all my stuff, along with an EE Convert, extra long and extra wide, my Eno ember underquilt, and my yukon outfitters topquilt with room to spare. I only compress the Convert since it is so big. Here is a link to the video of my packload. Video

This is very helpful, thank you!

[dudeman_atl]

I put quilts & hammock loose in the bottom of the pack in a trash bag.

In the outside (side) pockets, I put my camp chair, tarp and cook kit.

I can cook lunch from my chair or set up my tarp without opening my pack.

[FJRpilot]

So I would just mention, that you want everything tightly packed. That stabilizes your load and keeps everything from moving around. I think your fine with the gear you've chosen. Just stuff it all in. The down will compress a lot, it seems like it won't go any smaller but it does.

I would also mention that I don't pack 0 degree quilts in my normal 60 ltr "spring, summer, fall) backpack. 20 is as low as I go and in summer I'm using even something smaller. The winter stuff goes into my winter pack which is considerably larger (75 ltr vs 60 ltr).

[MikekiM]

Lots of great responses. I just did an overnighter. Temps were much lower than what you described. I packed HG Incubator 40* w/ 1oz overstuff, a light TQ, and all my normal gear, in a Zimmerbuilt pack that is less than 30ltrs. Had room to spare.

I didn't read all the posts and don't know what size pack you carried.

Put the quilts in GarageBand bag and press them to the bottom of the pack..I put my change of clothes and hammock in there as well. Press it down and pack the rest of your stuff on and around that.

My tarp (WB MamaJamba) goes in the outside, right pocket. I set up the same in both packs as the layouts are identical. ULA Ohm and Custom Zimmerbuilt which is essentially a mini-Ohm.


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[souperjen24]

Thanks for the responses everyone. After reading advice on this thread, I will definitely be putting my tarp to an outside pocket, and possibly my cook kit. This will leave more room in the main compartment. I will have to experiment with leaving the quilts loose or in stuff or compression sacks and see how that goes.

[Ranc0r]

I like coffee and soup, so I keep my cook kit on the outside of my pack where I can get to it for lunch/breaks. I keep my tarp on the outside as well, so I can set up camp in the rain without getting everything wet. I keep one water bottle and a jacket/rain shell on the outside. It's all stuff I want to be able to reach quickly, without having to open my pack. There's usually a spare garbage bag in a pocket, and I use that for a pack cover.

I use the 3 sack method. One for quilts at the bottom of the pack, one for spare clothes/sleeping clothes, one for food that goes on top.

[slugbait]

MikekiM- where did you get that Garageband bag? It sounds cool...

[Otter1]

Take the lightest, most compact gear (that does the job you need done) which you can afford. If it still doesn't fit, you are taking too much stuff.

I'm not saying you shouldn't take any particular item(s), but if you can't carry it all, you probably DO have too much stuff. Be ruthless, pare your list down to the minimum, go on a nearby safe trip, and add back items as your pack allows. In my experience, I don't miss much of the stuff I "thought" I needed.