This guide will help you to pack better for your next adventure. It covers everything from how much your rucksack and tent should weigh, to what clothes to pack and how much food you need on the trail. By the end, you’ll know exactly what and what not to pack for a multi-day hike — and never overpack again. Probably!
Contents
- Packing Basics
- Shelter: Tent Or Bivvy?
- What Do You Need For A Good Night’s Sleep?
- Cooking On The Trail
- How Much Water Do You Need To Carry?
- How Much Food Do You Need For A Long-Distance Walk?
- What You Need For Navigating On A Multi-Day Hike
- First Aid Supplies And Emergencies
- Clothes: What To Wear And What To Pack
- Miscellaneous Gear — How To Avoid Overpacking
- Rucksacks And Drybags
- How To Pack Your Rucksack: A Quick Guide To What Goes Where
- Ready For The Trail?
Packing Basics
How Much Should Your Rucksack Weigh For A Multi-Day Hike?
As a rough guide, some hikers aim to keep their fully loaded rucksack around 20% of their body weight
For any backpacking trip, there are two important weights to consider:
- the base weight, which is your loaded rucksack without consumables (water, food and fuel) and
- your fully loaded rucksack with consumables.
A commonly used rule of thumb is to aim for a fully loaded rucksack of around 20% of your body weight, although your ideal weight will depend on the season, length of your trip, terrain, fitness and the gear you carry.
If you want to pack lighter, the best way is to adjust your base weight: replace old, worn out gear with lighter-weight kit, and ensure you don’t pack things you don’t need (but don’t compromise on first aid and safety equipment).
Tip: when you get home from a trip, make a note of anything you didn’t use, so you know for next time.
Packing Categories
When you’re planning what to pack for a multi-day hike, it helps to separate your gear into categories:
- Rucksack
- Shelter
- Sleep
- Cooking, food and water
- Navigation and first aid
- Clothing
- Other items — including walking poles, lighting, electronics, etc
Within each category, there are a number of things that affect what you might pack for your trip: season, type of trail and the balance between comfort and weight. That’s the one to pay attention to, and we’ll go into a bit more detail below.
Shelter: Tent Or Bivvy?
When I first started solo backpacking, to save weight and money I chose a bivvy and tarp setup rather than a tent. It was great in drier months, especially on short trips, but pretty miserable in heavy rain — there’s nowhere to put wet gear or get dressed, and no privacy on campsites.
For that reason, although they’re heavier, I prefer a tent for multi-day hikes.
Try to keep your tent under 1.5 kg.
As a rule of thumb, try to keep your tent under 1.5 kg, but don’t forget to take into account the pegs and groundsheet.
3-season tents are readily available around this weight, but 4-season winter tents can be significantly heavier. Check out the article below for an in-depth look at the types of tents available and how to choose one that suits your needs.
What Do You Need For A Good Night’s Sleep?
These are the essential considerations:
- Sleeping bag/quilt. Choose from down or synthetic fills — down is lightweight but difficult to dry out, and synthetics are bulky and heavier
- Sleeping bag liner. From silky and cool to thermal and warm, liners also help to keep your sleeping bag clean
- Pillow. I’ve never owned one! Instead, I have a gilet that packs into the perfect pillow size when it’s folded into a pocket
- Sleeping mat. There are two types: blow-up or self-inflating — self-inflating are generally warmer but heavier
- Optional: closed-cell foam mat. I use a lightweight reflective foam mat underneath my inflatable mat for extra insulation in colder weather.
There are always compromises to be made between weight and comfort, and sometimes it can be a difficult choice. A tight budget makes it even harder, so rather than buy gear for specific seasons, I try to keep things flexible. I buy as lightweight as I can for warmer months and add ‘layers’ when it’s colder.
For example, for extra warmth in cooler weather I add this thermal sleeping bag liner to my synthetic sleeping bag. It’s also great to use on its own in hot weather.
I use the same principle with my sleeping mat, a Thermarest Xlite Neo Air. It’s not the highest R-Value (the thermal rating), but, as I mentioned above, I couple it with a reflective foam mat and it makes a warmer winter option.
What do you do if you get it wrong?
This is where doubling up pays off: pack a reusable emergency bivvy bag. If you’re cold and can’t get warm, put your sleeping bag inside the bivvy — it can make a remarkable difference to how quickly you warm up. (I use this one from Lifesystems — 110g)
I know this works from experience. After a day of torrential rain on Exmoor, I crawled into my tent soaked through and shivering. I dried off, got into dry clothes and my sleeping bag, had a hot drink…and still couldn’t warm up. Worried, I decided to get into my emergency bivvy. It was the best decision I made: I was warm in minutes. Potential crisis averted.
Cooking On The Trail
Compared to meths stoves like the Trangia, gas stoves are much quicker to boil. I have both, but for long distance hikes, I definitely prefer gas. It does have a couple of downsides, and that’s the size and weight of the gas canister. A neat solution is a cooking set where the gas canister and stove fit inside the pot or mug with a fitted lid.
As for your pots and mugs, the lightest ones are made of titanium, but collapsible mugs and bowls are worth considering, too — they definitely make packing easier.
Don’t forget a spork, a small multi-tool*/knife, a piece of a scourer, and matches or a lighter if you need them.
*if it includes nail scissors, tweezers (for thorns, not ticks), etc, a multi-tool can also be part of your wash kit and mending kit
How Much Water Do You Need To Carry?
This depends on the weather, how hard you’re walking and how often you can refill. As a rough guide, I usually allow around 2 litres for drinking during a day’s hiking, plus whatever I need for cooking — but remember that every litre adds a kilo to your pack.
I pack enough bottles or bladders for at least three litres of water. Collapsible bladders are perfect for ‘extras’ — they’re strong and easily tuck into side pockets to save space.
If you’re hiking in places like the Lake District or Dartmoor, where there’s plenty of fresh running water on high ground, a water filter is a good option. My small, lightweight Sawyer Mini has been great, and I’ve had it for years.
How Much Food Do You Need For A Long-Distance Walk?
For most UK long-distance trails, three days’ food is generally enough
I sometimes pack far too much (usually in a bid to save money in cafes!), but there’s really no need. For most UK long-distance trails, three days’ food is generally enough, unless you’re heading into the wilds. Grocery stores, pubs and cafes are never too far apart.
One tip, though, is to pack enough nuts and seeds for your entire walk — not for snacking, but to sprinkle on any food you buy. A handful of nuts sprinkled on a salad, a few seeds added to your breakfast pancakes, some ground flax seeds stirred into a bowl of soup — the extra calories and protein are definitely worth the extra grams.
Resupply
Overpacking happens when you don’t know where you can resupply on the trail: you just pack more. But you don’t need to. In all the 10 Mile Hike trail guides, I list where I resupplied at supermarkets, or ate at cafes and pubs on the trail. I’ve also listed places I saw along the way. Make a note when you plan your itinerary, or take a screenshot. Find the trail guides here:
What You Need For Navigating On A Multi-Day Hike
The goal is always to keep things as lightweight as possible, but navigation isn’t an area where I’d try to save weight. Don’t rely solely on your phone or watch app: you need a paper map as a backup in case your phone is lost, wet, broken or out of battery.
Harvey Maps produce excellent trail maps that show the whole trail on one lightweight, waterproof map, and weigh just 70g. Use it in conjunction with an app to get an overview of the whole area.
If you’re packing for a trail that crosses pathless terrain, you’ll need a compass. They weigh very little so I pack one whether I’m likely to need it or not.
If you’re worried about your map-reading skills, why not try a course?
What About Packing A Guide Book?
Don’t do it — they weigh far too much! Instead, take photos of any information you need; I learnt that lesson the hard way. (Or should that be “the heavy way”?!)
First Aid Supplies And Emergencies
Blisters, cuts and bruises, a twisted ankle…think about the most likely problems and pack for those. I always take:
- blister plasters
- antiseptic wipes
- a few plasters and steri-strips
- a couple of self-adhesive dressings
- a tick remover
- painkillers and antihistamines
- personal meds
As well as first aid supplies, it’s wise to pack a couple of things in case of emergencies:
- an emergency bivvy bag or foil blanket
- hand warmers
- a whistle
- a small foldable sit-mat. You might wonder why I include this here, but imagine you have to sit on the ground for an hour or two because you’ve twisted your ankle — you’ll appreciate the insulation!
For more ideas, check out this article:
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Clothes: What To Wear And What To Pack
In the past, as with food, this is a category I’ve gone overboard on, and trust me, you really don’t need half as much as you think. For a multi-day hike of any distance, I pack the minimum amount of clothes I can:
- waterproof jacket and trousers
- buff, gloves, cap/hat
- a set of clothes to wear:
- leggings or quick drying trousers (thin in summer) because they keep both the sun and ticks off
- a long-sleeve top (a thin sun-hoody in summer)
- a fleece, padded jacket with a hood, or a gilet, depending on the season
- underwear and socks
- trail runners, or walking shoes in winter
- spare clothes:
- lightweight running shorts
- a lightweight t-shirt — long or short-sleeve depending on the season
- underwear and up to five pairs of socks (zero compromise on those)
- nightwear (always kept dry and never worn during the day):
- merino top and leggings/tights
- fluffy socks
A small tube of washing liquid is far lighter than a set of spare clothes.
As you can see, I don’t pack many spare clothes for a multi-day hike — experience has taught me I don’t change very often! If you’re deliberating, ask yourself what you really need them for.
Your waterproofs should keep you dry, and if the clothes you’re wearing feel grimy and sweaty, head to a campsite and give them a rinse — wear your running shorts and t-shirt while they’re in the machine (or sink). Remember, a small tube of washing liquid is far lighter than a set of spare clothes (some campsites even sell washing liquid by the cup).
Running shorts are great for mooching about camp, too, and if you fancy a dip somewhere on the trail they double up as swimwear.
A bigger question is how many pairs of socks to pack for your hike, and my advice is not to compromise. For a 100-mile trail, I pack two pairs of toe socks and three pairs of hiking socks, along with a pair of thin, lightweight trainer socks to wear on the journey home. You might be luckier than me, but I’m susceptible to sores and blisters between my toes, especially in hot or wet weather. Guaranteed clean, dry socks (especially toe-socks) have been a gamechanger for me and I rarely suffer in the same way I used to.
Tip: for longer trips, I sometimes buy a set of clothes at the end of the trail to wear on the journey home — anything to save weight on the trail!
Miscellaneous Gear — How To Avoid Overpacking
There are still more things you need to pack for a multi-day hike, but every item has to earn its place, and the miscellaneous category is where you could potentially save weight. These are some of the things you might need (or think you need!):
- phone
- wallet
- battery bank and cables
- head torch
- wash kit (details below) and towel
- sun-cream, bug spray and midge net
- loo kit that includes a plastic trowel, hand sanitiser, poo bags, and loo paper/small pack of wet wipes
- mending kit — a needle and thread, inflatable-mat patch, tent pole ferrule
- walking poles
- trekking umbrella (useful for heatwaves, if you have the capacity)
- a book to while away the evenings
- a sketchbook/notebook and pencil or pen
When it’s all laid out on your bed looking like you’re off to the other side of the world for a year rather than a couple of weeks in northern England, you may notice a sinking feeling — or blind panic! What can you leave behind? Instead of overpacking, look for things with more than one use. Here are some questions to ask:
- could I use a trekking pole tent so that I don’t have to pack tent poles as well?
- do I need a towel for a four day hike? — can I get away without one on a ten day hike? (Some people like to book into a b&b on long hikes anyway, maybe they supply towels)
- instead of packing a book, can I download an audio book or listen to podcasts? Could I record voice notes instead of packing a notebook? Am I really going to have time or be awake enough to sketch along the trail? (Note to self: nope!)
- what essentials do I need in my wash kit? This is what I pack: travel toothpaste and tooth brush; a small piece of soap (about 3 cm square) and a flannel (a piece of an old trekking towel is perfect); anti-bacterial powder for my feet; a hairbrush; hair-ties; a sachet of shampoo/conditioner (if I know I’m going to a campsite — earplugs too). That’s it. No deodorant (I’m going to sweat and stink anyway, so I have a wash in my tent every night), no skin creams — just the absolute essentials.
Don’t forget to ditch unnecessary packaging — decant foot-powder into a click and seal bag, squeeze shampoo into a travel bottle, and so on — the grams (and space) soon add up.
Rucksacks And Dry Bags
What Size Rucksack Do I Need?
As long as everything packs in well, fit and balance are far more important for a comfortable hike.
I have a 65 litre Osprey “minimalist” rucksack. Some hikers would say this is too big because the larger size encourages you to pack more than you need. I can see the logic, but if your tent and sleeping bag are bulky (not necessarily heavy), no amount of squeezing is going to get the rest of your kit into a 45 litre rucksack.
If you’re planning to go ultra-light, a 55 litre lightweight rucksack might suit you for a multi-day hike. In either case, try before you buy: as long as everything packs in well (without stuff hanging on the outside), fit and balance are far more important for a comfortable hike.
Finally, women’s fit rucksacks have a number of benefits over unisex rucksacks (the shoulder and chest-strap placement, for example) that make them an essential choice for a long-distance walk.
- The Osprey Renn 65 Rucksack Review — still going strong in 2026
Do I Need A Rucksack Cover?
If you pack your gear in drybags, you don’t need a rucksack cover to keep your kit dry. However, in the UK, lots of trails include some road walking and a bright-coloured rucksack cover with some reflective details is a good idea for safety, whether you’re hiking during the day or night.
Do I Need Drybags?
I pack my sleeping bag, clothes, food and electronics in separate drybags, which is a good way to organise your kit and it definitely makes life easier on the trail. For peace of mind, I also pack my tent into a binbag so that if it gets wet it won’t come into contact with anything else.
It’s also worth packing a small carrier bag or two for wet clothes and rubbish (zip-lock bags work well, too).
How To Pack Your Rucksack — A Quick Guide To What Goes Where
Packing your rucksack well feels like a dark art sometimes, but with practice you’ll discover what’s comfortable and practical for you and you’ll probably end up packing similarly for every trip (it’s a time-saving habit to get into). Here are a few tips I’ve learnt over the years:
- Pack heavy things close to your back
- Keep anything with ‘edges’ (like your cooking pot) away from your body
- Pack things you need during the day close to the top
- If your rucksack has a ‘brain’, use it to store your lunch, your first aid kit and your waterproofs
- Pack any wet clothes into a large exterior mesh pocket, if you have one that’s secure
- Carry your phone, wallet, a small bottle of sunscreen, and any snacks in your hip or waist pockets
- Remember that when you put your rucksack on the floor, whatever’s in the bottom will be more vulnerable to getting wet or damaged. I usually pack my bulky sleeping bag at the bottom of mine — a bit of padding for things like my air mat above it (I don’t want that to get punctured!)
- Pack everything inside the pack. Hanging stuff on the outside can throw you off balance, fall off, get damaged or get lost (I lost an expensive waterproof jacket that way — and cried for days!)
Ready For The Trail?
That covers just about everything I’d pack for a backpacking trip and, hopefully, you’ve picked up some useful tips on how to lighten your load. If you’ve got any questions or tips to share, drop them in the comments — I’d love to hear from you.
Finally, if you’re planning your next adventure, I recommend checking out the Trail Guides next, linked below. They include tips for what to pack for each individual trail, as well as all the practical details you need, from travel to camping.
Happy hiking!
Dreaming About Your Next Adventure?
Explore the Planning and Skills hub for tips and guides and make it your best adventure yet! There’s everything from looking after your feet to choosing a tent — all based on personal experience. Dip into the Trail Guides to find places to go.
- Planning And Skills Guides
- Trail Guides — discover your next trail