Packing For A 4 Day
Backpacking Trip

Packing For A Four Day Backpacking Trip

Lessons Learned On the Lost Coast of California

Photos & Text by Gale Straub

Prior to last weekend, my longest backpacking trip was just a couple of overnights. On these excursions, I was with my boyfriend and he carried the bulk of the load. Lame, but true.

So when I signed up to join a group of friends and strangers for a four night backpacking trip on the Lost Coast of California, filling my pack was a whole new animal. It turns out backpacking is great for a disorganized person – you have no choice but to slow down and assess each and every little thing you need.

Here’s an honest assessment of what I brought/borrowed, what I’ll take next time I hit the trail, and what I’ll leave at home.

I’m not very good at organizing things neatly…Tent and a few smaller items not pictured.

Disclaimer: I’m not an expert backpacker – these are just guidelines from a beginner. Also, this article includes affiliate links from Amazon and Avantlink. If you purchase an item, She-Explores gets a small commission (4 – 8%), which doesn’t change the price of the product for you, but helps keep She-Explores going. All of the products listed are what I took on the trail.

Carry

What I brought:

• Backpack: Osprey Aura AG 50L

• Trash bag as liner (in case of rain)

Takeaways:

My pack was on the small side for a four day (~3.5 day) excursion. While I was able to fit everything and it motivated me to keep my pack relatively light, I was fortunate to have other members of the crew to carry camp stoves and fuel. I would take this size again, but I would need to pack very carefully if I didn’t have as many hiking companions.

Sleep

What I brought/borrowed:

• Tent: Mountain Hardwear 2.5 person
• Sleeping Bag: Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15 Degree Down

• Sleeping Pad: NEMO Equipment Cosmo Air Pad

• Camp Pillow*

• PJ’s: Wool Ninja Suit*

Takeaways: 

My tentmate and I traded off carrying her tent, which lowered/raised the burden, depending on the day. At 6 lbs, 3 oz, it’s not overly heavy for a 2.5 person (and we appreciated the extra space), but it raised my pack’s weight by ~20% when it was strapped there. As for my sleeping bag and pad, though I didn’t need a 15 degree bag, I was toasty in the overnight lows and my pad was crazy comfortable and easy to blow up. I’ve found that NEMO Equipment makes some of the most comfortable camping equipment.

*Could have left at home:

Turns out I didn’t really need the camp pillow or PJ’s. A matter of personal preference, but the sleeping pad was comfortable enough that the pillow was superfluous. While the Ninja Suit felt like a luxury, I could have easily slept in shorts or running tights.

Footwear

What I brought:

• Danner Light boots

• Bedrock Sandals (as camp shoes)

• Hiking Poles

Takeaways:

I broke the Danner’s in for about three weeks before hitting the trail on the Lost Coast. I loved them. I blister really easily (narrow heels), and these are the first boots I haven’t blistered on a first time hike. I was careful to break them in and tape my heels each day, however. The Bedrock Sandals ended up doubling as camp shoes & water shoes during high tide. They’re lightweight and stay on while hiking.

What I’ll take next time:

Hiking poles are key when on uneven terrain and carrying a load. I bought cheap ones, but I’ll make sure to grab a more durable pair next time around.

Also, gaiters to put over my boots. There was a lot of sand to shake out at the end of the day.

Clothing

What I brought:

• 1 pair Dear Kate Yoga Pants

• 1 pair Spandex Shorts

• Tank Top

• Duckworth Wool T Shirt

• Long Sleeve T Shirt

• Handkerchief

• 1 Sports bra

• 4 pairs wool socks*

• 5 pairs underwear*

Takeaways:

You need less clothes than you think for 4 days on the trail. I had two extra t shirts, a sports bra, and a pair of leggings, but I ended up leaving them all in the car at the trailhead at the recommendation of my friend, Alyx Schwarz of Shoestring Adventures. It was warm enough that I could wash my clothes in streams along the way.

*Could have left at home:

I was surprised to discover that I brought too many underwear and socks. If it had rained, I might have felt differently, however. The sunny weather allowed me to rinse and dry clothing easily.

Outerwear

What I brought:

• Columbia Rain shell
• Adidas Mini Puffer

Takeaways:

The weather didn’t warrant a rain shell (luckily), but I’m really glad I had it. The micro puffer came in handy at night and packed away pretty small.

Power

What I brought:

• Goal Zero Venture 30 Solar Recharging Kit
• Goal Zero Mini Lantern

Takeaways:

For a four day trip, the Goal Zero solar recharger was really convenient. I used it to charge the Sony A7 (it eats batteries) and my iPhone. I used both for photos and videos.

Toiletries

What I brought/borrowed:

• Baby wipes
• Pee rag
• Sunscreen
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste (in mini containers)
• Floss
• Contact Lenses
• Deodorant
• Trowel
• Plastic baggies (gallon and liter sized)

Takeaways:

I learned that you have to keep scented toiletries in your bear canister at night, so it’s important to keep these as small as possible. The beginner women’s backpacking website Snowqueen & Scout, run by Liz Song Mandell, has some great tips for downsizing. These include cutting your floss before hand and bringing a “pee rag” for the trail. Backpacking is truly a lesson in planning.

The plastic baggies were for packing out used baby wipes (glamorous!) – bring enough to double bag if need be.

What I’ll take next time:

Tecnu, a cleanser to prevent poison oak reactions. There was a lot of poison oak on the trail, and while I’ve never gotten a reaction from it, I don’t want to find out what it’s like.

Food

What I brought:

• 5 Epic Bars
• 3 Rise Bars
• 1 package (5 servings) Soba Noodles
• 3 Miso Soup Packets
• Curry paste
• 8 packets oatmeal (2 per breakfast)
• 6 Justin’s Almond Butter Packets
• 8 Individual Coffee Bags
• Dried Apricots
• Large bag trail mix (almonds, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate)

Takeaways:

Make sure to count your calories before you leave. Section out your meals and aim for ~3,000 calories per day. That may seem like a lot, but I didn’t bring enough food and I felt it on the trail. I certainly brought enough to survive, but I learned that I eat a lot when I’m sitting on my butt all day – let alone hiking with a 30+ lb pack.

Have fun with it! I enjoyed going to the supermarket and making up meals. For dinner, I chose soba noodles, miso soup packets, and cut up Epic bars for protein. It was delicious.

To stay organized, put all breakfasts, dinners, and lunch/snacks in separate gallon bags.

What I’ll take next time:

More snack food, electrolyte tablets, energy bites, and variety in meals. I found out that I really craved protein and meat, so I would bring along more Epic bars. I also dehydrate easily (drink over a gallon typically when not doing vigorous activity), so I needed more electrolytes than I naturally brought along.

Drink

What I brought/borrowed:

• Camelbak 100 oz Resevoir
• 20 oz Hand held waterbottle
• Water Purifier

Takeaways:

Water is heavy, so you can’t carry all that you’ll need for four days. I started off the day with 120 oz, drank it all, and filled up late afternoon/early evening at a fresh water creek using a water purifier.

Dishes/Cutlery

What I brought/borrowed:

• Spork
• Coffee Mug
• Larger Mug/Bowl
• Pocket Knife
• Jet Boil & Fuel

Entertainment

What I brought:

• Kindle
• Deck of Cards*

*Could have left at home:

The deck of cards was a nice thought, but we were too beat to play at the end of the day.

Photography

What I brought:

• Sony A7

• Extra battery

• iPhone 5s

Takeaways:

Originally I planned to just bring a small 35mm film camera, but I needed to take some digital photos for quick turnaround. For that reason I left my bigger-bodied Canon 6D at home and borrowed a Sony A7 full frame from my boyfriend. It is lightweight and still takes full frame photos. In retrospect, I’m glad I wasn’t changing out film on the sandy beach.

What I’ll take next time:

A Peak Design camera clip. I instead brought a normal camera strap, which causes the camera to bang against your hip/chest while hiking if you don’t strap it in with the pack. It made taking photos harder and carrying the camera a pain at times.

Miscellaneous

• Bear Canister (rented at REI)
• Make-shift first aid kit
• Headlamp
• Sunglasses
• Baseball Cap

What’s missing? Any lightweight tips?