[Seeking Advice] Packing a backpack with Tent while doing Hiking and Kayaking

[kedirakevo]

Hi folks, I'm gonna pick up camping/hiking activities for the first time so I would need some pointers here and there. Please kindly share with me your experiences and advises

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I would probably be joining and going on trips that have the above 2 activities. I know one can never have the best of both worlds but would like to know what option would be the better choice. Kayaking itself has the inherent danger of capsizing and getting my belonging's wet... or worst... sunk to the bottom of the sea. So getting a waterproof backpack like this would be ideal. But when kayaking becomes hiking, that bag dont really look that comfortable to lug around your body and walk around trails... But a proper, comfortable multiday backpack only provides protection from rain. A real puzzling scenario here hmm....:(

Although after checking out numerous forums and sites, some people actually bought the multiday backpack, and waterproof everything inside via dry-bags. Like a dry bag for food, another for clothes etc. One is for easier item management, another is should the backpack got submerged, the contents inside will still remain dry.

I have no experience to tell which method is better, both sounds okay to me with pros and cons of each. The waterproof backpack is hassle free, cheaper to implement. The multiday backpack with drybags provides more features like compartments, water reservoir.

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Next is, do you guys recommend packing your tent inside your backpack? The original cover that comes with the tent is not waterproof so I guess its better if I can replace the original bag with a dry bag?

How about just stuffing the tent inside the backpack without a cover? I did thought about it but I worry that the tent fabric might get torn from abrasions from the items inside the bag, so would like double confirm with you guys.

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Is it advisable to forgo sleeping bags all together? I prolly travel round tropical countries but still, nights would be cold. I have a self inflating mattress and a compressed pillow from therm-a-rest. These 2 items provide more comfort than my sleeping bag so I intend to forgo it. Should it get cold in the night, I can wear my jacket to bed. At least thats the idea I had in mind. What do you guys think of that?

Also, is there such thing as a light weight blanket I can carry around with me? In-case the jacket isnt enough.

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Last but not least, I should be looking for at least 60L bag for the things im gonna carry right? Tents, sleeping pad and pillow will take up quite a bit of space I reckon. I still have to carry water too.



Thanks for hearing me out. :o

[Mike]

Re: [Seeking Advice] Packing a backpack with Tent while doing Hiking and Kayaking

Thank you for your charming post, kedirakevo.

May I suggest that you consider canoe camping with many long portages. That way, you will have a combination of hiking and kayaking.

Seriously, though. If you are going to Kayak or canoe, you will surely boat to your camp. You can set up camp on the shore, then go on day trips for camping and you don't have to haul all your gear on your back.

If you are thinking that you might kayak somewhere, then abandon your kayak so you can hike into the wilderness for an extended time, then I suggest you change your plan. You would not want to return to find that... to find that you cannot find your kayak (because somebody took it for a permanent joy ride).

As for kayaking backpacks, Kayakers rarely use backpacks unless they plan for portages. The portals of the kayaks are too small to allow a backpack entry. Thus, kayaks are usually loaded mostly loose. CANOES, on the other hand, are condusive to loading backpacks. You load the packs "straps-up" so you can grab them right out of the canoe and sling them onto your back. AAhhhh, what a feeling!

Conerning tent packing, it is often a good idea to separate and pack the tent fabric separately from the poles. Tradition has the tent fabric wrapped around the poles and slipped into the tent bag, then this too-wide tent is usually teathered in some gangly fashion to the pack. Better to separate the parts. Run the poles vertically inside or outside the pack and roll the tent material tightly and store inside the pack.

Of all things you have, your pots and tent are of least concern for getting wet. If you have a tent that will be harmed or ineffective by getting wet, then you need a different tent.

Forgo a sleeping bag? OK if you substitute with a blanket. I treked northern Thailand and thought it would be warm enough to just sleep in the open. My guide insisted I bring a silk/cotton sheet as long as my body head to toe and about four feet wide. Oh boy, I used every inch of that sheet at nights. It wasn't nearly warm enough, but it was better than nothing and very lightweight. Check out Quechua brand sleeping bags. They make some nice bags that stuff into a bag only as big as a summer sausage.

As for the size of your bag, I always thought that there is no harm in getting the biggest capacity bag possible. If you don't fill it all the way, no harm done. The worst thing is to have a bag that is too small to hold all the things you want to carry.

Welcome to camping. It is a cool thing.