Hi Kula Cloth friends!
Anastasia here, founder of Kula Cloth. I'm a former park ranger and backpacking instructor, and I am so passionate about helping folks get outside.
Last week I had the pleasure of teaching a beginner backpacking class, and it got me thinking about how many people are gearing up for backpacking season right now.
Whether you're brand new to this or just refining your system, these are the tips that make trips smoother, more efficient, and honestly — way more enjoyable.
So without further ado, here are my top ten.
Fill all your water at camp right away
When you get to camp — after you set up your tent and toss your sleeping gear inside — the very first thing I do is go get water.
I fill all my bottles, my stove, and bring a full gravity filter back so I'm not walking back and forth to the water source all evening. You can always dump water you don't need. Multiple trips to a stream in the dark? Not fun.
A Katadyn BeFree 3.0 L gravity filter, a hydration bladder in my pack, and a CNOC collapsible bottle that I fill at camp and keep in the tent overnight.
Set up your bear hang before dark
If you're not using a canister, do yourself a favor and set up your bear hang while it's still light out.
Do not wait until dusk to try to fling a rock attached to paracord over a branch. Just… trust me on this one.
Get proficient at the PCT method for hanging food. If a canister is required where you're going, BearVault makes a collapsible canister that's a pretty slick product.
Use a food cozy for better meals
I always use a food cozy to rehydrate my meals. It keeps food warmer — which means more delicious — and it prevents the very real risk of spilling dinner all over your jacket while balancing a hot meal in your lap.
Also: much easier to stash a cozy in a bear hang or canister than a food-covered jacket.
The Discovering Wilderness food cozy — lightweight and packable. Full disclosure, we carry this one in our shop.
Use a pillow strap for better sleep
One of my favorite pieces of backpacking gear is a pillow strap. It holds your pillow in place so you're not chasing it around the tent all night. I've been there, and it's miserable.
Better sleep makes for an entirely better backpacking experience.
The Alpine Slumber Pillow Strap® x Kula Cloth collab is here — we teased it when this post first went up, and it's now in the shop.
Dry damp gear using your body heat
If you have a clean, damp Kula Cloth, socks, or gloves, place them against your bare skin inside your base layers.
I usually tuck things against my thigh or stomach, and by morning they're dry. Your body heat is remarkably effective, and this trick is a game changer on multi-day trips.
Pack your sleep system before you get out of the tent
When I wake up and know I'm heading out, I stay inside my sleeping bag and start packing immediately. I deflate my pad and pack my bag before I even get out of the tent.
That way, while I'm eating breakfast, everything is basically ready to go. No yard sale. No chaos. Just efficiency — so you get on the trail faster and far less stressed.
Protect your hydration hose from critters
If your pack is sitting in the vestibule overnight, tuck your hydration hose and bite valve inside the pack.
Mice and other critters love chewing on those. And discovering your bite valve has been eaten off mid-trip? I've been there. It also sucks.
Dry socks using your trekking poles
When you arrive at camp, turn your damp socks inside out and slide them over the tops of your trekking poles. Stick the poles in the ground and let the socks dry in the sun.
Simple, effective, and having dry socks on a backpacking trip is the best.
Use trekking poles (seriously, just do it)
If you're not using trekking poles, this is your sign. Many hikers find they help with balance, take some load off the knees on descents, and cut down on the hand swelling that comes from walking all day with your arms down.
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork poles. They're an investment, but mine have lasted over ten years — and when the tips wear down you can replace just the tips instead of buying a whole new set.
Always pack a treat
Always. Always. Always.
I usually bring a couple of homemade cookies or some chocolate, and it is worth it every single time. Morale is a real thing out there, and a cookie is worth the extra weight.
Bonus: dance in your camp
This one might be the most important of all.
After dinner, when the light gets soft and the day starts winding down, put on a song — in your head, or on your phone if you have one — and just dance a little.
There is something about moving your body out there, in the quiet, in the middle of nowhere, that feels really, really good.
Final thoughts
Backpacking doesn't have to be complicated. When it comes down to it, you already know how to backpack. Distilled to the basics it's simple: walk, breathe, eat, drink, pee, poop, sleep. That's it. You already know how to do all of those things.
A few small adjustments — better camp setup, smarter packing, simple gear tricks — can completely change the experience. And the more dialed your systems feel, the more space you have to actually enjoy where you are.
Which, you know… is kind of the whole point.
From the bottom of my heart, I hope you have the most beautiful backpacking adventures. And let me know how they go — I'd genuinely love to hear your favorite tips too.
Love,
Anastasia
Anastasia Allison · Founder, Kula Cloth®
1 comment
I love your idea of drying your socks with your hiking poles. I’m getting ready to do some Backcountry response work for WTA. It will be my first and I’m going to use this tip! ❤️