Packing
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Packing your kit
A pack and staff are the two core requirements for Wayfaring (imo). So what kind of pack should you take?
Firstly, if you have one already that works for you, take that. Even if it is a little worn out, or not quite the right colour, go with what you already have and know. There is always latest and greatest gear, but that’s not what you want to be worrying about too much.
Some important considerations are: does it fit? Does it cause pain? Does it squeak and annoy you? Has it got enough room for your Wayfaring gear?
A decent backpack should have a sturdy hip belt, to transfer the weight from your shoulders to your mid-section. You don’t want to shoulder too much weight, and shifting the burden toward your centre of gravity will make it easier to the weight you require.
If you are not used to carrying a backpack, there is no miracle bag. It will be difficult. The first 3 days are toughest. Expect aches. If you have someone to massage you in the evenings, you’ll be glad. Try to go for some practice walks before setting out, if you intend a long trip. This is the kind of sage advice I never took, but always wish I did.
I would suggest a goal of total weight being 10 kg (not including food and water, which comes and goes). If you can manage this, well done. Too much over 10kg and your mental focus will start to drift increasingly to the matter of your bag, and not your wider feelings and relationship with where you are. This 10kg should include the backpack itself, and most of your clothes (not the ones you wear). So taking a backpack that is light enough when empty is important. Some canvas packs come festooned with brass buckles, and look lovely, but weigh horribly. So be advised - get a light bag if you can.
In terms of size, this depends how much stuff you are carrying. If you are out for all winter, and are also a photographer, you may find the 10kg dream to be impossible, and a large bag is necessary. I like to keep mine under 60L, as this ensures I cannot fill it any more, providing a natural limit for stuff accumulation.
I once had a backpack in a waterproof sack, inside of which were drysacks, and within a drysack was another bag, which held a smaller bag of matches. It was a bag of bag of bag of bag of bag. And I realised I was getting something very wrong.
It is important to carry what you need and keep it dry, but try not to broach the 4-layer rule. Nothing needs more than 4 layers of wrapping.
Comfortable Backpacks for Wayfaring
In the UK, Osprey make the most comfortable backpacks for Wayfaring. They are great because of the taut mesh panel which holds the bulk of the bag away from your back, preventing build-up of back sweat. This is something that once you have tried, you will miss if you use a bag without such protection.
In terms of bag capacity, 50L is about as minimal a size as I can recommend. It may well be too small for your wants. But this is the advantage and challenge - provoking the discipline to limit packing. If you can make this work, you’ll be glad. Less is definitely less.
Osprey Aura Ag 50L (Women) - 2kg - £150
For longer Wayfaring journeys, or just to pack more stuff, Osprey also offer bigger packs with the same excellent back ventilation and comfort.
Osprey Atmos 65L (Men) - 2.2kg - £160
For a really cheap option, Amazon make a basic and chunky pack that is almost certainly good enough. It also comes in 65L and 55L.
Amazon Basics 75L Backpack - 2.3kg - £66
Pretty huge and heavy, but if you are going to walk a very long way and carry bulky items, this has a reputation for comfort.
Mountain Warehouse Tor 65L Backpack - 1.7kg - £40
A surprisingly cheap and well reviewed backpack in a great green colour. This could be all you need.
Ultralight Backpacks
The bags listed above are all framed and strong. You can also buy backpacks with far less framing, or even none, which reduces weight - though loss of structure makes for a less stable bag.
What also works to make bags lighter is a different material. Dyneema is a form of nylon originally developed for round-the-world yacht sails. It is immensely strong, and waterproof too.
American ‘thru-hikers’ (Wayfarers on US set-routes) use Dyneema for bags and tents and cord. The best backpacks of Dyneema are made by Z-Packs, and are remarkably lightweight (sub 600g). Z-Packs also offer non-dyneema bags, with a frame, and off-back structure, with 65L of space that weigh just 728g!! The downside is that they take an age to arrive, cost £300, and you have to pay import taxes on top too. So this really is the top flight super-pricey option. But what a difference to have a backpack that weights 1.5 kg less empty!
Gossamer Gear & Granite Gear also offer lightweight backpacks. You can find them both at the UK retailer ‘Ultralight Outdoor Gear’.
Beautiful Backpacks
If you’ve had enough of nylon, and don’t mind the weight, a canvas backpack may be exactly what you seek. I carried one for a 3 months solo winter hike, and although it was weighty, and quite limiting in size, the admiring comments from wizened old men made it almost worthwhile. There is an indisputable quality to such a pack.
The best canvas backpacks are made by Frost River, in Duluth, USA. You can buy them in the UK here. Be warned, they are so beautiful you may start wanting to forget all lightweight goals to become a natural fibres Wayfarer. As perhaps you should?
Dry Bags
Within your backpack, it is important to keep your kit organised. One way to achieve this is by separating everything into its own drybags. Your backpack itself may be waterproof, to a degree, but it’s still good to make sure. Just in case it falls in a river. Also, drybags keep your kit neat when outside the backpack, at camp. And they help to compress clothing and sleeping kit into a smaller bundle. It makes sense.
The best drybags are made by Exped. They offer standard and ultralight. Standard have a handy strap on the base for removing what’s inside, while lightweight do not. Standard are also more durable, and cheaper. But of course heavier.
A cheaper option is to use normal plastic bags and binbags.
Exped Dry Bags x4 - £37
For a very large item - like a sleeping bag - you may want an even bigger dry bag …
Exped Dry bag 22L - £15.50
If you need a lighter drysack - with less durability and no bottom loop - you will save some grams. These ultralight bags weigh approx half - but it’s only a saving of 10-25g per bag.
Exped Ultralight Dry Sacks
Shopping Bag
It can be very useful to carry a small packable bag for taking into shops, to avoid collecting more plastic bags, and to provide your backpack with expansion room. Sometimes you might want to walk to the village without your backpack. A small pack can be perfect for this. Also, a standard cotton tote bag works. As does a normal plastic bag. But if it’s a long way to the shop, you may not want to carry your shopping handheld for miles. A shoulder bag or backpack is defo a better way!
Osprey Ultralight Pack - 18L - 85g - £27
This packs away into its own pocket, to approx the size of half an apple.
Waterproof Bag Cover
Many backpacks come with a built in waterproof cover. Others do not. Check and see if yours already has one. Even if your backpack boasts water resistance, and your gear is stashed in dry-bags inside, it is always a good idea to cover it from the outside. This prevents the backpack soaking up water and becoming heavy, and wetting your back long after rain has stopped.
I rate this option from Tatonka. It is durable, and green. It is not elasticated, but uses strings. This may seem like a faff at first, but it is far less likely to be blown off than elastic options.
Tatonka Backpack Cover - Large - 120g - £16.50
