What to Put in Your Pack
Categories: Iv What To Wear On The TrailOpen out your pack-cloth flat on the floor, and place your folded
mattress-bag in the centre.
Fill the pillow-bag with your first-aid case and case of toilet
articles, and if there is space for other things pack them in. Lay the
pillow-bag on top of the mattress-bag, place clothing by the side and on
top of the pillow-bag, being careful to keep the contents of your pack
rectangular in shape and of size to
If not adding too much to the weight, include many things from your
personal-belonging list; of these articles you can carry some in the
pockets of your camp suit. Everything being in the pack, fold over the
sides and ends, making a neat, compact bundle; tie it securely with a
piece of soft rope and across its top place the blankets with poncho
inside, which you have previously made into a roll to fit. Bind pack and
blankets together, attach the pack shoulder-strap and swing the pack on
your back.
Pack straps or harness can be obtained at any camp-outfitter's.
A different style of pack may be a bag with square corners, all seams
strongly stitched, then bound with strong tape. Cut two pieces of the
water-proof cloth, one about sixteen inches wide, and the other eighteen
inches; this last is for the front and allows more space. Let each piece
be twenty-one inches long or longer, unite them with a strip of the
cloth six inches wide and sufficiently long to allow of flaps extending
free at the top to fold over from both sides across the opening; you
will then have a box-like bag. Make one large flap of width to fit the
top of the back, and length to cross over on front, covering the smaller
flaps and fastening down on the outside of the front of the pack. All
three flaps may have pockets to hold small articles.
The shoulder-straps may be either of strong government webbing which
comes for the purpose, tube lamp-wick, or leather.
With this pack the blanket and poncho could be made into a thin roll and
fitted around the edges of the pack, or made into a short roll and
attached to top of pack.
When feasible it is a good plan to pack your smaller belongings in
wall-pockets with divisions protected by flaps securely fastened over
the open ends, the wall-pockets rolled, tied, and carried in the camp
pack. These pockets are useful at camp; they help to keep your things
where you can find them. Next best is to use small separate labelled
bags for different variety of duffel, and pack them in one or two duffel
tube-shaped bags, which may be bound together, constituting one pack.
From eighteen to twenty-four pounds is average weight for a girl to
carry; it all depends upon strength and endurance; some girls can carry
even heavier packs, while others must have lighter ones. Beware about
loading yourself down too heavily. Packs grow heavier and heavier, never
lighter on the trail.
More
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