Beginner outdoors adventurers can sometimes feel overwhelmed. Setting out on your first few trips involves plenty of stressing out over minute details. Did I really pack everything? What if I also end up needing this other thing? Well, what if we told you there are items to make travel easier and deal with several potential issues in one fell swoop? Today, we tackle how to make traveling easier, more enjoyable, and less stressful.
How to Make Travelling Easier: The Planning Stage
Planning a trip can be stressful if you’re a beginner who doesn’t know what to expect. Well, today, we’ll aim to show you different ways to make it more fun and collaborative rather than hectic and frustrating.
Hack #1 is to start with a detailed gear spreadsheet that tracks not just what you need but the weight of each item. For that, it’s best to rely on apps that let you optimize your packing load. GearList or LighterPack can be useful for that.
The second hack on our list concerns routing. Cell service can be spotty out on the trail, so it’s best to download a map file of your route ahead of time. Handy apps come to our rescue here again, letting you scout out your chosen trails. Use an app like AllTrails to download offline maps.
Packing Hacks for Your Trip
In another article on packing for a multi-day trip, we’ve extensively covered methods and specific items that will make it much easier for you to take care of all your needs and work around any spatial constraints. We strongly recommend you check it out, but for a quick low-down, here’s what you do:
- Hack #3: Divide your items into three categories: Absolute essentials, second-most important, and nice-to-haves. Items in the first group get top priority, as their inclusion is non-negotiable. The rest of what you bring will depend on many factors, so work it out yourself.
- Hack #4: Pack heavy at the bottom and quick access at the top. That means elements of your sleeping system go to the bottom of your backpack, but water and snacks go to the top.
- Hack #5: Use collapsable/easily compartmentalized gear: To save on already limited space, rely on containers and items that are easily stackable to conserve room.
Items to Make Travel Easier: Be Sure to Include These
Certain items punch above their weight in terms of versatility and problem-solving when it comes to making your outdoor adventures smoother. Here are the must-have items that will make your journey significantly easier:
Hack #6: Portable Power Bank
This item is a Godsend when it comes to keeping your personal devices charged and ready to go all the time. Bonus points if it’s a solar-powered power bank—that’s when you can basically go on forever without having to worry about running out of juice!
Hack #7: Multi-tool
A great multi-tool can cover an incredible number of bases for you. From performing minor repairs on your tent to helping prepare food for a hearty meal, it eliminates the need for carrying multiple individual tools.
Hack #8: Headlamp
Once the sun sets, it’s essential to be able to see in the dark. While a flashlight works fine most of the time, sometimes, you just need to have both hands free. In those situations, a headlamp becomes invaluable at keeping you safe and your surroundings illuminated.
Hack #9: Water Filtration System
Water is heavy to carry and if you prefer packing ultra light, it's much more reasonable to source your water locally, either from the campground supply or naturally from the available water sources and springs. It’d be foolish to not run these through a solid filtration system, however, which makes packing one all the more important if you want to avoid waterborne illnesses.
Hack #10: Lightweight Camping Stove
Using a compact camping stove opens up a world of opportunity for you to enjoy tasty meals when a full-fledged kitchen is not available. Sure, there are also plenty of campfire cooking recipes you can rely on, but variety is the spice of life, and it’s always better to have more options rather than fewer.
Hack #11: Collapsible Cookware
Speaking of a portable kitchen, you can’t forego cookware like plates, mugs, and cutlery! When you find that all-in-one, compact set, that’s pretty much the motherlode of items that make traveling easier. That kind of cookware is versatile and durable; most importantly, it doesn’t take up much space.
Final Hacks to Make Travelling a Breeze
Above all, you should think multipurpose. Packing one item that can perform many functions rather than a whole host of things, each suited to a particular task is much better.
Additionally, focusing on lightweight and compact items can grant you a ton of breathing room, quite literally—you’ll save a ton of space in your backpack, and its total weight will be much lower, so you won’t have to lug around heavy weights all the time during your adventure!
The Takeaway
Remember, it’s all about enjoyment, and stressing out about every single detail before setting out can detract from that. Hopefully, these hacks will help you make your next outdoor adventure much easier and allow you to refocus on what’s most important—reconnecting with nature, taking a break from it all, and creating new memories.
You may also read: What Is Bushcraft Camping?