Who doesn't love finding a clever new way to do things? Especially when it can make the backpacking experience a little easier. Whether it's a way to shave a few more ounces off your pack weight or reduce time spent on camp chores, there's a spirit of ingenuity behind them. The following hacks are ones I've learned from real experience on the trail and use frequently. There's a lot of content out there on this topic, but hopefully you find some of these ideas unique and original. That being said, "there's nothing new under the sun." It's entirely possible someone somewhere may have already thought of and shared a few of these hacks or ones like them.
Make a reusable spout and cup combo
If you've ever had to collect water from a shallow or weak flowing water source, you know how time consuming it can be. You also know what a strain it puts your water filter when sediment and debris gets collected in the process. Sometimes those weak shallow sources are all you can get. Especially in the dryer months! One way to make water collection a bit more efficient in this situation is by creating a spout for it to flow through. You can do this by cutting the top off a water bottle. Smart Water bottles are especially great because of their durability, giving you a simple gadget to use again and again. And the bottom half of that bottle doesn't have to go to waste. It can serve as a lightweight cup. You can cut away a lot or a little, making the cup as tall or short as you like. Just be sure to smooth out any rough edges before using it.
If you aren't willing to incur the 12g weight penalty, a similar result can be achieved using a leaf. This trick is pretty well known, but it does have some setbacks. The right leaf for the job isn't always there when you need it. It has to be rigid enough to support water flowing over it and long enough to reroute the flow to fit whatever vessel you're collecting in underneath. Also, if you aren't confident in your ability to identify plants (i.e. poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac) this version of the hack may not be for you. If you want a consistent and durable way to make water collection easier, a bottle top is the way to go!
Inspiration: I first saw the "leaf trick" on an overnight trip in Shining Rock Wilderness. The closest water source was really shallow, so one of the backpackers at the campsite with decided to wedge a leaf into the trickle using a few rocks for support. It made collecting water so much easier for everyone there. Having never seen this trick before, I thought it was genius! Sometime later, I came across a similar innovation on the Foothills Trail. Hiking along the Drawbar Cliffs, I passed a spring flowing from the boulders lining the trail. Someone had placed a cut off water bottle top between the rocks, creating a makeshift pipe to collect from. They also made a marker out of duct tape naming the spot. Putting the two ideas together, I started carrying a cut off water bottle top with me on trips where I expected to find weak flowing water sources.
Carry firewood in a contractor bag.
Contractor bags are probably the most repurposed item on the trail. They have so many creative uses. The most popular of which is lining your pack with it to keep gear dry in wet weather. We used contractor bags on our trip to Linville Gorge to keep our packs dry while swimming across the river. Jordan found that by filling the bag with enough air, you can get a balloon effect and float your pack across the water. A contractor bag can also serve as a shield for your sleeping bag on windy nights. While it will help you retain some heat, the trade off is having condensation build up between the layers. Which is not ideal for sleeping bags with down insulation. I could describe a dozen more uses for contractor bags, but one of my favorites is collecting and transporting firewood.
By using a contractor bag to collect sticks, you aren't limited to what you can carry in your arms. You can also make fewer trips, reducing the over all time and effort spent going back and forth between camp and the wood line. Although contractor bags are much tougher than a typical trash bag, they aren't indestructible. Breaking larger sticks down to a reasonable size and stacking them facing the same direction will prevent holes and tears from forming during the trip back. This trick works in just about any camp setting, but I find it most helpful when camping on summits and balds.
Inspiration: I first gave this a try on an overnight trip to Black Balsam. One of the only places to gather firewood up there was a forested area along the spur trail. My camp was a good distance away though. I needed an easy way to collect and carry enough wood for the night up the bald. The obvious answer was a contractor bag. I originally brought one as a pack liner, but it was spacious and sturdy enough to handle this job too. I was able to gather what I needed in just one trip! I've also used a contractor bag to line my pack when carrying a bundle of treated wood in on base camp trips. It does an excellent job of protecting the main compartment from damage.
Reseal an OPSAK with a binder clip
If you've ever used a smell proof OPSAK to line your food bag, you may have noticed the zip top seal wears out quickly. Since it's meant to mask / reduce the scent of food, trash, and whatever else is in the bag, not being able to close it kind of defeats the purpose. It can also lead to the trash or waste you're trying to keep separate spilling out of the OPSAK and in with the rest of your gear. You could throw it away every time this happens, but having to replace such an expensive item after just a few uses is a shame. One solution I've found is using binder clips. Roll down the top a couple times, releasing any excess air, and clamp the bag shut. You can put a smaller clip on each corner or a larger one in the middle.
Inspiration: There's not much of a backstory behind this hack other than I got tired of replacing my OPSAK so often. I knew there had to be a way to extend its life span. Trying clothes pins or paperclips to reseal the bag was my first thought, but I needed something with a stronger grip. So, I gave binder clips a try. Despite being shoved into the pack and jostled around all day, the clip doesn't come loose and my OPSAK stays closed!
Make a parchment paper trail journal
Journaling is a great way to document those moments on the trail that the camera couldn't capture. But when every ounce counts, packing out an entire notebook is a little impractical. Why not make your own? All you need is parchment paper (not wax paper) and scissors! It's ultralight and ideal for a single weeklong trip or a handful of weekend adventures.
Start by cutting four to six equal size sheets of parchment paper. Fold all of them in half "hamburger style." Separate the sheets into two even stacks. On one stack, cut a small notch along the fold on each end. On the other stack, make a cut along the fold leaving the very edges still intact. Carefully roll the stack with the notches on the ends "hotdog style" and slip it through the opening cut in the second stack. As it unrolls, the notches should slip together with the pages that were not cut at the edge. For more detailed instructions, check out the PDF below.
This DIY journal does have a few set backs. For one, pencils and crayons are the only writing utensil you can really use on this material. On the bright side, you won't have to wait for any ink to dry before moving on to the next page. You also don't have to worry about the ink running if you encounter rainy weather. Unfortunately, the parchment paper is translucent. If you want to be able to read back what you wrote clearly, you can only write on one side. They do make a brown "eco-friendly" parchment paper that is slightly more opaque.
A final note about using parchment paper is, the material will fair much better than regular notebook paper and not disintegrate when wet. For an even more durable waterproof option you can make your journal out of Rite In The Rain loose leaf paper. This brand is best known for making full notebooks. If you're like me and only want to carry enough paper for that particular trip, then making your own 8 to 12 page journal is the way to go!
Inspiration: I learned this foldup booklet trick in college. It was a fun and easy craft for notetaking. When packing for my Foothills Trail thru-hike several years later, I knew I wanted to keep a journal along the way. But I also knew with a week's worth of gear and food on my back, every ounce would count. Taking a notebook full of excess pages along was out of the question. I remembered this booklet craft and decided to make one for the trip using the closest thing I had at the time to waterproof paper: parchment paper. It worked perfectly! I've used this DIY journal hack on many trips since.
Pack out seasoning and spices in a straw
Something I love about making my own backpacking meals is deciding what ingredients go into them. Especially the seasoning. With some meals, though, tossing the seasoning directly in the bag with the other ingredients isn't the best approach. Like when there's excess water that has to be drained off. Along with the water, you're pouring out all that flavor. But there's no need to use an entire Ziploc bag to separately pack your seasoning. You can use a straw instead!
Start by cutting off the length of straw you need. About 2" is recommended. Next, flatten out one end of the straw using the dull side of a butter knife. Set a flat iron / hair straightener on medium setting. Close the straightener over the flattened end of the straw for 2 - 3 seconds at a time until the plastic has fused together. If the ends do not fuse, you may need to increase the heat. Be careful not to burn yourself or melt the straw onto the plates of the straightener.
To funnel the seasoning into the straw, first take a notecard or sheet of notebook paper and fold it in half. Measure out your herbs and spices along the crease. Fold the paper in half again, and position the corner of the fold over the opening of the straw. Carefully pour it in using the crease in the paper as a guide. Leave some space at the top of the straw to seal the other end shut. You may want to do this over the sink incase you miss or overfill the straw. Once the straw is full, flatten the open end and fuse shut with the straightener. Depending on how securely the straw seals, this trick can also works for liquid ingredients and condiments. Make enough for just one trip or prep multiple straws with different combinations to store for future backpacking meals.
Inspiration: Have you ever seen those flavored honey straws in the check out line at health food stores? When I first started making my own backpacking meals I bought a few of them to sweeten my oatmeal on an upcoming trip. While putting together other meals for the trip, I realized I could probably achieve the same thing with dry ingredients. Not only was it a compact and convenient way to pack out seasoning, it was also a way to put some old forgotten bendy straws in the junk drawer to use. It certainly took some time to get the hang of sealing the ends properly. I think I went through half a dozen straws before finally getting it right. I'm by no means the first person to think of this. I've seen a number of other backpackers using this straw trick since I started doing it myself.
Have you tried any of these hacks before? Do you have any brilliant backpacking hacks of your own? Be sure to let me know in the comments! For even more hacks, tips, and tricks check out my Backpacking Resources Post where I've compiled a few of my favorite articles on this topic.