Packing lists
Day pack, overnight, river, cave, and travel lists you can reuse.
Skill 3.4 · About 25 minutes to begin
Use a list every time. Memory fails when you are rushing out the door at 5 a.m.
Before you begin
Bring along
- Trip plan
- Packing list
- Your outing equipment
Support & boundaries
Choose an age-appropriate task with your leader or trusted adult. Outdoor practice follows the approved route, buddy, and supervision plan; adapt the challenge to your abilities.
01 / Learn
Understand the skill
- Day hike: water, snacks, rain layer, first-aid kit, map/phone, headlamp, sun protection.
- Overnight add: shelter, sleep system, stove fuel, bear-safe food storage where required, camp clothes.
- River or lake days need PFDs as leaders direct, dry bags, and closed-toe water shoes — no cotton shorts only.
- Cave trips are leader-planned only; never add gear on your own without approval.
- Travel days need modest, clean clothes for stops and a book or card game without phones driving the mood.
Explore the idea
Explore a packed bag
Keep items you may need during the day easy to reach: rain protection, a light, snacks, and your navigation tools. Your trip list determines the actual contents.
02 / Practice
Try it, step by step
- 1
Print or copy the list for your trip type from this guide or leader packet.
- 2
Check off items as they go into your pack — not after the zipper is closed.
- 3
Stage your pack the night before; put food in the fridge until morning.
- 4
Weigh optional items; cut luxury if your shoulders tell you to.
- 5
Do a buddy check — two sets of eyes catch forgotten water filters.
Watch & try
See it demonstrated
REI
How to pack a backpack
Notice how weight and quick-access items are placed, then test your own pack.
Watch on YouTube ↗Common mistakes to avoid
- Leave it because it technically fits.
- Treating a successful practice attempt as permission to skip the supervision or checks for a real task.
Your call
Rain gear is buried beneath everything. What should change?
03 / Demonstrate
Show what you can do
Use these prompts with a mentor. This practice checklist resets when you leave; record your overall stage below in the signed-in manual.
0 of 3 reviewed together
Mentor notes & sources
Help someone learn
- Publish trip-specific lists in the group chat one week out.
- Collect photos of packed bags from new members for coaching.
- Keep a bin of spare batteries, duct tape, and zip ties for last-minute fixes.
Start together, then let the learner take responsibility at an appropriate level. Offer a shorter task, a different role, or more practice time when useful. Review the demonstration criteria together; advanced practice never removes supervision requirements.
Reference shelf
Original program lessons informed by these references. Equipment manuals, current local rules, and qualified instruction govern technical practice.
- NOLS: expedition learning ↗
Outdoor learning, teamwork and reflection
Edition updated 2026-09-28. Program learning material; not a professional qualification.
04 / Apply · In Action
Pack, find, repack
Pack from the actual trip list. Ask a partner to name three items you need to find quickly.
What success looks like
Retrieve rain gear, water, and a light without emptying the whole pack; explain what stays dry.
Talk it through
What did the retrieval exercise reveal?
05 / Teach · Take it further
Build a shared-equipment list so the crew avoids unnecessary duplicates.