How Should You Pack a Backpack To Carry Easily?

Put the heavy items low and toward the centre of the pack, and arrange the contents so they do not slide. OrthoInfo says heavier items should be low and toward the centre, while AOTA says to load the heaviest items closest to the back.

What the sources say

• OrthoInfo says to organise the items so that heavier items are low and toward the centre of the backpack.
• AOTA says to load the heaviest items closest to the back of the pack, and to arrange books and materials so they will not slide around.
• AOTA says to check what a child carries to school and brings home, to make sure that the items are necessary.
• OrthoInfo adds: pack light, remove items if the backpack is too heavy, and carry only what is required for the day.

How to reconcile the two

The advice is compatible: put the heaviest item at the bottom of the back panel side of the pack, so that it is both low and close to the back.

How to pack

1. Take out everything and sort it by weight.
2. Put the heaviest items at the back and low.
3. Put medium items around them.
4. Put light items at the front and top.
5. Fill gaps so nothing slides.

A short tip for daily use

Put a pack-check into the daily routine: empty it at home, keep only what is needed for tomorrow, then repack with heavy items low. Loose items such as bottles can be placed in a side pocket, and they should not roll about inside the main compartment.

What to avoid

Do not put heavy items at the top or far from the back, because the pack then pulls backwards or sways.

Where this answer stops

The guidance is written for school backpacks. The same ideas help adults, but a hiking pack has its own rules, which are outside this article.