5 Tips To Pack Less For Hikes

Meet Jack Williams, part of our kora kit testing team and new kora ambassador. Jack’s is lucky enough to have the Welsh mountain range of Snowdonia as his back garden where he works as a mountain leader and ambassador. Jack gives us his top tips for packing for mountains days…as he suggests there’s no such thing as bad weather…

1. Pack layers

Try to avoid carrying any singular bulky, warm layer. This time of year, in particular, can expose us to some big temperature differences in any one day, so having multiple lighter layers means you can fine-tune your temperature needs. Start with lighter layers, like a Neema lightweight base layer, followed by a light yak and merino wool mid layer, a fleece, a windproof and so on.

2. Use dry bags

Carrying all these layers can leave a pack all messy. Sleeves get tangled and your lunch can get lost in a spaghetti of kit all tangled up in your bag. To avoid this, use a few 5-10 liter drybags to organise your kit. Temperatures in the hills don't just change day to day, or morning to afternoon, they change based on your altitude. For every 100m you climb, the temperature drops by a degree, so being able to grab kit quickly is important! What’s more, keeping your kit in dry bags also means that it stays dry if the weather turns a bit grim!

3. Use Pockets

Carrying all these layers can leave a pack all messy. Sleeves get tangled and your lunch can get lost in a spaghetti of kit all tangled up in your bag. To avoid this, use a few 5-10 liter drybags to organise your kit. Temperatures in the hills don't just change day to day, or morning to afternoon, they change based on your altitude. For every 100m you climb, the temperature drops by a degree, so being able to grab kit quickly is important! What’s more, keeping your kit in dry bags also means that it stays dry if the weather turns a bit grim!

4. Review your kit, get shot of the unnecessary kit

So you get back from a walk, lob a few sweaty pieces of clothing in the wash, empty your lunch bag and otherwise leave the rest ready to go for the next walk. On occasions, try to get all your kit out and take stock of what you do and don’t use, and leave behind the stuff you probably don't really need on a walk, a quick way to save some weight! This great tip shouldn't, however, be applied to emergency items like first aid kits and survival bags! Just because you’ve not used them yet doesn't mean you should leave them behind!

5. Stop if you need to

Bags packs, boots on, start walking. It’s easy, especially if walking with others, to avoid stopping where possible. We don’t carry all the kit for show, so if you need it, stop and use it! If you’re getting a bit warm, stop and drop a layer. A few minutes here and there won’t affect the whole day out in the hills, and most folks you’re walking with will be happy for the quick break/photo opportunity!

kora mens base layers and womens base layers have been designed to maximise weight-for-warmth. They can be rolled up to take up less space and do not need to be washed as regularly as synthetic alternatives; great for multi-day trips.

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