Top Tips for Packing Light for your Next Outdoor Adventure

Quick-dry, packable clothing is a necessity for every outdoor adventure.  Whether you hike through a rain shower or sweat buckets during your mountain bike adventure, quick drying clothing is a godsend!  Our favorite brands include Exofficio, Lululemon and Icebreaker.

Reusable water bottles are a must have for any outdoor adventure.  Vapur makes a fantastic squeezable, foldable, reusable hydration container that packs up well.  You can also use it for wine, juice or just about any other liquid.

Don’t think you need to bring a new outfit for every day.  No one is going to notice if you wear your favorite things over and over - just bring a small bottle of laundry detergent or soap for washing items you wear frequently.  Added bonus - you will be comfortable every day in your favorite threads!

Bring items that serve dual (or even triple) purposes:

Try out solid toiletries instead of the liquid ones. You can find shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and of course soap in solids that take up less space and last a lot longer!  They are also much more environmentally friendly!

Packing a duffel bag with straps works better for outdoor trips than hard luggage.  It’s easier to carry over rough terrain, you can strap it to your back for outdoor adventures, and it makes multi-destination trips and stops enroute much easier!

Rent some of your equipment at your destination to save space.  For biking adventures, packing your bike can be a pain and it means you have to take it apart to pack it and put it back together at your destination.  Plus, most outdoor destinations typically have great local bike shops where you can easily rent the newest bikes with the latest and greatest technology for reasonable prices. 

Pack your helmet, sunglasses, shoes, pedals, gloves, camelback.  None of these take up much space, and can be harder to rent. It’s also just nice to have your own with you - I know how sweaty I get biking, and I prefer using my own helmet!

For water sports adventures, packing your kayak, SUP or surfboard can be difficult.  If you are driving, you may be able to strap them to the roof, but flying makes it nearly impossible (not to mention the space they take up).  Rental shops abound near the coast and other waterways, which makes finding quality rental gear pretty simple.  Many shops will help you load the boats and boards on your vehicle, and inflatable kayaks and paddleboards make transport even easier.

Boats and board rentals typically come with a PFD and paddles, so leave those at home!  Wetsuits and drysuits can also be easily rented.

Pack your dry bag, watertight phone case, swimsuit, quick drying shorts, tank, long sleeves (evenings can get chilly!), sandals with a strong sole and straps like Chacos, hat, and sunscreen.  These essentials can be harder to find for rent, and they are smaller in size so they can easily be packed.

Some people like to bring their own skis and snowboards on their ski trip, but others prefer to rent when they get there.  Skis and snowboards are some of the least expensive rental gear out there, and quality gear can easily be rented - many times with multi-day discounts. Rental shops can vary widely in pricing, so check out this handy tool before you rent to find the shops with the best deals.  If you do decide to pack it, get a quality ski bag or snowboard bag to store your board or skis, boots, poles, and other equipment.  A bag with a wide shoulder strap or wheels can help with transport. 

Ski clothing and accessories can also be rented, and is now being carried more frequently by ski rental shops.  Black Tie Ski shops carry the latest fashions in rental clothing, and even offers delivery of your rental gear right to your accommodation.  If you already own your own ski clothing, you can usually add your jacket, ski pants, gloves, helmet, goggles, and bandana/buff/scarf to your ski or snowboard bag.

If you have backpacked more than a few times, you probably own most of what you need for a multi-day trip.  If you don’t, or don’t have room for it all, there are plenty of rental options out there from various guiding and outfitting companies.

Pack your sleeping bag, packable pillow and hiking boots.  You can rent backpacks, pads, tents, cooking gear, water filtration system, and hiking poles. 

Unless you are backpacking in the desert, you will want to bring a rain jacket that can double as a rain fly for your backpack.  A couple large plastic bags packed inside your pack (clothes inside the bag) can also help your clothes stay dry if you are caught in the rain.

Pack your headlamp, sunglasses, hat, quick dry clothing and quick dry backpacking towel.  These towels are a great investment - they can be used for bathing, dishes and many other uses and pack up very small.

There are some great ways to save space in packing food.  Quick cook oatmeal is a great breakfast and doesn’t take up much space - we put each portion in a small reusable bag and add nuts and dried fruit to it.  We also buy great prepackaged meals like boxed couscous dishes that only take 5 minutes to cook. Make sure to take them out of their cardboard containers and pack them into a reusable, labeled ziplock bags to save a ton of space.  A water filtration system or jetboil allow you to pack less water in, and filter or boil water from lakes, rivers and streams instead.