Six Hiker Hacks that Added Joy to my Hike

I found a few hacks that worked well for me on my big adventure. A few I learned from YouTubers sharing their hiking set up, some I just stumbled upon, and a couple were an evolutionary thing as I was dialing in my kit. Taken individually, they’re inconsequential; but together, as part of a backpacking system, they added convenience, efficiency, and enjoyment to my hike.

This is HYOH (hike your own hike) territory but they were useful for me and improved my experience. Without further adieu, my favorites:

1. Using my buff as a cover on my little inflatable pillow. It’s almost like they are made for each other. The pillow is made of plastic so it’s not the most pleasant surface to rest one’s head. As long as my buff wasn’t wet or too nasty, it made the perfect pillow cover, providing something softer to sleep on. Saw it on Matt Shafter's YouTube channel.

2. Getting rid of most of my stuff sacks and using the Hyperlite Pod as a little “suitcase.” The small version weighs only 1.2 oz, fits the circumference of my pack perfectly, and has a decent amount of volume at 6.8L. There was enough room for my fleece, spare socks, sleep shirt, sleep shorts, battery charger, charging cables, repair kit, headlamp, rolled up inflatable pillow, and backups of hand sanitizer, a lighter, and TP. It’s made of Dyneema so it’s virtually waterproof. Because my backpack is made of the same stuff, I didn’t need a pack cover when it rained but it was still nice to know my spare clothes and electronics were extra safe. I would toss this “suitcase” into my tent each night so I had everything I needed in one place. And then I’d put it under my pillow to give a little loft to it. Loved this thing and how easier it made my hike.

3. Bringing a small, cut-down square of green Scotch-Brite Scour Pad to clean my cooking pot. Another hack I discovered watching a YouTuber. It weighs next to nothing but makes cleaning out the pot a snap, especially if a little food got burned on the bottom. I think my piece was about 2"x3”. A brilliant hack.

4. Combining my TP, trowel, bottle of Purell, and a gallon Ziploc bag in a black plastic grocery bag. My bathroom kit. Had everything I needed. I used the coreless TP rolls, much less bulky. I put it in a small Ziploc and secured my trowel to the roll using an elastic. The small Purell bottle was added so I didn’t have to unclip the one on my pack. The spare gallon-size Ziploc is to pack out any TP, if necessary. I keep everything in the black grocery bag, stored in an outer-mesh pocket on the side of my pack. Worked well for my morning trips to the privy.

5. Using a 70 oz Platypus collapsible water bottle to camel-up at water sources. This may not be of interest for the ultralight crowd but I found it made life easier for me every day on trail. Water sources are often a bit of hike from the shelter area. I hated making multiple trips if I didn't have to, especially in the morning when I want to get on the trail. Once I got into camp for the night, I'd fill up my two, one-liter bottles and my Platypus reservoir. That way I could use the two bottles for my evening needs (hydration, cooking, washing) and refill them in the morning using the Platy. One of those things that may seem small but it saved me time every morning before my hike and made my system more efficient.

6. Discovering Wysi Wipe Reusable Singles. This was another tip I learned about from a YouTuber. Never heard of them before but sure glad I did. They weigh next to nothing compared to wet wipes, pack tiny, and only require a little bit of water to turn into a legitimate wet wipe. I used three or so of these a night to clean myself off. I could have used a spare rag but I already had three, which was already a bit of overkill (one for my cookpot, one to hang from my shoulder strap to wipe sweat, nose, etc., and a spare for condensation or for rainy days to wipe down my stuff). These handy little wipes were a game changer and helped keep me (somewhat) clean.

Hope you find one or two of these hacks helpful on your next hike. They'll be going on mine!