How to Pack a Tactical Backpack – Everything You Need to Know

The way you pack a backpack depends on your mission and comfort and, if done right, one can hold many useful pieces of gear. Everyone has a different way to pack their favorite tactical backpack, but you may want a checklist to make sure you don’t forget something.

You can’t pack it haphazardly. You won’t be able to fit in everything that you need, and it certainly won’t be comfortable to carry. You also need to choose the right bag for your needs.

Standard Features

Whether it’s a military tactical backpack or a bag you’re using to store essential survival items, most packs include the same standard features:

• Inside hydration compartment
• Generous primary storage area
• Compression straps
• Reinforced handles
• Some type of webbing platform such as MOLLE
• Water-repellent coating
• Pockets for specific gear
• Internal mesh pockets

Some compare packing a backpack to stacking firewood or building a pyramid. You lay it in rows with the foundation at the bottom and fill the nooks and crannies until your load is stable. Balance the weight on both sides, or it will throw you off when walking.

Basic Items Usually Stored in a Backpack

As mentioned above, what you pack in your bag depends on the mission. Whether packing for a field mission or an emergency survival kit, you’ll need the following items:

• Water
• Food
• Tools
• Personal hygiene necessities
• First aid kit

For a survival bag, you’ll also need:

• Shelter
• Bedding
• Clothing
• Flashlights
• Equipment for communication
• Firestarter
• Self-defense items

As far as packing clothing, you probably won’t need to pack your tactical boots because you’ll be wearing them.

How to Pack a Tactical Backpack

Some bulky items you won’t need until you set up camp, so you don’t want to set those things on top or you’ll have to dig through them looking for snacks or water when you stop for a break. Some things to pack on the bottom include:

• Heavy items like entrenching tools
• Sleeping bag and pad
• Layers you plan to sleep in
• Other bedding
• Camp shoes
• Hygiene products

The middle of your bag or core area can hold dense gear and other items like:

• Poncho liner
• Main food supply
• Water
• Camping stove
• Cook kit
• Water reservoir or bottles
• Bear canister

When you pack heavier items here, you create a more stable center of gravity that pulls the load down instead of backward, throwing off your balance. Placing heavier things on top makes your load unstable and, if you put heavier items on the bottom, your backpack will sag. To prevent your load from shifting, wrap bulky items in something soft and fill in the holes with soft items such as:

• Extra clothing
• Tent body
• Rainfly

If you’re packing fuel, make sure the cap is screwed on tightly and pack it upright, below your food. That way, if it spills, it won’t mess up any food items.

Items you can store on top of everything else include:

• First aid kit
• Rain poncho or jacket
• Fleece outerwear
• Water purifier or filter
• Toilet supplies
• Snacks
• A change of socks
• Other small items

Since MOLLE is so popular, many backpacks are MOLLE compatible. You can attach things like canteens, eye and ear protection, holsters, first aid supplies, and other essential items to the outside of your pack.

If you’re not sure what MOLLE is, it’s the acronym for Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment used by many NATO armed forces such as the U.S. Army and British Army. A MOLLE system is a webbing system platform that lets users attach various pouches and other items inside and outside of bags for convenience.

Backpack Accessory Pockets and Tool Loops

Most tactical backpacks have a variety of pockets to store other essential pieces of gear such as:

• Cash
• ID
• Compass
• Maps
• Car keys
• GPS
• Rain cover
• Sunglasses
• Water bottles
• Sunscreen
• Snacks
• Bug spray
• Lip balm
• Headlamp

You’ll also strap some essential gear on the outside of your backpack, including:

• Camping rope
• Trekking poles
• Crampons
• Tent poles
• Ice ax
• Larger sleeping pads
• Camp chair or stool

Now you know how to pack your gear so you can reach things you need and carry it long distances, but you still need to know how to lift it onto your back. Check out this YouTube video on how to hoist your backpack.

Before you pack your bag, make sure to create a checklist of items that you need for your trip or field mission. About a week or a few days before, start locating the items that you need so you can buy the things that you don’t have. With your tactical backpack packed correctly, you’ll have a more comfortable mission and be able to reach the things you need along the way.