You're going to Patagonia! Amazing! Backpacking? Cool!
You might be tempted to pack everything and the kitchen sink as we do when car camping but for backpacking, you will find out quickly that you will ditch your gear if you've committed the worst offence and overpacked. And who wants to throw out stuff you've bought with your hard earned money?
"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" – Steven Wright
This was our original pack list (sans cat) then we pared it down quite a bit after testing it out on a short overnight trek..
The weather in Patagonia is unpredictable at best. Even in Summer, you need four season gear. Here are some simple tips you can follow to keep your pack light so you can stay nimble on the trail. There is a full packing list at the end as well.
I'm assuming you are tent camping but if not, then just leave those items off your list.
Tip #1 - Pack your lightest gear possible (duh). Invest in the big items if you plan on backpacking in the future.
This would be your backpack itself, sleeping bag, tent. Of course, you can rent gear but it tends to be heavier and expensive for what you get so there is a trade-off for convenience. You can also look into buying used or on-sale gear so keep an eye on sales way in advance. For you Canadians, MEC and Altitude-Sport are my 2 favourite places to shop online and I've recently discovered Gear Trade which specializes in ultralight. Other retailers in the US where you can find ultralight items include REI and Garage Grown Gear.
Keep it all together on Lighterpack.com, a great tool for pack management. I still have a traditional backpack but I only bought it 3 years ago so can't justify replacing it yet. Here is my list you can look at for my Patagonia trip, just click on the image below to see the details.
Tip #2 - Learn to use & fine-tune your gear off the trail, not on it.
The summer prior to our trip, we did a couple of short backpacking trips close to home as well as tested out gear in our backyard during a cold Fall night. That Helinox camp chair I carried on the first trip? Gone. Water reservoir? Epic fail and it flooded my pack. Trying to google instructions on how to set up your complicated tent? Not when there's no cell service. Worried about how cold it can get? Test it out! You may be a cold sleeper or hot. Only you would know your limits. Very quickly, you will find a system that works for you.
Tip #3 - Don't throw the baby out with the bath water
In my zealous ambition to lighten my pack, I ditched my small hairbrush - yes, it only weighted less than 2oz. Who would have thought that the fierce winds would whip all that sand and dirt in your hair, leaving you with knots and the worst bed head? You don't want to be buying overpriced items on the trail because you didn't pack it.
Tip #4 - Stay organized
"A place for everything and everything in its place"
Wise words indeed. Packing and unpacking every day can get tiring and sloppy. Force yourself to stick to your organization routine because that tiny little pair of scissors you packed? It's buried somewhere in your pack and you can't find it when you need it. Forgot to wrap your sleeping bag in a waterproof bag the day it rains? Not fun. Despite these wise words, we lost 2 microfibre towels, my peppermint mini-spray (more on that later), hand wash bottle, and never mind the almost-lost other items (camera batteries, power bank, hand sanitizer...) We did find a pair of sunglasses left behind at one of the camp sites, which we carried to the next one and reunited it with the owner.
Tip #5 - Save those condiment packs!
I have a special container for all those ketchup and mustard packets you get with takeout. Hot sauce? Makes every meal delicious. Those hotel breakfasts are also a good source of supplies when enroute - tea bags, little jams, sugar packets. They all got swiped.
The Perfect Packing List that you can customize
Sorry, it's long but all essential. Every item has a purpose as you'll see why.
CLOTHING
1 synthetic quick-dry & anti-stink long-sleeve base layer top (or synthetic/merino blend). 100% merino does not dry as quickly. Long sleeve to protect from the sun without sticky sunscreen.
1 pair of hiking pants or leggings, ideally water-resistant & high-waisted with a flat waistband (for backpack comfort). My Outdoor Research Ferrosi leggings worked well. Dave wore summer-weight Mountain Hardwear hiking pants. You may only want to hike in shorts but I don't.
2-3 underwear changes
1 mid-layer waffle/grid micro-fleece. They add warmth without bulk. Outdoor Research Vigor line and Arcteryx Delta have great ones.
Light puffer jacket for cold nights & mornings. Make sure it packs small as you will be taking it on and off as the weather changes.
3-layer hard shell rain jacket - a must because anything else will wet out
1 pair rain pants - if you think its optional, your feet won't. Rain will get into your shoes without them
Rain cap that doubles as your regular hat (or additional sun hat if you are willing to carry it, which I did. The sun is brutal when it's out)
Warm buff - you will love it on the John Garner pass. Use it as a beanie (toque as we Canadians call it) if it gets cold at night. It will also keep your baseball cap on your head too. Yep, the wind.
1 set sleeping clothes - long sleeve top, leggings/joggers which is also your post-shower clothing
1 medium sized microfibre towel for the showers
2-3 pairs of socks; 2 to alternate days with, and one ankle sock to sleep in. I was able to use my Silverlight socks for 8 days straight without it getting smelly or damp. Mentally, I needed to use a fresh pair after.
1 light, packable shopping bag to carry your stuff in the showers and kitchen, ideally one that is water-resistant.
Sun gloves - my hands got tanned uber quickly so I wore them religiously after that. Helps with protecting hands on your trekking poles too
Sunglasses are essential. Ozone hole over Patagonia. Helps prevent sand flying in your eyes from the wind, provided said wind doesn't whip them off your face.
FOOTWEAR
Broken-in waterproof trail runners or hikers. There are some parts of the hike you will wish you had hikers because of the scree or big rocks if you are not sure-footed. Waterproof unless you like wet socks and blisters. It will rain.
Camp flip flops to let your feet breathe when you park yourself at camp and for the showers of course.
KITCHEN
Stove & pot for heating water, bowl/cup, spoon
Fuel is plentiful in Puerto Natales. Limited to non-existent on the trail. There were partly-used canisters in the kitchen at Paine Grande that you can donate or use.
Tiny washing sponge and Dr Bronner's dishwashing liquid because the ones at camp are gross
Tiny microfibre towel to dry dishes etc (no paper towels at most camps plus it's enviro safe). Also doubles as your snot towel when hiking. Just wash it ok?
TOILETRIES
Tiny sample packets, travel size and very small bottles work best. You know those free water tester tubes at Home Depot? Guilty as charged.
Cut down/travel size bar soap (lighter than liquid soap)
Small sunscreen and SPF lip balm
Good hand cream. It was extra dry despite all the rain. Dave got painful cracks on his thumbs.
Small pumice stone to keep your feet pristine (optional for you but essential for me)
Back-up mini toothbrush (I once saw someone drop her toothbrush accidentally in the bathroom floor, that would go right in the garbage for me)
Removable wall hook to use in the bathrooms as some didn't even have hooks. I kept this packed in my toiletry bag. Best tip I got from a hiker.
Sanitizer, toilet paper & wipes as they are not supplied at the guard hut toilets. I carried a pee cloth eg Kula cloth as backup. Came in handy in the Fitz Roy trail.
If you can find the small Sea to Summit hanging toiletry bag, that's the way to go. Its waterproof, hangs, and can hold all your little bottles in the shower upright so you can grab it without fuss.
GEAR
30F/0C rated sleeping bag in the lightest weight you can afford for cool summer nights was our sweetspot
Lightweight sleeping bag liner. If you run cold like Dave, he brought his S2S Reactor Extreme and loved it otherwise a silk liner would work
Insulated sleeping pad. Inflatable ones are lighter, like our Nemo Insulated pad.
Gossamer Gear ultralight EVA 18" foam pad (78g) to protect your insulated pad and use as a yoga mat to do your daily stretches
Trekking poles - you don't want to be going downhill without it especially on the John Garner pass. It's tougher on your knees going down than up the pass itself!
Tent - I would recommend you rent if at all possible. Yes, they charge the equivalent of a new tent but I saw so many failed tents that couldn't withstand the fierce winds or rain. Wet tents are also heavy. As long as you're prepared and you know your gear.
XL emergency space blanket to line your tent floor as a waterproof layer and keep the cold off. Use it also for those sunrise hikes up to keep the wind at bay.
Waterproof backpack bag liner (or garbage bag) for extra insurance
Multi-use mini peppermint spray. Rodents hate the smell apparently and I loved how it made the tent smell at night. Bam! Halfway through the trek, we lost it because we ignored tip #4. It was a sad day.
First Aid kit outfitted with blister tape/moleskin. Use as preventative on long days. And to help fellow hikers who did not think of it.
Travel converter with multiple USB charging ports
Battery powerbank. 10,000 mAh was more than enough as we had no issues finding outlets each day
BeFree water filter soft bottle. I'd rather not take chances despite what people say about the water safety. Some parts of the trail had lots of horse and cow poop so you never know.
Small ultralight summit pack for the Mirador Britanico and Torres hikes. You can drop your main pack and gear at camp Italiano or Chileno and continue up to the Mirador hikes.
Small neck-wallet to keep your passport & cash with you securely. Easy to stash and keep on you when you ditch the backpack.
20-25L daypack for extra items you won't take on the trek but can be stored at your accommodations in Puerto Natales. We needed this because we were going to other places after the trek. And you will have to double-pack it front & back for short bits but lots of folks do. You'll fit right in.
FOOD
We brought freeze-dried meals from home for our dinners. I was happy eating half bags but Dave needed the full double-serving bag. We tested this out on our backpack trip earlier so knew how many to take.
Instant miso soup made a great accompaniment for dinner on cold nights, light weight too
Oatmeal and peanut butter powder for added sustenance were our breakfast staples
Tea bags & Starbucks Via coffee, its too expensive at the mini-markets
We purchased dried fruit, nuts and fuel in Puerto Natales since that could not be brought into Chile
Lunches were touch and go. We survived on protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, chips and chocolate. Difficult to find lunch on the trail unless you pre-ordered a to-go bag. We didn't want to wait around in the mornings to get it so chips and protein bars it was. We ate late lunches, early dinners when we got to camp.
Anti-rodent food bag eg Armored Outdoor Gear's lightweight RatSack. Excessive maybe but I was happy to pack it. We did see signs at a couple camps to watch for rodents and some YouTubers got their snacks eaten last season. Wasn't gonna happen to me.
Trash bags/extra large ziploc bags. Many of the campsites require you to pack out your trash. I use a Sea to Summit trash dry sack to hold it securely and outside my pack.
Got any suggestions from your own experience? Love to hear it! Drop us a line and let us know what you think.
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