StudentMediaWire

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Experts from the popular student travel firm STA Travel have revealed their top tips on how to pack the perfect rucksack.

If you’re on a gap year or a round-the-world trip, they say, then your rucksack will be your most valued possession.

Here’s how to pack well and help your trip run smoothly:

· Buy the best rucksack you can afford
During the weeks or months of your trip your rucksack is going to have to see you through the rough and the smooth and take a battering en route. Make sure you set off with a rucksack that is as sturdy as possible. It is worth getting ‘fitted’ for your rucksack in a specialist outdoor shop.

· Sort out what you really need
It is essential to remember that you are going to have to carry your rucksack throughout your trip and that while on your trip you will probably pick up things to bring home, so only take what you really need. One top tip is to put everything out you think you really need and then try to reduce it by half before you pack.

· Have a system
Try and always put things in a certain order in your rucksack, so that it is easy to find things and you can tell immediately if you’ve forgotten to pack things. Try and pack things in small plastic bags, not only to keep your things waterproof, but also to keeps things together so you have fewer things to pack and unpack. Try and buy a rucksack that zips at both ends for easier access to your belongings.

· Ease the strain
Pack heavy things in the middle of your rucksack, as close to your back as possible. This will put less strain on your back when you carry your rucksack. Roll up your clothes rather than folding, this should give you more room and also, hopefully, make them less creased when you want to wear them.

· Small but useful
Take some things which may not seem useful now but almost certainly will when you’re in the middle of the trip. Essentials which don’t take up much room but could make your life a lot easier include a small sewing kit, a cup, bowl and spoon and a small medical kit. A silk sheet sleeping bag is also a useful addition to your rucksack, it will keep your sleeping bag clean and can be easily washed and quickly dried.

· Ensure you’re insured
Sometimes however hard you try things can go wrong. Make sure you are insured so that you can replace those essential items in case they get lost or stolen when you are away. For insurance visit www.statravel.co.uk