Dumping gear (sorting)
Overview
Dumping gear, in a hiking context, refers to fully unpacking and spreading out equipment for sorting, reorganizing, or evaluating what to keep, send home, or replace. It is often done in town or at major transitions.
Key points
- Involves laying out all items to review their use and necessity.
- Common during rest days, after shakedown trips, or at resupply hubs.
- Helps identify redundant, unused, or worn-out gear.
- Can lead to changes in pack organization or weight reduction.
- May be done privately or informally with input from other hikers.
Details
Dumping gear is an informal term for a complete unpacking session where a hiker examines every item carried. The process is often prompted by feeling overburdened, encountering new conditions, or realizing that certain pieces of gear are seldom used. It can also be part of planned shakedown routines early in a hike.
During a gear dump, items are typically laid out on a bed, floor, or clean outdoor surface and grouped by function: shelter, sleep, clothing, cooking, navigation, repair, hygiene, and so on. Hikers may ask of each item how often it has been used, what role it plays, and whether an alternative or omission would be reasonable given their route and comfort level.
The outcome may include sending items home, replacing worn gear, reorganizing packing systems for better accessibility, or confirming that certain redundancies are still desired. Some hikers perform this process alone, while others discuss choices with peers or experienced hikers, recognizing that perspectives can differ.
Dumping gear can be viewed as a practical check-in on how well the current kit is serving the trip, rather than as a one-time event. It often recurs at natural breaks in a long journey.
Related topics
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