In this video I share 10 backpacking hacks that look kind of weird at first, but I use them all the time because they actually solve real trail problems. I start with sleep-system stuff: I add little silicone dots to the bottom of my sleeping pad so it doesn’t slide around in the tent at night, and I stop my pillow from escaping by pulling a spare t-shirt over both the pad and the pillow. I also carry an extra water bottle cap—partly as a backup if I lose one, and partly to protect my hands/feet when I’m pushing stakes into tough ground. Then I get into the small “why didn’t I do this sooner” tricks: I clean my pot with a tiny piece of plastic vegetable netting (lighter and easier than hunting for pine needles), and I add olive oil to dinners because fat is the easiest way to bump calories (over 100 calories per tablespoon). I also scratch volume marks onto my spork (200 ml and 400 ml) so I can measure water even if my pot has no markings. For camp setup, I use a half-full bottle as a level to judge slope, I lay my tent fabric down and literally lie on it to find the best sleeping direction, I hang my flashlight between the zipper pulls as a “lantern,” and yes—if my socks are soaked, I dry them under my shirt overnight because my torso runs warm and it works.