Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoors

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Stay Ready With The Best Websites and Apps to Pack for an Outdoor Trip

Mike Richard
By
GaudiLab/Shutterstock

For some folks, packing is a frantic, last-minute chore that involves near-zero planning, tossing a bunch of “stuff” in a suitcase or backpack, and hoping for the best. Others prefer a more methodical approach. If you like lists, being prepared, and making sure you never leave anything at home while you’re away, you need a reliable packing tool. Here are the best sites and mobile apps to properly pack for any outdoor trip.

Packing Pro

Packing Pro Packing App
Image used with permission by copyright holder

For proudly obsessive “control freaks,” packing apps don’t get much better than Packing Pro. The app provides complete control and customization over every aspect of the packing process, from weight to price to quantity to categories. The design is likewise customizable with themes but is noticeably dated, so it’s not the prettiest app in this mix. But, if you value versatility in your packing game above all else, this is the app for you. It’s only available for iOS, but works equally well on iPhones and iPads.

Recommended Videos

OneBag

OneBag Packing App
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Unlike most apps on this list, OneBag eschews the dizzying amount of customizability in favor of keeping things dead-simple. The user interface is extremely clean, straightforward, and streamlined. As the name implies, this app is all about packing light, encouraging users to pare down to just one bag if possible. It does this by focusing on weight. Every item added to your packing list has a corresponding weight, so you can know for sure that your carry-on meets the requirements of whatever airline you’re traveling on next.

Related

Packr

Packr Packing App
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Packr offers a nice balance of simplicity and customizability. The design is clean, streamlined, and flexible for just about any type of adventure travel or outdoor trip. There are a few especially nice features we like, including the ability to pack for several travelers (useful for families), multi-destination planning (useful when the weather is different in each location), and built-in weather forecasting to help guide your packing and clothing choices.

PackPoint

PackPoint Travel Packing App
Image used with permission by copyright holder

For adventure travelers who really loathe packing, PackPoint offers a guided, step-by-step process to plan for your next trip. The “wizard” approach starts by asking where you’re headed and for how long. Then, it takes into account your preferred mode of travel — going international, traveling with a baby in tow, etc. — and what you’re planning to do once you get there (hiking, fancy dinners, hitting the beach, travel photography, etc.). From there, it provides a targeted packing list based on your preferences, eliminating nearly all the hassle in the process.

TrekPack

TrekPack Packing App
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Like PackPoint, TrekPack takes a guided approach to help travelers pack. The difference is that the latter focus on packing for hiking- and trekking-centric trips. Tell TrekPack where you’re going, the type of accommodations you’ll be overnighting in (huts, tents, hostels, etc.), and whether you’re planning on cooking along the way. It also takes into account your preferred style of travel — whether you like to go ultralight, “standard,” or comfortable. By dialing in the weight of each item, the app can be sure you’re not over- or under-packing based on your preferences and alert you if so. You can also share packing lists with your hiking buddies from directly within the app.

RoadTrippers

RoadTrippers Trip Planning App
Image used with permission by copyright holder

RoadTrippers isn’t a packing app per se, but it’s guaranteed to make the road trip journey to your next epic hike more interesting. With a massive database of local diners, quirky roadside attractions, scenic points of interest, national parks, and great hotels, it promises you’re “always five minutes away from something awesome.” The free version lets you plot up to seven waypoints, while upgrading to RoadTrippers Plus provides up to 150 waypoints per trip. Plus, the premium version gives you access to offline maps, custom map styles, exclusive deals, and the ability to coordinate planning with friends.

PackTeo

Image used with permission by copyright holder

PackTeo is a favorite of ours for travel packing. Its versatility, however, also makes it a great planning tool for everything from grocery shopping to camping trips. The built-in packing list templates include a wide variety of activities (like cycling, kayaking, and hiking) and climates (desert, tropical, and high mountains), making it easy to browse and quickly add items to build a complete list for any trip. Every detail can be customized, or users can opt to create their own unique lists from scratch. Lists can also easily be saved as templates for easy reuse in the future.

Packing List Checklist

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Despite its boring name, Packing List Checklist is a straightforward app with a solid mix of manual and automated packing list creation features. That versatility makes it ideal for preparing for any outdoor trip. The built-in catalog includes hundreds of items in dozens of categories, or users can opt to build a list from scratch. Lists can easily be shared with friends or fellow hikers by PDF, email, messaging apps, and more. Most of the app’s features are available in the free version, but $2.99 unlocks premium add-ons like reminders and iCloud sync/backup.

LighterPack

Image used with permission by copyright holder

For hikers — especially thru-hikers and those who favor long-distance trails — weight is everything. The lighter the pack, the more enjoyable the trip. As its name implies, LighterPack is a weight-focused packing tool with a no-nonsense website that hardcore backcountrymen have relied on for years. It’s designed to help users quickly build lists of essential gear with particular attention to the weight of each piece. Everything can be easily categorized, and lists can be printed for easy offline reference. Registration isn’t required, although it is free.

Packfire

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Packfire is another web-based packing and pack-building tool to help plan for any outdoor trip. The interface is bright, colorful, and easy to read. Users can build custom lists or select from Packfire’s database of currently available gear on the market with predefined weights, prices, and other essential info. The site promises seamless collaboration with fellow hikers, including the ability to share packing lists and comment on other packs within a group. For group hikes, this makes it easy to divvy up shared gear to balance out the overall weight. The site is currently in beta, so it’s yet to officially launch, and there’s no companion smartphone app (yet).

Missing something? Check out our favorite places to stock up on dirt-cheap outdoor gear right now.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mike Richard
Mike Richard
Contributor
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Get the right sleeping bag for your camping trips with this guide
Every camper needs a great sleeping bag, and here's how to get yours
Camping looking out his tent door in a sleeping bag

Your sleeping bag is the cornerstone on which your entire camping sleep system should be built. Get your sleeping bag right, and you'll sleep soundly and wake feeling refreshed, ready to face the day ahead, whether relaxing in camp with the family or hitting the trail to your next campground. But get it wrong, and you face more than just a host of discomforts; too hot, too cold, too bulky for your pack, and baffles in all the wrong places.

But how do you go about choosing your perfect sleeping bag? Unfortunately, there isn't a 'one-sleeping bag' solution to your camping needs. Many experienced campers — especially those who like to camp year-round — end up with three or four sleeping bags that fit various needs. Whether this is you and you're looking to expand your camping setup, or you're looking to finally replace the sleeping bag you've had since you were a teenager, you want to be sure that you spend your money wisely. Here's how to buy the right sleeping bag.

Read more
Build your perfect camping sleep system to stay dry and cool
Make the most of your days with the right camping sleep system
The view from an MSR tent looking out over camping chairs and a lake.

 

There's no doubt about it — sleeping outside is a magical experience. That is, sleeping outside should be a magical experience. For a lot of people, it is, but mostly that's because they have the right gear for the conditions. In general, if you can't get comfortable out under the stars, it's for one of three reasons: You're too hot, too cold, or you've put your sleeping mat down on a rock or a tree root and it's digging into your back.

Read more
This new website is like Airbnb for RV enthusiasts and campers (and it’ll plan trips for you with A.I.)
Hate travel planning? Let the robots take care of your next great bucket-list-worthy road trip itinerary
An RV and a Jeep at a campground with the setting sun in the background.

For many of us, camping is the perfect excuse for a proper digital detox. It’s a great time to put down the cell phone, leave the tablet at home, and forget about Netflix & Chill for a while. But mixing a little tech with your outdoor adventures isn’t always a bad thing, especially if it can make your trip planning faster, easiest, and just plain better. With that in mind, one new company wants to help travelers plan their next great car and RV camping trips using smart, AI-powered search. The robot revolution is here!

AdventureGenie promises to be the “world's first RV and camping travel planning tool powered by Artificial Intelligence.” The goal is to answer the three most important questions campers and RV travelers have to ask about every trip: Where to go, how to get there, and which campgrounds and RV parks are worth a stay. Even seasoned travelers know that figuring these out can involve hours, even days, of research with multiple tabs open at once to make sense of it all, especially if it’s a destination they’ve never visited.

Read more