Do you have strategies for reducing the size of your backpack?

I carefully determine my equipment requirements, choose compact lightweight multipurpose equipment, eliminate unnecessary accessories and redundant items, use compression bags to reduce the size of compressible items, nest compatible hard sided items together, and select storage bags for organizing and efficiently stowing of the items in my backpack.

I do all of the above. I also know how much food is required so that I do not carry extra; all but a few ounces of food are consumed by the end of the trip.

Probably the biggest thing I did in this regard was to invest in quality down sleeping bags, one for cooler/colder shoulder season trips and another for more moderate weather. This didn’t happen until I could afford it. Quality down bags are quite compressible. I still have a number of synthetic fill bags which are used for car camping or as loaners. I also use compact inflatable sleeping pads.

I use a down sleeping bag, use compression sacks for clothing, and use mostly dehydrated food that has been repackaged to limit bulk.

Reducing the size of the sleeping system was one of the most effective for us. Going to a Big Agnes system where you don’t have the part of the bag underneath you was one part. Going to insulated, inflatable pads was the other part of that change.

Since I only trip during shoulder seasons, I’m often fortunate to not worry too much about bugs and needing to escape them. Ditching a tent for an ultralight bivy and tarp cuts off some major bulk (and weight). The tarp and bivy do great to protect from wind and rain, but I regularly leave them both in my pack and cowboy camp when conditions are right, too.

straighthairedcurly: "I use a down sleeping bag, use compression sacks for clothing, and use mostly dehydrated food that has been repackaged to limit bulk."

This is what I do as well. Sleeping bags are the biggest offender volume-wise, and while down bags are still bigger than most other items you'll pack, they compress significantly smaller than synthetic bags.

Having had an about fifteen year hiatus from canoe camping, I had wondered the same thing. One area I splurged on upgrades was on a couple of new Thermarests that are about half the size of my old pads. I was worried about comfort and sleep quality but those concerns were not born out on my first and only trip with them (we switched to hammocks a year later).

We went to hammocks and down underquilts and down top quilts. Leave the bag chairs and larger chairs at home. Biggest bulk items we tend to overdue is clothes. I try to bring one insulated pair of pants for the week, and one lightweight pair. A set of wool base layers, a fleece jacket and rain gear. We also cut way back on fishing gear. One tray of lures, etc. Lastly, all freeze dried foods