When it comes to backpacking, it’s easy to scoff at the diehard ultralighters. Shaving off the handle of your toothbrush to save half an ounce seems silly — until you’re halfway up a 1,000-foot ascent, gasping for air, cursing how heavy your pack is.
As someone who’s been backpacking for over a decade, my approach to my gear list has changed over time. As I’ve transitioned from short trips to week-long, 100-mile-plus trips, I’ve become a lot more discerning about my gear, and much more concerned about how much it weighs.
It only takes a few long days on trail before you’re wishing your pack was lighter. At the same time, I am not doing the PCT (at least not yet), and there are certain pieces of gear I love too much to sacrifice. These are the gear swaps I stand by as an ultralight-curious backpacker, and the ones I don’t think are worth it.
Easy Gear Swaps
Sleeping Setup
In my 60L pack, my sleep setup takes up at least half my bag, and the weight of a sleeping pad, bag, and pillow adds up fast. Tweaking these items (and shelling out a bit of cash) is one of the most straightforward ways to shave ounces.
In my work as an outdoor journalist, I had heard for years about how great Therm-a-Rest’s NeoAir XLite NXT was. Given how small and thin the pad was, I was skeptical until I finally bought one. I’ve used the pad on multiple trips in New Zealand, Utah, and Oregon, and never failed to get a good night’s sleep.
It also weighs a ridiculously low 13 ounces, which is even more impressive given its 4.5 R-value. It’s replaced heavier pads I’ve tried from Big Agnes and Sea to Summit, cutting up to half a pound from my pack.
In recent years, thru-hikers have increasingly embraced quilts over sleeping bags, and after trying one, I’m on board. First and foremost, I find them more comfortable. Whenever I use a traditional sleeping pad, I wake up with sore and tight hips. With a quilt, I can easily turn it into a quasi-blanket and have ample room to toss and turn and splay out. And of course, they’re much, much lighter than traditional bags.
By replacing my Nemo Riff 15 bag with a Zenbivy 10-degree UL Quilt, I saved 1.7 pounds. Other quilt brands we’ve tested and loved include Enlightened Equipment and Katabatic.
Lastly, I think it’s time to ditch your camping pillow. I’ve tried a bunch of them, and I never find any of them that comfortable. Instead, my pillow method has become stuffing my fleece and puffy inside my sun hoodie to make a pillow. It’s soft, squishy, and I can customize it.
Our top-rated camping pillows weigh anywhere from 4 ounces to 2 pounds, and my method doesn’t involve adding any extra weight. Why spend $50 (or more) on a so-so piece of gear when what you have in your pack already works?
Cooking Setup
I understand the appeal of an integrated stove system like a Jetboil: They’re convenient, easy to use, and boil water lightning-fast. But they’re also heavy. Our favorite Jetboil model, the Flash 1.0L Fast Boil, weighs 13.5 ounces.
My setup — a TOAKS 750-mL pot and GSI Outdoors Stove — weighs 6.7 ounces, saving me nearly half a pound. It might take an extra minute or two to boil water, and it works best for solo backpackers. But, as someone who almost exclusively backpacks alone, I can easily live with those tradeoffs.
My combo also has the advantage of being a bit cheaper. The Flash 1.0L costs $145, while my combo comes out to just $86.
Toiletries
In an effort to save weight and space, I’ve trimmed my toiletry kit on backpacking trips down to its absolute minimum. I only include the bare necessities: sunscreen, travel toothbrush, toothpaste, medications, dehydrated wipes, and a first-aid kit.
In my mind, deodorant is a silly thing to bring; when you’re hiking for a week without a shower, no amount of deodorant will mask your stench. I’ve also cut out a hairbrush and any other skincare.
There are a few swaps I’ve made for the toiletries I do bring to cut weight. I switched from normal toothpaste to chewable tablets from Huppy, which I put in a small plastic baggy. I bring only as many as I need for my trip.
I also use a small travel toothbrush from Target, which folds away neatly into its own case for cleanliness. It costs $2.49 and weighs 0.67 ounces.
Baby wipes are a trail essential (if you’ve gone #2 in the woods, you know). Instead of bringing normal wipes, which are quite heavy and bulky, I started using PACT Outdoor’s compressible, waterless wipes. You pour on a little bit of water until it expands, and then you have a normal wet wipe. A single wipe only weighs 0.07 ounces, so I can bring 20 wipes for just 1.4 ounces.
Gear Swaps I Refuse
Frameless Packs
In the ultralight revolution, many outdoor brands have redesigned packs to cut weight. One of their main tools has been removing the metal frame that’s inside the packs that gives structure and support.
I’ve tried frameless packs from multiple popular brands, and each and every time, it leads to tired shoulders and lower back pain. Frameless packs are only comfortable with lighter loads, and if I’m backpacking for a week, my pack is, by definition, going to be on the heavier side to bring enough food.
A happy compromise is a framed pack that is still lightweight. My absolute favorite is Gossamer Gear’s Mariposa 60, which I lived out of for 10 days in New Zealand. It weighs 1 pound, 15 ounces, which is still much lighter than popular framed packs from traditional big-name brands like Gregory and Osprey; Gregory’s Maven 58 weighs 3 pounds, 8 ounces, for example.
Trekking Pole Tents
Tents that use trekking poles as part of their structure are usually lighter than traditional tents (since they have fewer parts), but that’s not a sacrifice I’m willing to make. Typically, trekking pole tents require adjustable poles, and I prefer nonadjustable, ultralight poles from Black Diamond.
As someone who is 5’6″, I use 110cm-height nonadjustable poles, and these simply won’t work for these tents (I’ve tried many times). If I set them up with these poles, they immediately flop over.
I’m also highly skeptical of how well a trekking pole can withstand a heavy, windy storm. Instead, I’ll stick with lightweight, freestanding tents, like the NEMO Dragonfly OSMO, that are more structurally sound.
Socks & Underwear
Trimming the amount of apparel you bring is one of the easiest ways to reduce your base weight. While I will happily wear the same shirt and pants on a week-long backpacking trip, I draw the line at socks and underwear. I always bring at least three or four pairs of socks and four or five pairs of underwear.
First, there’s the issue of hygiene. I bring quick-dry, breathable underwear that I hand-wash on trips, but that only works for so long. You only have to experience one yeast infection on the trail before you realize the value of a few extra pairs of underwear.
I always save one pair of clean socks (which weigh around 1.5 ounces) for my longest, hardest day on trail. When I had to do 26 miles on a trip in Oregon, having a fresh pair gave me a huge mental boost (and probably helped me avoid blisters). So much of the battle on long backpacking trips is mental, and sometimes the psychological lift of an item justifies bringing more weight.
How to Cut Weight Without Breaking the Bank
It’s a cliché, but ultralight has come to mean ultra-expensive. Luckily, there are a few ways you can shave down your base weight without shelling out loads of cash.
First and foremost, shop used. I bought my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT from the used gear section at my local REI. It retails for $200, and I got it for $80. The Gear Project, a new online used gear site, has quickly become a popular option among outdoorsy folks looking for good deals.
If you’re actively trying to lower your base weight, focus on the heaviest items and upgrade those first. Revamping your entire gear list all at once is expensive and probably unnecessary.
Identify your heaviest piece of gear (typically a sleeping bag or tent), replace that with a lighter version, and that’ll lower the most weight per dollar you spend. Spending an extra $150 to shave off an ounce or two of your fleece isn’t worth it, but spending that same amount to cut your sleep setup by 2 pounds is.
Be suspicious of any gear that is marketed as ultralight or high-tech. Something can be simple and ordinary, and still be lightweight (as evidenced by my Target toothbrush). Sometimes, smaller cottage brands can also be cheaper than their big-name equivalents.
For example, a TOAKS 450mL cup costs $6 less than Snow Peak’s 450mL cup, and it comes with a lid (and weighs 0.2 ounces less). Garage Grown Gear is home to all kinds of weird, quirky brands. It’s a win-win: You support a small business and save a bit of cash.
