This Is Why You Should Try Ultralight Backpacking (2025)

I first encountered nan ideas of ultralight backpacking successful 1994, successful an article successful now-defunct (and much-missed) Backpacker magazine. It was titled “Less is More,” by Mark Jenkins. (I still person a PDF transcript I scanned years ago.) Jenkins wrote astir a agelong travel crossed Europe and Africa. By nan end, he and his walking partner shed each nan cogwheel they thought they needed, prevention what they were wearing, their down jackets, and immoderate spoons.

While I had nary desire to person each my cogwheel stolen arsenic Jenkins does arsenic astatine 1 constituent successful Africa, nan thought of carrying little to recreation farther, faster, and lighter, struck a chord. Not conscionable pinch me, but pinch loads of different people. Jenkins' article is wide credited pinch starting nan ultralight backpacking movement.

At nan time, location wasn't overmuch lightweight cogwheel available. Much of nan early ultralight activity was driven by a DIY ethos. I built my ain intoxicant stoves retired of discarded tuna cans, made cookware cozies out of Reflectix, and fashioned windscreens from dense aluminum foil. As a result, my navigator kit weight dropped by 14 ounces.

Today, ultralight backpackers are much communal than traditionalists, astatine slightest judging from nan group I meet connected nan trail. But precisely what is ultralight backpacking? And really do you shed each that weight without giving up nan comfort?

Ultralight Backpacking, Defined

For nan liking of each being connected nan aforesaid page, I will specify “ultralight” backpacking arsenic a guidelines weight of 10 pounds aliases less. That intends each your gear, minus what you're wearing connected nan trail, minus consumables (primarily food), weighs astatine astir 10 pounds.

If that sounds daunting, see that location are immoderate who recreation nether nan moniker “super ultralight” who sprout for a guidelines weight of 5 pounds aliases less. At nan different end, location is what I would telephone lightweight, which would beryllium 15 pounds aliases less. I person ne'er attempted a super-ultralight trip, but I person spent much than a decade pinch a guidelines weight of 10 pounds and person ne'er felt for illustration I was doing without aliases suffering successful immoderate way. Quite nan opposite. It's a revelation, and you'll ne'er want to spell back.

Now that we person our position defined, really does 1 get to an ultralight guidelines weight of 10 pounds aliases less?

Before we get into specifications of gear, cognize that nan astir important point you tin do to make your battalion measurement little is to bring little stuff. For astir group nan biggest gains (er, losses) will beryllium successful what you don't bring alternatively than what you do.

When you're considering what to bring, make judge you request it alternatively than conscionable wanting it. I emotion making java connected a moka cookware but not capable to lug 1 into nan backcountry. I don't need it, truthful I time off it astatine location and make Turkish coffee connected nan trail. Go done everything you ever bring connected nan way and honestly inquire yourself: Is this thing I need?