Ultralite Backpacking

When you are packing for any sort of journey, whether it is a mileage-driven hiking trip, a last minute, rushed-packing weekend away or a camper sneaking a few luxuries in, it is always better to take a lighter load.

Here are our top tips to make you ultra light without leaving your necessities behind:

Admit that you pack too much

Fill your pack as you would usually for a summer weekend with everything including your extras like books, wallet and camera but not any food or water.

Weigh it and if it's over 15 pounds then you have a problem and should fix it by losing some weight.

Downsize

Ultralite Backpacking
backpack

Although people tend to advise that you need to leave buying your pack until last when trying to cut weight as you�ll really struggle with a streamlined model if the rest of your gear is still in big sizes, we suggest you go cold-turkey and start off by buying an ultra-light pack and then adapting any gear to fit.

A smaller pack will constrain your choices for example, if you have a slender 40 litre pack, you will be forced to shrink any gear possible and avoid lugging extras 'just in case'.

To keep your load to a minimum, select a frameless pack which weighs less than 2 pounds so you can use any weight you save on the pack for your own uses.

Also try to keep the total load below 25 pounds. We recommend the GoLite Jam pack which costs $150, weighs a minimal 1lb 15oz.

If however, you are looking for a light pack that can also carry larger loads when needed then a good pack with a light but rigid suspension is Granite Gear's Blaze AC 60 which costs $200, weighs 2lbs and 15 oz.

Leave the dome at home

Traditional freestanding domes can take up a lot of shelter weight and ditching this will halve that weight.

The least weighty option is a tarp which takes up the least space-to-weight ratio although it will take some practice to achieve a robust pitch plus they do not offer any protection against bugs or pooling water. Our choice is the budget-friendly Integral Designs SilWing ($110, 12oz, 56 sq. ft) but if you want light domelike protection, we recommend a floorless shelter like the GoLite Shangri-La 2 ($225, 1lb 10 oz, 45 sq. ft).

If you are hoping for a more traditional tent and have the money, you can save on weight by opting for one which uses trekking poles for support like the NEMO Meta 2p ($370, 2lbs 15 oz, 36 sq. ft).

Invest in bedding

Ultralite Backpacking
Sleeping Bag

If there is one item that you can afford to spend a bit extra on, make it your sleeping bag.

A cheap bag is likely to be cold and heavy which is the last thing you need when travelling so look for a premium down bag which will not only keep you warm but also reduce weight and bulk. Try to buy a three-season pad/bag combination which weighs less than three pounds. We like Marmot's Plasma 15 ($469, 1lb 4oz) and if you can't do without your luxuries, buy an insulated air mattress for maximum cushioning.

Cook lighter

Ultralite Backpacking
Cooking System

If you are going away for longer than a weekend, reduce fuel consumption by painting the base of your silver pots with stove paint by Rust Oleum which will boost their efficiency by 30-40%. Make sure that you never have the stove on without a pot on it, always use a lid, cook one-pot meals and limit hot drinks.

Opt for quick foods like substituting couscous for pasta and incorporate meals that do not require cooking like having granola instead of oatmeal. You can buy an integrated stove/pot like Jetboil Flash Cooking system which costs $100 and weighs at 14oz.

Select food choices carefully

It is always tempting to carry an extra days worth of food but this adds a lot of weight and realistically there is not much chance of your trip turning into an unplanned marathon plus water and shelter would be much more important in a survival situation anyway.

Take foodstuff that contains over 100 calories per ounce like candy, trail mix and cheese but don't overdo is as you only really need a total of 2 pounds per person for a day unless the situations are more strenuous or it is really cold.

Reduce water weight

Ultralite Backpacking
Water Filter

Although you don't want to risk getting dehydrated, water can weigh you down and if you are in an area where water is plentiful, be sensible.

Plan refills beforehand using a map and chug at each location. You don't need to carry around a filter unless you are predicting murky water and you can instead use an award winning chemical treatment SteriPEN Adventurer Opti ($100, 3.8oz)

No need to over dress

Limit how much clothing you take top a three-season layering system consisting of pants, a t-shirt, a puffy, a shell and one pair of underwear.

If going on alpine travel, it is worth taking a bigger shell or raingear like First Ascent's BC-200 ($199, 11oz) as although it will weigh a few ounces more, it will ensure that you have a safer hike.

Ditch the deodorant

Ultralite Backpacking
Necessities

Forget the deodorant and the comb, just take along a travel sized toothpaste and toothbrush and some hand sanitizer.

There is no need for an unnecessary weighty bag to put it in either.

Know your stuff

Be cautious and improvise; you don't need to be hauling first aid kits and you'll usually be carrying something like a bandanna if you do end up needing a bandage.

Prevent injuries by being sensible like stopping every few miles to air out your feet to avoid blisters.

Use technology

Ultralite Backpacking
GPS Trail Pro

Try to only take gadgets that are multipurpose and help you reduce other items for example you can listen to podcasts on your iPod and so can leave heavy books behind.

The best option is an iPhone or Android which has been preloaded with tunes, audio books, games, a star chart, compass app and navigation app like GPS Trails Pro.

Check your footwear

Although you may get carried away when shopping for hiking gear, you will not need heavy, high-cut boots unless you are planning on going out in difficult weather conditions or situations where you will need ankle protection.

Don't add footwear weight as this will not only slow you down, it will tire you out quicker from carrying the extra load.

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