Ultralight Backpacking

This article’s focus is on helping you further reduce your pack weight by selecting backpacking gear that can be used for multiple functions. If you can bring less gear, it will weigh less, and you can further cut down on pack weight by carrying a lower volume backpack. Let’s start …

This is a continuation of Monday’s post about the dozen ultralight tents and shelters I’ve owned over the past six years that explains why I bought them and why I eventually sold most of them. Here’s the entire list. I cover shelters 1-6 in Twelve Ultralight Tents and Shelters: Part …

If you’re interested in reducing the weight of your backpacking gear, the most important thing you can do is to buy a digital scale. I like the model shown here, called an Ultraship Scale because it can weigh your items in ounces or grams. This is the third one I’ve …

The majority of people who could benefit from carrying lighter weight gear balk when it comes to weighing everything in their packs and creating a spreadsheet. It’s a big time committment and it’s not clear that the results are meaningful for many people. The Five Gallon Challenge shows people the …

If you’ve ever been backpacking, you’ve probably heard people boast that their pack weighs 50 or 60 lbs. Those days are over. With a little knowledge, it is possible for anyone to reduce their pack weight to a comfortable 25 or 30 lbs. and still bring along some luxury items. …

What do alcohol stove boil time test videos done in peoples’ kitchens, basements, and backyards tell you about the real world performance of your alcohol stove? PRECIOUS LITTLE You can’t measure stove performance indoors unless you take into account all of the real-world factors that can affect boil times and …

Alcohol backpacking stoves are popular with long distance hikers and with good reason. Here are the 7 reasons why they’re a good option for backcountry cooking, especially if you’re a beginner, looking to soften the up front expense of buying backpacking gear. 1. Alcohol stoves are inexpensive Alcohol stoves are very …

The problem with many pyramid style shelters (such as the MLD Duomid, the Solomid, and the Trailstar to name a few) is that they suffer from low angled walls which reduce the amount of usable interior space inside. Granted, all lightweight backpacking shelters are compromises between comfort, function, weatherproofness, and weight, …

This article’s focus is on helping you further reduce your pack weight by eliminating non-essential items including extra clothing or extra supplies that might be a convenience, but that you really don’t need to bring with you. This phase will require some more real world experimentation because you’ll probably need …

If you’re starting to think about camping under a tarp, you will probably come across references to something called a Ray Way tarp. This refers to a shaped tarp design developed by Ray Jardine, one of the early proponents of modern ultralight backpacking, and author of the lightweight backpacking classic, …

What is a flat tarp? A flat tarp is square or rectangular in shape, has flat edges, and 90 degree angles in the corners. They are wonderfully versatile and can be set up in all sorts of different shapes depending on weather conditions and terrain. Here are some great example …

One of the downsides of carrying an ultralight or lightweight backpacking load (20 pounds or less) is that it makes you weak. If you’re not used to carrying a 40 or 50 pound load, including food, fuel and water, you’ll run out of gas quickly if the need arises to …

I like my creature comforts when I’m out backpacking. I like to bring a comfortable air mattress, some extra camera gear, a good paperback, a plush animal friend and good food to eat. I can get away with bringing these little extras, and still keep my base gear weight under …