Ultralight Backpacking Gear Reviews

The REI Magma Trail Quilt 30 is a lightweight alternative to a mummy sleeping bag, weighing just 19 oz. It’s insulated with 850 fill power goose down and rated for temperatures down to 30 degrees. The Magma Trail Quilt 30 saves weight because it doesn’t have a hood, a zipper, …

Gossamer Gear Polycryo is ultralight industrial grade plastic sheeting that’s used as an ultralight ground cloth or tent footprint by many backpackers. It’s waterproof and surprisingly puncture proof making it an ideal protective barrier for inflatable sleeping pads and ultralight tent floors. You can also cut and shape it with …

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Sleeping Pad, weighing 8.8 oz is currently the lightest weight full-sized inflatable sleeping pad available today. With an R-value of 2.0, it’s suitable for use by ultralight backpackers and thru-hikers in warm weather, above 40-50 degree F, although you can extend its temperature range by stacking …

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Southwest Backpack is a 40L pack (with an additional 9.8L of external storage) that is suitable for ultralight backpacking trips, off trail hiking through dense vegetation, or winter day hikes when you need to carry extra clothing layers. Made with Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s (HMG) ultralight dyneema composite fabric (DCF), …

The Granite Gear Crown2 38L backpack is a lower volume version of its popular big brother, the Crown2 60L backpack.  It’s a highly configurable ultralight backpack that has an adjustable-size hip belt so you can get a perfect, customized fit, with an optional top lid and framesheet that can be …

The Osprey Levity is an ultralight backpack available in a 60L or 45L size and weighing just under 2 lbs. Much-anticipated, the Levity packs are one of the first ventilated ultralight backpacks available with a suspended mesh backs to help keep you cooler and drier while backpacking. Ventilated backpacks have their …

The Granite Gear Virga 2 is a 54 liter ultralight backpack that is lightweight even by today’s standards. Weighing just 1 pound and 3 ounces (19 ounces) it is truly frameless, without even a foam back pad behind the shoulder straps. Despite its low weight, the Virga 2 is a …

The Black Diamond Beta Light is a single wall, ultralight tarp shelter that weighs 19 oz. It’s also a very affordable ultralight shelter, with an MSRP of just $200, making it an excellent value if you’re trying to save money. The Beta Light has single front zippered door and a …

Gossamer Gear’s “The One” ultralight 1-person tent ($299) is an ultralight, single-walled trekking-pole tent that weighs 22.4 oz. It has a spacious interior that’s a palace for one, with excellent ventilation to help prevent internal condensation. Factory seam-taped, there’s no need to seam seal The One which is made with an …

The Feathered Friends Flicker 40 UL Quilt Sleeping Bag is a 19 ounce quilt sleeping bag designed for backpackers and climbers who want to the flexibility and light weight of an insulated sleep system that can be used in many ways, including: a hoodless sleeping bag for tent or cowboy camping under the …

Ultralight backpacking tents and shelters come in all shapes and sizes, but each type has advantages and disadvantages for different camping conditions. It’s best to understand these before you waste money on a tent or shelter that doesn’t suit your needs or comfort preferences. There are six basic types of …

The ULA CDT is a frameless backpack designed for ultralight backpacking, day hiking, and travel with a manufacturer maximum recommended load of 18 pounds or less. Weighing 19 to 24 ounces(with optional pockets), it’s a streamlined backpack with limited closed storage (36 liters in the main bag+extension collar/54 liters total). While the …

The Granite Gear Crown 2 Backpack is a roll-top, multi-day backpack with an optional top lid pocket. An upgrade to the first generation V.C. Crown 60 backpack (See Best Ultralight Backpacks), this new model includes large zippered hip belt pockets, an optional top lid, and adjustable-length hip belt. These are all …

The Massdrop x Enlightened Equipment 20 Backpacking Quilt is a down backpacking quilt with a drawstring footbox that retails for the bargain price of $219. MassDrop works with small manufacturers to design private label products and sell them under the Massdrop brand at an attractive discount to their community members. …