What are the best gifts you can buy for an ultralight backpacker who’s a minimalist and eschews material possessions? It’s a quandary, isn’t it? Here are some tried and true gear favorites that all ultralight backpackers lust for. They may be minimalists, but they like great gear just like everyone else!
1. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider Backpack
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider Backpack (HMG) is a durable waterproof backpack made with an ultralight material called Dyneema (formerly called cuben fiber). It’s an ultralight thru-hiker favorite on long-distance hiking trails worldwide because it’s so tough. Available in black or the classic white color. Unisex.
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HMG | REI | Campsaver.com
2. Vargo Titanium Tent Stakes (Set of 6)
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Amazon | Campsaver.com
3. Garmin inReach Mini Satellite Messenger
4. Zpacks Solo Quilt
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Zpacks
5. Gaia GPS
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GaiaGPS
6. Outdoor Research Helium II Rain Jacket
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Outdoor Research | REI | Moosejaw
7. Gossamer Gear “The One” Tent
The Gossamer Gear “One” Tent is an ultralight, trekking-pole tent that weighs 20.6 oz. It has a spacious interior that’s a palace for one, with excellent ventilation to help prevent internal condensation. Factory seam-taped, The One is made with siliconized polyester instead of cuben fiber to help keep its price competitive. The front vestibule is quite large with a zippered center opening which can be closed shut in inclement weather, or rolled back for views and ventilation.
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Gossamer Gear
8. Feathered Friends Eos Down Jacket
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Feathered Friends
9. Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter Kit
The Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter system is the most popular water filter used by ultralight backpackers today. With a field weight of only 3 oz., it makes filtering water as simple as filling a pouch and squeezing water into your mouth. No pills, no pumps, and no wait. The kit includes a 32 fl. oz. pouch; collapsible pouches are made from durable Mylar foil and can be reused hundreds of times. The Hollow-fiber membrane filter removes 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera, and E.coli; and removes 99.9999% of all protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium.
10. Enlightened Equipment Recon Bug Bivy
Weighing just 6.35 oz, the Enlightened Equipment Recon Bivy protects your quilt or sleeping bag from splashback, moisture, and bugs if you’re sleeping under a floorless tarp or pyramid tent. The Recon comes with no-see-um mesh panels over the head and torso, providing excellent ventilation. A center zipper runs the length of the mesh window, making it easy to set up your sleep system and get in and out of the Recon. Elastic cords let you tie it up or stake it out to increase interior space or suspend it under your ultralight backpacking shelter.
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Enlightened Equipment
11. The Deuce #2 Ultralight Backcountry Trowel
The Deuce #2 (pun intended) is an ultralight leave-no-trace trowel for burying your poop in the backcountry. Weighing just 0.6 oz, it has serrated edges for digging into hard rock-and-root filled soil to make a discrete deposit. While the Deuce makes a humorous gift, it helps emphasize the need for us to all pitch in together to preserve the wilderness.
12. ZPacks Bear Bag Kit
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Zpacks.com
13. Darn Tough Hiker Socks
Last but not least, give the gift of Darn Tough Full Cushion Hiker Socks. Super durable, cushioned, and comfortable, these wool socks fit like a dream. Their merino wool is naturally antimicrobial and repels bacteria and odors—a great feature when you need to get any extra day or two out of your socks. Darn Tough even guarantees them and will replace them for free if you can wear them out.
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Darn Tough | REI | Moosejaw