Ultralight packs generally have a simple design, keeping the feature list, and therefore the weight, to a minimum.Īim for 36 to 60 liter of capacity. As one of your big three items, aim for two pounds (or less!) for weight. Packs come in many shapes, sizes and capacities. Tyvek or 2mm painter’s drop cloth (1.0 oz): A piece of either of these will work well as a footprint.Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1 (27.0 oz): Ligthweight and durable tent for those that prefer the stability of a freestanding tent.The listed weight includes 8 titanium stakes. Note this is a non-freestanding and requires trekking poles to set up. Zpacks Hexamid (11.9 oz): Made with super light and durable Dyneema fabric and a generous 47” peak height the this tent is worth getting a little spendy on.I’ve been using the same piece of plastic for 100+ nights! These tents rely on your trekking poles for their support.Īdditionally, some hikers choose to carry a footprint to protect the bottom of their tent from abrasion in rockier areas and protect in wet conditions.Ī thin plastic drop cloth is cheap, light, and surprisingly durable. If you want to get your shelter system even lighter, go for a non-freestanding tent. Shelters include a tent, tarp, hammock, or bivy. These are the heaviest items and often the first items targeted when trying to go ultralight.

Your shelter is part of your “big three” - shelter, pack, and sleep system. Shelter is often the first thing people think about when they think about backpacking. Sleeping Bottom: Montbell Zeoline Lightweightįrom left to right: footprint, tent, stakes Sleeping Top: Senchi Designs Alpha Hoodie Packed Clothing + Electronics + First Aid Kit + Extras Shelter + Pack + Sleep System + Kitchen + Water Storage +

Reddit backpacking checklist