I first encountered the ideas of ultralight backpacking in 1994, in an article in now-defunct (and much-missed) Backpacker magazine. It was titled “Less is More,” by Mark Jenkins. (I still have a PDF copy I scanned years ago.) Jenkins wrote about a long trip across Europe and Africa. By the end, he and his traveling partner shed all the gear they thought they needed, save what they were wearing, their down jackets, and some spoons.
While I had no desire to have all my gear stolen as Jenkins does as at one point in Africa, the idea of carrying less to travel farther, faster, and lighter, struck a chord. Not just with me, but with loads of other people. Jenkins’ article is widely credited with starting the ultralight backpacking movement.
At the time, there wasn’t much lightweight gear available. Much of the early ultralight movement was driven by a DIY ethos. I built my own alcohol stoves out of discarded tuna cans, made pot cozies out of Reflectix, and fashioned windscreens from heavy aluminum foil. As a result, my cook kit weight dropped by 14 ounces.
Today, ultralight backpackers are more common than traditionalists, at least judging from the people I meet on the trail. But exactly what is ultralight backpacking? And how do you shed all that weight without giving up the comfort?
Ultralight Backpacking, Defined
For the sake of all being on the same page, I will define “ultralight” backpacking as a base weight of 10 pounds or less. That means all your gear, minus what you’re wearing on the trail, minus consumables (primarily food), weighs at most 10 pounds.
If that sounds daunting, consider that there are some who travel under the moniker “super ultralight” who shoot for a base weight of 5 pounds or less. At the other end, there is what I would call lightweight, which would be 15 pounds or less. I have never attempted a super-ultralight trip, but I have spent more than a decade with a base weight of 10 pounds and have never felt like I was doing without or suffering in any way. Quite the opposite. It’s a revelation, and you’ll never want to go back.
Now that we have our terms defined, how does one get to an ultralight base weight of 10 pounds or less?
Before we get into details of gear, know that the most important thing you can do to make your pack weigh less is to bring less stuff. For most people the biggest gains (er, losses) will be in what you don’t bring rather than what you do.
When you’re considering what to bring, make sure you need it rather than just wanting it. I love making coffee on a moka pot but not enough to lug one into the backcountry. I don’t need it, so I leave it at home and make Turkish coffee on the trail. Go through everything you ever bring on the trail and honestly ask yourself: Is this something I need?