Your guide to ultralight backpacking!

It’s a real challenge cutting down on gear weight, but it’s crucial when you have multiple days and many miles to carry it across. Bringing in the essentials, I can get my pack down to 35 lbs for multiple days.

This is the gear I use when doing multi-day backpack trips. I’ve made some big mistakes, and I’ll share what I used to upgrade from them.  Granted, I’m not perfect (weightless), and I’m constantly upgrading, so check back in as I continue to learn.

Hiking Gear

• Boots – Timberland Men’s Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot – For the WIN! I love these boots because I have flat feet, and I need the wider boot (they sell normal width too.) After hundreds of miles, I finally wore them out, ordered more expensive “better” boots, and they fit terribly. Ordered my second set of these guys. I think this is the most important piece of hiking gear. If they’re even slightly uncomfortable, or unsupportive, you’re gonna hate them.
• Hiking Poles –  Cascade Mountain Tech Trekking Poles – I’ve had Cascade before, and I think the ultralight carbon fiber EVA grip are the best. get the black ones on Amazon; they’re the only ones with 1 clamp adjustment per pole compared to 2.
• Backpacks – Osprey is pretty epic. I got a 50 liter, and I wish I’d gotten 70+. Mine has supports on my lower back that push it away from my clothes/skin. It’s really nice because there’s air flow between my back and the pack. Make sure to get the right size and to fit it to your back. It makes all the difference!
• Water Bladder – I’ve used this BPA-Free bladder a few dozen times without issue. My friend bought the same one, and it burst after a few hikes. I hate drinking out of plastic, so I’ll see if I can find a better, lightweight, healthier alternative.
• Music – I prefer to hike with my own playlists. When I need to really push, I’ve got my intense playlist. When cruising and enjoying leisure, beautiful sections, I go mellow. That said, I prefer AirPods with strong batteries. I usually bring some wired headphones as back up too (last time, my AirPods began shocking me! I’m not sure if it was the altitude or defect, but I switched to the wired and threw them out.)
• Lip Balm – I like Booda Butter for my lips. I did a 6 night backpacking trip, and beginning on day 3 was miserable. I couldn’t smile or laugh. It really suckedI will NEVER forget lip protection again! I apply at least once every 45 minutes during a hike.
• Sunblock – Along the same lines, and even though the majority of my body is covered, the small section of my face and any part of my wrist that may get exposed is coverd in reefsafe mineral sunscreen.
• Sun Hat – Some people prefer the sun hats with the flap in the back to cover your neck versus my sun hat. Since I go full hoodie, I don’t need it. Plus, if it’s windy, I can count on the hoodie staying in place (and the hoodie keeps my earpods snug and from falling out. Regardless, get a hat with a string tie. You don’t want to go chasing after it with all the gear on your back.
• Sunglasses – Not sure if it’s just cause I live on Maui, but I’ve always worn Maui Jims (not sure why, since they’re not Maui owned, and they’re not even on Maui anymore since the fires.) Anyway, I choose glasses that are wide and have a lot of coverage. Again, I’m not getting any sun damage.
• Good Headlamp – I prefer a rechargeable headlamp for hiking early morning or night. Choose as much rechargeable electronics as you can, and bring a powerbank, that way you don’t have to lug extra batteries.
• 2-Way Radios – When on a long hike, in areas of no coverage, these walkie talkies are great. Using the same channel, these work with pretty much any other two-way radios and work for miles. Just another safety precaution. I put fresh batteries in before each big hike.

Not Necessary, but nice to have:

• Peppermint Essential Oil – I’m a peppermint crackhead. There’s something about huffing it via both my mouth and my nose that clears things out and makes me appreciate the fresh air that much more.
• Cash – I like to bring $50-100. You never know who you’ll bump into, or what your backpacking buddies provide that would be beyond the scope of normal sharing. If someone has booked the camp site or cabin, it’s important to throw them some money too.
• Backpack Cover – This waterproof cover is pretty light weight, and I don’t always bring it. most everything that I want to keep dry in my backpack is already in a waterproof bag, but if it’s a long hike and raining, you’d be surprised how much extra weight water will add to your pack. Sucks to put all this effort into lightweight gear, then haul in an extra 10 lbs of water you can’t drink.
• Power Bank – I like the Nitecore powerbank. I keep it in my pocket while hiking in case I run low from music usage. This one is ultralight compared to others, and it holds a ton of juice.  2 Quick Tips: Turn your phone on low power mode, and each time it’s charges back to 100%, put it back to low power mode. Also, sleep with all your batteried electronics. I brought this behemoth powerbank for a multi-day trip, cause I have cool lights for camping. I didn’t sleep with it, it ran out of juice immediately, and I had to carry the damned useless brick out…
• Mini Backpack – Once camping, doing day hikes may require you to carry water, food, sunblock, radios, etc… This little backpack is great for the price. My friends have more expensive ones that weight 1/10, but I just can’t pull the trigger yet. This one is good enough and pretty rugged.

Camping Gear

• Solar Lantern – I love this lantern! Bright and light. Charges all day.
• Sleeping bag – I now have 4 of these sleeping bags, one for each of the family. Real warm. These are 10 Degrees F.  I had a really scary experience once in freezing temperatures with a subpar bag, and it was AWFUL!  These are too hot, if anything. Easier to unzip than to freeze.
• Sleeping pad – I can’t recommend any.  All of mine pop within a few uses… They’re key to comfort too.  Just buy one thinking it’s disposable. Or perhaps look at getting one of the foam ones that can’t pop.
• Pillow – This one has lasted me a long time. I like it.
• Tent – So, this Durston Dyneema tent is obnoxiously expensive. That said, all it took was 3 days of heavy rain and a one-man “waterproof” tent on Amazon to make me buy it. “Waterproof” is often used liberally. I was swimming for 3 nights in freezing temperatures. Not good. Dangerous. It also weighed a lot and didn’t have room for my stuff.  This tent is straight up magic. One of my most prized possessions. It’s a complete game changer for anyone that likes to camp a lot and needs something that weighs 19.2 oz (545g.) Unreal! Plenty of room, uses your poles to hold it up, and is truly waterproof (above and below.)
• Chairs – This one takes some getting used to, but it’s super light. I used to use this one, which is way more comfy, but it’s heavy. If you’re really pressed for weight, get a sitting pad.
• Sitting Pad – I prefer a good sturdy chair, but when in a pinch, this is nice when dealing with rock. I’ve actually zip tied this to my belt and wear it under my pants. Anywhere I sit is comfortable.
• Mini First Aid Kit – This small kit has bandages, bandaids, alcohol wipes, etc…
• Personal Stuff – Tooth brush, floss, toothpaste, ear plugs, something to read, liquid soap, TP, some papertowel, some duct tape, a few ziplocks.

Not Necessary, but nice to have

• Lights – These camping lights are awesome! I had lighter ones, but this one includes a rechargeable battery, and it rolls up really easily.
• Mini Tripod – This is the smallest, lightest tripod I could find. Perfect for long-exposure night photography.
• Slippahs – These light weight slippahs are a nice alternative to clunky boots once at the campsite. They’re cheap and since I only wear them for a few hours each day, they will probably last me forever.
• Canopy – For rainy days or really hot sunny days, having a canopy to chill under sure beats being in the hot-box of the tent. This canopy has been waterproof so far, and rugged (read: heavy.)  You need to grab some extra cord, poles, and stakes too.

Cooking/Eating/Drinking Gear

• Stove – I had this one, which was better for larger pots, but then I got this one cause it’s lighter and has a built in lighter.
• Pot/Skillet – I really like this snow peak one. Titanium is so light. Only downside is that it doesn’t cook super even, so you have to move things around a bit while cooking or choose that wider stove. I’ve also built a metal bubble wrap insulation wrap around the pot.
• Spoon – This one is titanium, real long, and not too expensive. Really the only tool needed for food.
• Fuel – Find a small canister and only bring what you need! I find I use everything because I look cooking water.
• Knife – I used to bring a multi-tool, but it was so heavy, and I barely ever used it. Now, I have this super tiny knife. Good enough to cut spam and potentially a cord or something more important.
• Stand – on uneven ground, i like this canister stand. It’s a little hard to get on and off, but I’m willing to do it to have my food and water solid.
• Water Filter – I use the 6-liter Platypus. I’m confident in it (I’ve filtered some yellow-ass water.) Don’t let the filter freeze, they’re expensive to replace. If cold, I’ll bring the filter in the sleeping bag with me.
• Stainless Steel Tea Infuser – I make a lot of tea, and loose leaf is the way to go, so I can make multiple teas out of a single filled tea infuser.
• Bear Canister – We don’t need these in Hawaii, but they’re crucial for your food supplies in most other places.

Not Necessary, but nice to have:

• Table – This is a bit of a luxury, but I love it when I can handle the extra weight. This portable camping table is solid. I don’t have to worry about my stove falling over when cooking, I have all my food stored below it with easy access, and it folds up pretty small.  I’m playing with the idea of replacing the folding table top portion with something more lightweight that I can make myself. I only take this if I’m camping for more than a few days cause the weight is significant 2.6lbs.)
• Insulated Cup – For coffee and cocktails, I like this little titanium cup. Doesn’t weigh much, and it’s nice to have a seperate container than my water bottle.
• Small HydroFlask – I’m weird about how much tea I drink, and I also like to boil my flitered water if I have enough fuel. For freezing nights, it’s gold to have some hot tea in the sleeping bag. This hydroflask is heavy, but it’s a creature comfort. Tea will stay warm all night.

Clothes

• Bags – Not only do these compression bags keep your extra clothes dry, they’re incredible at saving space.
• Thick Socks – I splurged on these ones, and they’ve lasted many trips. Still going strong. But these socks are way cheaper and plenty durable. I’ve done some long hikes in them, by just doubling them up.
• Hiking Gloves – I like to be covered head to toe when hiking for a full day. Nothing is worse that arriving at your destination with days ahead of you and being burned and chapped. These crappy gloves protect my hands from my poles, keep the sun off, and are light enough to not make me sweat. They’ve actually lasted a while, but are starting to rip. I’m ok with buying another pair here and there. So cheap.
• Puffy Jacket – Though these lightweight jackets aren’t perfect for insulation, they do a great job. I used to bring in this massive fuzzy jacket that was 100% going to keep me warm in any temps. But it weighed SO much. Now, if things are too cold, I wear everything I’ve got, and turn my sleeping bag into a scarf.
• Long Sleeve Shirt – I’ve bought this white hoodie shirt 3 times now. I don’t get overly hot and it covers the majority of my top half. They last forever, but since I like white for heat preferences, they get gross looking when camping for days on end.
• Zipper Pants – I can’t find where I bought the damned things, but I got these really lightweight beige pants where the legs zip off.  So I can make them shorts. I always hike with pants on, to limit sun exposure and potential scrapes. So having a really light fabric that breathes is crucial. It also zips at the pockets, so I’m not dropping things along the way.
• Extras – For bed, and in case things get too wet, I have an extra shirt, socks, a few pairs of underwear, and some comfy pants. The shirt I use when not hiking is smart wool, which is easy to clean and doesn’t hold smell as much.
• Winter Extras – If winter time, I bring long johns, thick night gloves, a beanie.

Not Necessary, but nice to have:

• Rain Gear – A lightweight jacket and pants are really nice to have if you plan on leaving your canopy, or the rain is moving sideways. I personally don’t mind (and rather like) hiking in the rain with normal clothes, but I also bring a change just in case.

Food

• Noodle Soups – I try and find some small, lightweight organic noodle packs.
• Spam Singles – It’s not for everyone, but these Spam packets are magic when added to almost any meal.
• Sardines – Yes, they weigh a lot. But, when I bring 2-3 of these, it heightens my meal above and beyond even Spam!
• Dehydrated/freezedried Fruit/Veg – Freeze dried is best, but it’s expensive. Great to add either to meals.
• Buckwheat Cereal Packets – My breakfast of choice with some honey.
• Coffee & Chocolate Packets – Mochas for breakfast are the best way to start the day!
• Snack Bars – I don’t bring too many. Just a few for day hikes when we won’t have cooking equipment for lunch.
• Seaweed Snacks – Lightweight and great anytime!
• Chicken Packets – These heighten any noodle dish. Or just eating them on the go is great too. SouthWest are the best.
• Loose Leaf Tea – Yes, bags and bag packaging don’t weigh that much, but I like it loose.
• Seasonings – I bring 3-4 small containers of seasonings for things I make. Ex. If I’m out foraging for plantain, some adobo seasoning really kicks it up.
• Honey – Breakfast requires it.
• Cholula – I’m a spice crackhead. I bring more than any human should bring, but I use it all.
• Popcorn – I like the sweet kettle corn. Bringing this was a revelation. I clip it to the outside of my bag. Weighs almost nothing and doesn’t get in my way when hiking.

Not Necessary, but nice to have:

• Roasted Garlic Butter – I roast garlic and mix salted butter with fresh herbs and the garlic in small containers. One for each person that joins me. Nothing makes a meal like garlic butter!
• Chocolate – Nice to have after dinner.
• Wafer Cookies – Very lightweight and gives that crunch that’s hard to find when backpacking.
• Cocktails – If the location permits it, I bring whiskey and vodka. For the vodka, I also bring some gran marnier to make it easier to drink.

Ultralight Upgrades

The idea for almost all the gear I have was stolen from fellow hiking friends. I think that’s more than reasonable.  I took shortcuts in stealing their ideas, especially seasoned pros. Some of these guys had gone thousands of miles and made all the mistakes I didn’t want to make.

That said, i still made/make mistakes. And I found a few gems all on my own. The journey to Ultralight is REAL, and I love every minute of it!