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Ultralight Backpacking Tips An ultralight backpack means more fun. Enjoy floating down the trail instead of hauling heavy gear. You can have an ultralight backpack if you mercilessly analyze every piece of gear in your pack. Here are 201 tips to consider for reducing the weight of your pack. Some are big, some are small. That’s part of the secret. Small things add up. The old and obvious are mentioned because they are some of the most important. Have fun being a fanatic. If your friends make negative comments, invite them to lift your pack and compare it to theirs. Think of these tips as a buffet, and take what you like: 1. Buy a digital scale.
You can find a good one that measures down to 1/10 ounce
for about $30. You’ll be surprised
at the weights of some items. You can take
your light, portable scale into stores and make wise decisions before
you buy. Do not fear sales people with
little or no knowledge of the backpacking gear they’re selling. You’re now in control.
Let them fear you.
2. Remove the excess weight from your
body. Losing those unwanted pounds is
probably the best weight reduction you can make. It
doesn’t involve leaving any of your favorite equipment home. You’ll feel better, and there’s a
net gain in strength and endurance.
3. It needs to be mentioned at least
once. If you don’t need it, leave it
home.
4. Avoid last-minute packing. If you hurry and pack at the last minute,
you’re more likely to throw in things like extra clothing you
don’t need.
5. If you’re backpacking with a
companion, plan ahead and share the weight of the gear such as the tent
and cooking gear.
6. Develop your sewing skills. Be creative. Some
of the best, and most inexpensive, ultralight backpacking gear is the
kind you make yourself.
Pack
7. Purchase a light backpack. Your pack is one of the best places to lighten
up. You’ll need to reduce the volume
and weight of every piece of gear to use the lightest pack. Your final result can be a pack that weighs
less than 2 pounds. That’s a savings
of more than 5 pounds over the big “load monster” packs.
8. Don’t buy a pack with too
much capacity. You’ll be too tempted
to fill it, and it won’t handle as smoothly if it’s
partially filled.
9. Try using your pack without the hip
belt. You might like it better.
10. Remove your pack’s sternum
strap if you don’t use it.
11. Remove any manufacturer tags from
the bag. In fact, remove tags from all
your gear, including clothing. Save the
care instructions from the clothing if you can’t remember how
they’re to be washed.
12. Cut some of the length from the
waist belt and straps on the pack. Remember
to leave them long enough for when you’re wearing your bulkiest
clothing.
13. If the pack has aluminum stays, or
some other reinforcing material that can be removed, try carrying the
pack without it. The really light pack you
end up with shouldn’t need reinforcing. Think
positively from the outset.
14. If your pack has large buckles or
cord locks, find a way to replace them with lighter ones.
15. Don’t worry too much about
the lighter materials in ultralight packs. These
materials are still very strong. You can
make repairs that are lighter than tape by using McNett Seam Grip. It works for sleeping bags, tents, and other
gear, too.
16. If you need a pack cover, use one
that’s very light, like the ones that are made from 1.3 ounce
silicone-coated nylon. Or, use a
lightweight garbage bag. Or, spray your
pack with a waterproof coating. Your pack
may already be waterproof. Check the
manufacturer’s specifications. You
might be able to save the weight of a pack cover.
17. Ultralight compression stuff sacks
can help you reduce the volume of your gear. You
may be able to lower your overall weight by using compression bags
because you end up with a smaller pack.
Sleeping Gear
18. Buy a sleeping bag that
isn’t “overkill.” It’s
surprising how many people buy a sleeping bag for low temperatures and
then use the bag for summer camping 95% of the time.
19. Use a down bag.
Nothing is more efficient for the weight.
Don’t worry too much about the down getting wet and
losing its efficiency. High quality bags
are made with shell fabrics that have a very tight weave and are very
water repellent, so they tend to protect the down.
The down itself has natural oils in it.
It works for the geese. Use
your skills to keep your bag dry. Keep it
in a waterproof stuff sack.
20. Have a small towel handy to wipe
any condensation from tent walls. That
will help your ultralight sleeping bag perform to its maximum.
21. A piece of very light and thin
painter’s tarp plastic or a light trash bag can be used to keep
condensation off the foot of your sleeping bag. The
plastic or trash bag can have multiple uses such as keeping gear dry.
22. With a lightweight bag you can
always add layers of clothing for extra warmth.
23. You can also use a silk liner that
adds warmth and weighs as little as 4 ounces.
24. Switch your stuff sack for an
ultralight one that’s made of 1.3 oz. silicone-coated nylon. They weigh as little as .6 ounces.
25. Keep your sleeping bag clean. That will keep the efficiency high.
26. Keep your sleeping bag in a large
storage bag when it’s at home so it will retain its full loft and
maximum efficiency.
27. Air out your bag during lunch and
as quickly as possible after you set up camp. Moisture
can evaporate and the bag can fully loft.
28. Eat and drink before going to bed. That will help your body to efficiently heat
your sleeping bag.
29. If your feet get a little cool,
you can use things as light as plastic newspaper bags or grocery sacks
to keep them warm. You can use the bags
for dual purpose tasks, and they add hardly any weight.
They can also be used for bringing wet gear and boots into
the tent. The sleeping bag stuff sack can
be used as a foot warmer.
30. Using an ultralight air mattress
can reduce your pack weight and volume and increase your comfort. They can be as light as about 20 ounces for a
full-length mattress.
31. You can have an air mattress with
insulation in the tubes for only about 1 ounce more.
32. Leave any inflatable sleeping pad
open as much as possible so the condensation inside will evaporate.
33. A closed-cell foam pad is light
and easy to use. You can even cut away
areas that you don’t need to save a few ounces.
34. The lightest air mattress
available is called a balloon bed. No joke. The shell can be made from 1.3 oz. (or
lighter) silicone-coated ripstop nylon. Sew
7 tubes (or more or less) into the 60” long fabric.
Leave the ends open for inserting and removing the
balloons. Insert Qualatex 60”
balloons (model 260Q) because they’re the strongest.
Use clear or white since they’re stronger than
colored ones. The balloon bed can weigh
less than 4 ounces. A pump can weigh 1.3
or 2.2 oz. Each night you’ll need to
use new balloons, so figure 8 per night. Eight
balloons weigh .4 ounces. This figures one
for breakage. They don’t pop when
you lay on them, but may pop when you tie them off.
See more at www.balloonbed.com. Or make
your own and get balloons and a pump at www.tmyers.com, www.larocksmagic.com, or others.
35. You can go crazy and use bubble
wrap for your sleeping pad if you don’t need too much insulation
or cushion. It’ll weigh about 4
ounces. There’s a variety
that’s made with some nylon that is much stronger than the
cheapest kind, but the bubbles still pop when you concentrate your
knees or elbows directly on a small area.
36. Ultralight backpackers have come
up with a lot of ideas for lightweight pillows. One
of the most common is using your extra clothing for a pillow. One place to contain the clothing is in your
sleeping bag stuff sack.
37. When you pack ultralight, you
often don’t have much in the way of extra clothing.
Some hikers use their pack for a pillow.
It solves a second challenge of where to put your pack in
the tent.
38. A small piece of foam with some of
your gear underneath can serve as a pillow.
39. At .4 oz. you can get a pillow at
Office Depot. It’s a 10 x 12”
air wrap plastic packing “bubble” that you can blow up and
deflate with a straw.
Shelter
40. You can save a lot of weight by
choosing an ultralight tent that weighs two to three pounds for the
two-person tent, or less than two pounds for a one-person tent.
41. If you usually backpack with a
companion, consider buying a one-person tent for those times you go
solo.
42. If you already use hiking poles,
you can save the weight of tent poles on some tents.
43. If you have an old tent
you’d like to keep, you can save weight by replacing the poles
with lighter carbon fiber poles.
44. If you have an old tent that you
like which has a fly, you can save weight by using the old fly as a
pattern and sewing a new fly from 1.3 oz. silicone-coated nylon.
45. You can save weight by using
titanium tent stakes. The 6”
titanium stakes are just .2 ounces each.
46. Save weight by leaving stuff sacks
home. A few rubber bands around your tent
are lighter than the stuff sack. Put
rubber bands around the titanium stakes and band them to the poles to
keep the stakes from poking holes in anything.
47. In some dry regions, you may be
able to use a bivy sack or sleeping bag cover as your only shelter.
48. If you need bug protection only,
the pop-up bug bivies weigh only 6.5 ounces.
49. For an even lighter solution to
bugs, a square yard of no-see-um netting weighs less than an ounce.
50. Simple, lightweight tarps can
reduce your shelter weight to a pound or less.
51. If you use a bivy, tarp, or
poncho/bivy, you may want to have a mosquito head net to keep the bugs
away. Of course, these can be used during
the day, too. They weigh only .6 oz.
52. Some tarps serve a dual purpose by
doubling as your poncho, too.
53. Creative cord tying from a tree or
using an available stick with some tarps and tents can save the entire
weight of poles.
54. The lightest ground cloth is the
one you don’t take. Use caution when
you set up your tent so you don’t need a ground cloth.
55. If you use a ground cloth, use one
that’s a light as possible. An
ultra-thin 99-cent plastic painter’s cloth is a light disposable
option. Some people like Tyvek. Consider using 1.3 oz. silicone-coated nylon
for your ground cloth.
56. If you use a ground cloth, be sure
to trim it a couple of inches smaller than your tent.
If it’s bigger than your tent, you can catch
unwanted rain and funnel it under you.
57. Consider hammock camping. Hammocks can be as light as about 2 pounds,
and there are some great advantages like being able to set up on uneven
ground.
58. If you have a tent with a fly, you
may be able to set it up with the poles and fly only, especially in
late summer when there are fewer mosquitoes.
59. You can more effectively use tent
options without netting if you repel insects by adding permethrin to
your tent.
60. Shake the water from your tent
before packing it on a damp morning. Let
the moisture drain off while the tent is on a rock or tree.
Clothing
61. Long-term weather reports from the
internet can cut ounces from you pack. In
dry weather you can leave some of the rain gear home.
In warm weather you can leave some insulating layers home.
62. You can shave ounces by making
some last-minute decisions about whether to carry things like rain
pants. If the weather and conditions look
good, you can leave items in the car.
63. If the weather is warm enough,
some hikers like to leave the rain pants home anyway.
Your legs will get wet, but they won’t be trapped
inside sweaty rain pants.
64. Your rain pants can be lighter
than 4 ounces if you use “chaps” that cover your legs but
are open at the midsection.
65. Rain gear can weigh less than 10
ounces for top and bottom if you use the very lightest and most simple
varieties. We’ve already mentioned
combination poncho/tarps if you want a piece of gear that serves as
shelter and rain gear.
66. One of the best lightweight
clothing rules is “no multiples.” If
you have one pair of pants, running shorts and/or rain gear are enough
backup.
67. One very light short sleeve shirt
and one long-sleeve shirt should be enough.
68. Avoid cotton.
It doesn’t dry as quickly, so it could be dangerous. And even if it’s not dangerous,
it’ll be heavier when it’s wet because the water weight
won’t dry as quickly as other fabrics.
69. Very light synthetic materials and
silk may allow you to leave heavier, bulkier fleece at home. A couple of silk layers under your rain gear
may be enough for summer hikes. That’s
a total of less than 6 ounces for 2 shirts.
70. Never wear jeans.
They weigh about 1 ½ pounds and don’t dry
well. Lightweight nylon outdoor pants can
weigh as little as 8 ounces.
71. If you need more insulation, there
are ultralight jackets made with down that weigh less than 8 ounces,
about the weight of a T-shirt.
72. You can save a lot of weight by
using running shorts that weigh around 3 ounces instead of heavier
cargo shorts.
73. Leather belts can be quite heavy. Look for a light belt. A
lightweight nylon accessory strap with a quick-release buckle works
well.
74. Using silk can cut the weight and
bulk of your underwear in half.
75. A lightweight watch cap (beanie or
lightweight stocking cap) can weigh as little as an ounce.
It’s great for extra warmth during the day or while
you’re sleeping.
76. A full-brimmed hat for storm
protection that’s made from silicone-coated nylon weighs as
little as 1.2 ounces.
77. A baseball-type hat from
lightweight ripstop nylon for sun protection can weigh less than an
ounce.
78. A painter’s cap will give
you cheap, light protection from the sun. They
weigh about 1.3 ounces.
79. If a hat is too hot for you, use a
visor to be cooler and lighter. Visors
vary a lot in weight, so use a digital scale to find the lightest one.
80. Lightweight polypropylene gloves
that weigh an ounce will give you some warmth.
81. You can use your extra socks as
gloves, or for added warmth over light gloves.
82. Those plastic newspaper or grocery
bags that we used for keeping your feet warm at night can be used to
keep your hands dry.
83. Socks that are warm, comfortable,
and help you avoid blisters are vital. Don’t
try to go too thin and light if you tend to blister.
But many popular styles come in various heights. So a shorter, lighter sock might give you the
same function.
84. One of the best ways to save
clothing weight is to use running shoes instead of hiking boots. The old saying of one pound on your feet being
equal to five pounds in your pack is true. You
lift your shoes with every step, so why not lift something light and
comfortable?
85. Shoe laces that come with your
running shoes are often too long. They
catch on the little twigs along the trail. You
might as well cut them off and save the weight. Burn
the ends so they don’t unravel.
Cooking
86. Keep your cooking gear light by
using a kettle only. You can save more
than half the weight of the cooking kit by leaving the plate and fry
pan home. The ¾ quart kettle by
itself weighs less than 5 ounces.
87. With titanium, your kettle can
weigh under 4 ounces.
88. Stainless steel is heavy. Avoid it. Non-stick
coatings make a kettle heavier than one without it.
Decide whether the weight of the non-stick surface is
worth it for you.
89. For your cup, use the plastic kind
that have measuring marks inside. They’re
four times lighter than a sierra cup.
90. Try using a lexan spoon only. You probably don’t need a fork. For cutting food you can use your pocket knife. File some of the excess weight from the handle
of your spoon. Have some fun being a
fanatic. Drill some holes in the handle.
91. Some hikers like a long Dairy
Queen spoon because it can reach all the way into foil pouches and zip
lock bags. Be ready to use some emergency
chopsticks if the spoon breaks. Some
people like chopsticks anyway.
92. Blacken the bottom of your kettle
to cook faster and conserve fuel. If your
kettle won’t do this naturally, use heat-resistant paint, the
kind you use to paint barbeques and wood stoves.
93. Keep the lid for your kettle. You’ll save its weight by using less
fuel.
94. Use a windscreen so you conserve
and carry less fuel. You can probably use
something that’s already in your pack so there’s no weight
added. Or use something very light, like
aluminum foil.
95. Use your digital scale to know the
weight of a full and empty fuel canister if you use butane/propane. It’s surprising how far a small can will
go. You can learn when to leave a full
7-ounce canister home.
96. For a scouring pad, keep it simple
and cut it down to a very small size. Or,
better yet, don’t take one at all. They
tend to become bacteria magnets. Use goats
beard -- the stuff that’s attached to tree bark.
Or use pine cones or sand.
97. You may need a towel to handle
your hot kettle. Keep one small piece of a
rayon camper’s towel for kitchen use and one for your body.
98. The lighter, thinner towels you
can find in grocery stores are even lighter than a rayon camper’s
towel. These work well on your body
because they can rinse so easily for washing up.
99. There are two main types of
ultralight stoves. Titanium stoves that
burn butane/propane fuel can be as light as 2 ½ ounces. Their small fuel canisters are 7 ounces. Or you can choose a soda can style stove that
burns denatured alcohol. These can be
lighter than 2 ounces. Their fuel is
readily available and can be carried in very light containers.
100. Fiberglass is often used as a
wicking agent in the soda can stoves. The
thin fiberglass within foil can be used to hold hot stoves or kettles
and can be used to hold heat in your kettle.
101. The
lightest water container is a plastic soda, water, or Gatorade bottle. Of course, you’ll want to remove that
heavy label.
102. Some backpackers like to stay
hydrated by drinking directly from a tube as they hike.
You can keep the weight of this system to a minimum by
using only a bladder within your pack.
103. If you like to take salt and
pepper, stock up on the kind that’s in paper packets in fast food
restaurants. Keep them in small zip lock
bags.
104. Book matches are about as light
as any. Store them in a small zip lock to
keep them dry.
105. It’s good to carry some
windproof and waterproof matches, but the box they come in is heavy. Put some of the matches in a small zip lock
bag and store the striker portion of the box in a small zip lock bag
within so it doesn’t accidentally strike.
Food
106. Freeze dried food is one way to
reduce your food weight. But they are
expensive and not always dense in nutritious calories.
Freeze dried meals are often high in sodium, sugar, and
fats. Read the labels.
Learn what you like and what’s nutritious.
107. There’s a wide variety of
weights among one and two-person freeze dried meals.
Always check the weights to get the most nutrition for the
least weight.
108. Eating vegetables is one of the
biggest challenges on a long-distance hike. Learn
which veggies you like in freeze dried form.
109. To reduce the weight and bulk of
freeze dried meals, repackage them in lighter zip lock bags, and
remember to keep the label and cooking instructions.
Add a single piece of tape if you use a zip lock to avoid
having zip locks pop open in your pack.
110. Some hikers cook in the foil bags
that come with the freeze dried meal. If
you do this, you can still repackage and use some of the foil bags more
than once.
111. Experiment with trail mixes in
your supermarket. Learn which ones you
like and which ones are lightest.
112. Nuts are a part of what many
hikers carry because they’re nutritious and high in protein, but
they are heavy, so consider eating them first.
113. Sunflower seeds are a dense,
nutritious food.
114. Always eat your heaviest food
first. Some of the most enjoyable foods
aren’t even considered backpacking food. But
a nice steak cooked right on the coals of a fire is a fantastic treat
the first night out.
115. Foods like packaged peanut butter
and string cheese are nutritious and healthy, but heavy enough to be in
that category of eating as soon as possible.
116. Dried apricots and some fruit
leather aren’t really that light. Know
the weights, and if you still want to take them, eat them early in your
hike. For instance, banana chips are far
lighter than dried apricots.
117. Some backpackers like to use
energy bars instead of traditional meals, partly because no cooking is
involved. It’s easy and you can hike
more hours during the day. It pays to read
the labels, because some energy bars are loaded with sugar which means
empty calories.
118. A granola, oatmeal, or cereal
breakfast can give you a quick start in the morning since you
don’t have to cook. You’ll
save fuel weight, too.
119. Dried soup mixes can be found in
any supermarket, and it’s an easy food to test at home. Experiment to find what you like and
what’s easy to fix.
120. Pretzels, crackers, tortillas,
and healthy taco chips are good foods for the weight and you can munch
on them without slowing down to cook.
121. Of course, a hike isn’t a
hike without beef jerky. It’s high
in flavor and protein and low in fat.
122. Tuna and chicken are becoming
more available in small, foil pouches.
123. Consider buying a food dehydrator. You can experiment and find which foods are
the lightest and taste best.
124. Powdered sports drinks can help
you replace electrolytes. Find the ones
that are lowest in sugar, since sugar gives you empty calories.
125. Remember to take your vitamin
pill. It can’t replace a meal, but
it supplements your efforts.
126. Always carry some spare food in
case of emergency, but make it some of your lightest food since
it’s not likely to be used.
127. Consider using a gallon size zip
lock as your trash bag. Since some of your
food containers will be thrown away when they’re wet, leave the
trash bag open as often as possible to let liquids evaporate.
128. Because water is one of your
heaviest and most necessary items to carry, it’s best if you know
where it is so you don’t have to carry so much.
A reliable trail guide is far lighter than unnecessary
water.
129. Having extra water in your car
will help you carry and treat less water. Drink
up just before you leave the car, and have enough to drink as soon as
you get back to the car. It’s
simple, but many hikers don’t do it. Keep
the water in the trunk to stay cool.
130. For any of the water treatment
methods, if the water is murky and heavy with particulate, you may want
to pre-filter with a coffee filter or cloth. A
coffee filter is extremely light.
131. There are lightweight methods for
each of the six main ways to treat water. Boiling
is slow and tedious, but this method doesn’t take any extra
weight for your cooking water. If you use
a wood fire, boiling is the lightest method.
132. Bottles of iodine tablets weigh
only 1.1 ounces full.
133. Iodine treatment can be as light
as .3 oz. if you put your tablets in a 1-dram bottle.
If you add a vitamin C to improve the taste, it will add
only about .1 oz. more.
134. If you use chlorine dioxide (Aqua
Mira) and use the small, one-ounce containers, the weight will be only
3.1 oz. when they’re full.
135. If you use a filter, it can weigh
less than an ounce if you use the McNett Emergency Frontier filter.
136. Bottle filters can weigh as
little as 5 ounces including the bottle.
137. If you use a pump filter,
remember to pump all the water out after each use so you’re not
carrying extra water weight.
138. The lightest of the ultraviolet
light water-purifying devices weighs only 2.4 oz. and can be recharged
and perform 20 treatments per charge.
139. You can use sodium hypochlorite
(household bleach) in emergencies. Two to
four drops of it will treat a quart of water. So,
a very small and light supply of bleach could treat a lot of water. But websites that talk about this form of
treatment always use the words “emergency use” and
don’t give details about overall effectiveness or the effects of
long-term use on your body.
Body Care and First Aid
140. For insect protection, put only
the amount of a good DEET-based repellent you need into a ¼ or
½ ounce container.
141. If you like spray applicators,
the spray top from a Ben’s DEET repellent bottle will fit the
¼ and ½ ounce Nalgene bottles. You
can also find other spray tops that will fit the small Nalgene bottles
in places like the sample section of your grocery store.
Sample shampoo bottle spray tops often work.
142. Treat your clothing (and even
your tent and pack) with Permethrin before you leave home.
It’s a weightless and effective way of keeping
insects off all the areas of your body that are covered with clothing.
143. Keep your first aid kit in a zip
lock bag. That’s lighter than most
original containers. Or, build your own
kit with a goal of making it fit in a small zip lock bag.
144. A good starting point for a first
aid kit is a tiny list of basic first aid procedures.
145. Your first aid kit should include
light versions of bandages, gauze pads, alcohol pads, antiseptic pads,
moleskin, butterfly bandages, and triple antibiotic ointment.
146. If you replace a needle with
brass safety pins in your first aid kit, you won’t have to worry
about the needle poking you or your equipment. You
can treat blisters with a (disinfected) safety pin.
The brass ones last longer before they start to rust. A few tiny safety pins can be a part of your
repair kit, too.
147. If you want cotton swabs in your
first aid kit, remember the hollow-tube style are lighter than the
solid ones.
148. A portion of a roll of surgical
tape is a great, light way to be able to make large bandages if needed. It’s also part of your repair kit.
149. A little wide athletic tape can
be lighter than moleskin in preventing blisters. This
tape can also be used for bandages and repairs.
150. Your aspirin and/or ibuprofen can
be kept in small zip lock bags.
151. If you use antacids, they can be
kept in small zip lock bags.
152. Anti-diarrhea tablets (loperamide
hydrochloride) can be a life saver. A few
with the packaging trimmed weigh almost nothing and can save a lot of
inconvenience and the weight of lots of toilet paper.
153. A little Benadryl in a tiny
container or in tablet form can give lightweight relief from insect
bites.
154. Small zip lock bags should be
considered for storing any small item. The
small 2 x 3” zip locks weigh 3/100s of an ounce each, and the 3 x
5” bags weigh 9/100s of an ounce each. After
you eat the food that you have stored in zip locks, the bags can be
used for other things.
155. You can repackage your
biodegradable soap in ¼ or ½ ounce containers.
156. Hand sanitizer is a good way to
avoid stomach problems caused by dirty hands. You
can carry a small amount in a ¼ or ½ ounce container.
157. If you can find a high SPF
sunscreen that is a liquid instead of a gel, it’s easier to use
from a small container like the ¼ or ½ ounce bottles. With a liquid you won’t have to dig with
anything like you would with a gel to get the last bit from the
container.
158. Look for good SPF lip protection
in a smaller-than-average tube. You can
find some that weigh .2 oz. instead of .4 oz.
159. Store your toilet paper in a zip
lock bag so it stays dry. Take it off the
roll so you never carry that “heavy” cardboard core. Use white, non-scented toilet paper so you
don’t attract animals.
160. For your toothbrush, look for one
that has a small head. They vary a lot. Cut off part of the handle, and yes, drill a
few holes in the handle. It’s fun to
be a fanatic.
161. If you want to use regular
toothpaste, get the sample sizes. Use
small amounts when you’re hiking. It’s
easier on the environment and you’ll carry less.
For most short hikes you’ll have plenty of
toothpaste if you use the first half of the tube at home.
162. To pack a little lighter, use
tooth powder. It’s usually made up
largely of baking soda. You may want to
keep it in a very small plastic container. If
you put it in a zip seal bag, the powder tends to get in the grooves of
the closure and makes it difficult to work.
163. If you use dental floss
regularly, measure it out and cut it for the number of days you need. The wax style stores well in small zip lock
bags. Dental floss can be used for
repairs, too.
164. If you take a comb, of course
you’ll want to cut it in half.
165. A mirror can be handy not only
for grooming, but emergency signaling. The
light, acrylic plastic mirrors weigh .8 ounces. They
are 2 ¾” x 4 ¼”. You
can cut one with a utility knife and a file, so you have 2 mirrors. It will now fit in a 2 x 3” zip lock bag
that will keep it from getting scratches.
166. Many hikers enjoy not using a
deodorant for a few days. But if
you’d like to pack some, you can find Arrid Extra Dry in many
stores. Repackage only what you need in a
tiny, plastic container.
167. Most medications can be kept in a
small zip lock bag.
Miscellaneous
168. Your flashlight can be as light
as ¼ ounce if you use one of the little “squeeze”
lights. The kind with a positive on/off
switch are much easier to use. Carry two
and you’ll still be incredibly light in this area and have a
backup and more hours of light.
169. Use lithium batteries to save
weight. They cost more, but last longer.
170. If you use the little
“squeeze” lights, trim the excess packaging from your extra
batteries, but don’t take them out of the packaging and let them
rub together. They’ll lose their
charge and be worthless.
171. If you want a beefier flashlight,
a model with 2 AAA batteries can be as light as 1.5 ounces.
172. If you like a headlamp, it can be
as light as 1.1 ounces.
173. Trim your map to only the portion
you need. Be sure to keep emergency exit
routes and any other necessary information.
174. When using a guidebook for one of
the long trails, take only the part that’s needed.
If you’re hiking a major portion of the trail and
mailing food drops, you can cut the book into the appropriate parts. Then you can throw away the old ones or mail
them back home as you get to each new package.
175. Many hikes tend to be on very
established trails. A compass is one of
your essential items, but many hikers carry heavy compasses that are
overkill. On some of the biggest trails
like the PCT, CDT, and AT, the only question if you’re off trail
is, “Do I want to head due east or due west to get back to the
trail.” You can carry a compass that
is as light as 1/10 oz. For 3/10 oz. you
can have a compass that is marked every 5 degrees, is liquid filled,
has a luminous dial, and a rotating bezel.
176. Some hikers love to carry their
heavy “all-in-one” utility knife. For
that weight you can carry a knife that weighs 3/10 oz. and 10 to 20
other pieces of gear.
177. Have a separate pair of
sunglasses for backpacking, a pair that weighs less than an ounce. Chances are a small, frameless pair will be
quite a bit lighter than your regular sunglasses. The
lightest storage protection is probably a zip lock bag.
178. There are a lot of things you can
use for fire starter. Your cooking gear
might be enough. Dryer lint is an old
favorite that is very light.
179. You may never need an emergency
blanket, but it’s cheap insurance for only 1.8 oz. and it can
serve other purposes such as a ground cover or a dry place to sit.
180. Your emergency whistle can be as
light as .2 oz. for a small plastic version or .1 oz. for the light
aluminum style.
181. Choose a utility cord that is
thin, but strong. You can have strong cord
that weighs only .4 oz. for 25 feet.
182. A few rubber bands make a nice
utility item and add very little weight.
183. If your regular watch is very
heavy, get a cheap plastic one for backpacking. Many
hikers like a light and an alarm and don’t need much else. If you get one with only those features it
will be inexpensive and light.
184. Some hikers won’t leave
home without duct tape. It works for a
number of repairs and can be used for first aid. If
you tape some to the outside of your pack, be sure it’s not
melting into a ball in the sun. Some
brands do better in heat. You can find
duct tape in “flat packs” of 3 or 5 yards.
185. There are hikers who must have a
trowel for bathroom use, but you can save weight without one. The wilderness provides its own trowels. They’re called sticks.
186. A pencil and pen are important
items to have. You may need them to leave
important messages on the trail. You can
place a message in a used zip lock bag on the trail and it will be
protected from rain. Find a very small pen
or even a thick plastic pen refill that works as your pen.
187. You’ll need to carry your
car keys, so have a separate one made that can be drilled out and filed
to lighten.
188. Your car key would be a terrible
thing to lose, so add some bright Mylar from a party balloon or a piece
of bright cord or yarn.
189. If hiking poles appeal to you,
check around until you find the lightest. You
may not want all the features that add weight. A
pair should be under one pound. Specialty
companies are bringing this weight down even further.
190. Umbrellas work in sun and rain. They can be as light as 5.5 ounces.
191. If you’re doing an
“in and out” hike, you might be able to save purification
time by caching (hiding, storing) some water part way into the hike. Be sure you can find it on the way out.
192. If you’re hiking one of the
long trails, become an expert at what to send to re-supply points. Keep a supply of what you may need with your
support person at home so you can call or send a note and have it sent
to your next supply point. Carry postage,
or include it in your food drops in case some of your supply points
don’t sell postage. If you have
postage, you can send unwanted gear home.
193. Some people like to take a
lightweight paperback for reading. One way
to lighten your reading material is to burn it as you read it.
194. If you need reading glasses, get
a separate pair for backpacking. You’ll
find that the very thin ones, the kind you buy in a tube case, are very
light. These are often sold in airport
gift shops.
195. If you have trouble with foggy
glasses, you may not need to carry a special anti-fogging liquid. Try the old skier’s trick that is used
on ski goggles – spit on them.
196. When you stop to rest and want a
clean, dry surface, try using a Tyvek envelope or a small piece of
closed-cell foam.
197. You don’t want to leave
your wallet in your car, so plan ahead and take only the cash you need,
your ID, a credit card or two, and possibly a phone card.
198. Leave your jewelry at home. It’s probably not that heavy, but you
wouldn’t want to lose it out there.
199. Find the lightweight camera that
works best for you. Some of the disposable
models are very light. If you’re
more serious about your photography, lighter models with more quality
are available. Take your digital scale
when shopping.
200. Leave extra clothing in your car. When you return, if you’re especially
wet or dirty, it’ll feel great.
201. Leave your cell phone in your car. You don’t need it hiking and probably
won’t have coverage in many areas. If
it’s in your car, you can call home for messages as soon as your
hike is over.
There you have it, 201 ultralight
backpacking tips. Hike light. Have fun.
Bonus tips!!
1. Get a haircut!
2. Trim your nails!
Click here to see our clothing and other ultralight gear About the
author: Steve Green of www.hikelight.com is an avid hiker who
has enjoyed trimming his backpack weight for over 40 years. Contact |
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