3-Day Ultralight Backpacking Gear List   Dear fellow backpacker, I’m on the sunset side of 60, but even when I was in my teens and twenties I had fun reducing the weight of my pack. When I was young, strong, and full of energy I still couldn’t understand carrying a heavy pack. Backpacking is infinitely more enjoyable when you’re carrying a light load and getting closer to nature. Hiking should be closer to walking than hauling. So, for over 50 years I’ve been working on ways to lighten my pack — without sacrificing comfort. I get lots of catalog requests that say things like "I have knee problems and need to get my pack down to 35 pounds." Ouch!! Why not get under 20 pounds so you can float along and really have fun! Much of a heavy pack comes from the overkill of carrying winter items. If your biggest weather threat is a summer shower, backpacking should be simple. For starters, most people use a sleeping bag that makes them sweat in summer. It’s easier to use one of the Western Mountaineering bags — then if you go on a trip that’s going to be a little cooler, just add a silk liner. It’s just 4.7 ounces, and the liner keeps you another 9 ½ degrees warmer. Once you commit to a light pack, you can save a lot of weight on the pack itself. Many packs weigh 7 pounds or more. And the manufacturers have the nerve to say how "comfortable" they are. Your knees and ankles know the total weight you’re carrying. Notice how these products are as comfortable to use as heavier ones, and in most cases more convenient because they’re small and simple. People have asked me for a specific list of how I can get my pack weight down to 15 pounds, and less. Here it is -- including clothing and food. You can modify it with a tent instead of a bivy sack and so on. Put the pencil to it. It works! Add up your heaviest items, the pack, sleeping bag, bivy, pad, rain gear, stove, and fuel and you’re still under 4 pounds — the weight of many packs alone! Choose a full size pack and a tent instead of a bivy, and you’re still under 6 pounds. Then see how light your total can be, including food and water. Your 3-day pack can be only 7 lbs. 7.3 oz. plus 27.5 oz. for food for a total of 9 lbs. 2.8 oz.. No smoke. No mirrors. These are the real weights of each item and the real total. You can switch to a full tent and still be less than 11 pounds. Add water and you're still less than 13 pounds. Here's a convenient Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet so you can compare gear. Special thanks to Chuck Lowe for providing the spreadsheet. Have fun, Steve Green   3-Day Lightweight Backpacking Gear List Item Weight Description Pack 11.0 oz. Six Moon Designs Feather (2,650-2,771 cubic inches) Or 15-23 oz. Six Moon Designs Swift (3,400-3,520 cubic inches) Or 20-25.7 oz Six Moon Designs Starlite (4,200 cubic inches) Or 20.0-26.0 oz Katahdin pack (3,350 cubic inches) Or 19.0 oz Granite Gear Virga (3,200 cubic inches) Or 34.0 oz Granite Gear Crown V.C. 60 (3,660 cubic inches) Or 34 oz. ULA AirX (4600 cubic inches) Sleeping bag 16 oz Western Mountaineering HighLite 6' Or 19 oz. Montbell #3 UL Spiral Down Hugger Shelter: Bivy 6.3 oz Montbell Dry-Tec Or 6.6 oz Equinox Ultralite Bivy Cover Or 15.1 oz Lightweight Equinox tarp (using 6 titanium stakes) Or 23.0 oz Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo (Pole +1.8oz. & stakes) Or 11.0 - 14.0 oz Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape/Shelter w/ stakes and pole Or 16.0 - 19.0 oz Six Moon Designs Wild Oasis w/ stakes and pole Or 24.5 - 42.0 oz Contrail, Squall2, Double Rainbow, or Rainshadow2 Tarptent Or 41 oz. Six Moon Designs Lunar Duo (Pole +1.8oz & stakes) Or 30 oz Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 Sleeping pad 9.1 oz. Klymit X-Lite 41" Or 10.0 oz Klymit X Frame 72" Or 12.0 oz Peak Elite Air Mattress 72" Rain gear 9.9 oz Rainshield Rain Wear (large) Or 10.3 oz mont-bell versalite (medium) Stove 1.9 oz White Box Stove w/ base and windscreen Or 1.9 oz Snowpeak titanium - Very quick and convenient Fuel 7.0 oz White Box Stove: 2/3 oz. boils 2 cups 6 oz. and 1 oz. container Or 7.0 oz Snowpeak 70% butane/30% propane cartridge Mess kit, cup 4.6 oz Titanium kettle. Plastic cup is included with the Open Country 5-piece mess kit Spoon .2 oz I take the spoon only, shortened for weight & to fit in cook kit Knife .6 oz Gerber ultralight knife - Super strong for its size Water bottle 1.4 oz * 32 oz./1 liter soda or water bottle Towel .7 oz Using about 1/4 of the towel on the web site Mirror .8 oz Use this mirror for grooming & as an emergency signal device First aid kit 1.0 oz Add your items to our first aid kit & place in a lighter ziplock bag Flashlight(s) .5 oz The weight is for 2 Pulsar II's, so you even have a backup Compass .3 oz Sun Minicomp II Matches .5 oz 2 book matches & a few water/windproof in 2x3" ziplock bag Emergency Blanket 1.8 oz This emergency blanket is very light for the peace of mind it offers Whistle .2 oz This whistle weighs about 1/2 regular plastic size & 1/6 metal size Insect repellent .4 oz Ultrathon with DEET in 1/4 oz. container Biodegradable soap .4 oz Campsuds in 1/4 oz. container Sun screen 1.2 oz Sawyer Stay-Put SPF 30 Sunblock in 1/4 oz. container Lip protection* .3 oz Your favorite with SPF protection Water purif. tablets .6 oz 50 Potable Aqua tablets in the 1-dram bottle Toilet paper 1.0 oz 100% biodegradable toilet paper comes in rolls of 140 sheets and is only 1 oz. per roll. But don't try to go too light on this one! Cord* .4 oz 25 feet of very lightweight nylon cord for general use Garbage bag* .4 oz Large re-sealable bag (10 1/2x12") found in all supermarkets Short-sleeve shirt 2.5 oz Silk shirt - Warms when cool, wicks moisture when hot Socks 2.0 oz Wigwam Mid Hiker™ (large size) Running shorts 4.1 oz Lightweight nylon running shorts pack small, dry fast Underwear 1.5 oz Use lightweight bikini brief style or silk boxers Map* 1.5 oz Trim if desired - Don't cut legends, side trails, etc... Pencil, paper* .2 oz Small pencil & paper for emergency messages and notes Sunglasses .8 oz Choose from our selection of Sunbelt Polarized Sunglasses; ziplock bag is lightest protection Toothbrush* .2 oz Pick one with small brush area, cut handle in half Toothpaste* .6 oz Small sample, half empty. Or use powder or baking soda Comb* .1 oz Smaller than average, and cut in half Car Key* .2 oz Take just the one you need; tie small bright cord to it; drill and file much of the weight out Cash & ID* .3 oz I always carry some cash, 1 credit card, and drivers license Rubber bands/pins* .4 oz Rubber bands, safety pins, tape, needle & thread   The clothing items above are your extras. Of course, you can reduce overall carrying weight by wearing lightweight clothes to begin with, too. Food* for 3 days The following weights are achieved by removing packaging from the MountainHouse freeze dry products and placing them in sandwich-size ziplock bags.   Meal Weight Description Breakfasts (3) 4.1 oz. x3 = 12.3 oz Mountain House granola with blueberries & milk Lunches (3) 2 envelopes = 4.7 oz * Lipton dry soup mix, rated at 6 total servings Dinners (3) 3.5 oz. x3 = 10.5 oz Mountain House entrees. (Add 6 oz. for double servings)   Total food weight = 27.5 oz. Optional Items Item Weight Description Water filter .6 oz. Aquamira Frontier Emergency Filter Or 3.0 oz. Sawyer Squeeze Filter Or 5.3 oz The Timberline filter is very fast and light Or 5.3 oz 32 oz. Bota. Remove the weight of your other water bottle Or 8.0 oz Katadyn Ceramic Mini Filter Or 11.0 oz Katadyn Hiker (Formerly Pur) Water Filter Gloves 1.0 oz Polypropylene gloves are warm, light & compact Hat, cap, or visor .8 oz 1.2 oz Skull Cap Pileus Hat Camera* varies Several brands make very light models Deodorant* .3 oz Arrid makes a cream that can go in a small, plastic container Dental floss* .1 oz Put some in a 2x3" zip seal bag Scouring pad* .1 oz Cut about 1/3 from the ones you find in the supermarket Fire starter* .5 oz Wind & waterproof matches & stove should be enough.... Hiking Poles 9.5 oz Black Diamond Ultra Distance poles (120cm) Inner jacket 5.6 oz mont-bell Ex Light Down Inner Jacket Thermawrap jacket 10.1 oz mont-bell Thermawrap Jacket Down Pants 7.7 oz mont-bell Inner Down Pants Thermawrap pants 15.4 oz mont-bell Thermawrap Pants Umbrella 5.8 oz mont-bell's Ultralight Trekking Umbrella Gaiters 1.5 oz MontBell Stretch Gaiter Mosquito Head Net .6 oz This Mosquito Head Net is great protection if bugs are thick Reading glasses* .5 oz I take the tiny folding kind Medications* Varies Not optional, but their weight adds to the total Reading Material* Varies Some folks like to take some light reading   Total weight before food and water: 7 lbs. 7.3 oz. ; with food 9 lbs. 2.8 oz. There you have it. A checklist of where you can make the most weight savings to lighten up and have more fun. Happy camping! This chart is figured for solo camping. When hiking as a pair, you can make some other small weight savings. Clothing Here’s a sample of the gear I’d be wearing:   Item Weight Description Socks 2.0 oz Wigwam Mid Hiker™ (Same as list above) Shoes* 1 lb. 15 oz New Balance 801 Trail running Silk T-shirt 2.5 oz Featherweight Silk Shirts Long-sleeve shirt 8.5 oz RailRiders, Roll-up tabs convert it quickly to short-sleeve Pants 10.3 oz RailRiders, Adventure Khakis Underwear 1.5 oz Bikini brief style or silk boxers   * These are the only items not found on our website