What are Bear Canisters and How Do They Impact Ultralight Backpacking? Another pack with a super simple design and a reasonable price tag is the Ultralight Adventure Equipment CDT, which costs just about the same as the Virga. So, please, bear with me.). For some. OGL considers a base weight of 12 pounds to be "ultralight" backpacking. In a large bowl, mash the banana until smooth. In our experience, a stretchy main exterior pocket with durable side pockets is the best compromise. Were proudly donating 100% of our revenue from today to the following organizations to address social justice and policy change. Food - Ultralight backpackers need a variety of foods that are easy to prepare, delicious, nutritious, and reasonably "durable" so they won't spoil or turn to crumbles during the trip. Home Ultralight Backpacker Ultralight is no passing fad, it's a way of life. Trekking poles can help alleviate strain on the joints on long days. Base weight shouldnt change much for an overnight or a week-long trip. | Free Domestic Shipping Over $20, Granite Gear Packs: Lightening Loads for More Than 30 Years, Saunter Packs: Custom Crafted by an Alaskan Aleut Thru-Hiker, XOSKIN Long Lasting Toe Socks Made with Patented Technology. For more great recommendations for specific gear on these lists, we recommend checking out the full CleverHiker Gear Guide and Top Picks page. While most manufacturers pick and choose which elements they think are the most useful, Osprey provides nearly every storage, lashing, and compression feature you can imagine. For more specifics on clothing, check out our CleverHiker Gear Guide. Others need a 5 lb air mattress. A traditional backpacker generally hauls a store-bought 50 to 65 liter capacity pack with a base pack weight (meaning the total weight of all items in the pack, including the pack, but not including consumables like food and water) of 35 pounds and up. First and foremost, we consider the types of fabric used for the pack's main body and the exterior pockets. In drier climates, youll need more. Pack Put your spice kit in a zip-top or mesh bag. The pack has also seen a carrying capacity increase from 52 to 55 liters. Afraid of getting injured? Got feedback? Heavy Sleeping mats - Weight 2kg+. Additionally, 15 and 30-pound test weights were used for shorter test laps for a more direct comparison. Some of the lighter full-sized packs we tested, like the ZPacks Arc Blast and Granite Gear Virga 2, earned top scores in our weight-to-volume ratio metric. Often times, food and water will be some of the heaviest items in your pack. Jane Jackson and Brandon Lampley spearheaded this review, bringing to the table a wealth of related experience. Shorts are super breathable on hot hikes. It has to insulate us from the cold, breathe well, dry quickly, and protect us from the elements. It's simple and sleek, with a roll-top closure and lots of external lashing options. And what changed my perspective? These packs, in general, can carry both light loads and heavy loads comfortably. & Tm Off, Get the best new gear, dreamy cabins, and epic adventure photography delivered to your inbox each week with Field Mag newsletters. After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Chris Cage created Greenbelly to provide fast, filling and balanced meals to backpackers. The CDT is meant for relatively light, small loads with a frameless design (a small foam panel for support in the back). Best skinny bear canister: Frontiersman. Though doing so with a lighter load may make the experience more enjoyable. Further still, consider ultralight hiking (aka UL), an even narrower niche of backcountry camping which brings base weight down to just 10 pounds. Sadly they're not being sold any more. If you have a non-freestanding tent youll need to carry one or two trekking poles to pitch your tent. I caught this fellow hiker coming around a bend and boy does he make a great prop! It provides plenty of external-carry options without feeling weighed down by superfluous bells and whistles. Ive been using the same piece of plastic for 100+ nights! Gear Lists. help@garagegrowngear.comOur business hours are 9 am to 5 pmCentral Time Monday to Friday. It isn't the lightest in our review, though its 2.5-pound total weight and 14g/L weight-to-volume ratio are impressive. Like nearly all the Gossamer Gear packs, other slightly heavier models scored highly in the comfort metric due to their ample padding and suspension systems. each. This is the clothing you will wear during the day when hiking. We think most backpackers will prefer using this stove over all others, helping it earn our highest accolades. Base weight is the weight of a fully loaded backpack at the start of a trip, plus the gear inside . Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may receive a modest commission if purchases are made through those links. Our review has one of the higher weight-to-volume ratios, but it stands apart from most traditional backpacking packs. No matter how light, your gear still has to work. Social media is great, but our bi-weekly newsletter is a much better way to stay in the know. If you're interested in cutting weight even further, you can use a sleeping pad as a back pad in a frameless backpack. The weight-to-volume ratio is a measure we use here to compare packs and luggage of differing volumes. You may bring too much food. Aim for 36 to 60 liter of capacity. Stay fresh with less Backpacker's advice for ultralight hygiene is short, succinct, and somewhat wide of the mark. If youve been dabbling in backpacking for some time, youve surely heard the words base weight and pack weight thrown around. At 26.3 ounces and 275 cubic inches, the Bare Boxer Contender is a small bear canister, one of the smallest canisters on the list. But wouldnt lighter setups have an equally great or even greater positive impact on a lifelong hiker approaching 70, or even 80? Cotton takes a long time to dry and doesnt keep you warm when wet as wool does. As one of your big three items, aim for two pounds (or less!) Standard Sleeping Pad - Weight 1-1.5kg. We use extensive backcountry experience and a lightweight mindset to help ease your load so you can experience and enjoy more wilderness. For some, this may feel like too much room for an ultralight pack, as the more room you have, the more you may end up filling with unnecessary gear. We love backpacking, international travel, useful gear, and all things nature. Ability to travel faster and farther using less energy - Less weight on your back means more energy for side trails! They are easy to attach and use with any pot. Read more Then you'll love our biweekly newsletter. A pillow can be a specialized item or simply some clothes stuffed into a stuff sack. 9 pounds of ultralight backpacking gear all a hiker needs to be safe & warm. In it, and in subsequent editions, Jardine evangelized the benefits of carrying less and moving faster. Bearikade Weekender, the lightest Yosemite-approved can. It also keeps your feet warm when wet. In our experiments, we measured the volume of the main pack, the main exterior pockets, and the lid (when present). Base weight is the weight of the gear in your pack that doesnt change over the course of your trip. It serves as a GPS, map set, camera, backup headlamp, a source of entertainment, and more. While they begin with the level-headed advice to "Ditch the deodorant and comb", they soon take a rapid nosedive, suggesting we "[c]arry a travel size tube of toothpaste and toothbrush, and pack hand sanitizer along with your TP and trowel" - a sentence that manages to get . I use a Platy "Lil Nipper" - it holds 1/2 pint and hasn't affected the taste at all. Beware of sharp metal edges (bear canisters or climbing gear), since they can easily be worn through the fabric. Because of its size and design, it's ideal for loads under 20 pounds and can start to feel uncomfortable with 25+ pounds. The Gregory Octal's UL Raincover is a reliable and widely available choice, as are the covers from Sea to Summit. Get epic tips, guides and how-to's in your inbox every two weeks. A light one-person tent may be the most expensive option among your choices. It's designed with a broad burner that's capable of boiling a liter of water in just 3.5 minutes. Some of us can sleep soundly on a two foot strip of 1/8" foam. Some hikers take soap, some dont. How durable can a sub-two-pound backpack be? Garage Grown GearPOS and Ecommerce by Shopify, Your Hub for Ultralight! ), Shelter: Zpacks Duplex & Triplex (1 lb. Its carrying capacity is relatively small (48 liters), which caters to those with an already trimmed-down kit. The description of each pack's features you will find here has not been covered elsewhere at the same level. The lesson is clearlighter loads and a conscious approach make backcountry travel easier for effectively everyone, regardless of age, stamina, or experience. You may even want to hike and backpack a lot more often than you used to since it's so much easier and more enjoyable. If you have known medical issues, like allergies or a bum knee, dont leave out items that will make your trip more comfortable or save your life. For three-season backpacking, target an R-Value between 2.0 and 4.0. Some people like to mark each item's actual weight with a sharpie or record them in a notebook. Makes room for luxury items or specialized gear - Ultralight backpacking doesnt have to mean you dont bring anything fun. The answer is that most are surprisingly durable. Going light can make a huge difference on your total backpack weight and you'll thank yourself you opted for an Ultralight mattress on longer hikes. Base weight doesnt count consumables, the items that fluctuate depending on the length of your trip. XLite (12 oz) XTherm (15 oz) NEMO Tensor Insulated (14.5 oz) Supplemental pad: Many hikers use a thin foam pad, such as Gossamer Gear's 1/8-inch Thinlight Pad (2.7-3.3 oz), beneath their inflatable to boost the R-value and prevent popping. Check out our Lightweight Backpacking Foundations video series, which explains what ultralight is and demonstrates options for lightweight shelters, backpacks, sleeping bags, and more. In the end, everything we do in life is up to personal opinion and comfort level. The Exos is a tried and true favorite and has been around for a while; this means it is widely available online and in stores and is easy to pick up and take out on your next weekend adventure. From Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, Charlottesville to Bozeman, micro companies and DIY workshops churn out hand-sewn packs, ultralight tents, quilts, apparel, and everything else ultralight hikers need to navigate the trail with as low a pack weight as possible. Great! Based in: Allentown, PA (soon to be based in Philadelphia) Founded in: 2016. But whats the difference? Manufacturers constantly seek to find the right balance of features for ultralight backpacks. of food per person per full day on the trail to stay satiated. Another sweeping generalization, but one that tends to hold true nonetheless. By making thoughtful decisions, tinkering with your equipment to perfect your backpacking setup, and learning what you really need/don't need through experience, you too can become an ultralight backpacker. No cotton. DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? An ultralight backpack is just one of the many products featured in our. The Case for Trekking Poles: Why I Don't Leave Home Without Them, John Muir Trail FKT: 3 Days of All Out Effort, 3 Years of Planning, Revelation Quilt Review: Versatility for All-Season Backpacking, Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo Ultralight Tent Review, Mountainsmith Zerk 40L Review: Ultralight Pack, Vest-Style Straps, Vecto 2L Water Container by Cnoc Outdoors, Glow-in-the-Dark Carbon Fiber Tent Stakes by @Stakes, Water Bottle Sleeve by Chicken Tramper Gear, Nitecore NB10000 Gen 2 Power Bank by Nitecore, Silver Shadow Carbon Umbrella by Six Moon Designs, DCF Tent Stake Pouches by PackbackDesigns, Bear Bag Toggle - Dogbone Version by Apex Giant, DCF Zippered Food Bags by PackbackDesigns. On-trail testing included trips such as 260 winter miles on the AT and 40 miles in the Black Rock Canyons Wilderness in Colorado. That being said, it really pays to invest some time and money into dialing in your clothing to create a working system that can be adjusted to meet all your needs in as few garments as possible. On a shorter trip, you might be able to get away with one charge. So get in the mix! CuloClean Ultralight Portable Bidet by CuloClean From $ 9.99 BoglerCo Ultralight Trowel by BoglerCo $ 18.49 @Stakes Glow-in-the-Dark Carbon Fiber Tent Stakes by @Stakes $ 6.99 Chicken Tramper Gear Water Bottle Sleeve by Chicken Tramper Gear $ 28 Nitecore Nitecore NB10000 Gen 2 Power Bank by Nitecore $ 59.95 The Osprey Exos 48 combines durability and excellent features at an outstanding price. When it comes to materials, the Gossamer Gear Murmur is made of some of the most delicate we've seen in this review, and that should be considered when thinking about this product. What about hikers with disabilities, or hikers with body types not traditionally accepted as athletic? The reason we calculate base weight separately is to compare your standard gear from a trip to trip. Cold weather can drain a phones battery faster than normal, always make sure to pack enough juice. Some photos in this post were taken by Jonathan Davis (@meowhikes). Here are a few of our favorite UL big three items: Backpack: Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 (1 lb. It also is nice at camp to limit the number of trips back and forth to your water source. This is especially true if your phone is your only source of maps. Make sure to test the batteries before hitting the trail. The Exos carries loads over 20 pounds with ease and excels when loaded down with over 30. If you dont it can lead to hypothermia. Shelters include a tent, tarp, hammock, or bivy. While no technical standards exist, some United States hikers consider "ultralight" to mean an initial base weight of less than 4.5kg (10 pounds). We found there to be ample room in the Exos for extra gear to make this overnight extra plush. (Its worth noting there are no concrete rules or technical standards to govern or define these categories or genres of backpacking, and definitions often evolve, much as the actives and their requisite gear have and will continue to. For those seeking to shave off the grams, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, ZPacks, and several other ultralight manufacturers produce a large variety of Cuben fiber storage and stuff sacks. & 1 lb. You may bring too much clothing or an unnecessarily heavy sleeping bag. Often the answer is, "Eh, I'd be fine.". They were bulky, awkward and way too heavy to carry. Hyperlite packs are some of the priciest on the market. With minimal effort, prospective thru-hikers, aspirational outdoorists, and armchair enthusiasts alike can learn the science behind cold soak meal prep, thru-hike resupply strategy, how to pitch a minimalist shelter using paracord and trekking poles, what the best sleeping pad is and how to DIY your own, and so on. Ultralight backpacking is a popular activity, and, if you're so inclined, you can easily invest a great deal of money in lightweight equipment -- the kind specifically made for the sport.. Titanium is used for pots, pans and eating utensils, and is much lighter than stainless steel or plastic. Thankfully, the days of 14+ lb camping cots are behind us and Read More The Best Ultralight Backpacking Cots: The 7 Lightest Ultralight . You should also consider trimming things down whenever possible since even tiny bits of weight add up. Dont forget to bring a charging cable and a set of headphones too. Sleeping bags come as either traditional bags or quilts. As with most any product, be it a hammer, stereo, or backpack, you get what you pay for. A larger knife is only needed if you plan on doing a lot of chopping or slicing. Our reputation is our most important asset, which is why we only provide completely honest and unbiased recommendations. Lightweight backpacking video guides and reviews of the best ultralight tents, backpacks, sleeping bags, stoves, and more. Run by experienced hikers making products inspired by past failures of mainstream gear manufacturers, these hyper specific brands use the aforementioned platforms and community hub retailers like Garage Grown Gear to sell limited-edition and custom items made to the unique specs of highly discerning customers. Follow LNT principles for how you dispose of your biodegradable toilet paper as well. We are committed to handcrafting the lightest and strongest wilderness food storage systems available. The cinch top closure also takes some getting used to (imagine a simple stuff sack) and does not completely protect from the elements. Lightweight backpackers usually have packs with a base weight under 20 lbs. Like many other hikers, my progression towards ultralight backpacking spans several trails and just as many pieces of gear. The lightweight backpacking approach refines the essentials, embraces a true less is more attitude, and eliminates weight at every opportunity, aiming for a base weight of 20 pounds or below. These tents rely on your trekking poles for their support. If not, skip this and use the small knife on your multitool. Here, we have the Porter loaded almost to max capacity. Grandma Gatewood is a known early pioneer of ultralight hiking, having thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1955 with just a duffel bag, army blanket, sheet of plastic, umbrella, and a few other simple items. ), Sleeping Bag: REI Co-op Magma 15 & 30 (1 lb 12.2 oz. Best to steer clear. Beanie (Merino or synthetic) Plastic bag for dirty/wet clothes. When it did arrive, we were immediately impressed by its overall design and its apparent durability. It doesn't include consumables like toothpaste, food,or water. Super ultralight backpackers usually have packs with a base weight under 5 lbs. The Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Porter 55 does all of these things with style. There was a time when you wouldn't even think about backpacking with a cot. The idea is that a hiker carrying less weight can travel farther, faster, while expending less energy. Like all UL bags by pretty much every cottage brand, each pack is designed after countless hours of R&D and made by hand, with Hyperlite designers working side by side with skilled craftspeople to ensure the highest quality of production possible. DRESS EFFICIENTLY - As hikers, we expect a lot from our clothing. Youll need more capacity for longer trips or if you need to carry additional items like a bear canister. We hope the information in this review sparks an interest in the ultralight world. When covering big miles on the trail, features like easily accessible side pockets for your water bottles, waist belt pockets for snacks, and a convenient place to keep maps handy are a huge benefit. As an ultralight backpacker, your base weight is generally said to be 10 lb and under but there's no strict definition of it. (Hint: It isn't all about sacrifice). And as of June 2022, it's eclipsed 530,000 subs. We love hiking with an ultralight kit because it allows us to spend less time worrying about aches and pains and more time enjoying side trails and the beautiful scenery around us. Shelters include a tent, tarp, hammock, or bivy. Pack weight - Pack weight refers to the total of your fully-loaded backpack including food, water, and everything else except the clothing worn. Packs can receive high scores in this metric when they have an easy-to-remove frame or simple design. Many hikers opt for alcohol stoves made of cut up aluminum cans or tuna tins. Missions in the mountains require packs that can handle two main things. Here, Brandon celebrates another beautiful day in Rocky Mountain National Park with the Osprey Exos 48. Made from Dyneema Composite Fabric (DFC), it's incredibly durable, though the fabric is a bit stiff and crunchy. We then averaged each pack's performance in both categories to generate our carrying comfort score. Even still, some prefer a cozy cabin. And as weve seen across the outdoor industry, the COVID-19 pandemic proved a boon for lightweight and UL backpacking, too. Create a simple hiker wallet in a small ziplock that includes ID, credit card, and some cash. I generally use them for storing gear that is ok if it gets slightly damp. Alcohol stoves have been a popular ultralight DIY stove for years. Comfortable in temperatures down to 20, with generous safety, survival, and first aid essentials. : 8.8 oz., Long: 12 oz. By looking at their total scores, one can see trade-offs required to be the lightest of the bunch. It's just a few inches on each dimension and weighs a feather light 2.9 ounces. *Potential Items Not Included in List (either luxury or conditional): Bear Protection (canister, spray), Book, Bug Netting, Fire Starter Kit, Ice Axe, Journal, Microspikes, Nailclipper, Navigation (compass, maps), Rain pants, Satellite Messenger, Sleeping Bag Liner, Sock Liners, Trowel, Winter Clothing (gloves, balaclava). Two sets of data, generated by our lab measurements, comprise this metric. Even dried foods are dense though, and hikers usually need about 1-2 lbs. The Mariposa out for a few days hiking through the backcountry of Grand Teton National Park. The juice was always worth the squeeze, after all. The downside to this pack is its price tag. Next, we examined each for a frame, waist belt, or other pockets that can be easily removed to pare the weight down for light loads. If you like our Foundations videos, you might also enjoy watching our Essential Trail Skills series, which teaches the most critical skills for backpackers of all levels. Buffs are an awesome multi-purpose piece of gear that can be used to protect your head from the sun or to keep you warm. It even works as a phone if you have service! Made with great care in Santa Ynez, California USA. We knew the feeling well. This could be a great choice for those who have been in the ultralight game for a while and want to upgrade. Delivery Worldwide Its expensive - UL gear is typically more expensive because it's higher-tech and made with top-quality materials. It may not seem like much, but theres a saying in UL backpacking: ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain. This adds no cost to our readers and helps us keep our site up and running. Watch our Ultralight Clothing and Rain Gear video to learn the basics of backpacking clothing, then use our Ultimate Backpacking Checklist to start dialing in your duds. You're in the right place. One piece of gear that sticks out in my mind as having . These competitors have multiple ways to add things, like a closed-cell foam pad, to the outside. These areas are subject to abrasion, especially the pockets (if you tend to stuff a lot into them). Heather Eldridge is an accomplished backpacker and camping aficionado. Ultralight Adventure Equipment consistently makes top-notch gear for the ultralight enthusiast, and the CDT is the latest addition to their fleet of durable, lightweight, hardworking packs. No "sponsored" content. If youre in the desert you might bring more sunscreen and skip the bug spray. We found all the top performing packs have similar total volume measurements. For a pot and a spork look for lightweight materials like titanium. The pack also comes with ice axe loops and shock cord on the sides for extra storage, making it an excellent mountaineering pack. Handmade to suit your exact torso dimensions. Many traditional backpacking packs work best for weekend or weeklong trips and range in volume from 50 liters to 80 liters. And be honest with yourself, how often in your day-to-day life do you put 30 pounds on your back and walk up a few hundred flights of stairs? Here is what different kinds of backpackers carry: Regular backpackers usually have packs with a base weight over 30 lbs. I did. Weather can change quickly on the trail. An ultralight Backpacking setup (left) compared to a more traditional backpacking setup (right). Most backpackers use a combination of dehydrated or freeze-dried meals, and items like packaged snacks, bars, and nuts instead of fresh foods to save weight. We recommend this pack to any experienced ultralighter looking to strip a few ounces off their Big Four base weight. I was skeptical but encouraged, and eventually cut my base weight down to around 15 lbs for a three night, 30 mile hike. The Chicken Tramper was average in terms of its weight to volume ratio. We compiled a list of our favorite tips for backpacking on a budget to help get you out there without breaking the bank. To simplify our findings for load carrying comfort even further, we've broken down each of our three award winners' niches as far as load-carrying comfort goes: We love having easy access to snacks and layers with the Arc Blast. Nylon is the most common, but polyester or DCF are better choices for your ultralight tent. See policy HERE. Buying a scale and cataloging items in a spreadsheet was hugely instrumental in the process, even if embarrassingly nerdy. If your trail passes through a campground with power, bring a USB Wall Adaptor. Equal parts backpacking food and ultralight gear. Call us: 1.805.693.0550 What Is A Bearikade? We buy all the products ourselves. Additionally, some hikers choose to carry a footprint to protect the bottom of their tent from abrasion in rockier areas and protect in wet conditions. We covered a lot of miles to find the best ultralight backpacks. Sign up to get our curated emails with the best content from CleverHiker and around the backpacking world. Chris also wrote How to Hike the Appalachian Trail. In the world of going out into nature with all you need on your back, most people fall into one of two camps, traditional or lightweight, with the vast majority of outdoor recreationists firmly seated in the former. Sure, backpacking is just walking, but it's actually really tough work. I began to consider other ways to customize my hiking gear, how to save more pack weight. Durability should be taken into account when comparing the price, weight, and construction of a pack. An oversimplified position is: fewer items carried means fewer items to buy and less money spent. With a measured weight of two pounds 5.6 ounces, the Exos barely makes the cut as an ultralight pack. Of course, we all want an ultralight pack to be featherlight, but it must carry our load comfortably to be worth it. Backpacking tents are generally made of one of three materials: coated nylon, coated polyester, or Dyneema composite fabric (DCF). Read review: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Porter 55. Thanks guy . The fabrics used in its design are durable and lightweight; miles of bushwacking and talus-crossing hardly left a scratch. By combining an incredible weight-to-volume ratio with a surprising level of carrying comfort, the Arc Blast is excellent for ultralight enthusiasts. You just eliminated the need to carry a trowel which only has one use. Success is the shared goal, whether on a thru-hike or with a new design. A deep dive into the world of lightweight and ultralight backpacking, and why you should embrace the "less is more" philosophy, too, Brandon Herrell, Graham Hiemstra, Hyperlite Mountain Gear. Unfortunately, it seems that you can't have it all. Far from it. Shelter is often the first thing people think about when they think about backpacking. While some packs can be stripped of their frame and waist belt, our evaluation of "great, good, or poor" for carrying 15 and 30 pounds is with the frame and waist belt in use, as these features add significantly to the comfort of carrying comfort a pack. Ahead of my first trip with the Junction, I leaned into the DIY mentality and challenged myself to rethink a lifetime of experience and embrace this new way of UL thinking. The idea behind the ultralight clothing strategy is your warmer packed layers stay dry for use at camp or while sleeping and only your hiking clothes are worn out in the elements. It's lightweight, comfy to carry, and does actually protects your food. No time to make anything? Now that weve covered the loose definitions, lets look at how we got here. Best bear canister for quick overnight trips: Bear Boxer. Depending on the temperatures you might opt for a shorter or longer height. The steps are pretty simple for cold soaking. The Hyperlite pack also has a very tall roll top, similar to the one on the ULA Circuit, which provides a great place to store extra bulky items when a significant food resupply occupies the main pack.
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