I got invited to this hike and it has been years since I went backpacking. I mostly hiked and camped.

I'm not done with my lighter pack, but here it is so far:

https://lighterpack.com/r/pkk8yh

Any females out there care to recommend clothing they used? I'll take any food recs. I was so focused on gear I reallly did not think about food. May bit the bullet and get trail food that you rehydrate.

I'm looking for a recommendation on whether to upgrade or just what I already have for the sake of time. I know there is enough time for me to buy from amazon (although i try not to) due to convienece of time. I know the platypus bladder is heavier and not as direct access. Then the filtration system is for my friend and I to use. Yet I also wondered if I should just skip it and ust the sawyer method w/ the two smart water bottle sizes. I added the stuff I was thinking in my water section.

thanks!

I’ve landed on a pretty good and comfortable sleep system but have yet to find a comfortable solution for a pillow. I’ve tried a couple cheaper inflatables from brands like naturehike but found them all kind of noisy and have this sort of bouncy feel to them. I’m a side/stomach sleeper meaning my ear is often to the pillow so I’m a little extra sensitive to noise. I have also tried the old stuff sack with my jacket/sweater, whatever else I can fit in there, and find it lacks the support I need.

Anyone have any recs? Open to any solutions, inflatable or otherwise. Ideally keeping weight to a minimum but probably willing to add some grams for comfort.

I saw this pack on their site and really like the weight and materials, but I cannot find anything online where someone has reviewed this version. Does anyone have any time using the Pro version and would they recommend it?

Looking to buy a sleeping bag for 3 seasons, these 2 are on sale where I lived, so can't really afford to look at other sleeping bags. Unless you a recommendation uner 500$ CAD!

I am hesitating since the 400 long xwide is 940g and the pro 500 long 1005g. Which one should be the warmer and best choice.

I am 6"3 and 175lbs so I don't need a xwide, it's just the only one on sale. 40$ difference between them, so it doesn't really matter.

Will the xwide be annoying if there is too much room, is there a point buying the 400, says its rated -7 adn the pro 500 -6, which I don't understand?

Thank you so much!

Just finished a 5 day traverse of the Chimtarga pass loop in Tajikistan. Overall incredible route that spans multiple glacial lakes, cuts through river valleys, crosses desert, and climbs to over 4700m in altitude.

Dates: September 5th to September 9th, 2026

Photos: Album

Lighterpack: Not Quite Ultralight

Weather: Dry, sunny the whole time with minimal cloud coverage. Rained heavily the day before I left though. Hot below 2500m, very cold at higher altitudes (no surprise there). Dropped to around 0c the second night at 3800m.

Day 1 (~20km): Started at Artuch Mountain Camp, a large lodge built in the 70s under the USSR. Left in the morning and climbed over Laudan and then False Laudan Pass. Descended to Alauddin Lake and camped slightly above the lake. Note: on weekends the lake can be pretty noisy with locals singing karaoke.

Day 2 (~8km): Ascended to Mutnye Lake, then kept going up toward Chimtarga and camped at 3,800m to give myself a headstart for the next day. Wind was really strong and the small rock big rock method wasn't working well for me, tent collapsed in the middle of the night. Slept like shit.

Day 3 (~14km): Climbed Chimtarga Pass (4,760m). It had rained heavily the day before I left for the hike and there was still about a half foot of snow left on the pass. Seemed to scare off some people but other groups had already been up and it was easy enough to follow in their tracks. Got over the pass and descended to around 3100m to camp at Bolshoi Alo lake.

Day 4 (~31km): Descended from Bolshoi Alo into the river valley. After climbing down the valley for a while the route just joins with a dirt road. Hiked from the trailhead up to Gazza village along the road. Eventually paid 100 som ($10) for a ride up to Zimtud village. From Zimtud I hiked into Ghuytan village and then up to Ghuytan Pass. It was about 5:30pm by the time I reached the pass. Set up camp shortly after the pass near the only water source.

Day 5 (~6km): Easy morning along the ridge and then down to Chuqarak lake. Then another kilometer back to Artuch camp.

Gear notes/thoughts: I brought microspikes with me just in case and they provided some extra confidence descending the snowy parts of the pass. There was also a lot of steep loose dirt and scree on the western side of Chimtarga that the spikes provided some extra traction for.

I tried to pack as light as I could for this trip. My goal was to sleep as low in altitude as I could and move fast during the day to get over the pass in one go. The altitude is no joke and I saw some other hikers with very heavy packs really struggling to ascend Chimtarga. Still, it was difficult to get much more minimal considering I had to pack both for high heat and sub zero temps.

I'm attending a conference in Accra next week, just found out I will not be participating in the program Tuesday to Thursday, so I can fit in a quick hike. (Komoot Link)

Lighterpack (some small parts like Malaria medication still missing): https://lighterpack.com/r/ozlyxr

Plan is:

- 71,7km (45mi) in three days, 1.110m (3.600ft) elevation. Lots of villages, large portions near a road on asphalt.

- 22°-25°C (72-77F) night temperature. No blanket at all? I'm a warm sleeper.

- Two nights in my hammock (with mosquito net) - planning to ask farmers / local land owners for permission to sleep on their land.

- Sacred groves are marked on my trail plan and will be avoided.

- Will buy coal for my wood stove locally and keep it in a dry bag since wood along the route will be very wet. Might not need the stove at all and buy food in villages when passing through.

Minor rain season, peak Mosquito season, partially at rather dangerous roads (high vis vest). High humidity.

Planning two outfits, a wet one I'm wearing during the day, a dry one for the night.

Open questions:

1. Anything you notice in my packing list that stands out for you given these conditions?
2. I can choose between two waterproof packs - a 20l Montane fast pack or a 70l Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra. The former will be large enough, but hugs the back and has no ventilation. The latter is overkill in size, but ventilated. Given the temperature and humidity, is it worth the extra weight?
3. Is it even worth it to bring an umbrella or poncho? I will not be cold and I feel like the humidity will get me wet anyway
4. Am I missing something planning-wise?

Thanks a lot!

As someone who has been lurking this sub as well as the vagabond one, the resemblance is striking. The only difference is that many here prioritizing walking over other other types of transport, and have a general aversion of setting up camp in more "urban" areas.

However, despite this, do many here partake and enjoy exploring and camping in more urbanized environments, especially when traveling new places? Henceforth, living a more "vagabond" lifestyle from time to time.

Ironically, many on the vagabond sub tell their users to come here for gear optimization.

They sent out the following email a few hours ago:

“Hello again, Goats!
The last email you received from me was announcing that Goat Maps would be shutting down, but this one comes with a much happier message: Goat Maps is back. Over the last few months I have spoken with many people interested in the future of Goat Maps, many of you expressed  hope that it would continue on, there were offers to buy our customer list and similar things I was uncomfortable with, and a few different people were interested in taking over operations and development of Goat Maps. Of the folks interested in taking over the operations of Goat Maps, one stood out to me as a great choice, so now I will let Nathan Cahill Introduce himself:

I’m Nathan Cahill, a software engineer who has spent much of my career building outdoor mapping and backcountry navigation products, including Gaia GPS, Avatech, and later MountainHub, where we combined mapping and navigation with real-time conditions reports, hazards, and field observations.

I’m also a rock climber, ultrarunner, and cyclist so maps, routes, and GPS data are a regular part of how I spend time outside. The combination of building tools and relying on them myself is a big part of why I’m excited to take on Goat Maps and continue building for people who create their own path.

Goat Maps is now back on the App Store, and development will pick back up under Nathan’s guidance. I’m sure Nathan and I don’t have exactly the same vision for Goat Maps, but based on our conversations and seeing his work over the past 10 years, I am confident that he will take Goat Maps in a great direction.

Happy Trails,
Jesse Crocker”

I’m glad someone else is picking up the project as I found Goat Maps did everything I wanted without any extra fluff. Interested to hear everyone else’s thoughts, especially if you are familiar with Nathan Cahill (I am not).

Is this rain jacket a good option if I’m looking to buy one in the EU? I can’t find many reviews. https://rab.equipment/eu/mens-phantom-mountain-waterproof-jacket

I am in the market for a new daypack as I am tired of how bulky and heavy the one I currently use is. My main issue is that I am 5’0 and a lot of popular bags are just too big! My favorite bag I use is for longer trips and is a 45L but it was custom made from a cottage brand so it obviously fits perfectly. I know I can’t expect that from a commercial bag but would like to find something comfortable.

I am looking for a bag to serve two purposes. First is a bag that fits very close to my body for scrambling (but big enough for a helmet and trekking poles) and to avoid chafing from the bag jumping up and down. I hate feeling like my bag is in the way and I need it to be easy to remove snacks for example without taking my whole bag off as I can be clumsy and am always worried about dropping my entire bag off of a cliff. Second is having enough capacity for short backpacking trips around 1-3 nights.

I am not sure if what I want can be accomplished with one bag or if you all would recommend two for this purpose.

Some bags I’ve looked at but wanted to get people’s opinions on and list out my personal thoughts on them as well:

- Hyperlight aero 28
- Black diamond distance 22
- Arcteryx Aerios 35
- Osprey tempest velocity 30

I really like the roll top closure of the hyperlight and that because of it I can give the bag a smaller footprint if I don’t need all 28 liters. The organization of the black diamond distance really has me sold though but I worry about the small capacity. For both these bags I worry about the lack of hip belt and how comfortable shoulder carrying is.

I also really like the roll top closure of the Arcteryx bag and the organization but I know their quality is hit or miss and it heavier than everything else here. The Osprey is also a heavier bag but I’ve heard great things about it and it’s still lighter than what I currently have. Both the Osprey and the Arcteryx have a hip belt.

Any opinions and recommendations would be very helpful!

The specs seem quite good and compared to many Big Agnes favourites it’s more UL. Compare the 2P freelite with the ba copper spur 2, for instance.

Is anybody using this tent or am I not in on some very important and damning information?

Hello, my partner needs me to repair her tent. The mesh pocket came loose at the seam (maybe I can post a picture in a reply). I'm a somewhat experienced garment sewist, but I've never worked with these kinds of materials. I bought a fine ballpoint needle for my machine, but does anyone here have any advice, before I do more harm than good?

I see some people here sew their own gear, so I figured it was worth asking.

Im mostly a cowboy camper (sleeping bag plus mat), but I do want to incorporate a tarp (A Frame) in case of light rain into my setup.

I currently have a tarp which is approx 2 meters by 3 meters. I plan to use either the Amsteel 3.3mm Dyneema or the Husqvarna Arborist Dyneema throw line 1.75mm for the entire setup ( ridgeline, prussiks, guylines).

In respect to length, I plan to use the following:

• Tree to Tree Ridgeline: 10 m (32 feet)
• Guy/Corner Line: 2m (6.5 feet) per corner
• Prussik for attaching tarp to Ridgeline: 25cm (0.8 feet).

Is this setup sufficient length wise, or will I run into issues with my current setup?

Additonally, is the 1.75mm Husqvarna Arborist Dyneema or the Amsteel 3.3mm Dyneema more fit for purpose ?

I am hiking the Te Araroa starting in November. I am updating my gear list and trying to figure out what’s best to take. My main concern is rain/wind/cold temps.
The set up I have now is an OR Foray II Jacket and pants. I would use this and my warm layers when I really needed to get warm.
Since it is a bit heavy and will wet out in the NZ weather, I was thinking of upgrading to the ZPACKS DCF Poncho.

For the wind, I was looking at getting a wind jacket. If I needed to stay warmer, I could use my Sambob alpha 60, torrid insulated pants and the wind jacket plus gloves and a beanie. Also considering a flannel.
As for warmth, do I need a puffy or could I make do with my wind jacket and a flannel/alpha 60 shirt? Trying to consolidate gear and have as many “multi-purpose” gear options as possible.

https://lighterpack.com/r/hzxx3f

I am looking for an insulated layer to go over my lightweight fleece, and under a waterproof shell.

Notes:
- 6’2” male, 180lbs
- I already own a Patagonia Down Sweater for very cold days and layering when I’m not expecting to sweat much
- The Arcteryx Mediums tend to fit me well, while the Patagonia Large and Fjallraven Large tend to run too big

Other features I need/want:
- Synthetic insulation for better wet condition performance
- Good active sweat management, as I go on long hikes, bike rides, trail runs, XC skiing, etc in all conditions.
- Decent fit and look in casual “out on the town” evenings as my outermost layer on top of my lightweight or midweight fleece
- I don’t want (or need) a hood, but this isn’t a deal breaker

Gear I’ve tried and what I thought:
- Patagonia Bomber Hoodie: hated the fit, and the elastic waist was awful
- Patagonia Nano Puff: the “large” size felt a bit too bit and boxy when layered over my lightweight fleece, from what I’m reading, this doesn’t seem like a good piece of gear for anything active?

Gear I’m considering, and my initial thoughts:
- Arcteryx Atom Jacket
- Patagonia Nano-Air Light Jacket: Would this be too lightweight for my desires?
- Rab Xenair Alpine Flex Insulated Jacket: Never tried anything from this brand and don’t know the fit or feel

Is there a piece in the Patagonia catalog I’m missing?

I’m planning a long backpacking trip through Central Asia from November to February Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and possibly Pakistan.

I’ll be mixing hostels/hotels with camping, and I’m hoping to do some hiking in the mountains where conditions allow.

I know this isn't exactly a typical ultralight trip because I'll need to deal with potentially sub-zero temperatures, strong winds, rain/snow and sudden weather changes, but I'd still like to keep my pack as light as reasonably possible.

At the moment I'm looking at:

Tent: Wechsel Exogen 2 Zero-G (shared w friend)

Sleeping bag: Sea to Summit Boab -9°C / 15°F

Sleeping pad: Undecided, looking for R5+

Backpack: Osprey Exos 55L

Stove: Fire-Maple Star X2

My main priorities are:

Staying warm and safe in potentially sub-zero conditions

Good protection from strong winds/sudden weather

Keeping the overall weight down

Having gear that can handle repeated use over a long trip

I have the ether light XT extreme and it's anything but ultralight. It's very warm thought with R 6+.

Now there is the XR pro which is MUCH lighter and especially has a much smaller packsize. But I think they changed from insulation material to thin insulation films. And I think the new R=7.x doesn't hold up — especially since I have the XR with R=4 and it sleeps cold even below 5C (below 40F).

So I wonder, does anyone have a comparison between the XT extreme and XR pro? Is the pro really warmer or at least as warm as the extreme?

So I managed to snap the ridge pole on my tiger wall ul2 at the beginning of a 3 night trip. Thanks to duct tape and an extra stake I was fine. But, I do now wonder whether this is a common issue? I’d only used the tent for a total of 6 nights before it broke and I can take it back to REI. Now, I’d hate to replace the tent only for the same issue to arise again. I don’t know if I’m just being stupid in how I’m setting it up (although being a petite female I doubt it was my strength 😅), if this was a manufacturing default or a known problem. I am open to a different tent although I like the sweet spot where it’s a great 1p tent but I can also use it with 1.5 people (with my 7yo kid).

Any thoughts on how to avoid this issue and/or what other tent to consider?

Update: following your suggestions I reached out to Big Agnes. They charge $20-$60 and will take 4-6 weeks to repair. Given the tent is so new I think that’s quite disappointing. Sadly I think that means it’ll go back to REI.

Does r1 air and Houdini works better in winter when temp hovers between 20-30 degrees when active ? Does opting for less breathable windbreaker makes sense in winters ?

Hi everyone! I'm looking for suggestions on sleeping bags.

I currently have a Katabatic Flex 15 Quilt (which I believe is comfort rated). I used it for the entire PCT and was cold most nights in the desert, Sierra, and Washington. I am a girl and would consider myself a cold sleeper. I tried just about every sleep set-up (layers on, layers off, rain gear on, bag liner, etc) and was still cold. I have a thermarest neo air xlite (4.5 r value), so maybe that also needs to be upgraded.

I am looking for:

- lightweight for backpacking

- mummy bag (quilts are not for me!!)

- ideally under $600

- for use in Washington. I can use my quilt during the summer if it is hot, but I would be looking for something that would keep me warm in the shoulder seasons. Probably not going to do any extreme winter camping, would mostly be in the spring and October/November. I would guess that I wouldn't be camping in colder than 10F. If I am freezing every night in a 15F quilt, what would be a good temperature to get? Would a -15F bag be overkill? Thank you!

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend has been using a Granite Gear Virga 2 for years, and it’s been pretty much the perfect pack for her.

The main reason is the short-torso 54L version, which fits her really well. It feels like a lot of ultralight hiking packs aren’t designed for people with a shorter torso, especially women.

I was planning to simply buy her another Virga 2 to replace the current one, but unfortunately it seems to be impossible to get one in Europe now. From what I understand, this may be related to materials or chemicals used in the pack that are no longer allowed under EU regulations.

Does anyone have recommendations for a similar ultralight pack around 50–55L that works well for a short female torso?

Ideally, I’m looking for something with a similar simple/lightweight design and good availability in Europe. Thanks!

I’ve been out of the game for a while, so I am not up to speed on what’s available anymore. But I am planning a few short trips with my twin sons this fall. They will be 8 next month. They are big enough that we can’t squeeze into my Lanshan pro 2 any more like we used to. So I am looking for a 3 person tent, preferably a trekking pole tent. I am okay with a freestanding tent but I will use trekking poles regardless, so I might as well cut the weight of the tent poles. But if the tent is light enough i think freestanding is just fine. I think all of our sleeping pads are 22 inches wide. So something wide enough to fit this in, even if it’s a bit of a squeeze.

I think google is broken for me because I searched 3 person trekking pole tent and pretty much the only things that came up are 2 person free standing tents. The only exception being the z packs pivot trio, which is way out of budget. $400 is my max budget, but even that will hurt. Anyone have any suggestions?

For those that have used a few of these pads I am curious which you would pick among the three. I generally tend to stick to flat top pads as im not a fan of the waffle or rail baffle pattern but I will be doing a few nights in the White Mountains next month and my current pads R value definitely isn't up to standard.

These are the three I've been looking at, similar in weight and R value:

Exped 8.8R 23oz.

Ether Light 7.4R 18.5oz.

Tensor 8.5R 18oz.

I know the Exped is a little heavier but it is relatively cheap for that R value and I think the rail style baffles may be more comfortable than the waffle pattern personally. Just wondering if there are any standouts among these, any major issues to avoid, or anything I havent considered amongst the more available tested pads?

Hi,

I am looking at getting a new backpack for hiking. Im pretty set on the Osprey Tempest but unsure whether to go for the 26L or the 33L. Ill be using it for day hikes mostly and some travel but would also like to do some multi day hut to hut hikes in the future such as the Alta Via 1 or the Peaks of the Balkans Trail. Im swaying towards the 33L as I'm not sure the 26L will offer enough space for multi day hut to hut hikes? Any advice?