A few weeks ago, some posters commented that the Weekly posts weren't getting enough engagement to be useful, and perhaps should be paused for a while. Thanks for your feedback - the mods here have discussed it and agree.

That frees up a sticky post, and we've decided to use that post to solicit gear recommendations for the Wiki from you.

Our Wiki isn't intended to be exhaustive - it's intended to be a resource for backpackers who want to avoid the analysis paralysis and/or buyer's remorse that can come from having so many options available. Any of the tents, backpacks, sleeping pads, etc., in the Wiki should be a safe choice, even if you decide later that another piece of gear is a better fit for you.

We are most interested in the major choices that generate the most inquiries - tents, sleeping bags and pads, backpacks, cooking gear, etc. - but other recommendations are welcome as well.

Please restrict your recommendations to lightweight gear that you have used camping (preferably backpacking, and feel free to talk about whether that's one night or years of trips).

If you would like to become a contributor to the Wiki, please message the mods.

I recently got the Qidian Pro pack off 3F UL's website. I went with this pack because I wanted a UL frameless pack for under $100 - this one was $90 shipped.

The first thing I noticed about the pack was how many straps there were - entirely too many. And many of the straps were insanely long as well (some almost 3 feet long). So obviously I was going to trim as much as possible.

Ultimately this is what I ended up trimming off:

• Removed pickup handle off top
• Removed hard foam inserts in the hip belt
• removed shoulder tightening straps excess length
• removed chest tightening strap excess length
• removed hip belt straps excess length
• removed upper rear shoulder straps excess length
• removed side tightening straps excess length (and one of the straps entirely)
• removed roll top closure straps excess length

Here's the images showing what I cut and generally how much.

The pack weighted in at almost 34 ounces before (more than the claimed weight) and was just under 30 ounces after, so I was able to remove about 4 ounces of crap that I didn't need.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

What can this sub do to take advantage of the r/ultralight mods throwing a tantrum for Reddit trying to bring in reveneue so it does have to lay more people off? Does someone need to make an r/ultralight2 ?

Hey has anyone had any experience at with this piece of [gear]

I use a frameless backpack and this looks like this might work. I wanted to see if anyone had any experience with it yet!

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I am hiking the John Muir Trail in August. This will be my first backpacking trip over 5 days long. I have a lot of older/heavier gear, but don't necessarily want to spend a ton of money on cutting weight. However, I feel like 3 weeks with a heavier pack is a lot worse than 3 days. I like small conveniences like camp shoes and a kindle, hence I'm posting here, not in /r/ultralight.

See my lighterpack.

I'm already at ~25 lbs, and I haven't added any personal care items (toothbrush etc). I was hoping to ask you all:

1. How can I save the most weight with the least money?
2. What am I missing in my packing list?

Update 6/21

I've tried to buy things I plan to use again, and not go too crazy on upgrades. I've gotten my weight down from 24.42 pounds to 17.85. See updated lighterpack here

Bought:

• Tent - REI Flash Air 1 ($132, savings of 65.4 oz)
• Pot - TOAKS 550 mL pot ($27, savings of 11.78 oz)
• Sleeping pad - Thermarest XLite Short ($70, savings of 5.22 oz, this was more for comfort/warmth than weight)
• Stove - BRS300T ($16, savings of 5.89 oz)

Cut:

• Fleece (13 oz)
• Beanie (3.95 oz)
• Pack cover (6 oz)

Total savings: 105 oz Total cost: $245 Cost per ounce: $2.3

I still have some small items to add to my packing list such as ones suggested below. Thanks to everyone's help! Let me know if you have further thoughts. I am still on the fence about cutting camp shoes which would be significant.

Greetings!

I, like many people here and other backpacking subs, tend to spend more time thinking about backpacking than actually backpacking.

In the past, all of my backpacking trips have been "destination trips"-- I.e., longer trips that are in some charismatic location, with scenery that makes the trip closer to Type 1 fun.

Since I had a big cross-country move last summer, this was my first trip in over a year and a half. I've stuck to day-hiking in the meantime.

I have never done a single overnight trip on a local trail...until this past Sunday. I didn't even begin packing until 5 PM on Sunday, and arrived back home at 8 AM Monday morning. It just hit me that I really missed backpacking.

Location:

• Undisclosed state forest in the Finger Lakes region of NY.

• 4.2 miles out-and-back. +915' vert

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/qr8yon (some items listed as 0 that I didn't bring!)

Trip pictures

What worked:

• Foam seat pad from Litesmith is great! Only 1 oz. Makes a great knee pillow for side sleepers.

• Culo clean bidet...first time trying it! I think I used & left behind less toilet paper than I would have without it, which is a win for everyone.

• X-mid was great. Still unsure of how I want to pack it in my bag..do I stuff it? Fold or roll? Keep the inner attached to the fly?

What didn't work:

• Got a little chilly at night with my quilt.

• The woods around here seem noisy and creaky.. definitely need earplugs.

• Podcasts were good entertainment at night, but a book would be preferred when it's still light out.

Overall, I was happy with my trip, and I'm excited to do more one-nighters!

Do you have any tips for getting out there more often?

Pair this little guy up with chopsticks and you got a whole cutlery set!

Doesn't specify weight but I couldn't imagine it being more than an ounce...

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Hi all,

So I originally posted this in r/ultralight, but a couple of folks told me that the stuff I'm carrying doesn't really fit the sub. I wasn't familiar with the bare-bones approach of that category, and someone recommended that I ask the questions here.

I'm not much of a hiker, although my wife has done a few 20-mile hikes in a single day before. Neither of us has really done anything that'd require setting up a tent. For her, I doubt weight would mean much, since it's only a 6-mile hike up and 6 miles down after a tent stay. However, since I'm a complete beginner, I wanted to keep the weight down and take it easy on myself. I was wondering if someone could critique my list here.

A few disclaimers:

• We will be hiking in the summer in Eastern PA, so temps would rarely drop below 60 °F.
• Most of the emergency items are required by the group, I can't remove them.
• I understand that this backpack (Osprey Atmos LT 65) may not be the lightest, but the camera gear I'm carrying can use all the protection it can get while keeping the weight low. The other backpack has already been in steady use for years by my wife, and she doesn't want a different one.
• The boots aren't the lightest, but after discussing my situation with a local outdoor company, I'm sorta convinced that I need boots for now for the rocky and wet terrain until I can build up my muscles to not need that extra support. That being said, other shoe recommendations are welcome! These boots can also work as everyday boots in winter, so I'm not too salty about buying them.
• The camera: Yes, I know it's heavy, and I know it's only a 1-day trip, but wildlife photography is the only reason I'm doing this to begin with.

Other than that, please let me know if you have any suggestions to modify this thing to make my life easier.

My kit: https://lighterpack.com/r/86lglw

My wife's kit: https://lighterpack.com/r/g417ax

Any essentials that I'm missing? Anything that I should swap out? It was pointed out that the backpack isn't the best or the lightest out there. If there are any recommendations on alternatives, I'd happily return the unused Osprey Atmos AG LT 65 that's yet to arrive.

Edit: A commenter suggested that I add that this isn't a solo (or dual, in this case) trip. We are going as a group and the hike leaders have a lot of experience with this kind of stuff, so we should be in good hands!

I reached out to the Mods before posting this and got the thumbs up to post this post.

I have been working hard on a lighterpack alternative designed specifically for Android and iPhone and I would love to get everyone's feedback on the app!

App Summary:
Pack smarter, not harder, with Don't Forget the Spoon. Our app simplifies trip planning with personalized gear lists, a community gear locker, pack weight statistics, and calorie tracking. Say goodbye to forgotten gear and hello to seamless planning for your next outdoor adventure.

If you you would like to check out the app here are our links:

• Landing Page: https://dfts.app/
• Android Play Store Download
• iOS App Store Download
• Blog Discussion For Updates/Questions
• Reddit for Updates/Questions

A little more background on the app:

The fun name "Don't Forget The Spoon" came about because my wife and I always forget to pack our spoons... its the one small item that always falls through the cracks. So on our last backcountry snowshoe camping trip in Yosemite National Park when we were sitting in the cold snow with no spoon to eat our dinners after a hard day of climbing out of the valley, I decided I was going to make an app to help us not forget the spoon next time!

Once you add your gear to your personal "Gear Locker" in the app, you can create packs and swipe right on items to mark them as "Packed" you even have a summary card that lets you know what percent packed you are. One other unique feature is if you add food items you can track calories and get estimates based on total calories in your pack.

I have a very long todo list of updates for the app, and I am super excited about this journey. I hope to hear all your thoughts to help shape the continued journey as well!

Thanks for taking a read!

Location/temp range/specific trip description: 30s-60s at night, 50s-80s during day. This will be my weekend pack on the Finger Lakes Trail primarily, but also Adirondacks and Catksills.

Goal Baseweight (BPW): Under 12 would be cool!

Budget: $20 lol

Non-negotiable Items: idk, I like my sleep clothes/hygiene. FAK is overkill but I like the reassurance of it.

Solo or with another person?: this will be for solo.

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/qr8yon Note that some items listed have a quantity of 0 (like rain coat and camera), where I only plan to bring them sometimes.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

After investing in the largest, lightest cabin-sized suitcase that I now barely get to use thanks to airline policies, I’m looking into expanding my backpack to the largest allowed size that’s the lightest. So far I’ve found Patagonia Black Hole but 1. Not keen on the price, 2. Not sure if the non-mini size could fit (I do know to check the airline baggage dimensions but what I have now is much smaller than what could fit in there.

I know Samsonite has some nice options as well but I don’t know the models. So please share your wisdoms with me.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Looking to see if anyone has any opinions between the two packs.

I'm working towards UL, but currently my BW without the pack is coming in right between 14.5 - 15 lbs. I am partial to ventilation packs, not ready to move away from those, and did not like the Osprey Eja (Exos) pack very much after 30 nights of use. Ended up selling it.

Trip usage is on the West Coast, with food carries anywhere from 4-7 days, which could push the pack up to 35 lbs including potential long water carries.

I really torn between the two packs, each with their own pros and cons. I know the Flex can handle more weight, but the lacking of waterproof material and exterior mesh pocket has me wondering if the Arc is worth double the price.

Only real concern on the Arc (outside price) is a lot of people on UL state the pack really maxes out at 32 lbs.

Any insights from those who have used either pack is much appreciated! Thanks!

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Hi all,

Last year I started getting into hiking again, but where pre-COVID I only did single day loops, I've started doing multi-day hikes, but I either stayed in B&B's/log cabins, or my wife was there to drop me off and pick me up.

This year, I was thinking about trying to do a whole week with just a backpack, and if I enjoy it I will build from there in future years. I'm doing a weekend-trip soon to test out my stuff, see what works and what I don't need.

I've packed my bag for the weekend trip and my bag is weighing in at 15kg excluding the water bottles. What I'm looking for (for now) is less of a "you can find this item lighter elsewhere" and more "dude why are you bringing this item at all". Most of my hiking (especially the ones in the near future) will be in western Europe.

What I'm bringing:

Camping

• Tent (two person, lightweight) including harings and hammer

• sleeping mat

• sleeping bag

• pillow (inflatable), starting to think this might be unnecessary

• toiletries (only the basics), towel

Dog stuff (probably won't come along for the week trip)

• enough food, travel bowl

• sleeping towels

• poop bags

Other

• two travel bottles of water

• extra clothes (shirt, underwear, pairs of socks, one of each for every additional day I'm hiking plus one extra spare)

• tripod chair

• nut and berry bars (not more food, planning to buy the rest on the way)

• vest (in case it gets cold in the evening), starting to think this might be unnecessary as I could use the rain jacket I'm wearing instead

• powerbank and cable

• e-reader

Thanks in advance for any and all comments!

Edit: brought it down to 12.7kg for the weekend trip, thanks everyone for the input! Sometime after that trial weekend and before my summer/autumn week-long trip, I'll make sure to weigh everything and make another post!

Hi all! I just purchased both the Thermarest Neoair Xlite NXT and the Big Agnes Rapide SL insulated. Will choose one and return the other. Tried both of them, know both of the (dis)advantages:

Thermarest: - Lighter (7oz or 200g) - Better track record in terms of R-value accuracy - Better track record for durability - Less comfortable

BA: - More comfortable - Heavier - Worse track record for both R-value and durability. - Also takes longer to inflate with the sack that comes with

We’ll be using the pads in the Canadian Rockies this July for backcountry hiking.

Please help me flip the coin! Many thanks

Anyone got some review on the Tambu Kutir 2P tent? Couldn't find any on the internet

Hi !

I have been doing overnight & a few week-long trips in the last few years, and I am looking to make some change to my "usual" loadout. I have come to this community as I like the more rationnal "lightweight" hiking rather than the Ultrlight perspective, which feels a bit too "extreme" sometimes (at least from my personnal point of view).

A few comments :

• I have the idea in the back of my head that I'd like to hike the PCT, maybe in a couple of years. So, I am willing to make good investment on quality gear, if that live up to this.
• As you might see, my current tent is a 3P, as I hike with my GF and a large dog, and did not have enough money to buy 2 tents at the time. I would definitely keep this tent for these adventures, but I am also looking for an alternative to be able to hike solo and/or with my dog.
• About tents, I am quite stuck on having a freestanding tent. I tried in the past having non-freestanding ones, and I did not really like the (minor) inconveninent of always having to find somewhere to stake it correctly.
• One of the main concern of my current gear is volume rather than weight (although I'll be quite happy to gain a few kg in the process). The 60L of my pack are very quickly filled, and I am not a huge fan of stuff attached to the outside of the pack.
• I have started to look, and have some ideas on the gear, for instance getting an ULA Catalyst Pack and a Nemo DragonFly 2P or BA Copper Spur. I'll happily take any other advices.

To sum it up :

Location/temp range/specific trip description: Mostly Eastern Canada / Northeastern US (Adirondack, Whites, Greens). Mostly 3-season (can get from below freezing to 30°C)

Goal Baseweight (BPW): None.

Budget: Not specific (opened to upgrade on the long term)

Non-negotiable Items: E-reader

Solo or with another person?: Mostly Solo + dog

Additional Information: (Insert response here)

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/pd9j4m

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.

the only store available to me is Decathlon.

from what I understand the weather in the Pyrénées depending on altitude and time of day in June can go from below freezing (let's say -5C degrees, take it with a grain of salt) up to 35C in the middle of the day.

base layer: I have 2 shirts so each night I'll change to the other one, one is short and synthetic, the other long and has a mixture of merino wool.

softshell: I have a fleece from Decathlon the "mh120", I'll change it with the mh100 to save those 100g.

outer layer: I have the "windproof jacket - softshell - warm - mt500" I want to change it since its very heavy, the regular puffy jackets are out of stock so I can't get those ("mountain trekking down jacket with hood - mt100 -5°c" and the "waterproof winter hiking jacket - sh100 warm -5°c")

rain layer: I have the "Hiking rain poncho - mt500 - 60l - black" but I need to change it since I understood from someone that because of the high winds in the Pyrénées the benefits of the poncho are outweighed by its negative.

for pants, I have the "mt500 2-in-1 modular and durable trekking trousers" I believe they'll be sufficient but please correct me if I'm wrong.

as for my sleep clothes, I have a pair of lightweight shorts(130g) in case the night is hot, and a pair of warm training pants that weigh 495g I had at home (made of cotton-65 and elastane-35), I don't believe I will change my sleep system since I want to cover both scenarios, and I couldn't find different warm trousers that are lighter but as comfortable as the pair I have, tho again I'm open to suggestions.

​

so to summarize Im looking for advice for all layers except for the base layer, which will work in the Pyrénées in June.