What does “Ultralight” Mean?
It’s become trendy among long-distance hikers and backcountry campers to try to shave off as many grams as possible from their total pack weight. They call this going “ultralight.”
They do this by:
- Leaving some heavy or unnecessary items at home, like stoves and pillows.
- Swapping heavy fabrics like canvas and polyester for lighter ones like nylon and dyneema.
Ultralight Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easier to pack
- Easier to carry
- Less redundancy
- Often has good warranties/customer support
Cons
- More expensive
- Can be less comfortable
- Can be less durable
Normal vs. Ultralight Gear Examples
Tent: Instead of the REI Co-op Passage 2 (4 lbs. 2 oz), try the Zpacks Duplex (19 oz.) or the Nemo Equipment Hornet Elite (2 lbs 1 oz.)
Pack: Instead of the Osprey Aura AG 50 (4 lbs. 3 oz), try the Hyperlite 2400 Junction (1.88 lbs.)
Sleeping pad: Instead of the Mountain Summit Gear Self-Inflating 2.5 (4 lbs. 8 oz.), try the Klymit Insulated Static V Lite (20 oz.)
Base Weight vs. Consumable Weight vs. Worn Weight
Base weight refers to the weight of the gear you’ll have in your pack the entire time you’re hiking. Your tent, sleep system, extra clothes, and things like your headlamp all count as base weight. Ultra lighters typically aim to get this weight under 10 lbs.
Consumable weight refers to things like food, fuel, and water, which you’ll consume along the trip.
Worn weight is how much the clothes on your body — not in your pack — weigh.
What Does “Stupid Light” Mean?
“Stupid light” is an ultralighter term that refers to leaving behind important gear to lose weight. Remember: trimming down your pack should make your experience better. Don’t put yourself in danger just to save a few grams.
Do You Need Ultralight Gear?
That depends. If you’re going for a long thru-hike — hiking for multiple days, and camping at different spots along the way — then having some ultralight gear will make it much easier.
If you’re going car camping, you definitely don’t need ultralight gear. Embrace the opportunity to bring silly, heavy, cheap equipment when you can! There’s nothing like frying a fish in a cast iron pan outside.
There are middle options, too. For example, the MassDrop x Granite Gear Crown x60 pack isn’t thought of as “ultralight,” but it’s much lighter than a traditional 60L pack. (I use it for nearly every trip, and I love it.)
Keep in mind: no one needs ultralight gear to have a good time. Check out photos of old-school backpackers from the ‘70s. They all carried gigantic, heavy canvas packs with external metal frames and they had a great time!
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