Ultra Light Backpacking and Camping Gear: a Way of Life and a Lighter Load
Ultra light backpacking and camping gear refers to specially designed gear that, once fully assembled, enables a pack to weigh less than 10 pounds.
This goal is sought out for conservation of energy on long and difficult hikes. It is also a desirable goal for minimalist hikers and campers.
The first step when attempting to pack an ultra light backpack is to eliminate all unnecessary items.
This means that your favorite coffee mug and that change of dry clothes gets left behind. If an item is not absolutely necessary for survival in the wild, it is not included. There is no room for comfort items in the ultra light backpack.
This includes eliminating any items that can substituted with an item found in the hiking environment.
Water, fuel, and basic elements of shelter can often be obtained from the natural environment while backpacking and camping, so minimal amounts of these items are carried on the hike. (This naturalist concept can be taken to the extreme by learning to live off the land as much as possible. Many popular backpacking and camping books are available on this subject.)
The next step is selecting gear made from lightweight materials. This process may begin by selecting a nylon backpack over canvas and choosing titanium over aluminum or stainless steel.
Finally, ultra light backpacking and camping seeks to find multiple uses for the same item. rain poncho may be used as a shelter or ground cover and selecting a heavier jacket can make it possible to pack a lighter-weight sleeping bag.
What to Pack: the Essentials
Every pack must contain necessary items for a shelter, a sleeping cover, and the means to transport these necessary items. Silicone tent poles and lightweight hammocks are popular choices for the ultra light backpacker.
The ultra light backpack itself is most often a frameless model, constructed of ripstop or silnylon. Even an internal frame backpack can significantly reduce the amount of weight a hiker carries. Tarps, down quilts and closed-cell sleeping mats are popular choices as well.
Some ultra light extremists prefer to make their own gear, rather than rely on the commercially manufactured options. The resulting gear can weigh as much as 50% less than a store bought pack.
Whether ultra light backpacking and camping is a reflection of your life’s philosophy or just a handy means to travel more country in a day, it is a great way to extend your camping and hiking horizons.
