Ultralight packing list: what you really need and where not to cut corners
An ultralight packing list published in OUTDOOR magazine in August caught my eye, mainly because it does not start with the most expensive gear. The author, Robert Klink, draws the line for ultralight at a base weight below five kilograms, meaning without food, water and fuel.
His starting point is the "big four": tent, backpack, sleeping pad and sleep system. This is where you can save the most weight, but also where you can most easily go too far. For a light tent he names a Dyneema model such as the Tarptent Rainbow Li, and as a more comfortable option the Durston X-Dome 1. For backpacks, the range runs from the 38-litre Zpacks Nero to much cheaper models from Naturehike or Quechua.
His advice on the sleeping pad is particularly convincing. This is where you should spend the least effort saving weight, because bad sleep ruins every trip. He also recommends light footwear, since weight on your feet is felt much more than weight in your pack.
The price question is interesting too. According to the article, a working list can be put together for 500 to 800 euros; it is just a bit heavier and bulkier. Genuine high-end equipment, on the other hand, costs well over 5,000 euros. Ultralight does not have to be expensive.
My takeaway after reading: start solid, check after every trip what really bothered you, and only then upgrade deliberately, starting with the sleeping pad, sleep system and tent. I am taking that as my guideline.
Source: OUTDOOR Magazin
His starting point is the "big four": tent, backpack, sleeping pad and sleep system. This is where you can save the most weight, but also where you can most easily go too far. For a light tent he names a Dyneema model such as the Tarptent Rainbow Li, and as a more comfortable option the Durston X-Dome 1. For backpacks, the range runs from the 38-litre Zpacks Nero to much cheaper models from Naturehike or Quechua.
His advice on the sleeping pad is particularly convincing. This is where you should spend the least effort saving weight, because bad sleep ruins every trip. He also recommends light footwear, since weight on your feet is felt much more than weight in your pack.
The price question is interesting too. According to the article, a working list can be put together for 500 to 800 euros; it is just a bit heavier and bulkier. Genuine high-end equipment, on the other hand, costs well over 5,000 euros. Ultralight does not have to be expensive.
My takeaway after reading: start solid, check after every trip what really bothered you, and only then upgrade deliberately, starting with the sleeping pad, sleep system and tent. I am taking that as my guideline.
Source: OUTDOOR Magazin
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