A sub-10-pound gear list for 2026: the Adventure Alan update
Adventure Alan (Alan Dixon) and Jaeger Shaw refreshed their well-known sub-10-pound ultralight backpacking gear list in March 2026, and it is worth a look whether you are trimming your own kit or just curious where the benchmark sits.
The pitch is simple: under ten pounds of equipment is enough to stay safe, warm and comfortable in the backcountry. They say the list has been refined for over two decades and tested on routes from Alaska to Patagonia, with the goal of cutting carried weight while improving quality and function.
The definition matters, so I appreciated that they spell it out. Base weight here means the pack and everything inside it while hiking. Worn and held items, optional or situational gear, and consumables such as food, water, fuel and sunscreen are left out. That is the same convention most lists use, but it is the first thing to check when you compare numbers from different people.
The authors also stress that this is a starting point, not a prescription. Adapt it to your trip, your climate and the comforts you are not willing to give up. The full itemized list lives on the Adventure Alan site, so the page I read works more as an overview of the philosophy.
What I like most is the framing: lighter should not mean worse. Better materials let you carry less without feeling worse off, and a clearly defined base weight makes it easier to see where the next saving actually is.
Source: Sawyer Products Blog (Adventure Alan)
The pitch is simple: under ten pounds of equipment is enough to stay safe, warm and comfortable in the backcountry. They say the list has been refined for over two decades and tested on routes from Alaska to Patagonia, with the goal of cutting carried weight while improving quality and function.
The definition matters, so I appreciated that they spell it out. Base weight here means the pack and everything inside it while hiking. Worn and held items, optional or situational gear, and consumables such as food, water, fuel and sunscreen are left out. That is the same convention most lists use, but it is the first thing to check when you compare numbers from different people.
The authors also stress that this is a starting point, not a prescription. Adapt it to your trip, your climate and the comforts you are not willing to give up. The full itemized list lives on the Adventure Alan site, so the page I read works more as an overview of the philosophy.
What I like most is the framing: lighter should not mean worse. Better materials let you carry less without feeling worse off, and a clearly defined base weight makes it easier to see where the next saving actually is.
Source: Sawyer Products Blog (Adventure Alan)
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