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Tips For Super Ultralight BackpackingFor those looking for a challenge, super ultralight backpacking might just be the thing for you. Weighing in with a base pack weight (the weight of the pack and the gear inside excluding consumables such as food, water, and fuel) of 5 pounds or less, this method is not for the faint of heart. Though it may seem impossible, it really isn’t. This practice follows many of the same ideas as ultralight backpacking. It just takes it to a new level.
So, take a moment to review our ultralight backpacking page.
Knowledge + Experience = Less Weight Knowledge and experience are your friends when it comes to reducing the weight of your pack. Learning more can help you get creative with your gear and the things around you in nature! If you learn about foraging your own food or how you build shelters or bedding out of natural materials, you can easily eliminate a lot of your typical heavy items. You can ditch the pound adding sleeping bag in warm weather in exchange for a sleeping bag liner. Having knowledge also allows you to use these practices without causing harm to the environment around you. Furthermore, knowledge and experience help you learn to be more efficient in the gear you use and how you pack it. For example, really putting thought into the clothing items you need and knowing how to utilize layering can make a difference. You can also re-wear clothes instead of packing extra. Or forego the rain suit for a much lighter poncho. The same thing can go for the food you bring! Try packing food that doesn’t need to be cooked or heated so you can leave your stove behind. Buy the Proper Gear If you really want to get into super ultralight backpacking, you probably want to buy gear that is conducive to the practice. And good quality, lightweight gear tends to be on the expensive side. While pricey, it’s worth it in the long run. As we talked about on our ultralight backpacking page, focus on cutting down the weight of your heaviest items. This will make the biggest difference. In conclusion, we would like to add a word of caution. Though this can be a fun challenge, it can be a dangerous one if you are lacking in knowledge and experience. We are big proponents of being prepared in our backpacking and a big part of that for us is making sure we have sufficient gear. Super ultralight backpacking necessitates having limited supplies and if you don’t have a good knowledge of backpacking and survival, you may be ill prepared for unexpected events.
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