I will be doing a Mountain Marathon in the UK Lake District in July, this is a 1 night event hence the raft of disposable items - they only have to last 1 night and meet the kit requirements (listed below). I'm looking for a shakedown to see if there are any places I can shave a few grams. I don't really have a budget but I'm also at a point where I know that if I want to shave any significant weight it is going to be expensive. Happy to hear both expensive and cheap options, mostly hoping for little things which I haven't thought of.

The rules of the event specify that I (or in my team of 2) must carry:

• Rucksack
• Sleeping bag with insulation (liner only insufficient) or integrated sleep system made by recognised manufacturer.
• Survival Bag – a Bag NOT a Space Blanket.
• Waterproof jacket with hood and waterproof over trousers (not shower proof materials
• The following items of technical clothing (not cotton)
• Full length trousers/ tights/ leggings
• T-shirt/base layer
• Long sleeved mid layer
• Hat (can include Buff) & gloves
• Torch (suitable for emergency night navigation)
• Compass & Whistle
• Watch or other means of timekeeping.
• Waterproof pen / pencil, capable of marking your course onto wet plastic.
• Paper
• EACH TEAM MUST CARRY THE FOLLOWING AT ALL TIMES:
• Tent with integrated groundsheet, poles and pegs (includes hooped bivi with these characteristics), large enough to accommodate both runners.
• Stove & fuel, matches/lighter – with Emergency fuel remaining at the end of Day 2 sufficient to boil 500ml of water
• Food for 2 days including your Emergency food (minimum 150 kcals per person) which you will still have with you when you finish Day 2. If you have eaten your Emergency food before the Finish then you will have experienced an Emergency and consequently be assumed to have retired.
• Plasters and bandage

To address some immediate questions -
My hat will be on my head.
If its marked as consumable in the LighterPack it is just preliminary to give me an idea of things, not looking for a breakdown of that.
I am not really looking to trim my worn weight as it is preliminary.
I am assuming very good weather (15-30C daytime and 10+C nightime temps) and will adjust upwards if the forecast is anything other than ideal, this is definitely a best case scenario loadout atm.
Whistle is on my chest strap buckle.

Current baseweight - 1759.5g

Non-negotiable items - None specifically but I won't sleep on the bare ground, I'm bringing a sleeping mat - If its on the required kit it needs to be represented on the list even if that representation is a bending of the rules.,

Budget - As I said, open to high and low options.

Solo or with another person - I will be running with a partner who will be taking some of the items missing from my list (tent inner and pegs being the obvious).

Additional information - Neither of us will be bringing trekking poles.

LighterPack Link - https://lighterpack.com/r/j0s905

Hi everyone.

Next Sunday night my companion and I are camping in Zion (Kolob Canyons). And it's supposed to be 32F (0°) at night. I clearly wasn't planning on such low temps (not US citizen, don't know much about the weather in south Utah in April).

I've bought a EE Accomplice 30F quilt, and and Exped 3R Duo pad. I wasn't so sure about the 3R DUo as its R value is quite low (2,9), but my companion chose it for its separated pads that won't wake him everytime I turn around.

Now, I'm a cold sleeper. And I'm really afraid to freeze my butt camping on 32F (never camped at such low temperature). I especially fear feeling the cold from the ground.

Can someone confirm that the pad will protect me from the cold ? Or should I develop a strategy to survive ?

Thanks for your help !

Edit : Yes we are not from the US, I live in the Caribbean. We are in the US for a month and doing a roadtrip between Colorado, Utah and Arizona. We are currently in SLC until saturday morning when we'll go to Zion (backpacking in Kolob Canyon for two days). And then going down to Arizona, Grand Canyon etc. So buying new equipment or buying then returning is difficult. Thanks for everyone's input ! I'll come to tell you how it went 🙃

Edit 2: Well, just got back, and I wasn't that cold ! Even warm until 2-3am ! The handswarmers in the socks and the hot Nagelne bottle helped a lot, but my partner being a heater was the main reason. Snuggling under a quilt does help a LOT to feel warmer than the quilt confort temp. Although the 30F Accomplice did perfectly its job and didn't felt as lacking. Different story for the pad : we felt the cold from beneath us. We bought a cheap fleece blanket to put on the mat and that helped quite a bit, but it's not an UL solution ans thus I won't plan on it next time. We really need to upgrade our pad if we want to backpack in early spring and late autumn. I still need to convince my companion though.

Hi Guys!

Last year bought a therm-a-rest blockerlite pump sack to inflate my neoair nxt xlite regular wide but works like a shit, its good cause its waterproof and i can fit inside my quilt and sleeping clothes but the nozzle its unattaching constantly appliying more pressure during the inflate, so, ive been reading about the Exped Schnozzel with an adapter which has no unattach problems, fast inflation and waterproof, my concern is about which size to choose.

Weights:

• S size weights 40g
• M size weights 60g
• L size weights 90g

To this weights i have to add 5g more of the attachment accessory.

Right now im using a nyloflume liner(25g) and also the blockerlite(77g).

Options:

1. If i choose the S size i can save 32g and i suppose that i can also fit the quilt and sleeping clothes to keep them dry(its this size inflate easily my pad?)
2. If i choose the M size i have some doubts if all my items are gonna fit in there to use it as a pack liner but i will save around 17g using the nyloflume liner or 35g without it.
3. If i choose the L size i have some doubts if all my items are gonna fit in there to use it as a pack liner but i will add around 13g using the nyloflume liner or 7g without it.

What to do?

Thanks a lot.

let´s discuss

Hey everybody, I'm getting into bacpacking this year and I want to stay pretty light (aiming for ~15-16# BW). I know that it’s not exactly ultralight, but I find y’all advice great. I've got my pack selection down to the two in the title, but I'm undecided. The Kakwa is a few ounces lighter than the exos, but doesn't have a ventilated back panel. The exos also looks better for carrying a bear can (which I'm going to do), but I haven't seen to many pictures of the Kakwa. What are your opinions on those packs?

Thanks in advance!

I’ve got two packs that I’ve used for thru hikes that I realized are pretty moldy. Searching here shows lots of posts about sleeping pads but not packs. Is there any good way to clean them? I’ve got a lot of miles on them and it would be a huge bummer to have to toss them.

Looking for advice on my current pack and ways in which i can reduce weight on a budget (£200). I have not yet purchased a water filter, but am currently steering towards the Katadyn BeFree 1L. I recently purchased the Rab Ascent 900 and MT900 Backpack so wont upgrade these at the moment but would like ideas for an alternative 3 season sleeping bag that can be used when temps are warmer, specifically a bag that is highly compressible and packs down really small. My goal base weight would be around 5kg.

As i am wildcamping with the Mrs, we both share the X-Mid 2 and BA Rapide SL Double wide - She carrys the tent and i carry the pad, poles and stakes.

I have my eyes on getting the Light Tour R value 7.5 Large Pad (weighing 650g) for solo hikes. for the price it seems unbeatable, what are your thoughts?

Current base weight: 6.6kg

Location/temp range/specific trip description: Me and Mrs plan on doing overnighters and up to 3 night hikes in dartmoor, lake district, snowdonia national park and Scotland

Budget: £200

Non-negotiable Items: Nalgene 500ml (used as hot water bottle on a cold night) & X-Mid 2 (love this tent and have not got enough use of it yet to consider anything else at the moment)

Solo or with another person?: With the Mrs, so we both share the X-Mid 2 and BA Rapide SL Double wide - She carrys the tent and i carry the pad, poles and stakes.

Additional Information: Thanks for taking your time to read my post and helping me :)

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/ptgjuk

“On excursions into the back country of Yosemite, he traveled alone, carrying “only a tin cup, a handful of tea, a loaf of bread, and a copy of Emerson. He usually spent his evenings sitting by a campfire in his overcoat, reading Emerson under the stars.”

Hi All

I am trying to lighten my load and am after a new sleeping pad, i am tossing up between the Zoom UL and the Tensor all season. Where i live in Australia the temperature never really goes below 5°c so while staying warm is important to me its not the most difficult to achieve. What is really important to me is comfort, I'm a side sleeper and my current mat leaves me was sore hips and shoulders.

If anyone has experience with these pads i would love to hear you opinions. Thanks

The last weak I made a deep dive in UL packs. It’s my first one and gave up with the wish to have a 3D mesh at the back panel because no one has some. Now I find KS ultralight packs and besides the shitty website he have good option like a 3d mesh back panel. Are there any other UL packs have this future? Do you have any problems with sweating to hard with UL packs? In a summer/desert trip does it make any difference to have a 3d mesh back panel?

I am looking to lighten my load and a tarp poncho. Seems like one of the better options. I would use it for two season conditions I live in southern Arizona in the Tucson area. I am wondering if a tarp poncho would provide enough coverage for small rain storms. I am looking at the 3FUL gear one I would love suggestions under $50. Any suggestions help though!

I've been using the same cheap Old Navy Wind Breaker my wife got me over 10 years ago. It has served me well, it weighs next to nothing, packs down super small and has done a great job of being the perfect extra layer many times over. But it seems it's life of use will be coming to an end soon as the tiny zippers are starting to fail and seize. So UL redditors, what is your favorite Wind Breaker?

Hi friends, I’m in the market for a new quilt and cost is not really a factor, I just want to get it right. I’m currently using the Thermarest Ohm 32 bag, which is ok, lightweight, but my feet get too hot and it has no venting. So I’m switching to a quilt.

So far I’m interested in:

Zenbivy ultralight quilt (https://zenbivy.co.uk/products/ultralight-quilt?variant=41941858910310)

Otimos UL850 (https://otimos.co.uk/product/otimos-ul850-hybrid-down-quilt-4-season-backpacking-sleeping-bag/)

Have you any experience of either of these quilts, or am I missing a better option? I’m UK based so would broadly prefer a UK option but don’t mind going abroad, though I’m not sure how tariffs will affect purchases from the US. Any input appreciated.

Edited to add a little more context:

When winter camping in the UK it can get cold enough that you need a warmer bag or quilt, but when it finally does warm up, my feet get too hot. Hence I’m hoping the versatility of a quilt fixes this issue. I find even with the Ohm 32, it can take a long time to warm up and I’m usually cold for 2-3 hours, then I’m too hot! The temperature here rarely goes below freezing, but it can get very close. I’m not too worried about summer because I can get something else then that’s even lighter, and actually I’ve been thinking about a MYOG as I’m good with sewing and have some very light fabric and primaloft.

My use case is mostly from about -2 to 12 c (28-54 f). I usually stealth camp with a dcf tarp. I have good sleep mats from r4 to about r7.

Just bought myself a vacuum sealer. I want to make DIY, dehydrated, vacuum sealed, boil-in-bag meals for season- to long-term storage. I previously made DIY meals in Ziploc bags a week in advance to trips, but this always felt rushed and stressful. What bags do you use for boil-in-bag meals?

I don't have a heat sealer, so Mylar bags are out. Even if I had one, I'm not sure how to vacuum seal and heat seal the bags at the same time. I was thinking quart size, 4 mil thick, boil-safe vacuum seal bags (the kind used for sous vide), but I can't find any with gusseted bottoms like the Mylar bags. Does anyone have experience using these? I would imagine they would tip over even when inside a coozie.

Should I just vacuum seal dehydrated meals and cook them in my pot like I always have? What is the advantage to boil-in-bag?

Hi, I'm looking for a 3 season sleeping bag that is as light as possible and packs relatively compactly. I'm going to be camping early spring and late autumn as well so the comfort rating should preferably be few degrees below 0°C. I've been thinking of Cumulus Panyam 600 as one option, but I would like to hear other recommendations and experiences as well. Thank you in advance!

Sitting just under 9 lbs with a frameless pack and quilt setup. Still trying to shave ounces on my cook kit though. Might ditch the lid next time.

Hi :) I’m interested in starting hiking, ideally i would like to test it out to make sure i enjoy it before committing to equipment. is the 3F UL QiDian Pro the best value for money pack that i can buy? I am also looking on FB marketplace for second hand pics, but they often wildly expensive or massive. Any advice would be appreciated :)

Hi,

Im concerned about how to store my shoes during the night to try to avoid bugs get in there and not to deal with a nice present the next morning, with boots this is so easy cause you can put one inside the other but, what do you do to manage this with low profile shoes?

Greetings.

Hello Ultralighters, I am planning on completing the Te Araroa late 2025 early 2026 before uni starts. I have a big year of traveling and i'd like some help getting my load out down under 4.5kg (10 pounds) for under 600 aud. Currently, i'm thinking my tent and my backpack need to be changed. I am 6'3" so that has a big influence on changing my big 3. Thanks.

https://lighterpack.com/r/es7hbq

I wanted to buy a HMG Junction but a lot of people told me not to buy it because of lack of weight lifters. The Durston Kakwa habe weight lifters but I read a lot of the problem the frame pierces holes after some time. Is this still a problem with the 2025 version? Do you have any other pack to recommend? I know there are atom packs but I’m living in Germany and with taxes it’s around 600€. I can’t afford that. Any other packs to recommend?

Thanks a lot!

Please someone tell me it’s an April fool joke right??? Right ???? Just filtered “new” on garage grown gear and it was there at the top 🙈🙈

TL;DR: Is the Xmid 1, Protrail, or Lunar solo long enough to not touch the ends with your head and/or quilt?

I'm on the hunt for a 1p (2p OK) tent for backpacking. I currently have a Lanshan 2, and while it's OK, I'm not a fan of it after this recent trip where my feet and head got wet from condensation touching the rain fly through the inner. I have an REI Half Dome 2 that I grew up using, and that tent's design works out great for me. I upgraded because it's like lugging around bricks it's so dang heavy.

The Lanshan 2 is just not long enough for me. I toss and turn in my sleep, especially when camping. I don't want my head or sleeping bag touching the ends of a tent. Touching the interior mesh is OK, but the Lanshan's inner is so dang flaccid that it provides 0 protection from the damp rain fly. Lanshan's bathtub floor also sucks and has never been a bathtub on the sides. Makes it easy to brush out dirt though.

So, I am looking for a new tent. I am considering: Xmid 1p, Tarptent Protrail, Tarptent Dipole DW, TT Notch, TT Rainbow (silpoly), TT Stratospire, TT Mesospire 2, SMD Lunar Solo. Open to other options, but these have tickled my fancy. I don't need a 2 person tent as my friends always use a separate tent (they're tall and need the space), and my wife doesn't want to "poop in the woods" and be stinky for some strange reason.

Top of my list is the Xmid 1p, TT Protrail, and Lunar Solo. Xmid it still seems like I could be touching the mesh ends, but it appears this is a lot more taught like my half dome and would protect me from the rain fly. Protrail seems plenty long and this wouldn't be an issue, but I've heard of it being a condensation nightmare and it isn't great in heavier weather. I'm a fair weather kind of guy, but I also don't want to be caught unprepared. Lunar Solo needs too many stakes to set up and I'm not confident it would solve my problem.

Tarptent has a lot of fantastic looking designs, but they are all a bit heavier than I'd like and I don't want to get a DCF tent due to cost. I just don't go backpacking remotely frequently enough to justify that cost.

I know condensation is a complicated topic, etc. I just don't want to touch it with my head or feet when I'm sleeping without me really trying.

Wordiness over, what I'm looking for:

- Sub $300 or so, I'm flexible. I'm after value.

- Less than 2 lbs preferably. My Lanshan 2 with stakes is 2.5 lbs. Sidegrade on weight would not be ideal, but I would consider.

- Needs to fit a regular/wide pad plus quilt. I like to put gear inside my tent, but pack and shoes can be in the vestibule.

- Absolute requirement is that I do not want my head and feet touching the ends of the tent, so it either needs to be decently long, or long and have steep sides. Half dome 2 does great in this regard, Lanshan 2 does not.

- Nice to have would be easy set up. Lanshan requires 6 stakes, but 8 is ideal. A lot of the tents I mentioned as options use 4 at a minimum and are very usable with only 4. Zpacks solo whatever uses like 10? That's a non-starter. Xmid 1 seems great and many of tarptent's options as well.

Variables: I am 5'8", I use a 72" long pad x 25" wide (Nemo Tensor), 20f quilt, 13.3 lb base weight currently, I hike in the PNW and probably won't venture far afield, 3 season backpacker and not the winter. I'm a hang out at camp after 6-10 miles kind of guy, not a pound out 47 miles in 1 day kind of guy.

For those of you that own any of these tents, do you get wet from condensation on your head or feet? Or is my problem an exclusively Lanshan 2 problem where the sides slope too shallow and i touch the ends of the tent?

Edit: thanks for all the input everyone. I ended up going with the xmid 1. I just had too many concerns about the protrail holding up to weather based on some videos I’ve watched. I’m in the PNW so being bombproof in the rain is an absolute necessity. That being said, the protrail will remain on my radar. If I need a different 2p down the road I may go with a tarp tent, their designs are so ingenious.

Edit2: thanks for all those who have provided input. Also, no need to be rude to someone asking for advice. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all. Kindergarten level stuff guys. Maybe the Lanshan wasn’t pitched perfectly, but provide constructive advice not calling me an idiot or something.

I'm seeking a replacement for the Mountain Hardwear Microchill Lite Full-Zip Hoodie (link below to photo) I've been wearing since 2018.

Note: I initially posted this in r/hikinggear yesterday but didn't get much feedback. I'm hoping it's ok to post here. I figure a lot of folks here are familiar with some of the lesser known companies that might make something meeting my requirements.

Here are my requirements:

• Full zipper
• Hoodie
• Lightweight
• Preferably multiple colors like in the image below. I'm not specifically looking for blue. I just mean two complementary colors.
• Reasonably priced. The current version of this hoodie sells for $80 at Mountain Hardwear. Unfortunately, they no longer have a version with a full zipper.
• I know this is subjective, but I'm also looking for something that I can wear both on the trail and out and about.

Thank you in advance for your helpful comments and your patience.

Here's what my existing hoodie looked like:
https://www.rei.com/product/126120/mountain-hardwear-microchill-lite-full-zip-hoodie-mens

Hate to sound like a broken record since I’ve already posted this in 2 other subs, but this is important IMO. I am a long time lurker of this sub and admittedly have learned a ton about the craft and have applied it to my hiking throughout the years. Please give this a read…

The CRHT (California Riding and Hiking Trail) is a multi day trail that requires the hiker to cache water at multiple spots around the park due to the fact that there are no water sources throughout the park. After a 3 hour travel day and then driving throughout the entire park, I am left heartbroken today. When I got to my first water cache at the upper covington flat trailhead, my water was gone. I wrote a note, taped it with gorilla tape onto the gallon, and left it so that I could pick it up and replenish my supply for the night and next day (today). On said note I wrote specifically that I would be picking the water up today. I took a couple steps forward along the trail and found a piece of my note thrown on the side of the trail. I keep telling myself that maybe a critter ripped the paper, but the fact that the plastic gallon was gone and the gorilla tape I used to adhere it is just inexplicable. I didn’t feel confident moving forward because what if I arrived to no water at the next cache? I’d be stranded in the desert without water. I’m so disturbed because there were multiple other bottles with labels on them, and I am baffled that mine was the one that had the label removed and taken from me.

Anyway, that’s all I have to say. It’s a bummer that this happened and I hope that the person or people who did this know that people place water there for their survival in the desert, so taking someone else’s lifeline is just selfish and inhumane.

Current base weight: < 8#

Location/temp range/specific trip description: GSMNP this summer, weekend overnight "fastpack" trips so 2-3 nights max

Budget: N/A

Non-negotiable Items: None

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information: There are a few items without weights (red star) but I don't think they will drastically affect the weight. What am I missing? Anything blindingly obvious that I should change?

Thanks!

https://lighterpack.com/r/j7nqbk

ETA: Updated based on comments so far