backpacking – Page 2

Keeping Your Dog Safe While Hiking

“The journey of life is sweeter when travelled with a dog.”
Anon

*Bring a small, clean bowl to supply water to your pup.* *This helps prevent altitude sickness.*

Do Dogs Like to Hike & Is It Good For Them?

The simple answer is, “Yes, dogs love to hike!” It is physical and mental stimulation, they get to see things they haven’t yet, and best of all, they get to use their noses! It can be a little worrisome to prepare a hiking trip with your furry companion, due to the risks involved with altitude, heat, and exhaustion, but if you read through these safety tips, you’ll feel more confident with your ability to take great care of your dog while hiking.

Helpful tip: carry a pup-medkit with you while you travel with your dog. Cuts, scrapes, and bruises can all present problems for you dog just as it would yourself.

Prevent Altitude Sickness In Dogs

H2O: There are a couple of things to consider when thinking about preventing altitude sickness in your dog. Primarily, make sure you keep water with you! Dogs need to be well-hydrated or they won’t be able to fight off altitude sickness as well. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I recommend setting a bowl out for hydration every 15 to 20 minutes when hiking. Your dog should intake at minimum 8oz of water an hour while hiking.

Altitude: Your dogs ears are much more sensitive than your own, so altitude can be more uncomfortable for them than what you’re experiencing. If you live at sea level or lower elevations, and that is what your dog is used to, then I wouldn’t plan anything higher than 5,000 to 6,000 feet. You can train with your dog at these levels to start acclimating toward the 7,000 to 8,000 feet range. Anything higher than that, and you’re going to need to seriously watch your dogs behavior.

Symptoms: Your dog may become confused or exhausted if altitude sickness begins to set in. You know your dog better than anyone, so make sure you keep a close eye on how your dog is acting. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to:

• Vomiting

• Exhaustion

• Shortness of Breath

• Drooling & Excessive Panting

• Lack of Appetite

If any of these symptoms occur, stop, hydrate, and return to your home so your pup can rest.

Keeping Your Dog’s Paws Protected While Hiking

Did you know that dogs actually sweat through their paws?

A dogs paw consists of the metacarpal pad, the claws, the dewclaw, and the carpal pad (the smaller pad in the back). They’re comprised of fatty tissue which protects them from extreme conditions in the cold, such as the need to walk on snow and ice. However, the fatty tissue does not protect against extreme heat, such as a hot metal grate along the sidewalk (which my dog always avoids walking on).

What does the heat do? It causes the same problems you would have with your feet in extreme heat. Blisters form, skin tearing happens, and burns occur. A good rule of thumb while out with your dog is if it’s something you wouldn’t want to touch, then they shouldn’t either.

If your dog is prone to foot injuries, there is a wax you can by to spread across your pups paws. “Paw Balm” or “Mushers Secret” are examples of this wax. This helps keep the paw slick and hydrated so that tough surfaces while hiking don’t crack the dogs padding.

Helpful tip: Don’t forget to carry some tweezers with you! It’s very hard to remove a deeply rooted sticker from in between your dogs toes without tweezers.

Protecting Your Dog From The Heat While Hiking

*Help cool your dog down by carrying them when they seem like they are getting too hot. Wet their fur for extra cooling. Here, we’re carrying our trail buddy, Max, back to the car.*

As stated above in the altitude sickness section, hydration is going to be your friend, here. But there are some extra steps you can take to help reduce the chances of your dog becoming overheated.

One thing you can use is a doggie “cooling vest”. Cooling vests work by providing a larger surface for evaporation, essentially retaining moisture, which then cools your pup down. These are normally effective for 1.5 to 4 hours and work much better in humid environments than in dry.

Helpful tip: Just like running through a water sprinkler, if you fear your pup is overheated. Sprinkle some water all over it’s fur. This is a quicker way to decrease body temp than a cooling vest.

Protecting Your Dog From The Cold While Hiking

It’s actually theorized that dogs evolved in colder environments, based on how their foot padding works, and so, many of them can thrive in snow and ice. Even so, it’s important for them to have proper protection. Just as you would gear up for hiking in the cold, you’ll need to think of the same for your pup.

Items that come in handy for cold weather gearing your dog are “paw-booties“, “heated dog beds (upon return to campsite)”, and “dog-fitted sweaters”. Dressing a dog up for a hike in the winter weather is a lot of fun, great for pictures with the family, and more than anything, protects him or her from the elements.

Helpful Tip: Ice will form in longer hair on dogs just like they would on your hair or beard. Trim the foot fur on your pup before heading out on a hike in freezing conditions.

Keeping Your Dogs Energy Full While Hiking

Don’t take a long hike with your dog without taking some type of snacks. Your pup will thank you when you present a tasty treat on the trail. Some people are able to hike for hours without eating anything, but remember, it’s most likely after months (or even years) of conditioning for thru-hiking. Dogs are typically smaller than their owners, and aren’t capable of storing as much energy as we do. Many times, dogs have a low amount of body fat to store reserves.

It’s recommended to simply bring along your dogs usual kibble. Don’t feed a dog right before or right after a hike or they may get an upset tummy. If you plan to take a long hike (more than an hour), invest in some high protein kibble.

Can My Dog Carry Weight While Hiking?

You’ll want to spend time conditioning your dog for any pup-backpacking. Just going out on short walks, such as around the neighborhood, while your dog carries smaller amounts of weight, will help strengthen your dogs carrying capacity over multiple sessions of training. This isn’t something to rush into. That could be dangerous for your dog. Take time to train just the same as you would for yourself.

Helpful tip: A dog should only carry up to 25% of his or her body weight. Anything over that amount becomes limiting and cumbersome.

What Age Can I Take My Dog Hiking?

It’s suggested to wait until at least 12 months of age. You may check with your vet on your pups specific breed just to be extra-safe. Some breeds, such as those with shorter snouts, have a harder time adjusting their oxygen intake per breath, so as a puppy, the hike could be too challenging.

Plants to Avoid While Hiking With Your Dog

There are many plants to take into consideration when hiking with your pup. Some plants are toxic to dogs and should be avoided if at all possible. These plants include, but are not limited to:

• Ivy

• Elderberry

• Foxtails

• Bleeding Heart

• Mushrooms

• Lillies

Helpful tip: acorn tree nuts can also contain tannins that are harmful to dogs. Do not let your dog play with or chew on acorns. These will cause severe upset stomachs, kidney failure, and possible death.

Water Sources For Your Dog While Hiking

It’s a best practice to utilize the same water you drink, whether it’s spring water, purified water or tap water. Many times dogs will drink out of creeks and rivers while we hike past, and, although their stomachs are much stronger than humans, they are just as susceptible to parasites and bacteria.

Avoiding Ticks While Hiking With Your Dog

There are specific smells that will help avoid ticks while you’re out in the wilderness with your dog. Here’s a list of scents that repel ticks:

• Lavender

• Peppermint

• Citronella

• Lemongrass

• Citrus

There are also ultrasonic tick repelling collars available on the market to help repel ticks even more.

Dogs are susceptible to tick bites and tick borne diseases. In many cases, these tick borne diseases are not able to be vaccinated against. It’s important to use a tick preventive product on your dog.

Closing

Hopefully, you feel pretty confident taking your dog hiking with you after reading through these tips. If you have other tips that could be beneficial to others, I’d love for you to share them in the comments section below. Stay safe and have fun on the trail!

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The Best Backpacking Guide – Rocky Mountain Edition

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
John Muir

*Heading back to the “Bierstadt Lake” trailhead.*

A Beautiful Introduction

The sun is rising as you wake to the sound of elk calls just outside of your tent. Birds are singing in the trees as they watch for their early grub, and the soothing sounds of a fire crackle next to you while you warm up some morning coffee. You hear the ‘snap’ of a twig behind you as one of the most curious elk walks closer to your tent. The two of you exchange a moment of wonder. The aroma of coffee fills the air around you while the elk silently walks away to graze.

*On the “Trail Ridge” of the Rocky Mountain National Park*, *Colorado*

Getting There

Instead of flying in for this trip, we decided to road-trip. When I travel by vehicle, I like to stay a night at a different location and rest up before arriving to my destination. That way, I feel refreshed and ready to explore as soon as I get there. I recommend staying somewhere within three hours of arrival. For our visit to the RMNP, my wife and I chose a small cabin with thousands of acres of solitude in Stratton, CO before finalizing our drive. This cabin was an old-fashioned farm house, very cozy, and surprisingly budget-friendly. It’s really only for a two-person stay (because it’s small), but if you’re looking for some time away from the rat-race, or the busy city life, this is your place. If you’d like to know more about how you can book this cabin, let me know in the comments.

*Lightning danced in the clouds all night for us in Stratton! This **looks** photoshopped, it’s not!*

You’re going to need reservations to enter the park. If you need help “Navigating the National Park’s Permits, Timed-Entry System, and Transportation”, click here!

In the morning, we completed the last 3 1/2 hours to Estes Park, CO (just outside of the national park). Mornings call for breakfast, so this is probably a good time to give you some insider tips on meal prep.

Meal-Prep of Champions

I don’t want to brag here, but I kind of have an amazing chef as my trail partner (my wife). She spent a lot of time planning an entire week of breakfast, lunch, dinner, after-hike snacks, and even electrolyte reserves. So, when it comes to fuel, I was never running on empty. The good news is that I get to share this meal prep plan with you, pro-hiker!

First, you’re going to need a cooler that seals well. We used an Igloo brand. So long as you’re replacing your ice each day, the cooler should keep these meals over the course of a week. Be sure to eat it in the order listed, though.

*Overnight oats, yogurt, blueberries, and granola. Add peanut butter or almond butter to make it sweet!*

Meals

The best order to eat your foods will be color-coded. This should ensure you make it through your trip without having foods spoil.

Color for foods to eat first.

Color for foods to eat second.

Color for foods to eat third.

Breakfast Menu

1) Over night oats with yogurt, almond butter, blueberries and granola

2) Eggs, bacon, orange juice, toast and jelly (cooked on a Coleman propane burner stove)

3) Bagels w/ cream cheese

Lunch or Brunch Menu

1) Egg salad sandwiches w/ chips

2) Tuna sandwiches and chips

Snack Menu

1) Baby bell peppers with cream chz and everything bagel seasoning

2) Cherries

3) Bananas

4) Strawberries and chocolate

5) Graham crackers, marshmallows, hersheys

6) High Sugar Snacks (Luna, Cliff, Etc.)

Dinner Menu

1) Meatballs with rice

2) Broccoli sausage rice

3) Salmon w/ white rice and broccoli

4) Shepherds pie

5) Ramen & Neguri

6) Red beans and rice

Hydration and Electrolytes

1) Water

2) Gatorade powder

For this, we grabbed a five gallon water and put it in the car to keep filling our Osprey bladders with. Then, anytime we needed mixing water for the powder we had it available.

*We used the Osprey bladders, they have a better mouthpiece in my personal opinion.*

Utensils You’ll Need

Cookware

• Large Frying pan

• Spatula

• Plastic and metal forks

• Spoons

• Knife

• Can opener

• Stove burner

• Small Propane x2

• Lighter

• Tongs

Cleaning Materials

• Wet ones

• Trash bags

• Laundry detergent

• Dish soap

For the Table

• Table cloth

• Folding chairs

• Folding table

• Paper plates

• Plates

• Paper Towels

For the Fire

• Fire starter sticks

• Lighter fluid

• Firewood

• Lighter

For Storage

• Ice chest

• Frozen water bottles

• Tupperware and foil pack meals and ingredients

*Another option to cook with is the MSR burner.*

Brunch, Anyone?

*Though, our meal prep was amazing, there were a few places we wanted to try in Estes Park.*

*Seasoned Bistro in Estes Park for brunch.*

The Places To Stay

We ended up booking three different sites during the week, which gave us the chance to experience different areas of the park.

Glacier Basin Campground

If you enter the park, setup your tent, and decide you’re ready for a hike right away (like I did), then you’ll want to check out the Glacier Basin campground first. This is what we did and Glacier Basin has access to the main drive. From the drive, you can get to the entryways to all of the campsites. Take the drive slowly, there’s tons of great scenery along the way.

Bierstadt Lake Hike Path

From Glacier Basin, you can take the main corridor road down to the Glacier Basin Trailhead. It’s a nice trail, though heavily travelled. If you want to hike with less tourism vibe and more of the “get out there” feel, I recommend the trail pictures above instead. It’s the trailhead to Bierstadt Lake. It’s less travelled, gets you into that wilderness feel and if you go after 5pm on a weekday it’s unlikely you’ll run into more than two or three people. At the top, is one of the nicest mountain lakes in the park (in my opinion). It looks like a painting you’d want to hang on a wall. The clouds in the Rockies can really look airbrushed.

Aspenglen Campground

Aspenglen is such a great campground, but it’s even better if you get site 16 on B loop. 16B-loop is a “walk to” campsite. So, you park your car next to someone else’s car at 15B-loop, but then you walk a little into the brush to find your campsite (instead of it being near the road). This gave us a ton of privacy at our campsite, and the only thing to our north/west was the trees leading into the mountains. I highly recommend Aspenglen for a couple of reasons. The first being that the restroom is centrally located and not crowded. The next would be that everyone at this campsite has a little space in between their camp sites.

Timber Creek Campground

*Elk are so peaceful! Those brown boxes are bear resistant food storage units.*

Where Aspenglen had space for campsites, Timber Creek made up the difference by packing as many people as possible into a small section. Where Aspenglen had a centrally located restroom that wasn’t crowded, Timber Creek had quite a walk to the bathroom and it was crowded; bc sometimes a line. I was sure I wasn’t going to recommend this site to anyone, but then, I woke up the following morning with wildlife surrounding us. Elk everywhere! They were peacefully grazing through the campsites. I don’t know if this is the norm for Timber Creek, but if it is, then yes, I would recommend the site to camp at.

If you’d rather stay outside of the park, such as in cabins or hotels, Estes Park has some wonderful view cabins.

*There are cabins lining the river that can be rented out in Estes Park. Kick back and relax on the back porch while watching the river roar by.*

Hygiene Items To Bring

To each their own, but here are some suggested items to bring:

• 8 Towels & 2 small towels

• 2 Small towels

• Body Soap & Loofah

• Shampoo & Conditioner

• Facewash

• Flossers & Mouthwash

• Toothbrush & Toothpaste

• Biosilk

• Deodorant

• Makeup if you need it

• Chapstick

• Hair ties

• Hair brush

• Head band

• Ear plugs

• Shower caddies

• Period cup

• Visine

• Standing pee device

• Lotion

• Razer

• Tweezers

• Thread

Laundry & Showers

There’s a place called Village Laundry in Estes Park that offers $7 showers as well. Estes Park is super close to the national park entrance so we drove to Village Laundry when we needed to freshen up and/or run a wash on some clothes. Also, if they ask whether you want to use some of their towels or use your own, there’s no up-charge for you using theirs. This means you can dry off after your shower and still keep your personal towels clean for later use.

More Delicious Food in Estes Park

*Everything we tried here was so good! I doubt you can go wrong selecting from this menu.*

Fun City

Estes Park offers a lot of tourist attractions, but this is the main one we went to and it was really fun to go down the slide. Behind the slide you’ll find a mini golf course and inflatable bumper water boats. If you have kids, this is a good place to visit. If you’re adults and still like to act like kids, this is a good place to visit.

Clothing You’ll Want To Bring

*The clothing can really make or break the trip.*

• Shower shoes

• 8 Outfits

• Pajamas

• Hiking pants

• Warm clothes

• Dress

• Camp shoes

• Day shoes

• Socks

• Bras

• Underwear

• Swimwear

Comfort Items That Can Make Your Stay Even Better

• Pillows

• Blankets

• Speakers

• Chargers for phones & watches

• 2 Solar lamps

• Welcome mat (to wipe shoes on)

• Tent mat

• Solar string lights

• Picnic screen popup

• Ultralight rainfly for hammock

• Ultralight blanket

• Hatchet

• Toolkit

• Tarp

*Neat path on the way to connect to Dream Lake*

Medical Kit Items

• Medical Kit, Ultralight

• Hydrocortisone Cream

• Snake Bite Kit

• Bear Spray

• Medicine

Twin Sisters Peak

To send off our third day in the mountain we decided to do a “full send”. We decided to climb the Twin Sisters Peak. The first “difficult” rated hike of The Rocky Mountain National Park for us. Talk about a journey. To start, the elevation gain is 13,300 ft., and the air gets thin enough to starve out the trees. The tree line stops and the final climb is all rocks until you reach the very top, where there is a small patch of meadow grass. We lie there for a bit while warming up to the sunlight, but it was short lived as the 4th, and final, thunderstorm brewed overhead. We knew that was our queue to start heading down the mountain and so, we did.

*ENO jungle hammocks really make for a good rest on the way back down the Mountain.*

*Once you’re high enough up, it’s just rocks from there to summit.*

Closing

That wraps up my blog post about what it’s like to hike in The Rocky Mountain National Park and How To Plan The Trip. I look forward to posting more quality content for you, pro-hiker! Please, remember to follow the blog and like the post if you enjoyed the read.

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The Most Dangerous Trails to Hike – Mount Rainier Edition

“If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom?”
Khalil Gibran

What an awe-inspiring view while walking up to Mt. Rainier. Wildflowers, evergreens, and snow-capped summits create an oil-painting inspiration that truly leaves an impression of beauty, but don’t let any of that fool you, it’s a facade, this hike has a dark secret, and I’m here to let you in on it.

If you’re planning to summit Mt. Rainier, I sure hope you’ve done your homework. But if you haven’t and you just plan to cram-study before taking the trip, then let me fill you in on the details.

Mt. Rainier has claimed over 400 lives, making it Americas Deadliest Hike.

While you start your climb, you’ll need to be watching for and prepared for extreme weather changes that happen very quickly. Hypothermia is one of the main killers in Mt. Rainier; though, other reports are due to broken bones (falling rocks, or the hiker falling) and burial by avalanche.

Being a high summit mountain, storms will spawn very quickly, and when they do, it’s best to find a safe space and wait it out, because these storms don’t bring your typical lightning tagalong… they bring bursts of lighting. Remember your lightning safety guidelines when the mountain is active!

Have you ever been climbing a mountain and suddenly (hopefully) woke up on the ground? This might be you if you attempt Rainier. It’s known for falling rocks, and these rocks don’t fall softly. When they break loose they create a tumbling down the mountainside, bouncing back and forth off of rock-sides. So, even if you feel like you’re out of the way, it’s possible you’re not.

Okay. I got it. rocks may fall. Once it’s passed by, you’re safe, right?

Right?!

Well, the thing is, there’s also an unpredictable volcano inside of Mt. Rainier. The greatest hazard the mountain has to offer is the lahars, which is also known as volcanic mudflow or debris flow. Areas inundated with mudflow are now densely populated and contain important infrastructure, including the highways. Lahars look and behave like flowing concrete, and they destroy or bury most manmade structures in their path. Lahars are spontaneous, so there’s no safe suggestion on when to go. Icebergs break apart and slide into the valley-base of the volcano, waiting to be released into a debris flow at another time.

The good news, Mt. Rainier hasn’t fully erupted since 1450CE

Not having erupted since 1450CE could deliver a false sense of hope. It’s actually not just Americas deadliest hike.

Due to its high probability of eruption in the near future, Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world!

It’s expected to erupt anytime now. It’s even on the “Decade Volcano” list, which is a list comprised of 16 volcanoes identified as being worthy of a particular study in light of their large, destructive eruptions and their close proximity to densely populated areas.

*Mt. Rainier can put on some really amazing shows.*

From Wiki: “On the DC route, from Paradise to Camp Muir, it takes about 5 hours at a leisurely pace. Then from Muir to the summit, using the Disappointment Cleaver (I mean, even the route names are gloomy!) route, the climb can take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours, depending on weather and your level of fitness.”

All of these things taken into consideration, I think it’s safe to say that Mt. Rainier is not to be taken lightly. This was the first of a series of “Deadliest Hikes” by HykLyt, I hope you enjoyed the read, Pro-Hikers!

The only real question: “Who’s going with me?”

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Ultralight Backpacking, Saving Ounces & Increasing Costs

*We’re out there trying to walk on the clouds like Takayuki.*

“When there’s snow on the ground, I like to pretend I’m walking on clouds.”
Takayuki Ikkaku

Backpacking, in many ways, is the ultimate adventure. It exposes you to everything Mother Nature has to offer. The elements don’t take your comfort into consideration, and storms can brew seemingly out of nowhere. Harsh conditions require the right amount of preparation, and at times, a lighter footstep.

After your first few day-hikes or overnights, you may realize that all of that gear, neatly packed away into your pack of choice, gets heavy. When everything in your pack weighs 1lb or more, you quickly find yourself with a 26+lb setup.

Some hikers, especially thru-hikers, find that saving ounces enhances their experience on the trails. When your hike involves multiple overnights, and long distance traveling, it’s best to keep as much weight off of your feet as possible.

On any given day, a thru-hiker may complete 14 to 20 miles hiked!

For anyone interested in saving ounces, this post is for you. I will use base equipment (similar to many hikers’ starter gear), and compare its weight and cost to some of the top-of-the-line equipment that’s available. It’ll read a bit more like an analysis than my other articles, but I feel it will truly benefit new hikers who are interested in learning about how to upgrade their gear, while downgrading the weight they have to carry.

Cutting Your Ounces & Cost Comparison

*Looking through your kit, how much of your gear can you leave behind*?

It’s a loaded question, really. How much of your gear can you leave behind? Let’s be honest, we don’t want to leave any of our gear behind. Our gear keeps us safe, warm, and dry.

So why would you not take all of it?

Well, you can, in a lighter capacity. This is one of my favorite subjects when it comes to gearing. Upgrading!

I’ll break down the gear into a list format and then find ultralight-weight solutions to each piece individually:

Backpack

*At just 1lb 15.7oz, the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest* *is optimal for ultralight backpacking.*

One of the best ways to reduce weight from your pack is by reducing the pack weight itself. The bag I use on regular hikes is the Osprey Atmos AG 50, which weighs in at 4.5lbs.

4.5 pounds is not considered lightweight, but I love the bag and how well thought out it is for multi-day trips. The hyperlite bag pictured above would be my pick for serious elevation.

Backpack frames are one of the majority’s of your weight with new setups. Exchanging the Osprey Atmos 50 ($300.00) with the Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest ($355.00) would cost $55.00 extra and reduce weight by 2.5lbs.

Difference estimate = $55.00, saves 2.5lbs

Sleeping Bag

*Sea to Summit’s Ultralight Spark Sleeping Bag is my favorite bag by Sea to Summit.*

I use a Hyke & Byke branded sleeping bag for usual outings. The brand makes a good quality bag, that’s durable, and very budget friendly. A Hyke & Byke “Quandary Down Sleeping Bag” weighs 2.24lbs whereas the Sea to Summit “Spark” weighs just 13.6 ounces. As for the pricing difference, the Hyke & Byke costs $155.00, whereas the Sea to Summit costs $359.00.

The cost starts adding up when seeking a fully ultralight setup, but if you do it, you’ll most likely never want to go back.

Difference estimate = $204.00, saves 0.5lbs

Rainjacket

Rain jackets add close to a pound to your kit. The Patagonia “Torrentshell 3L”, for example, weighs in at 13.9 ounces; however, the Patagonia “Houdini” full-zip rain jacket sits at 3.7 ounces. This saves you about 3/4 a pound.

The great thing about ultralight rain jackets is in this department you can actually save money to go with ultralight options. That’s because many rain jackets are made with heavier materials and therefore require more output cost to create. The “Torrentshell 3L” costs $149.00 whilst the “Houdini” only runs $99.00. Remember though, with ultralight jackets there are more chances for it not to hold up in a heavy storm.

I suggest carrying both types of jackets. Though, that adds a pound.

Difference estimate = -$50.00, saves 0.75lb

Tent

Tents are usually your heaviest piece of equipment in your kit. In this example I’ll use a popular REI tent, the REI “Passage 2”. The weight for it is 5lb 10oz. This is a great tent if you don’t want to fork over the additional cost for an ultralight, but compared to the “Ultamid 2” (pictured above), it is quite heavy.

The cost difference is much higher in tent selections; with the REI “Passage 2” costing $169.00 compared to the HMG “Ultamid 2” costing $825.00.

This is a deal breaking budget for many, and if that’s the case, I say pick an in between.

The NEMO Aurora 3P is the best tent I’ve every had and the price is in between the other two tents I’ve discussed, coming in at $349.00.

Tents have a lot of different options. What materials were used? How many people does it sleep? Are they designed simply for survival or for comfort? All of these questions play into the weight of the tent. So be mindful when selecting.

For me, “the lighter the better”, but also that means a minimalistic campsite.

Difference estimate = $656.00, saves 4lbs

Cookware

Odolands cookware set runs just $34.99 but weighs 1lb. This is actually lighter weight compared to other ultralight sets.

The MSR lightweight cook-set weighs 1lb 12oz. Also the MSR costs $85.00. So, I’ll just estimate on this one because there are plenty of cooking sets to choose from on the market. Let’s just go with a $0.00 change and reduces weight by 0.5lb.

Difference estimate = $0.00, saves 0.5lbs

Medical Equipment

*I’ve had to break into this kit before, it has plenty of emergency items stored inside.*

Medical equipment is another piece of equipment that will vary. With a lot of different ones being lightweight and around the same pricing, you can’t really go wrong here. I prefer the one pictured above because it comes in a water-tight bag, keeping your emergency equipment dry.

For this, let’s zero out the difference altogether and come to a final tally for all gear changes.

Difference estimate = $0.00, 0.0lb

*Sometimes, the best views are while you’re still climbing .*

The final count for change of cost is $865.00 and it reduces your backpacking weight by 7.8lbs! Of course, these numbers vary greatly based on what gear you actually have; but, my hope is that this article provides a little insight into how to get your pack under 16lbs when fully packed out.

Ultralight = Ultra-minimalist.

If you’re like me and you want to reduce your weight even further, you can start browsing ultralight versions of all of your gear, including utensils, rainflys, hammocks, and more. Every little bit counts when you’re thru-hiking and have 1600 miles to complete (or more). Some, would rather save the money and learn to live with the extra weight in their bag, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Thanks for reading, pro-hikers.

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Ultralight Gear List for Hiking

“The best view comes after the hardest climb.”
Unknown.

If you’ve read the post about how you should prepare for your backpacking trip by selecting the right boots, bag, and training for the adventure, then you’re ready to start learning about the essentials to gearing. Gear comes in all shapes, forms, and sizes and it can get a little overwhelming when you’re trying to sort out what you need and what you could live without. This list will introduce you to the gear that I find absolutely necessary for successful backpacking, especially if the trip is planned to be a multi-day.

Tent

I’m going to list a little bit of information about ultralight tents, as they have become my favorite gear piece and irreplaceable in my opinion, but feel free to select the type of tent you prefer, or one that works well with your budget. For some people the tent, is “just” a tent, but for me, it’s what makes my trip great vs. a little less great.

Choosing your tent (if you’re planning overnights) is going to be crucial to how you can pack the rest of your kit. Many tents take up a lot of space in certain bags so in this case, the smaller and lighter it stows away, the better!

I suggest spending a little extra to get an ultralight tent. These tents can be purchased from single person to four person in most cases and stow away around just 4lbs! The greatest thing I’ve found about ultralight tents is how quick they are to setup and stow away.

Many will have hooks on the outside of the tent that you can attach to the tent structure itself. See the image below. These make it very easy to setup camp. You simply lie your tent on the ground. Set the poles up over it, then clip the clips to the tent poles and cinch down the corners.

*NEMO Aurora 3P is a great example of how these ultralight tents are so simple to setup.*

*Most of the ultralight tents will come with their own rain fly to attach over the tent when necessary.*

Do you think ultralight means less durable? Think again! Many of the ultralight lines are actually built with a higher quality component such as Silnylon (nylon impregnated with silicone to create waterproofing). These lighter weight, high quality materials used in ultralight gear design have “ripstop” stitching and endure the elements of all 4 seasons. Some may only be made for 3 seasons; so double check the listing when purchasing. For tents that aren’t 4 season, they’re intended for this, and usually have a lot of venting for summer-time or very little venting for harsh winter storms. It’s important to know which seasons your tent is made for. The last thing you want is to wake up in a puddle because the tent you purchased didn’t have the proper breathability.

Fun fact: Did you know that are mm measurements in the stitching of tents? This isn’t millimeters, it’s micrometers. That’s right! There’s a micro-science to how the stitch patterns are sewn. “Ripstop” stitching is more than just “tough material”.

Sleep Gear

Important to note that when you are buying a sleeping bag, make sure to check it’s degree rating. You will want a sleeping bag with a rating lower than the lowest temperature you plan to be sleeping in.

Sleeping bags are an essential item. Do not skip it, even if the weather is supposed to be hammock-able (amicable?) (I crack myself up!). As noted above the degree rating could literally save your life!

Something else to think about when choosing your sleeping bag is the material used for insulation. You have plenty of options here: flannels, down, down-alternative, cotton, and many more. I like to use down-alternative sleepwear. It’s soft, lightweight and packs down small to leave as much space as possible in my pack.

If possible, stow your sleeping bag in a keep-dry stuff-sack. It’ll make for a very unfortunate evening if your sleep gear is soaked because you dropped your bag in a river! I get it, things happen… that’s why we prepare!

My wife and I love our ENO jungle hammocks. I’ve spent the night in mine on multiple occasions when the weather was nice and the sky was clear. There are rain fly separates purchasable for these as well if you just want a hammock setup more than a tent setup. I live with the extra weight and bring both.

Because sleep mats/pads aren’t really an essential, I’m going to leave them out of this post. Just know that those are an option as well. Life-hack: get an ENO hammock with bug net, a rain fly, light sleep bag and a lightweight mat, and you’ve got yourself a wilderness castle that folds down to the size of your tent pocket in the 50L bags, which leaves a ton of room (and carry weight) for other items. This life hack is not storm or snow friendly.

Click here for more info on jungle-hammock camping setups.

Attire

You’re going to want to have a change of clothes to stay dry and clean. Probably more than one, honestly. Especially if you find yourself in the mountains, where weather conditions change rapidly.

I’ve been on the mountainside and caught in three different storms within a four hour window before. Being properly outfitted made the journey so much better, and; while my wife and I were pressing forward, we watched as the less-prepared turned back to escape the harsh mountaintop elements.

We learned something that day. We learned that some rain jackets get way too hot for intermittent rainstorms in a temperate climate. We ended up finding lighter weight “The North Face” jackets that retained a lot less heat for this type of weather. I’d say Gore-Tex material is not really needed unless it’s going to be colder out, *or you’re planning to endure heavy rainfall.*

*Dress appropriately and be prepared for the weather to shift.*

Again, I’ll list something that’s very useful but not considered an essential: water-hikers!

With attire there are a few things you’ll want to keep on the list: a non cotton-top (such as a polyester, for easy and quick drying capability), if your trip involves any cold conditions then pack insulating gear such as thermals and down-alternative jackets. Things like beanies, gloves, buff, face mask, etc. are dependent on where your trail leads.

Smart-wool socks will keep your feet dry by wicking moisture away from your feet.

Cookware

Ask yourself: Are you staying long enough to need to cook? The cookware is awesome stuff, but remember, it adds weight to your pack, even if minimal.

Amazing campfire meals by Cass! For our campsites that we had booked in the Rockies, we used a Coleman propane double-burner and it perfectly suited our needs. For backpacking, an ultralight MSR burner would do the trick.

If you plan to cook, don’t forget the fire starter or the fuel! Without one or the other, the rainy days can really ruin your trek, especially when you’re out in the middle of “nowhere” (lucky!). There are people who put a lot of trust into starting friction fires, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it when push comes to shove. I highly recommend that no matter how good you are at starting a natural fire, you pack accordingly.

Many outdoors stores sell food provisions that come in full meal kits. You can have a salmon dinner with broccoli and rice tucked into your side pocket these days! Check out some of the local favorites as well. There are a lot of tasty options at places like Cabelas or REI (or any of your area’s large outdoor retailers).

Keep snacks like trail mix, protein  bars, or dried fruits stored safely. In a bear canister would be best. Yes, they take up space in your kit. Yes, they’re worth it. Check and know your local guidelines for wildlife safety precautions.

Lighting

Lighting is hard to come by when the clouds are out to play and there’s no city lights bouncing reflection back to you. Things like string lights and lanterns are good to have, but add weight. There’s really one solution I’ve found for this: my wife and I used many different lights but both of us agree that these were the most useful, packed small & light, and gave off plenty of light.

*Goal Zero Collapsible Lanterns. Fun fact: they make string lights too!*

Emergency Equipment

*Water filtration devices keep you from having to carry excess bladder space, which would add a lot of weight to your bag.*

Pack your emergency equipment.

Short note: first aid kit, snake bite kit, emergency blanket, bear spray, pouch of medicines, life straw, iodine tablets, epi-pen if you require one.

Long note: I’m posting another article just about emergency equipment.

Click here to learn more about emergency equipment.

Toiletries

To each their own on this. Just remember to pack your toiletries! For safety reasons, use unscented wipes that are also biodegradable. You’ll want unscented-everything. Scents attract bears! If you’re in bear county, have your toiletries stored safely in a proper bear canister.

What’s left?

Honestly, the rest is simply for comforts. If you have these things covered, then you’re packed! Next step? Step!

The only thing left to worry about your pack out now, is getting it lighter!

Click here to learn how to navigate the National Parks timed-entry.