Introduction
What is
ultralight backpacking? Essentially, it is being able to cut the weight of your
pack dramatically while still maintaining a safe environment. With the advances
in lightweight materials, one can cut the weight you are carrying while still
having a safe, fulfilling journey.
Lightweight backpacking is defined as a base pack weight of 5-10kg
(11-22 pounds) and ultralight backpacking is reached when you can get your pack
down to under 5 kg (11 pounds) . This is your base weight, which is everything
you need to carry without consumables such as food, water, and fuel. Ultralight
backpacking enables one to go further, faster, and with less fatigue.
How do I make it lighter?
Go ahead and
pack your pack as you normally would for a weekend hike. You may or may not
have a list that you use so that you don't forget anything. If you don't have a
list start one. It is so easy to forget something important and it's even
easier to add things that are not important!
Once you
have it all packed ready to go, the first thing you need to do is to get a
digital kitchen scale and weigh all your equipment item by item. Take each item
out and weigh it as you go. When your pack is empty weigh that as well. Write them all down on a chart with the
heaviest items at the top down to the lightest at the bottom. Now you have a
great picture of what it is you are carrying. The results will likely surprise
you!
The Big 3
The three
heaviest items in your backpack are usually your sleeping bag/pad, tent, and
backpack. If you are wanting to lighten your pack you will need to look at
these three items first. There is not much to be gained by cutting your
toothbrush in half and drilling holes in it to save a few grams when you are
carrying a 3kg backpack! There is little you can do to reduce the weight of the
items you already own, so you need to replace them with a lighter alternative. However,
reducing the total weight of your pack requires that you pay attention to everything
in it. It is no good buying a lightweight backpack and then trying to cram in
everything you used to bring in your old system.
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| One Planet Winterlite |
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| One Planet Strezlecki |
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| Nemo Morpho 2P Airbeam |
Tent or shelter
I used to
always like to sleep in a tent. It gave me a feeling of security, from the
elements, bugs and creepy crawlies, and it also helps to keep your gear clean
and dry. However, I have recently started using a tarp shelter instead. A tarp
shelter is more minimalist. But surprisingly it has quite a few advantages over
a tent. The first thing you need to ask yourself is "am I going to sleep
on the ground or in a hammock"? Either way, a tarp can be used as your
shelter. A square tarp has many uses, and can be configured in different ways
depending on weather, wind direction, etc. You can't beat the ventilation of
using a tarp. Condensation can be a major issue in a tent in humid conditions.
With a tarp set up as an A frame style it keeps the rain off and gives you
great ventilation. In the case of blowing rain or strong winds you can pitch
one end flat on the ground giving great protection. Careful campsite selection
will help to ensure a great night's sleep.
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| Zpacks Rectangular Cuben Fibre Tarp |
Sleeping bag/pad
There are a
few choices to make here. Firstly you have two options as to the type of
sleeping bag, down or synthetic. Generally speaking, down will give you better
warmth/weight ratio, and it also compresses much smaller than synthetic. The
downside is that down bags are usually more expensive and they lose more of
their efficiency when wet than synthetic bags do. Having said that, synthetic
bags are not great when wet either. The key here is to learn to keep your bag
dry - at all costs. There is now the option of water-resistant down also which
is an added benefit.
Bag or
quilt? Recently sleeping quilts have become a lot more popular. The way a
sleeping bag keeps you warm is the loft of the insulation. By compressing the
insulation under your body while sleeping you essentially render it useless.
Therefore if you choose a quilt you are not wasting insulation by sleeping on
top of it. Of course, your sleeping pad is a vital part of your sleeping system
in keeping you warm underneath as well as providing some level of comfort.
In the case
of a hammock, which I have chosen to use on my Bibbulmun Track challenge, you
don't need a pad underneath. But in colder conditions you will need an underquilt
which hangs underneath your hammock to keep you warm from below.
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| zpacks 30 degree 900 fill power down top quilt |
Backpack
This should
be the last thing you upgrade. A lightweight backpack will not have the load
carrying capacity of a heavier model, so getting this first and filling it with
a heavy load will be counterproductive and will likely damage the pack as well.
Lightweight backpacks have less pockets, zips, and compartments than
conventional packs. They are also usually frameless. Some come with a sleeve
where you put your sleeping mat in and that acts as a frame.
To determine
how large your pack should be, take all your gear and put it in a cardboard box.
Pack it all in as you would a suitcase. Then measure the dimensions of the box
to give you a volume. The trick is to get a pack that will comfortably fit all
the gear you need without being too large. You will have a tendency to fill
whatever size pack you have so resist the urge to go up to the next size!
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| GoLite Jam 50 Litre ultralight pack |
Carry knowledge in your head not weight on your back!
I would not
suggest that a novice backpacker do a little reading, purchase all the latest
lightweight equipment and head out into the mountains above the snow line for a
week with little experience or skill. It is usually something that experienced
bushwalkers gravitate towards, to enrich their backpacking experience. You need
a different skill set to camp successfully under a tarp rather than in a full
featured tent. You also need to know how to layer clothing, and use systems.
For example, we talk about a sleep 'system'. This includes your sleeping
bag/quilt, as well as a sleeping pad, or hammock to insulate you from the
ground, and also what clothes you will wear inside your bag to compliment the
insulation of your bag for different conditions.
Some
experience in finding a suitable camp site is essential. Just knowing where to camp
will ensure you are able to find a site that is bug free, or warmer than the
surrounding areas, or more sheltered from the elements if a storm comes up.
Survival skills in different terrains and climatic conditions is also a great
skill to have and is good insurance in emergencies. Safety is also paramount.
You certainly don't want to leave behind your down jacket to save a few hundred
grams if you are going into a potentially cold environment.
One of the skills
an ultralight backpacker uses is to find multiple uses for as many items as
possible. For example, your cooking pot is also your bowl, no need to take
extra plates. You can stuff a few spare clothes into a sack to use as a pillow.
You can use your tarp for your shelter, ground cover, rain gear, or for
catching rainwater. You can use your trekking poles for shelter poles,
emergency splints, and of course walking poles.
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