What is Ultralight Hiking?

What is Ultralight Hiking?

As a concept “ultralight” aims to streamline your hiking gear to the lightest possible setup to complete the task at hand (2 days in the mountains will be different than 10). In practice, it means bringing exactly what you need and nothing else. It is not about trying to see how little you can carry but rather ensuring you have everything necessary for a safe and enjoyable hike while minimizing excess weight.

Is Lighter Always Better?

While the goal of ultralight hiking is to reduce weight, it’s crucial to understand that lighter isn’t always better. The primary objective should be to ensure you have everything you need to be safe and able to complete your hike. This means striking a balance between weight and functionality. A lighter pack can enhance your hiking experience by reducing strain and fatigue, but it should not compromise your safety or comfort. Always prioritize essential gear and consider the specific requirements of your hike, such as weather conditions, terrain, and duration.

Diminishing Returns of Ultralight

As you strive to reduce weight, you’ll eventually encounter the law diminishing returns. This is when further weight reductions are so expensive they become impractical. Ultralight gear often comes with a higher price tag, and shaving off those last few ounces can result in significant costs without proportional benefits. For example, Durston 1P tent with 20D Sil-Polyester weighs 875g and costs NT$7,700. The Dyneema version weighs 500g, but costs NT$18,000. So is saving 375g worth NT$10,000? For most people it isn’t. In our opinion, it’s essential to find a balance between weight, cost, and functionality. Remember that ultralight hiking isn’t about having the absolute lightest gear but about optimizing your setup for safety, comfort, and efficiency.

Benefits of Ultralight Hiking

Ultralight hiking offers several key benefits. Firstly, reducing the weight of your pack significantly improves comfort by lessening the strain on your back, shoulders, and legs. As a result, you get greater enjoyment, as you can move more freely and with less effort. Additionally, a lighter pack enables you to cover more ground each day, allowing for longer hikes and the exploration of more remote areas. Lastly, carrying less weight reduces the risk of bodily injury, such as joint pain and muscle strain, contributing to a safer and more pleasant hiking experience.

How to Get Started

Getting started on your ultralight journey is easy, in fact if you're reading this you’ve already started. The first thing any potential ultralight hiker needs to do is educate themselves. Remember it’s a journey, not something you are going to master overnight. Each person is different and what each requires in the mountains is also different. So take some time on each hike to evaluate yourself and your gear and you can slowly start weeding out what’s unnecessary.  Also remember that there are many ways to reduce weight that don’t cost you anything (Five Free Tips to Reduce Pack Weight). 

The Big Three – Shelter, Sleeping Bag, and Backpack

When it comes to reducing weight, the most obvious impact comes from the big three: your tent, sleeping bag, and backpack. Unfortunately these are not free (haha). So remember to balance weight, cost, and functionality when making your decisions.

1. Shelter: Opt for a lightweight shelter designed for ultralight backpacking or consider a tarp or a bivy sack if the weather conditions permit. However keep in mind that weight isn’t the end all be all for choosing a shelter. Also consider the shelter stability (mountain winds can be strong), ease of setup, and the cost (ultralight shelters cost upwards of 30,000). Dyneema is the current king of ultralight shelter materials but ultralight nylon/polyester is only slightly heavier, and much less expensive. 
2. Sleeping Bag: Choose a down sleeping bag, which typically offers a better warmth-to-weight ratio than synthetic alternatives. Down will be warmer for the weight and pack smaller. The higher the fill power (FP) the better the warmth to weight ratio will be (also the pricier). Consider your entire sleep setup when choosing a sleeping bag as it’s only part of what keeps you warm (your sleeping pad and clothes are also part of the equation). 
3. Backpack: Select a lightweight backpack with a suitable capacity for your gear. Avoid overpacking by choosing a smaller volume pack (35-50L), which encourages you to bring only what is necessary. This is often the first mistake new hikers make. They go out and purchase a 70L backpack. They think it's better because they have plenty of room for anything they might need, but in truth it prevents them from learning what they actually need, adds unneeded weight (packs can be heavy), and if not packed to full they can fit awkwardly and be uncomfortable. On the flip side, don’t go out and buy an expensive frameless pack before you learn how to streamline your gear. Most frameless, ultralight packs have a max carrying capacity of 12 kg and if you go over this they can be very uncomfortable. 

Food and Water

1. Food is a must, obviously, but it’s also quite heavy. Don’t make the mistake of trying to cut weight by cutting meals. Mountain climbing burns a lot of calories and if you don’t replenish them you will struggle, especially if you are going to be hiking for 3 or more days.  Instead, opt for lighter or less complicated cooking equipment, bring dehydrated meals and snacks (unless water is an issue), and opt for more calorie dense food. Also plan your meals so that you eat the heavier ones first.
2. Water is arguably the heaviest and most important thing you will carry. If you don't have a lightweight water filter already, that’s an excellent place to start reducing your weight. A small filter like a Be Free or Sawyer is light and can be the difference between carrying 6kg of water and 1kg of water. Nothing else can reduce the weight you carry as much as a water filter. If you have a filter, and know where the water sources are you can carry just the water you need to get to the next source and you can hike to camp with minimum water and then gather extra water from nearby (if possible). However sometimes water can be scarce, and you’ll just have to carry it. 

Clothing

1. Clothing is a less thought about area when it comes to reducing weight. True there may only be a few grams difference for each item, but when added up together it can equal a few hundred grams. Most hikers learn the importance of layering early on so when they pack they pack 3-4 specific layers which results in quite a bit of clothing. Instead opt for dynamic layers that can serve more than one function

Conclusion

Ultralight hiking is about bringing exactly what you need and streamlining your gear to enhance your hiking experience without compromising safety and comfort. While lighter gear can make your hike more enjoyable, it’s crucial to ensure you have all the essentials. Focus on the big three – tent, sleeping bag, and backpack – to make the most significant impact on weight reduction. Additionally, implement free strategies to cut down weight and be mindful of the diminishing returns of ultralight gear. By striking the right balance, you can enjoy the benefits of ultralight hiking while staying safe and prepared on the trail.