Erik The Black's Lightweight Backpacking Gear List
13 lb Base Weight
This is my personal lightweight backpacking gear list. I’ve experimented with lots of different backpacking gear over the last twenty years, ranging from traditional to ultralight. This gear list represents the sweet spot between weight and comfort that works best for me. It’s comfortable to carry for 20+ miles a day and includes everything I need on the trail and in camp (even a few luxuries.)
The Big Three (Backpack, Shelter, Sleep System)
Weight: 7.2 lbs
These “big three” items make up the foundation of my lightweight backpacking system. They get used more than anything else, make up the bulk of my pack weight and took the biggest chunk out of my budget.
My Big Three:
- Backpack: ULA Equipment OHM (32 oz)
- Shelter: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL1 (34 oz)
- Sleeping Bag: Therm-a-Rest Corus 20 Quilt Long (29 oz)
- Sleeping Pad: Nemo Tensor Insulated Reg-Wide (19 oz)
- Pillow: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium (2.5 oz)
Clothing Worn
Weight: 4.5 lbs
This is the clothing I wear every day on the trail. Since these items spend more time on my body than in my pack, they are excluded from my “base weight” calculation. But they are included in my “skin-out weight.”
My Clothing Worn:
- Shoes: Merrell Moab Mid (41 oz)
- Socks: Smartwool Hike Light Cushion (2 oz)
- Insoles: Walk Hero Insoles (5 oz)
- Shirt: Under Armour Tech T-Shirt (5 oz)
- Pants: Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants (12 oz)
- Underwear: Under Armour Boxer Jock (3 oz)
- Hat: Outdoor Research Helios (2.5 oz)
- Sunglasses: 3M Tekk Safety Glasses (1 oz)
Clothing Packed
Weight: 2.2 lbs
This is clothing that is usually packed and gets worn during cold and wet weather, at camp in the evenings and on laundry day. Because these items spend as much time in my pack as on my body, they are included in my “base weight” calculation.
My Clothing Packed:
- Insulated Jacket: Patagonia Nano Puff Vest (9 oz)
- Rain Jacket: Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket (7 oz)
- Base Layer Top: Icebreaker Merino Oasis 200 Shirt (7 oz)
- Base Layer Bottom: Terramar ThermaSilk Pants (3.4 oz)
- Warm Cap: Polartec Microfleece Beanie (0.8 oz)
- Gloves: Polartec Microfleece Gloves (1.4 oz)
- Spare Socks: Smartwool Hike Light Cushion (2 oz)
- Spare Underwear: Under Armour Boxer Jock (3 oz)
- Bandana: Cotton Bandana (1 oz)
- Wallet: Granite Gear Hiker Wallet (0.4 oz)
Cooking & Hydration
Weight: 1.7 lbs
These items are used for cooking and eating, cleaning dishes and storing and treating drinking my water. This configuration lets me to pack up to 4 liters of water. If I’m hiking in the desert, I will add a couple more Aquafina bottles to bring it up to 5-6 liters.
Cooking & Hydration:
- Camp Stove: MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe (2.9 oz)
- Cook Pot: MSR Titan Kettle 850ml (4.2 oz)
- Cup: Evernew Titanium 400ml (1.7 oz)
- Pot Cozy: Home-made Pot Cozy (1.4 oz)
- Canister Stand: Fuel Can Stabilizer (0.9 oz)
- Spoon: Sea to Summit Delta Spoon (0.2 oz)
- Pot Scrubber: 1/2 Scotch-Brite Pad (0.4 oz)
- Hydration Reservoir: Osprey Hydraulics 3 Liter (7.8 oz)
- Water Bottle: Aquafina 1 Liter Bottle (1.5 oz)
- Water Filter: MSR Trailshot Water Filter (4.9 oz)
- Backup Water Purification: 20 Aquatabs (1 oz)
Survival & Miscellaneous
Weight: 2.2 lbs
These items are used for navigation, fire starting, first aid, gear repairs, personal hygiene, organization and other various tasks. Some of these things don’t get used very often, but I still always carry them, because they are important to have in an emergency.
Survival & Miscellaneous:
- Trail Map: Pocket Atlas (3 oz)
- GPS Reciever: Garmin Oregon 400T GPS (6.2 oz)
- GPS Messenger: SPOT Satellite Messenger (4.2 oz)
- Compass/Thermometer: Silva Pocket Compass (0.5 oz)
- Light: Petzl Zipka Headlamp (2.4 oz)
- Multi Tool: Swiss Army Classic (0.7 oz)
- Knife Sharpener: Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal (0.9 oz)
- Fire Starter: Mini Bic Lighter (0.4 oz)
- Backup Fire Starter: Spark-Lite Fire Kit (0.6 oz)
- Whistle: SOL Slim Howler (0.2 oz)
- Signal Mirror: Signal Mirror (0.6 oz)
- Tape: 50″ Duct Tape (0.6 oz)
- Cord: 25′ Guyline (0.5 oz)
- Writing: Memo Pad, Pencil & Sharpie (1.4 oz)
- Sewing Kit: Sewing Kit (0.5 oz)
- First Aid Kit: Adventure Medical .3 Kit (3.2 oz)
- Trauma Bandage: QuickClot Gauze (1 oz)
- Bug Head Net: Sea to Summit Head Net (1 oz)
- Wash Rag: Packtowl Personal Towel (0.7 oz)
- Toothbrush: Folding Toothbrush (0.7 oz)
- Phone Charger: Smartphone Charger (2 oz)
- Food Sack: Granite Gear Air Zippsack 16L (1.5 oz)
- Sleeping Bag Sack: Sea to Summit UltraSil 8L Dry Sack (1 oz)
- Clothing Sack: Sea to Summit UltraSil 8L Dry Sack (1 oz)
- Ditty Sack: Granite Gear Air Zippsack 5L (1 oz)
Items Worn or Carried
Weight: 1.7 lbs
These are non-clothing items which I typically carry in my hands or on my body. They are excluded from my “base pack weight” calculation, but are included in my “skin-out weight.”
Worn or Carried:
- Trekking Poles: Leki Aluminum Trekking Poles (16 oz)
- Fixed Blade Knife: Morakniv Craftline Robust 3.6 inch (4 oz)
- Smartphone: Smartphone & Earbuds (7 oz) *not shown
Consumables
Weight: 20 lbs
These items get used up as I hike and have to be replenished occasionally. Since the weight of consumables fluctuates, they are excluded from my “base pack weight” calculation. But they are included in my “full pack weight” and “skin-out weight.”
Consumables:
- Food: 5 Days Trail Food (160 oz)
- Water: 4 Liters Water (140 oz)
- Fuel: Small Fuel Canister (7 oz)
- Toilet Paper: Toilet Paper (1 oz)
- Hand Sanitizer: Purell 1 fl oz (1.2 oz)
- Wet Wipes: Wet Ones Singles (x5) (1 oz)
- Spare Batteries: Lithium AA (x4) and AAA (x3) (3 oz)
- Body Powder: Gold Bond Powder (1.8 oz)
- Toothpaste: Travel Toothpaste (1 oz)
- Sunscreen: Travel Sunscreen (1.2 oz)
- Lip Balm: Carmex Lip Balm (0.5 oz)
- Bug Repellent: Deet 1 fl oz (1.5 oz)
- Medication: Tylenol, Ibuprofin, Bennadryl, Immodium (0.5 oz) *not shown
My Lightweight Backpacking Gear List Summary
Base Pack Weight: 13.3 lbs
I use a few different methods for calculating my pack weight. “Base weight” includes all of my packed gear, but does not include clothing worn, consumables and other items worn or carried. “Full pack weight” includes all of my packed gear and consumables like food, water and fuel. “Skin-out weight” includes everything packed, worn and carried.
Here is how my lightweight backpacking gear list stacks up:
Erik The Black’s Lightweight Backpacking Gear List
The Big Three: 7.2 lbs
Clothing Packed: 2.2 lbs
Cooking & Hydration: 1.7 lbs
Survival & Miscellaneous: 2.2 lbs
Base Pack Weight: 13.3 lbs
+ Consumables: 20 lbs
Full Pack Weight: 33.3 lbs
+ Clothing Worn: 4.5 lbs
+ Items Worn or Carried: 1.7 lbs
Skin-Out Weight: 39.5 lbs
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