Cottage Industry Backpacking Gear Directory

By Erik The Black

Some of the best ultralight backpacking gear is not made by big companies and isn’t even sold in stores. It comes from small, hiker-owned businesses who design, manufacture and sell their gear on the internet and at local hiker gatherings. These cottage industry backpacking gear smiths are responsible for most of the innovative new ideas that have fueled the ultralight backpacking revolution, from tarp-tents to one-pound packs and more.

If you know of a company that you would like to see included on this list, please contact me and let me know.

Alpine Fit

alpinefit.com – Base layers, hiking shirts, hats, neck gaiters, and other headwear.

AntiGravityGear

antigravitygear.com – Lightweight shelters, cook systems, accessories and more..

Bear Paw Wilderness Designs

bearpawwd.com – Lightweight shelters and accessories.

Big Sky International

bigskyinternational.com – Ultralight freestanding shelters.

Brasslite Backpacking Stoves

brasslite.com – Lightweight alcohol stoves.

Bushbuddy

bushbuddystove.com – Ultralight wood burning stoves.

Cooke Custom Sewing

cookecustomsewing.com – Silnylon tarps, packs and other gear.

Dirty Girl Gaiters

dirtygirlgaiters.com – Colorful lightweight gaiters.

DIY Gear Supply

diygearsupply.com – Materials and fabrics for building your own lightweight gear.

Enlightened Equipment

enlightenedequipment.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts.

Equinox LTD

equinoxltd.com – Ultralight packs, shelters, accessories and more.

Feathered Friends

featheredfriends.com – Ultralight down sleeping bags and clothing.

Flat Cat Gear

flatcatgear.com – Ultralight stoves and baking systems.

Four Dog Stoves

fourdog.com – Ultralight multi-fuel stoves and cookware.

Gossamer Gear

gossamergear.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters, sleep systems & more.

Goosefeet Gear

goosefeetgear.com – Down booties and apparel.

Hammock Gear

hammockgear.com – Lightweight hammock tarps, quilts and accessories.

Hennessy Hammock

hennessyhammock.com – Lightweight hammock shelters.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear

hyperlitemountaingear.com – Ultralight cuben fiber backpacks, shelters and accessories.

Jacks R Better

jacksrbetter.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts, shelters and accessories.

Katabatic Gear

katabaticgear.com – Ultralight sleeping quits and bivys.

Lawson Outdoor Equipment

lawsonequipment.com – Lightweight shelter kits, fabrics and accessories.

LightHeart Gear

lightheartgear.com – Ultralight double-wall shelters, fabrics and accessories.

LW Gear

lwgear.com – Lightweight backpacks, DVDs, books and videos.

Mayfly Ultralight Equipment

mayflyultralight.com – Ultralight camp shoes.

McHale Alpine Packs

mchalepacks.com – Custom fitted ultralight backpacks.

Moonbow Gear

moonbowgear.com – Modular pack systems, shelters and other unique gear.

Nunatak

nunatakusa.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts and down apparel.

Mountain Laurel Designs

mountainlaureldesigns.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters, sleep systems and more.

Oware

bivysack.com – Ultralight shelters, sleep systems and accessories.

Purcell Trench Grills

purcelltrench.com – Lightweight grills for campfire cooking.

Purple Rain Adventure Skirts

purplerainskirts.com – Lightweight backpacking skirts and kilts.

Ray Jardine

rayjardine.com – The godfather of UL backpacking’s books and sew-your-own gear kits.

Ruta Locura

rutalocura.com – Trekking poles, tent poles, cookware and accessories.

Simblissity

simblissity.net – Lightweight gaiters, storage sacks and accessories.

Six Moon Designs

sixmoondesigns.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters and accessories.

Solo Stove

solostove.com – Lightweight wood-burning stoves.

Suluk 46

suluk46.com – Ultralight backpacking tools and accessories.

Tarptent

tarptent.com – The original lightweight single-wall shelters (and now double wall shelters)

Trail Designs

traildesigns.com – Lightweight stoves, cookware and accessories.

Ultralight Adventure Equipment

ula-equipment.com – The best lightweight backpacks in the biz.

Warbonnet Outdoors

warbonnetoutdoors.com – Lightweight hammock tarps, quilts and accessories.

Western Mountaineering

westernmountaineering.com – Ultralight down sleeping bags and apparel.

ZPacks

zpacks.com – Ultralight cuben fiber shelters, backpacks and accessories.

Affiliate Disclosure: If you order from the links on this website, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!