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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.

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Big Three

My Big Three:

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.”

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Clothing Worn

My Clothing Worn:

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.

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Clothing Packed

My Clothing Packed:

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.

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Cooking & Hydration

Cooking & Hydration:

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.

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Survival & Misc

Survival & Miscellaneous:

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.”

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Worn & Carried

Worn or Carried:

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.”

Erik the Black's Backpacking Gear List - Consumables

Consumables:

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 Backpacking Gear List

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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