The title can sound like an oxymoron because long hikes obviously demand lots of luggage. But, this post will prove otherwise.
Keeping your luggage as light as possible is a key factor to a happy hiking experience. It ensures your shoulders, hips, and knees aren’t under extreme stress for long durations.
These tips will help you pack ultralight for your hiking trips without compromising on your needs and comfort. Let’s get started.
1. Choose A Lighter Backpack
Start by choosing a lightweight backpack with enough volume. Remember, we’re ditching the weight but not its capacity.
Another important aspect is to make sure the backpack fits your body frame comfortably. An ill-fitting backpack puts unnecessary strain on your shoulders.
You wouldn’t need features like extra storage compartments, zippers, and belts as they only add weight.
A durable backup with a hip belt will do. If you know how to pack it optimally, you’re sorted.
2. Tarps Over Tents
When it comes to camping in the middle of a long hike, tents are usually preferred for their efficiency.
But unless you’re going on an adventure in the chilling winter, tarps are amazing on their own. First, they weigh as little as 150 grams whereas a tent weighs at least 1.8 kilograms.
Tarps don’t have a fixed shape and you can adjust them according to your needs and the terrain. Once you realize how a tarp offers better visibility and ventilation, you’d probably never bring your tent again.
3. Share The Load
Another benefit of traveling in groups or with a friend is you don’t have to carry everything by yourself (unless your hiking partner is a child).
Let’s say you’re hiking alone. You’d have to bring a stove, cooking utensils, first aid kit, shelter, toiletries, and other essentials.
But when traveling with friends, if one carries the stove, the other carries the utensils. You’ll share the load and enjoy equal benefits from the gear. It’s a win-win.
4. Cut Down The Toiletries
Toiletries take a lot of space in your backpack. Layout all the toiletries you’re thinking of packing and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
Your toiletries should be just enough to maintain personal hygiene. Things like spray-on deodorants and blow dryers are meaningless to bring on a hike.
Downsizing your toiletries to mini bottles works for short hikes. For long hikes, medium ones are fine.
Liquid toiletries are prone to leakage. So, do your best to avoid them or find leak-proof tubes to store them.
5. Mix And Match
Don’t try to fit the entire closet in your backpack.
Less is more. You can mix and match the basic clothing items and pull off different outfits throughout your trip.
Apart from the clothes you wear on your hike, one or two spare pairs would do.
Ditch denim and go for trousers made of quick-drying material. You should check out this article on best hiking pants at ResMarty.com
Bottom line, you don’t have to pack extra clothes thinking ‘just in case’ except for socks.
6. Opt For Collapsible Things
“Innovation is any change big or small that makes a difference.”
This holds true for collapsible hiking gear too.
Collapsible objects are made of lightweight materials – mostly silicone. Silicone is tough but flexible. It’s dishwasher-safe, leak-proof, and compact.
For your hike, you can take collapsible bottles, cups, bowls, sink, cookware, and even a cooler. Who said coolers have to be sturdy?
7. Dehydrated Alternatives
Dehydrated food is simply fresh food minus moisture. It contains exactly the same nutrients as the fresh one and therefore, makes a healthy food choice for hikers.
Since dehydrated foods aren’t loaded with preservatives, they have no side effects on your body. Plus they’re lightweight and occupy very little space in your backpack.
To take our goal of packing light to a whole new level, you can ditch the cooking stove and rely completely on dehydrated meals.
Purchase dehydrated foods from well-known brands or invest in a solid dehydrator to DIY.
8. Embrace Versatility
Whatever you pack, make sure it serves multiple purposes. You can use a tarp as a shelter as well as a groundsheet.
A rust-free multitool is better than a toolkit. Trekking poles can double as tarp holders. Floss can be used to sew any breaks in your tarp.
You can use your sack as a pillow. Though it’s not comfortable for your head, your feet may appreciate it.
I guess you got the drill. Choosing versatile gear can cut down your backpack’s weight by almost half.
9. Try Packing Organizers
Packing, unpacking, and repacking wouldn’t have become so easy if it weren’t for packing organizers. If you’ve never tried them before, take my word and get them right away.
I’m not talking only about the popular packing cubes. For hikers like us, compression sacks work well to optimally organize the gear.
I prefer packing folders when I have to avoid rolling my clothes. A folder can neatly accommodate 6 pairs of clothes.
Carry a spare packing folder to ensure your dirty laundry is separated from the rest of your luggage.
10. Extra Space Is Good
You’ve followed all these tips and your backpack is well organized with some space left. Good, but this isn’t an invitation for you to pack that bulky camera lens or another jacket.
It can be tempting to add a few luxuries to your luggage considering the space available. But doesn’t that make your pack heavy which is the very thing we were careful about?
On the trail, you’ll be too tired to organize all your gear after using it. So, the extra space you see now may not last at the end of your hike.
11. Pack Early
If you sit down to pack a night before your hiking trip, you’ll end up messy, annoyed, and confused.
Starting early gives you a clear picture of what you should bring on the hike. You’ll have plenty of time to filter and omit the extras.
Don’t stress only on keeping the load less. Take time to make sure your pack has everything you’d need.
For example, realizing that your first aid supplies should be replenished won’t give you a heart attack if your trip is 2 weeks away.
Conclusion:
I hope you find these tips helpful. And if you did, share them with everyone in your hiking group.
Author Bio:
Res Marty started his self-titled blog in July 2021 to share his passion for hiking and camping. Along with posts about some of the best trails in the world, he also provides reviews about hiking equipment. To ensure the high quality of his blog, he has partnered with other passionate hikers and content writers.