I along with some friends developed a lightweight fleece jacket, the bulk of the jacket made of 200gsm micro-grid fleece with similar properties to polartec power grid. we have included side panels of 120gsm up to the armpits to encourage ventilation. but all in all the jacket weights about 11.4oz.

Over the past year, we have been refining a hoodie design we originally created for ourselves—a tactical fit with side panels for ventilation and a scuba hood that doubles as a neck warmer. Crafted from industry standard microgrid fleece and lightweight jersey knit, I’ve experimented with sizes, colors, and materials to perfect both the function and comfort of the hoodie.

Even had some friends of traildusters in UK to help sample and test out the jacket's capabilities. find out more about their experience here https://www.instagram.com/p/DBbFu15OQcX/?img_index=1

But now after a year of developing, I’m excited to announce that, with the help of retired seamstresses (#cottageindustry), we’ve handsewn a small batch of jackets. With patterns, hood design, and colorways finalized, these will be available for purchase on my website technicolorfleece.com in the second half of December.

I’ve been sharing updates and announcements on Instagram:  This has been a deeply personal and passionate project, and your support means the world to me. But i think sharing this here in the lightweight community to get a better sensing maybe after the first drop, what flaws i could solve, or how to further develop the jacket.

I (25F) run cold and I’m planning to travel with only one jacket so what’s something that’s warm enough for maybe down to -5 C / 20 F weather without layers (for getting to airport/airplane) but very packable and lightweight? I’ll mostly be visiting warm places but there can be cold regions / unpredictable weather or some chilly summer night camping. I also snowboard so maybe I can use it for that

Bonus: a good Black Friday deal

Non-Neg. My damn chair.... my hips have 26 years of being a roofer on them, and when it's time to sit, I want a chair. I have tried sit pads, and eh....

I will be Caching water along the trail before starting. I'm not really planning on trying to filter the swamp, and the Awendaw passage is all salt water. I figured I would keep the sawyer just in case something happened to my stashed water. i could also cut down on carried food by stashing that with the water but I was worried about critters.

I could do this in three days, but if my hips act up, I'll have to cut miles off the days.

I have trouble finding clothing that fits (I'm a big dude who was bigger before I took up hiking and backpacking). Suggestions for plus-sized crap are welcome.

I also have a GG Mariposa 60 that I haven't used yet... i just won it in the LNT fundraising silent auction. i was thinking about giving that a try.... its 2 ounces heavier then my Hyperlite but I am curious if its more comfortable with the load lifters and other features.

https://lighterpack.com/r/6p2cdj

Hi! Looking for hair clippers that use 21700 or 18650 batteries if it exists. The idea is to use those batteries that charge via USB-C in order to not have to take extra weight in the form of batteries.

I’m trying to cut down on weight for my camping gear, I’ve been thinking about getting a lightweight e-toothbrush that could last through longer trips without needing a recharge, and Ideally with water flosser function, so I can save even more space. Appreciate any thoughts or recommendations!

Hey all, I used to backpack a lot in my late teens and early 20s, but have fallen off in the last decade or so (34m now) since moving to the east coast. I have done quite a bit of car camping here instead, so haven't been focused on weight as much. I'm assembling and updating my pack list for a 4-5 day backpacking trip in the spring with some friends, in New York most likely, but would like to do a few smaller in and out overnights in November and December in the Pine Barrens in New Jersey. I used to have ridiculously heavy 45lb packs as a kid and not bat an eye, but now that I'm a little older, I'd like to be a little kinder to my body, especially since I have some very minor SI joint issues.

Money is less of a concern for upgrading gear than comfort, within reason.

Ligherpack Link:
https://lighterpack.com/r/u4tdmh

Location/temp range/specific trip description:
4-5 days in the general New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania area. I'd like to be prepared for temps down to 25ish degrees at night.

Goal Baseweight (BPW):
<15lbs (got a ways to go, but I'll get there lol)

Budget
Less concerned about budget, as I aim to get out a lot. I have about $1000 to throw at it, but obviously would like to spend much less.

Non-negotiable Items:

• Nemo Moonlite Elite camp chair (22oz) - might get rid of it later on if I don't like it, but I need a chair to let my SI joints rest if they start to hurt
• Nemo Tensor Ultralight Pad (17oz) and Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow (3oz) - sleep is king
• Durston X-Mid 2 Tent (34.8oz) - I'm not really ready to go any lighter than this. I like the bug netting and the set of features this tent has. It's already very light for a tent.

Solo or with another person?:
Both. I'd like to be prepared for solo.

Additional Information:
Some of the situational items are marked as "worn" just so they don't count in the base weight total on LighterPack. I currently have an Osprey Atmos 65 from ~2010, and it's a great pack that carries well, but it's heavy and would like to upgrade to something lighter. Some of the ultralight packs have me nervous because of how much they cost vs the lack of adjustability, but I've been looking at the ULA Circuit, REI Flash 55, Gossamer Mariposa, and Osprey Exos 55, and some of the Hyperlite ones. I'm open to suggestions there. Leaning toward the Flash, so that's why it's on the LighterPack.

I'm also going to swap out the premade first aid kit with something homemade. Just haven't planned it yet.

Location/temp range/specific trip description: UK, specifically Scottish and Lake District mountain weather (think 4 seasons in a day). 1-season 10degC+, 3-season 0-10degC. Lots of wind, lots of rain.

Goal Baseweight (BPW): No goal. On the face of it I'm pretty happy with where I'm at, would just like some outside opinions.

Budget: not specified.

Non-negotiable Items: none specified.

Solo or with another person?: solo.

Additional information: I get cold at night. Puffy + fleece leggings for the 1-season kit I don't think I can do without!

Lighterpack Links:

• 1-season: www.lighterpack.com/r/dqsozo
• 3/4-season: www.lighterpack.com/r/8vys8m

Rinse me.

I like to include 1L/1kg of water in my base weight as that is what I will always be carrying (worst case). The weight of all my other consumables are tallied up on a per day basis excluding water.

I'm planning on doing my first multi day tent hike in (mid to late) june or early july next year. The area where I'll be going is pretty out of the way of touristy areas. There will be other hikers, but not a lot. I've been to the area before, and have walked around a fair bit with the wife and kids, so I kind of know the area. Elevation levels will be somewhere in the range of 1100m - 2600m.

I've started gathering some of my gear and I'm pretty happy with some bits. Still, when I add it all up, I feel like I could go a bit lighter... There's a couple of obvious things that can be changed, but in my mind nothing really adds up to a significant drop in weight.

Lighterpack Link:
https://lighterpack.com/r/jsniyi

Location/temp range/specific trip description:
Italian alps in late spring / early summer. It can get cold up above the treeline. More probable is during the days it'll be in the 20's (Celcius). Elevation range 1100m - 2600m.

Goal Baseweight (BPW):
<8kg. EDIT: with the suggestions I've already shaved off some of the weight. Biggest thing now would be changing pack and lose ~1kg there. But if there's other suggestions...

Budget:
Already invested quite a bit in sleep system and tent... Would love to keep it low budget.

Non-negotiable Items:
My boots... Just pretend you don't see the 2kg I'm wearing, OK? I've tried shoes and with my weak ankles I felt uncertain up in the rocky mountains, having to cross rock slides and such.

Solo or with another person?:
Solo. Hauling it all myself.

Additional Information:
Some toiletries are still missing from my list. I've starred stuff in my list that I've already have invested in since gathering stuff for this trip.

I often need to travel for short periods of time due to my job, but my dentist told me that my regular toothbrush doesn’t clean my teeth well enough, causing me to have bad breath. However, I usually only travel with a backpack with a week or two’s worth of clothes and my toiletry bag. So, can you guys recommend electric toothbrushes that clean well, have a lightweight design, and are travel-friendly?

Hi guys. Im looking for a lightish weight cot(under 4kg) for myself, I’m 6’4’. Width & weight capacity is not an issue as Im built like a lamppost.
Helinox seems the only option, any others? Thanks

Need help with HMG pack fitting... I think I'm missing the mark on something here... but not sure what. I'm an 18" torso length and originally ordered a Medium Porter 85 pack for packrafting/canoe trips. Sore shoulders occurred unless I had the hip belt right up to my lower ribs (not the best hiking experience to be clear LOL). Here's a photo with the Medium and the hip belt where I like it.

https://i.imgur.com/F3Ds2Uj.jpeg

I exchanged this for the Large size pack, but I still don't think it's sitting right. I'm used to throwing on my bag shoulder straps first then tossing it up a bit while I fasten the hip belt. There's a noticible relief when the load transfers to my hips. I'm farily confident I'm not messing this part up.

But, when I wear the Large with the shoulder straps at the correct lengths the hip belt is sitting above where I want it to be. In order to offload my shoulders I'm tightening it completely above my iliac crests. Quite uncomfortable when I know the hip belt is supposed to be 50/50 over the iliac crests. But again... there's no way I'm a Tall size torso... I'm 5'7"

https://i.imgur.com/GY9sbRD.jpeg

Either I'm shaped like an alien or I'm really missing the mark on something here.

I'm wondering if I could get some feedback on what I've been able to put together for backpacking around Arizona and possibly in California. Some of the stuff I had while other things I've bought with input gotten while lurking around r/ultralight posts.

The weather is either downright hot or mild, but I suppose it can get colder depending on the season and where you're at. I don't spend a lot of time in the snow so I'm looking primarily to use what I've got in more mild temps.

I've been curious about hiking the PCT starting in Socal but I'm concerned that I may have to invest in a bunch of other gear unless it might be possible using what I've got.

Here is my list that I put together to get an idea of my base weight: https://lighterpack.com/r/3pdv5f

I've been getting serious about lightweight backpacking the past 2 years. I feel like I've made a ton of progress in getting my base weight down. I'd love a second pair of eyes on my lighterpack to see if there are any obvious reductions I am missing? Note: I use my lighterpack to pack for trips so I have food ideas at the bottom that can be ignored. Thank you in advance for your criticisms!

https://lighterpack.com/r/l9u6su

I'm headed out next week on a solo 3-week hike on the Long Trail (VT) and thought I'd throw my gear list out there for last minute feedback. I haven't done any significant backpacking since a thru-hike of the AT in '00. I'm in good shape, but planning to take it easy to start and just see where I get, with no real expectations beyond spending 3-ish weeks on the trail. I'm planning for 60º daytime highs and 30º nighttime lows, but it's fall in NE, so who knows.

A lot of this gear is newer, from some bikepacking trips I've done relatively recently, but my pack dates back to my AT thru, so it's a little on the heavy side for what it is. It's unlikely I'll make any major changes here, but considered tweaks would be welcome since it's been a long time since I've been out there.

List here: https://www.packwizard.com/s/h9sGGDe

I need your pillow suggestions.

Just got back from 2 nights in the mountains and I didn't sleep.

My current pillow is an ultralight thermarest but it's too thin for me. I didn't sleep for more than a few uncomfortable hours each night.

I'm a side sleeper and need something taller/with more of a luxurious feel.

I don't mind if I'm carrying some extra ounces, it's worth it for the sleep.

I've got a Hubba Hubba 3 (newest ver.) and a Copper Spur 3 Long on the way. Going to set both up in the yard and return one. I'm happy to report back on my impressions, and if anybody has anything to add to the conversation now, I'd love to hear and consider it. I'll be using this tent for 1 adult + 2 kids, so a big appeal of the MSR HH3 is that I could theoretically lay out 1x25" wide pad and 2x20" pads side-by-side and they won't overlap at the feet. But the extra length of the BA CS3 is also quite appealing just to get more space between my feet and condensation on the rainfly, and for extra crap in the tent. Thanks!

I have never slept well outside. I'm an active sleeper, a cold sleeper, and a side sleeper (the trifecta of doom). I'm trying to really nail down my sleep system at the moment, and the sticking point is the sleeping pad.

I'm looking for a true four season/winter rated R-value pad (I'm looking specifically for cold sleepers to vouch for the accuracy of the rating here) that is comfortable for side sleepers (again, looking for side sleepers to vouch for the pad's ability to be comfortable) and not super narrow (for all that tossing and turning...). Bonus if it doesn't rustle all that much (for all that tossing and turning...). The lighter and cheaper the pad, the better, but I am willing to go heavier and more expensive if it means I'll actually sleep well.

Hi folks,

I'm off to do the Beacons Traverse (100miles) as my first fully self supported long hike in a couple weeks. I've seen loads of good packs in shakedowns ect. but many seem to be US brands hard to find in the UK or very expensive brands.

I'm looking for something budget (-£100 used) and light ish. I currently have a British Army Bergen 100L weighing in at 2.6Kg. Its served me very well but I want to down size (under 2kg).

If you think the space is excessive I'm willing to go for something a little smaller. Thanks a lot

I really don't know which to buy, ı have a lot of stuff but symbium's organizer seems better but UL seems more comfortable which one would you buy

Where: It was intended as a slightly modified version of Lysefjorden rundt. Ended a bit more modified, explanation to follow.

When: 29/08/2024 to 03/09/2024

Distance: 65km - totalt elevation chance of ~5000meter

Conditions: First two days heavy rain - Three days fair sunny weather - Last day cloudy and strong winds.

Gear:

Useful Pre-Trip Information or Overview: Strava link with GPX

Photo Album: I've formulated the photo album a bit like a trip report in itself, with explanations of what happened when and such along with the appropriate image.

The Report: After a failed attempt at hiking around Lysefjord in 2022 (some misjudgement of the snow amount left in April) I went back in late august this year to take revenge, this time with backup in the form of two friends.

Walking the whole way around is "only" ~100km, but there's some serious elevation difference. We had 6 days for the trip with 5 nights in the mountains.

Day 1 (12.5 km): We set off and it instantly started raining, which barely stopped for two days. The place we started from (Skrøylå) was obviously the wrong place to start. You are supposed to start from the Skåpet parking lot, but the way we were doing it we couldn't. The route isn't a complete loop, so to close the loop we left a bicycle at the finish line to ride over to where we left the car on day one. Skrøylå seemed like the best place to start for that plan, but the trail is in quite bad condition in the start when doing that route. Starting from Skåpet parking lot is a lot easier.

Day 2 (12 km): The rain wasn't quite constant and you had to suck in the sun where it showed up on rare occasions. On the end of day two were were getting pretty cold being wet constantly, no amount of rain gear could save us. Not dangerously cold to be clear, just cold to the point it was annoying and we didn't feel like hiking as long as we could have.

Day 3 (13.5 km): On day three we pretty much took half a day of to dry everything in the morning. The weather the next couple of days would be very good though.

At this point it was pretty clear we didn't have the pace to make it all the way around the fjord on foot, but we had a plan down the road for this scenario.

With the late start we only just reached our destination, Kjerag, before sundown. We were told it wasn't a good place to camp, right besides the rock, but we did anyways. To be honest this was one of our best camping spots, flat and dry, which we couldn't say about or previous spots.

Day 4 (8.5 km): So, as mentioned earlier we were a bit too slow to get all the way around the fjord in time. It is also recommended to do the trail in 8 days (that's assuming you are going from hut to hut), and not 6 like we were, so it wasn't exactly an unlikely outcome. As such we had a plan. First of all we took a bus down from the mountain. There's no trail down from the mountain, but a tight mountain road, not really a great place to walk. But the bigger move was from Lysebotn in the far end of the fjord you can catch a ferry and skip some of the route. This part of the route would otherwise have been on road and there was some maintenance being conducted on that road, so it was supposedly a muddy mess and not really worth walking this year anyways.

The ferry meant we could relax and not stress about how far we needed to walk, and honestly it was a great experience. A lot of people pay good money to see the fjord from a boat and I get why, it's a beautiful way to experience, and this passanger ferry was even pretty cheap. It was also quite fun starting the boat ride with a view from bellow of Kjerag, where we had just been.

The friends I brought, while in good shape (better than me) aren't avid hikers, so I went into it with a plan for a long and a shorter option.

Day 5 (14 km): The night between day 3 and 4 I had stayed up late for images of the stars and was woken up by tourists flying drones before sunrise. This night I spend most of the night taking photos and was then woken in the early morning by a puncture in my sleeping pad. The hole was tiny and took forever to find, but it was an easy fix when found. All together it meant I was on roughly 5-6 hours of sleep over the last two days of hiking by this point. I was pretty tired.

On this day (day 5) we past pulpit rock, the main landmark of the area. I've been before in my 2022 attempt around the fjord where the snowfall made hiking rough but discourage too many tourists from visiting. That time I had the rock to myself, now with hundreds of tourist crowding the area we quickly moved on to our camp site for the night, which was located next to this little water hole called Fantapytten or the "inifinity pool".

The wind this night got crazy rough. I hike for my photography, which means I often end up setting up camp in places I want to do photography more so than I set them up in smart places to place a tent. This backfired this night as my tent was getting blown over in a spot I couldn't really guy it out due to it being on exposed rock. We ended up all three sleeping in the same two person tent as a result. Luckily having barely slept for two days already meant I managed to sleep through most of it.

Day 6 (4 km): Last day was a short hike of the mountain. As mentioned I had to bike around to our start point, which ended up being 14.5km on bike and 2.5km walking in the end when it got to step for my old rusty bicycle. The last 4 km of the actual hike was quite interesting though. It's a newer addition to the main trail, that quite rugged, almost rock climbing for a lot of it.

Gear Notes: I ditched the merino wool baselayer I usually carry for extra insulation and as PJ's. In the wet days I missed them at night. I tried a brynje (wool mesh) t-shirt under my sunhoodie on this trip, it helped greatly on sweat management on the hot days. Besides my lens for astro and landscapes I do carry around a lens for birds and larger wildlife, aaand we saw shit all in that regard. That's a heavy item to bring and not use, but that's how it goes with wildlife.

Sort of last minute, I am taking my two teenagers backpacking next week and one of them needs a sleeping bag. I usually use an Enlightened Equipment quilt for myself and was going to order another, but they don't ship for 10 days(!).

What is a good lightweight option I can get sooner? Something from REI or online. Comfort rated to 30ish would be ideal. Thank you

I am looking to pick up the Notch Li second hand, how can I tell if it is 1.still waterproof and 2.has life left. I imagine they don’t have a huge lifespan due to the material used especially if not cared for well by previous owner. Any tips for buying second hand?

I run hot at night, and I only ever sleep in my boxer briefs. This is fine at home, but in the backcountry, when I’ve sweated all day and don’t always have the opportunity to really wash off, I find it can be uncomfortable in a sleeping bag.

I have a great bag that unzips at the feet and has a double zipper so I can keep it open if need be, and it works great for everything except the hottest summer nights. But I still feel sticky and I’m wondering if a super light layer of PJs might help.

The issue is, of course, I don’t want to be hot. What are you folks in similar situations wearing to bed? I have two base layer pants, but they are called thermals for a reason and I’m not sure they’d be light enough.

Thanks!

What are the best down jackets that are packable, reasonably light (below 500g) and can fit under a shell. Main use will be static insulation on summits after setting the tent up. Will have other layers of course and usually won’t be going much lower than -5C but of course there’s always the chance.

Also would like to be able to use it for city walking so ideally it looks good as it performs too. So far I have found the Lyngen 850 by Norrona but not sure whether I like the look of it yet. Arc’teryx Cerium and Montbell plasma 100 have also been in the loop.

Any recs?

I've been setting up a lw pack and considered going ultralight. Just considering this sleeping system load out would it be considered near ultralight or just lightweight? Intention to being this to all seasons backpacking 2-4 days. Appalachian trail and North Carolina backpacking

Amok draumr XL 35.04 oz / 1005 g Fjol LW 4 season pad 31.2 oz/ 885 g Skjold 10 ultralight tarp 18.3 oz / 520 g

= 84.54 oz = 5.284 lbs

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR Bozeman Sleeping Bag (-9 °C) - Regular - Adult. Does anyone recommend this sleeping bag? On sale for $118 originally $169

Looking for a sleeping bag for an upcoming 3 day backpack trip in Alberta, it’s gets around 12 celsius at night during August but feels colder from what’s I’ve heard. Hoping to only spend around $200, it’s important for it to be light and pack small but I’m not extremely into backpacking so it doesn’t have to be the smallest lightest thing in the market. If you have any other recommendations please let me know.

Hello. I'm currently traveling with a brand new Big Agnes fly creek. I've experienced some rain during the night, not too heavy but at times strong. Throughout the night, small droplets of water got on the inner mesh and then fell on my face. This happened all over the tent. It was not a local issue. Has anyone experienced this before with BA tents? Is this a problem with the sealing or a condensation issue? I should say that I didn't expect the rain and I had wet clothes drying inside the tent. Thanks!

https://www.packwizard.com/s/-Y1AdvB

I think that's everything 🤔🤔

Looking for a lightweight option for protect my camera while in my backpack. I have one of the peak design camera cubes and I’m willing to get the super small version but I want to know if theres anything lighter weight out there. Also thought about wrapping it in my quilt but I want quick access. I have a Sony A7R IV with a 50mm 1.8 so it doesnt need to be very big.