I met for the first time Ultra-light hiking ideas in 1994, in an article in Backpacker magazine now disappeared (and very missed). He was entitled “Less it’s more” by Mark Jenkins. (I still have a PDF copy that I scanned years ago.) Jenkins wrote on a long journey through Europe and Africa. In the end, he and his travel partner lost all the equipment they thought they needed, except what they wore, their down jackets and a few spoons.
Although I have no desire to fly all my equipment as Jenkins does as at some point in Africa, the idea of ​​transporting less to travel further, faster and lighter, has affected an agreement. Not just with me, but with many other people. Jenkins’ article is widely credited with starting the ultraletic hiking movement.
At the time, there was not a lot of light equipment available. A large part of the first ultra-light movement was driven by a DIY ethics. I built my own alcohol stoves from throtta sofas, I made pot from reflex and heavy aluminum windshields from heavy aluminum foil. As a result, the weight of my cook kit fell 14 ounces.
Today, ultra-light backpackers are more common than traditionalists, at least judging by the people I meet on the track. But exactly what East The ultra-light hike? And how do you lose all this weight without giving up comfort?
Ultra-light hike, defined
For the good of all on the same wavelength, I will define the “ultralight” hike as a basic weight of 10 pounds or less. This means all your equipment, less what you wear on the track, less consumables (mainly food), weighs at most 10 pounds.
If it seems intimidating, consider that some travel under the nickname “super ultra-light” which derive a basic weight of 5 pounds or less. At the other end, there is what I would call light, which would be 15 pounds or less. I have never tried a super ultralight trip, but I spent more than a decade with a basic weight of 10 pounds and I never had the impression of doing or suffering in any way. Completely the opposite. It’s a revelation, and you will never want to go back.
Now that we have defined our terms, how can we reach an ultra-light basic weight of 10 pounds or less?
Before going into the details of the equipment, know that the most important thing you can do to weigh your pack less is to bring less things. For most people, the biggest gains (uh, losses) will be in what you do not bring rather than what you do.
When you plan to bring, make sure you need it rather than wanting it. I love making coffee on a mocha pot but not enough to lug one in the hinterland. I don’t need It, so I leave it at home and make Turkish coffee on the track. Browse everything you bring on the track and ask yourself honestly: is that something I need?
