Lightweight Packing: How to Reduce Your Backpack Weight

Carrying less gear allows you to travel faster and farther and to cover more range of trails in a shorter time.

The secret here is to carry only what is essential and leave out the rest, which takes up more space and makes

your backpack heavier. There are numerous ways in which you can reduce the weight of your backpack while

setting out for an outdoor trip, without compromising your safety.

The best way to start is by making two columns one labeled “Mandatory” and another labeled “Good to have”.

List various things in these columns accordingly, and once you’ve done that, cut down the list sensibly. For

instance, ask yourself whether you really need 4 pairs of socks for a 3 day journey. Definitely not! You could

wear one pair on your feet and carry a spare pair in case it gets wet. The spare pair of socks can also be used as

gloves on cold & frosty mornings. The same applies while choosing between fleece, sweater and a long sleeve

shirt. Take just one. With such decisions, you can easily cut down 2-3kg from your backpack very easily.

Shelter Another way to effectively minimize weight is by choosing proper tents and materials. Ultra-light tents usually

weigh around 2 kg or even less. It is a good idea to do away with tent poles and use trekking poles and guy

lines instead, for setting up the tent. Another option is to use hammock or tarp, which will easily put you into

sub 1 kg category. However it is to be noted that super light tents do not have a thick inner canopy which

makes them unsuitable for use in areas infested with bugs.

Sleeping Pads Choosing a closed cell foam pad is the cheapest and lightest alternative to bigger and heavier sleeping pads.

You could also consider using sleeping pad as your back rest, which may be a bit extreme for some people.

Switching from a full length inflatable pad to closed cell foam can easily save about 700 g.

Sleeping bag

To reduce weight, it is best to carry only a Mylar blanket or a simple sheet. However if you are particular about

sleeping bags, you could consider a lightweight sleeping bag but the catch here is that these sleeping bags can

lose their insulation capacity if wet and hence needs to be always kept dry. Instead you could also try a

combination bag with a thicker side and a thinner side that will span a range of temperature and yet is

relatively lighter.

Backpack The type if backpack chosen also helps in cutting down the weight. Usually, full featured travel backpacks have

about 60-80L of storage space and weigh 2.5-3.5kg while a mid-sized weekend pack weighs 1-2kg less.

Stoves and Cookware If you are planning for short trips, an LPG or canister stove is the ideal choice. These are light, compact and are

suited for almost all weather conditions. Make sure to carry small and efficient cook sets to boil water and

rehydrate food items, thus allowing you to save on fuel weight.

Be creative and industrious. But never leave out any stuff that you really need which might compromise your

safety.

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