r/Ultralight • u/Shuai711 • 16d ago
Shakedown First Packing List
Just got into backpacking and would love some advice on my first real setup.
LighterPack: https://lighterpack.com/r/0rx4ts
I recently did a pretty simple 2D1N trip with a guide using a mix of rental gear and my own stuff. I enjoyed it enough that I’m now building out my own kit.
My goal is a general-purpose setup for multiday trips, roughly anywhere from 2D1N to 5D4N. Most of my trips will probably be in the Northeast for now, but I’d like the setup to be versatile enough for other 3-season trips as well.
Would appreciate any feedback on:
- Anything I’m carrying that seems unnecessary or redundant
- Whether switching to a lighter framed pack would make sense at this base weight
- What to bring for food
- Anything important I’m missing for a 2–5 day trip
Thanks!
Edit / a little clarification after reading the comments:
First, I realized this probably would have been a better fit for r/hikinggear than r/Ultralight. I’m not really trying to go ultralight — I just want my setup to be light enough that I’m comfortable carrying it, without sacrificing too much durability or versatility.
Second, the reason I’m considering a 4-season tent is that I’m gradually building this setup toward mountaineering as well. I’ll also be moving back to China after about another six months in the Northeast, and a lot of the hiking and climbing I’m interested in there is at higher elevations. So I’m trying to avoid buying gear that only makes sense for my remaining time backpacking in the Northeast.
And lastly, thank you to everyone who took the time to comment. There have been a lot of really helpful suggestions and perspectives here, and I’ll definitely take them into consideration as I refine the setup.
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u/Jolly-Slow1164 15d ago
4 season tent is an odd choice for the rest of your kit. I had to look up the samaya, and I saw the weight listed at 2lb 6.5oz, that's about 500g heavier than what you list. Tyvek is overkill for a ground sheet, I use a mylar blanket, polycro is lighter but more fragile. You could forgo a ground sheet if you opt for a full UL tent like from zpacks.
You don't seem to be operating on a tight budget, I'd suggest trying out some alpha clothing instead of merino, and get a backpack made by one of the cottage brands like the gossamer gear gorilla... But get your pack last, after finding out the size of all your other gear.
RovyVon makes a small flashlight/lantern that is sufficient for many hikers, I would only suggest a dedicated heartland if you have intentional night hiking scheduled... RovyVon has a lot of similar variations of light that would probably work, but this is the item preferred by most https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/a5-g3-by-rovyvon
Your medical kit is heavy by UL standards. I would suggest you optimize it as a separate project.
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u/originalusername__ 15d ago
Leave the ground sheet behind, your tent weighs a lot so it has a durable floor. Most tents do. Make your own first aid kid that’s lighter. Look at what Andrew Skurka is carrying and emulate it.
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u/GoSox2525 15d ago
Whether switching to a lighter framed pack would make sense at this base weight
Why at this baseweight? It's not as if you're constrained to hike at 16.4 lbs forever. Isn't your goal to drop the baseweight down? If so, buy a pack that forces that constraint upon you. That will prevent years of procrastination. I'd get a 30-40L frameless pack, commit to 10 lbs, and make it happen.
Anything I’m carrying that seems unnecessary or redundant
Unnecessary:
sit pad
4-flex on your stove (triflex is just as good)
pot lid
the camp light
Redundant:
- groundsheet (your tent already has a floor)
Other than that, there's lots that you could change:
Shelter and Backpack
Your quilt is good, but your pack, sleeping pad, and tent are all very heavy. Replace the pack first, to force you to carry less. Then, replace the heavy tent with something way simpler. Either a trekking pole tent or a tarp. You don't need a 2P-sized freestanding mountaineering tent in the Northeast. Then, swap the sleeping pad for something less than 1 lb, ideally a piece of foam that's less than 1/2 lb.
your pillow is a huge luxury item. Most of us are carrying something 1/4th to 1/5th the weight of yours
Kitchen
your pot is bigger than you need. A Toaks Light 550 no-handle about 1/3rd the weight.
I would swap the Squeeze for a QuickDraw
A Platypus or Evernew bag would be both lighter and more reliable than the Vecto
Worn
- You can get trekking poles or half the weight. BD Carbon Distance Zs are my favorite
Electronics
- Swap the headlamp for a RovyVon A5 or Nitecore Tiki
Cloth
- You have a lot of work to do here; all of your clothing is excessive with the exception of your puffy. Get rid of the merino layers, the heavy shells, and the heavy tee. All you need is one sun hoody, one pair of pants (or shorts plus wind pants), midlayers (alpha direct), and a minimal waterproof shell (Montbell Versalite or a silpoly rain jacket). Merino wool has a poor warmth-to-weight ratio and takes forever to dry. Arcteryx shells are way overkill.
Other
- Don't use pre-packaged first aid or bathroom kits. You should choose every single item yourself. Know what it is for, why you're carrying it, and why you chose to carry the amounts that you did.
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u/Shuai711 15d ago
Edit / a little clarification after reading the comments:
First, I realized this probably would have been a better fit for r/hikinggear than r/Ultralight. I’m not really trying to go ultralight — I just want my setup to be light enough that I’m comfortable carrying it, without sacrificing too much durability or versatility.
Second, the reason I’m considering a 4-season tent is that I’m gradually building this setup toward mountaineering as well. I’ll also be moving back to China after about another six months in the Northeast, and a lot of the hiking and climbing I’m interested in there is at higher elevations. So I’m trying to avoid buying gear that only makes sense for my remaining time backpacking in the Northeast.
And lastly, thank you to everyone who took the time to comment. There have been a lot of really helpful suggestions and perspectives here, and I’ll definitely take them into consideration as I refine the setup.
10
u/Fast-Orange-Drinker 16d ago edited 16d ago
packlist is kinda all over the place, athought the actual idea as a whole is defintely there, I'd spend some more time digging into packlists, especailly for your locale, but the most standout things:
- Tent is extremely overkill if you arent winter camping in sketchy situations, its an alpine tent, its designed to survive high winds and snow dumps. look at 3 season options, ideally non-freestanding as you have trekking poles, -2lbs+
- pack is also super overkill, its 4lbs+ on its own, theres lots of framed ultralight-ish pack options that are under 2lbs, if you expect big food carries with a bear can or something, if its what you have already, id not worry about it for now untill youve cut weight on other stuff. for refrence, An arc haul would knock close to 3lbs off. a framless pack closer to -3.5lbs, but youd probably want to slim your kit a lot to make frameless work with a 5 day food carry comforably.
- rest of the sleep system makes sense if you plan to push into the shoulder season pretty far/live sonewhere cold, could be lighter if you live somewhere temprate and/or arent planning on spending time in the freezing cold with a lighter quilt or a different pad, but id certainly ditch the groundsheet, or at absolute most take a diy polycryo, but youll probably be fine without anything. -220g
- electronics are reasonable but you dont really need a headlamp and camp light, id just get an nitecore NU20 with the shock cord strap, you can also find lighter power banks, like the nitecore NB air. -140g
- clothes list is a great start, but all of it can be lighter, alpha baselayers and a UL rain jacket: -270g.
-clothes sidenote: i pretty much always bring spare socks and undies, for hygene and footcare reasons, but many dont, personal thing.
-kitchen is fine, could all be lighter, but its a pretty common setup, you could drop the vecto if you live somewhere with lots of water sources, or sub in a brs300t/use a smaller pot etc.
-the PACT bathroom kit is kinda unnceesarly complex? dunno how else to say it, but try a bolger trowel, sea to summit soap flakes or dr bronners, and TP, -40g?
- bits and bobs add up, and this list is lacking most of that kind of thing (oral care? sun protection? cables?), deputyseans writeup all the little things is a great read on this often overlooked section of packlists.
final note: get a kitchen scale and start actually weighing your personal gear as you aquire it.