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Backpacking Light

Pack less. Be more.

You are here: Home / New Features / What is ultralight backpacking? (how we talk about ultralight)

What is ultralight backpacking? (how we talk about ultralight)

by Ryan Jordan on July 14, 2019 Essays and Commentary, New Features

Iconic ultralight – my Cuben Fiber tarp, a 14-oz down quilt, trail running shoes for footwear, 20+ mile days, and a base pack weight of less than 10 pounds during a Uinta High Route traverse, Utah (2014).

What is ultralight backpacking?

If you pose this question to a community of “ultralight hikers” (sic), here are some of the answers you’ll get:

  • It’s when your base pack weight is less than 10 pounds.
  • It’s when your tent, backpack, and stuff sacks are made with Dyneema composite fabrics.
  • It’s when you don’t carry things like a camp chair, camp shoes, or extra underwear.
  • It’s when you carry a pack that looks like a day pack – it doesn’t have a frame and is really small!
  • It’s what you have to do to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.
  • It’s when you sleep in a quilt instead of a sleeping bag.

And on and on.

Ultralight backpacking (the topic in general, the ideological principles, and the community at large) has been maligned by critics in some form or another since the niche was popularized by this “label” back in the 1990s. The reason for the criticism may have more to do with people’s attraction to sound bites than it does with any substantive failings of the ultralight ethos to solve hikers’ problems. We (proponents) of ultralight backpacking must bear some of the blame, as a result of our own desires to compartmentalize what ultralight backpacking is (“…a base pack weight of less than __ pounds”) and is not (“…in ultralight backpacking, we don’t use camp shoes, camp chairs, or double-walled tents.”)

As with any labeled ideology, ultralight backpacking has both its evangelists and its critics. Interestingly, much of the criticism levied against ultralight backpacking seems to be targeted to fringe manifestations as practiced by only a small fraction of the community (or a small fraction of the time by a broader cross-section of the community).

We are fighting against our innate nature to define ideologies based on simplistic criteria that are easy to digest and communicate. The most common (and most egregious) is defining ultralight based on some arbitrary definition of base pack weight, i.e., ultralight backpacking is backpacking with a base pack weight of less than _ pounds. And it decays from there – SUL (“super-ultralight backpacking”) etc.

These definitions lack utility if you are actually a student and practitioner of the ideology. As you immerse yourself in an area of study, defining it becomes more nuanced and complex – and irrelevant.

On this 12-day trek through Wyoming’s Wind River Range (2015), I wore mountain boots, slept in a double-walled tent, packed a camp chair, carried a rope, and my starting pack was about 50 pounds. In spite of the fact that I applied ultralight principles aggressively on this trek, this type of experience doesn’t fit neatly into the ultralight backpacking box defined by many hikers.

In reality, ultralight backpacking as an idea is one that encompasses a set of core principles that can be differentially applied (or entirely rejected) depending on context. Developing a framework based on how ultralight backpacking principles are applied (rather than if they are applicable) can be quite powerful – once we cast off the idea that ultralight backpacking is defined by a certain number of pack weight pounds.

To me, ultralight backpacking is a practice centered around the idea that one should solve a problem using as little as possible, but that which is used to solve the problem should be as effective as possible. Defined as such, the actual weight of individual pieces of gear, or one’s pack weight, matters less and takes a back seat to the performance-to-weight ratio of your gear.

Taking the concept of performance-to-weight ratio a layer deeper, consider also that your criteria for performance may be different than mine. One of us may demand that a tent’s most important performance criterion is its wind resistance, while the other of us may demand that the tent be as resistant to condensation as possible.

Ultralight backpacking is more about a decision-making framework (e.g., weight vs. cost/performance/safety/comfort), understanding how gear design influences performance, studying risk assessment, learning the skills that allow you to depend less on gear, and questioning the status quo (industry) recommendations for what is safe, comfortable, and required for backpacking.

Ultralight backpacking is about skills and intentionality in various contexts, not pack weight – and this is what characterizes it as a distinct practice within the overall backpacking community.

By pack and paddle: 13 days (no resupply), 105 miles – carrying 45-55 pound packs with packrafting gear to the crest of the Chinese Wall, Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana (2014). This trip would have not been possible for these teenagers without applying an ultralight ethos.

During a consulting project for the Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) back in 2010, I was tasked with working with their equipment procurement and development divisions to reduce the weight of the individual camping equipment (ICE) carried by squad members in Afghanistan. Considering that they carried a pack with an average weight of 120 lb (ranging from 110 to 140 depending on their role in the 13-member squad) and that their ICE comprised more than 40 pounds of this equipment, I was pretty confident that I’d be helping them drop their pack weights significantly. Alas, while my team was able to reduce their ICE by more than 40 percent, it made zero difference in changing their average pack weight, which remained the same. Why? Because they were trained to carry 120 lb, and the reduction of ICE simply made room for more bullets (and other weaponry). So was this an application of ultralight backpacking? I’d argue “yes” – ultralight backpacking principles allowed them to become more effective, and more powerful, combat soldiers.

Some of the criticisms against ultralight backpacking seem to come from idealogues outside the community who aren’t engaged enough in the study of “ultralight backpacking” to understand exactly what they’re criticizing.

I posted an example of this on Twitter, which seeded some feisty discussion.

Great example of an author who has spent very little time connecting to, or understanding, the ultralight backpacking community, but still loves to write authoritatively about it: https://t.co/ySHgYcMPX1

— Backpacking Light (@backpacking) June 29, 2019

Criticizing ultralight has become chic in the broader backpacking community as well, with videos and blog posts featuring clickable titles, such as Why I Quit Ultralight Backpacking, Stupid Light: Why Lighter Isn’t Always Better, and Ultralight Backpacking will Make You Soft.

Interestingly, some of the authors who produce much of the content that seems critical of ultralight backpacking are practitioners themselves of ultralight backpacking ideology and skills. Their criticisms are thus, not so much criticisms of core principles of ultralight backpacking, but instead, address the dogma associated with ultralight backpacking.

Some of this dogma is based on the easily-communicable claims that:

  1. ultralight gear doesn’t work (or is too light),
  2. ultralight backpacking is expensive,
  3. ultralight backpacking is unsafe,
  4. ultralight backpacking is uncomfortable,
  5. the ultralight backpacking community is elitist,
  6. ultralight footwear causes injuries…
  7. etc.

Granted, I can offer a number of examples that support these ideologies. Likewise, I can offer a number of examples that refute these ideologies.

Maybe we shouldn’t outsource our intellectual autonomy to ideological principles that often break down when they are actually applied in practice. Unfortunately, as our society increases its thirst for clickbait, we are tempted to formulate a simplified worldview from headlines and sound bites.

Slay the clickbait. Adapted from Morio’s Perseus by Benvenuto Cellini. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

To advance our knowledge of ultralight backpacking in a meaningful way, publishing ideological sound bites seems irresponsible to me. However, in an internet age where success is equated to clicks, niche publishing communities depend more and more on financial models based on advertising and affiliate revenues. Maybe these financial models are the real culprits, and bloggers are simply adapting with strong financial motivations to bait readers.

While I am grateful for our own advertising and affiliate revenues, and their ability to help us stay in business for nearly 20 years, we are growing increasingly less dependent on them. Given our strong subscription base and continued membership growth, we don’t depend on clickbait or “Best Ultralight Gear of 2019” affiliate shills in order to pay our bills or our employees. My own passion is rooted in creating the content that advances the knowledge of those of you who want to experience meaningful growth in your quest to lighten your pack while pursuing your adventure goals. The desire to focus on high-quality information instead of maximum traffic was the driving motivation behind the recent launch of our podcast, the production of YouTube videos that focus on depth instead of view stats, and investment into comprehensive content such as the Canister Stove Gear Guide, StoveBench, or long-form story video content that immerses the viewer in an experience that requires some commitment on their part.

Whether developing personal skills, investigating the scientific basis of how things work, researching healthy living, or trying to sort out (accurately) how policies are created and executed by our government agencies, I’ve always placed a very high level of value on being careful, intentional, objective, and open to different perspectives. Many of our members and readers share these values, and this value framework has shaped Backpacking Light’s editorial direction over the years.

But we live in a new era where elitism (and the style of criticism that’s borne from elitism) seems to dominate public discourse about anything and everything. It’s worth exiting that unproductive social lane, not only for the sake of the health of our community but also so you can remain engaged in the study of ultralight backpacking in a thoughtful and meaningful way without getting distracted by clickbait content and demagogues that don’t actually contribute to the advancement of our outdoor knowledge and experiences.

The meaningful study of information, careful interchange of thoughtfully-crafted discourse, and the engagement of the brain for quiet thinking and problem-solving will always remain at the core of what I want to publish here at Backpacking Light. These values frame how I wish to facilitate the growth and development of the ultralight backpacking community, and will provide the basis for how we talk about ultralight backpacking here.

So if you’re looking for articles or videos about the “Best Ultralight Tents of 2019” or “Why Ultralight Backpacking Doesn’t Work” or “The 10 Biggest Mistakes Ultralight Backpackers Make” or “The 7 Things You Can Do Today To Drop Your Pack Weight to 10 Pounds or Less” – then you’ve probably come to the wrong place.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to call the first world home face a unique crisis of cultural identity when it comes to determining our status within our culture.

Gamification (including the exchange of badges and emoticon reactions) of social media and forums is a testament to people’s thirst to be recognized, and distinguished, within a community. More than one of us has desired, adopted, or been recognized as an “ultralight backpacker” or “SUL” etc., or at the very least, received compliments about our gear list spreadsheets or Lighterpack graphs.

On the surface, this sort of identity assignment allows communities to compartmentalize their members in an easily-understandable fashion (e.g., tarp campers, bushcrafters, thru-hikers, Dyneema addicts). It’s worth noting here that the assignment of these identities is sometimes overt (publicly bestowed upon the members by the community), but often simply self-assigned (whether publicly or privately) by the members themselves. The assignment of these identities spawns further compartmentalization (e.g., pack weight breakpoints that divide the extent to which you actually practice ultralight backpacking). Inevitably, what originally brought the community together results in fragmentation as a result of identity sub-cultures within the community. Of course, this isn’t unique to ultralight backpacking. It’s an inevitable equilibrium point in all communities – citizens, family members, PTA boards, scout troops, political parties, religious communities, etc.

Identity culture, compartmentalization, and simplification through definitions are not inherently bad things. However, acknowledging their presence and recognizing their limitations is necessary if we are to release our hold upon them, and advance our sport and our community culture. Setting aside identities and the criteria that define them will allow us to foster a community that is open to new members, new ideas, and new methods that we can add to our growing arsenal of chaotic and unordered tools that we affectionately know as ultralight backpacking.

On this trip, I packed 48 pounds of food and 7 pounds of gear. Ultralight, or not? Western Arctic, Alaska (2006).

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  • Jul 14, 2019 at 4:39 pm #3601885
    Ryan Jordan
    Admin

    @ryan

    Locale: Central Rockies

    Companion forum thread to: What is ultralight backpacking? (how we talk about ultralight)

    To me, ultralight backpacking is the idea that one should solve a problem using as little as possible, but that which is used to solve the problem should be as effective as possible. Defined as such, the actual weight of individual pieces of gear, or one’s pack, matters less, and takes a back seat to the performance-to-weight ratio of a piece of gear.

    Jul 14, 2019 at 4:43 pm #3601887
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    Haven’t we changed since the days of whoever dies with the lightest pack wins bumper sticker.

    Jul 14, 2019 at 5:40 pm #3601897
    Duane Hall
    BPL Member

    @pkh

    Locale: Nova Scotia

    As usual, a thought provoking article . . . cheers.

    Jul 14, 2019 at 5:52 pm #3601898
    Alex H
    BPL Member

    @abhitt

    Locale: southern appalachians or desert SW

    “Haven’t we changed since the days of whoever dies with the lightest pack wins bumper sticker.”

    That is still the mantra over on Reddit/UL

    Jul 14, 2019 at 6:45 pm #3601905
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    With all gear getting lighter it will just be backpacking soon enough. Look at the changes in just the last 15 years.

    Jul 14, 2019 at 8:08 pm #3601910
    Tom K
    BPL Member

    @tom-kirchneraol-com-2

    “whoever dies with the lightest pack wins”

    Whoever dies with the lightest pack……………..dies.

    Jul 15, 2019 at 3:11 am #3601961
    Harry Loong Walker
    BPL Member

    @hlwalker

    I thought this was about backpacking light not ultra light.

    I started with weighing all parts of the packing in the nineteen eighties. It was all about being practical. For me the tent had to restrain rain, wind and mosquitoes plus have space depending on the number of people.  Thereafter was the weight an price considered.

    Reading about others packing showed what possible during their walks. But it depends much of where and when. If they walk in 20 degrees with no risk of rain and maybe only one or two nights, sure the pack only needs to weigh a few kilos. If you risk much rain and wind, and walks for a week or two, then that demands different equipment.

    One survival instructor meant you only need a nice axe and with that one more or less you everything as was needed could be done, why carry food, when the are plenty in the nature. So ultralight packing was heavy in his perspective.

    In my perspective it is all about being practical and being able to enjoy the nature, with minimal harming of the nature.

    Jul 15, 2019 at 11:23 am #3601991
    Ken Larson
    BPL Member

    @kenlarson

    Locale: Western Michigan

    THE BOTTOM LINE….

    “To me, ultralight backpacking is a practice centered around the idea that one should solve a problem using as little as possible, but that which is used to solve the problem should be as effective as possible.”

    Jul 15, 2019 at 12:42 pm #3601994
    Five Star
    BPL Member

    @mammoman

    Locale: NE AL

    “Ultralight” means two things to me.  One, in the broad sense, it means that I try to keep my pack weight at or below 30 lbs. on trips of up to one week.  Two, it means that I try WITHIN REASON to find the lightest yet most reasonable way to take care of myself on said trips, and that I think about each and every item that I bring….do I need it, and is there are lighter one?  And the more experience I get, I’m less inclined to pack my fears.

    Without thinking about how and could I go lighter, I never would have thought I would like a tarp, or a quilt, or trail runners.  Now I seriously enjoy them all.

    Ultralight also gives me the option to add back luxury weight.  Within reason.  This could be an enhanced camp kitchen (I love to cook in the backcountry) or a flask of bourbon.  I have done both on 8 day sections hikes of the AT in winter and kept my TPW at or under 30 lbs.  I am 56 and arthritic, so this helps me stay out there now and hopefully for years to come.

    Ultralight is about thinking about what you need.  It is NOT about accumulating stuff like we do in real life.  Minimalism vs. consumerism.

    Jul 15, 2019 at 1:16 pm #3601997
    Tjaard Breeuwer
    BPL Member

    @tjaard

    Locale: Minnesota, USA

    I think much of the more valid criticism focus on the term ‘ultralight backpacking’.

    With terms like that, including (to a lesser degree) this site’s name, it is logical that there is criticism of being focused on weight to the exclusion of all else, and that it is elitist.

    In hindsight, it would have been better if we had a different term, something along the lines of: “intentionally-optimized-techniques-and-gear backpacking”. However, that doesn’t quite roll of the tongue ;-)

    Thee are many other pursuits/items that have become named in a poor way:

    • many ‘<i>mountain</i> bikers’ ride in the hills or flatlands
    • ‘<i>skaters</i>’ (skateboarders) don’t actually perform a ‘skating’ (lateral push off) motion
    • <i>“entree’s” </i>are not served first<i></i>
    Jul 15, 2019 at 5:22 pm #3602024
    Jeff McWilliams
    BPL Member

    @jjmcwill

    Locale: Midwest

    I like the “bottom line” summary, too.  It nicely packages up the philosophy.

    I find the Outside Online article referenced in Ryan’s essay somewhat inflammatory and defensive of heavy packs.  The author’s entire argument is framed within the context of her enjoying a day hike with heavy gear.   Nowhere in the editorial piece does she talk about her experience doing a multi-day hike or thru-hike.  Her CVT on Outside Online is three articles that focus on day hikes with her dog.   I wonder if she’s ever really had the “pleasure” of loading six days worth of food & gear into a backpack and carrying it for miles on the trail.   One doesn’t have to be a thru-hiker or even hike 20 mile days to appreciate the decreased discomfort that going lighter provides.

    To me, “ultralight” or how I prefer to frame the discussion, “lightweight backpacking”, is more about seeking less discomfort while on the trail than it is about obsessing over spreadsheet or LighterPack totals.

    I also like striving for simplicity, and I feel like the LW philosophy helps to reduce clutter in one’s pack.  I’ve watched disorganized backpackers in my group pull everything out of their backpack looking for that “one item” they needed during the rest break, creating that “yard sale” look on the side of the trail in the process.  Clutter and managing too much “stuff” can have a mental cost.

    Not that being organized implies Light Weight.  I could have a well organized, clutter-free pack but still carry an 8lb tent and a 5lb sleeping bag! However, I do feel that the goal of reducing weight and the goal of reducing clutter can be complimentary.

    Like Ray, I view “Top N” lists with suspicion.  I find the count to be rather arbitrary.  Why 10? Why not 8?  Did you pick 10 just to appease 10 companies with whom you have affiliate links and/or advertising agreements?  It reminds me of Backpacker magazine’s gear awards.  Their categories seem arbitrary, and I feel like they’re picked largely so they can find a slot to highlight every advertiser’s featured piece of gear.

    I think this is a good discussion.  I’m not optimistic that it will significantly reduce the judging that occurs on all sides, but it’s still worthwhile.

     

    Jul 15, 2019 at 9:57 pm #3602050
    Ryan Jordan
    Admin

    @ryan

    Locale: Central Rockies

    The origin of Top X Lists and Best ___ of 2019 lists (i.e., listicles) are from the very well-studied field of “internet content marketing” – which has one goal – to sell you something.

    Savvy internet marketers who’ve run a jillion A/B tests have determined that these two types of headlines are some of the most effective headlines you can use in order to invite clicks.

    That means if you see someone using these headlines, you know they have read these internet marketing strategies and are employing them to their full potential with the primary motivation of getting ranked higher in search engines (because people search for these terms), and inviting clicks that lead to the sale of something else (ads, affiliate).

    I’ve studied these strategies for years, and I loathe them. They are scammy, click-bait-motivated, with the end motivation being to sell something, not provide value.

    I’ve even tested a few of them on this community through the years. Guess what, they work. However, this community is savvy and have called us out on them for being scammy, whether sponsored content that provides only advertising for the company, gear guides that only have affiliate links in them and don’t support non-affiliates, or headlines that aren’t honest. You hate them, so I stopped using them. It’s not worth giving up the soul of a community for the primary purpose of maximizing clicks from the outside.

    Certainly, there are more creative and more honestly-motivated methods of generating website revenue that preserves trust and respect within a community.

    Jul 16, 2019 at 12:25 am #3602085
    Tom K
    BPL Member

    @tom-kirchneraol-com-2

    “Certainly, there are more creative and more honestly-motivated methods of generating website revenue that preserves trust and respect within a community.”

    Well researched articles, complete with field testing, that contain embedded links to suppliers?

    Jul 16, 2019 at 2:03 am #3602097
    Bruce Tolley
    BPL Member

    @btolley

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    “the actual weight of individual pieces of gear, or one’s pack, matters less, and takes a back seat to the performance-to-weight ratio of a piece of gear.”

    This principle seems easily open to abuse by newbies who interpret it literally, and with the budget /resources to buy many items of ultralight gear, they end up and then carrying heavy 40 lb plus packs for 4 night outings in a Sierra Nevada summer. (seen it happen).

     

     

    Jul 20, 2019 at 10:57 am #3602677
    Shannon W
    BPL Member

    @skidtz-2-2

    Locale: Mid-Atlantic

    This article touches the heart of my present personal and professional struggles. You had me at “As you immerse yourself in an area of study, defining it becomes more nuanced and complex – and irrelevant.”

    I don’t know that I have ever commented on an essay in ten-ish years of BPL membership. But I was won over by this one. Grateful to read a well-crafted argument about why resisting the internet-marketing gurus’ “proven techniques” is an acceptable (if not down-right honorable) way to live one’s life.

    Thank you.

    Jul 20, 2019 at 1:51 pm #3602689
    Paul Wagner
    BPL Member

    @balzaccom

    Locale: Wine Country

    So three things:

    1. For some reason the article requires me to log in.  When I try to log in, it tells me that I am already logged in. (I am.)  So I can’t read the article,.  eh.
    2. I loved Tom K’s response:“Whoever dies with the lightest pack……………..dies.”
    3.  Light, Cheap, Comfortable. Pick two.  Ultralight requires you to give up one of those three. Yeah, you can focus on multi-use equipment and all the rest, but in the end, pushing the envelope is pushing the envelope.  And as just about everyone here has noted, pushing the envelope isn’t always a perfect solution to everything, just some things.
    Jul 21, 2019 at 12:20 am #3602766
    Tom K
    BPL Member

    @tom-kirchneraol-com-2

    “Light, Cheap, Comfortable. Pick two.  Ultralight requires you to give up one of those three. Yeah, you can focus on multi-use equipment and all the rest, but in the end, pushing the envelope is pushing the envelope.  And as just about everyone here has noted, pushing the envelope isn’t always a perfect solution to everything, just some things.”

    This is a difficult for most Americans, used to having it all, to grasp, and runs against the grain of our current culture.  Personally, I think one could use it as a starting point for developing a philosophy of life.

     

    Jul 21, 2019 at 1:00 am #3602772
    Paul Wagner
    BPL Member

    @balzaccom

    Locale: Wine Country

    I borrowed that from a graphic designer who used to work for me.  Hers said:  quick cheap, good, pick two.

    And the next guy had one that said:  Our rates:  $50/hr.  $75 if you watch.  $100 if you help.

    Jul 21, 2019 at 1:17 am #3602779
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    “Light, Cheap, Comfortable. Pick two.  Ultralight requires you to give up one of those three. Yeah, you can focus on multi-use equipment and all the rest, but in the end, pushing the envelope is pushing the envelope.  And as just about everyone here has noted, pushing the envelope isn’t always a perfect solution to everything, just some things.”

    This is a difficult for most Americans, used to having it all, to grasp, and runs against the grain of our current culture.  Personally, I think one could use it as a starting point for developing a philosophy of life.

    Gosh, so many people over analyze, stress over insignificant things, and generally waste a good portion of their lives dwelling on the unimportant. More thoughts here…

    http://popupbackpacker.com/how-many-miles-did-you-hike/

     

    Jul 21, 2019 at 1:30 am #3602782
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    And perhaps we should just quit using these labels

    Jul 21, 2019 at 8:57 pm #3602861
    Bruce Warren
    BPL Member

    @aimee-2

    Being old, I started backpacking using cheap WWII surplus gear bought at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri. It was heavy, but I was young, so no matter. Hike the Grand Canyon with a 65lb pack… no problem. That made my hiking muscles stronger for the rest of my life.

    To me, ultralight backpacking was a movement that taught hikers 1) there is lighter gear out there than the army/hunting stuff you are using, and 2) you do not need all the comforts of home while camping. “But I must read my favorite Bible every night”… buy a tiny Bible. “But I can’t sleep without my favorite pillow”… sleep with the tiny camp pillow at home until you adjust. “But I love pan fried fish”… start eating dehydrated food at home to adjust. “But I can’t wear dirty sweaty clothes”… just do it!

    The only real silliness I saw, and still see, in the Ultralight Backpacking theater is ‘Base Weight’. The only weight that matters is what the pack on your back weighs as you set out down the trail. Claiming a new low in ‘base weight’ is purely a technical boasting contest with no real world usefulness.

    Say you and your clothes weigh 180lbs and your pack weighs 45lbs. That is 225lbs your legs must move along the trail. If you reduce your ‘Base Weigh’ to 8 lbs from 10 lbs last trip, then you have reduced your trail weight by 0.8 percent! Wow! Your legs are sure gonna feel so much better.

    Jul 22, 2019 at 3:11 am #3602909
    Ryan Jordan
    Admin

    @ryan

    Locale: Central Rockies

    Say you and your clothes weigh 180lbs and your pack weighs 45lbs. That is 225lbs your legs must move along the trail.

    My new favorite metric is taking total body weight + total starting weight of all gear, worn/carried/in pack + consumables, etc. Let’s call this W.

    Now using some type of body composition measurement device, maybe a bioelectric impedance scale, and determine your skeletal muscle mass. Let’s call this M.

    Now determine your Ultralight Rank (U):

    U = M / W

    So take a hypothetical human with a bodyweight of 150 lb, M = 60 lb, dry weight of gear = 15 lb, packed for a weeklong trip with 15 lb of food.

    That makes W = 150 + 15 + 15 = 180, so U = 60 / 180 = 0.33. What a rockstar. ULAF.

    Now take someone with the same amount of muscle but now he’s kind of a fatter fellow, which means his clothes are a little bigger, so bodyweight is 170 lb, M = has 60 lb, dry weight of gear = 17 lb, food = 15 lb.

    That makes W = 170 + 17 + 15 = 202, so U = 60 / 202 = 0.30. My god, that’s low.

    Hopefully, this post emphasizes the folly of numbers. Maybe it even validates Bruce’s base weight silliness claim.

    In reality, if you are looking to really study the metrics behind lightening your pack, stick with total gear weight. Base weight does seem pretty ridiculous. The idea that “the gear you wear shouldn’t count because it’s closer to your center of gravity” really doesn’t hold up to a strong scientific argument. When you do the calculations, see that there are very few meaningful differences, you start to realize that the argument is a bit contrived and kind of dumb – which frees you to take all that crap out of your pockets and put it back in your pack 😂

    Jul 22, 2019 at 6:27 am #3602932
    Roger Caffin
    Moderator

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    Take what you need to enjoy the walk, but don’t pack your fears.

    Cheers
    PS: this does justify a bag of brandy-soaked cherry chocolates. :)

    Jul 22, 2019 at 5:30 pm #3602976
    Bruce Warren
    BPL Member

    @aimee-2

    Good analysis. The total weight and the center of gravity are both important. But when your knees are trashed from motocross racing, what matters is the total weight pushing down on those abused meniscus. Seems like most customers of mine have some part of their body that is defective… spine, hip, knee, shoulder, etc. If you are a fit 22 year old hiker, you can do things like run down the trail with a 40lb pack. Soldiers carry a 100lbs. Ultralight backpacking helps those of us who strive to do more with a body that is doing less.

    Jul 23, 2019 at 3:06 am #3603065
    Tim Cheek
    BPL Member

    @hikerfan4sure

    This article is so welcome on a website dedicated to equipment. I read it when it came out and couldn’t recall what I’d read like it before. Over the weekend I picked up Colin Fletcher’s, <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>The New Complete Walker</span>, that my sister gave me for Christmas in 1974, and read this in the first chapter titled, “Why Walk?”:

    “The important thing, then, about running your tight little outdoor economy is that it must not run you. You must learn to deal with the practical details so efficiently that they become second nature. Then, after the unavoidable shakedown period, you leave yourself free to get on with the important things—watching cloud shadows race across a mountainside or passing the time of day with a hummingbird or discovering that a grasshopper eats grass like spaghetti or sitting on a peak and think of nothing at all except perhaps that it is a wonderful thing to sit on a peak and think of nothing at all.
    The second pitfall is more subtly camouflaged. Naturally, your opinions on equipment and technique must never fossilize into dogma: your mind must remain open to the possibilities of better gear and to new and easier ways of doing things. You try to strike a balance, of course—to operate efficiently and yet to remember always, that the practical details are only a means to an end. But I am not altogether convinced that after years and years of it—when you have at last succeeded in mastering most of the business and people have begun to call you an expert and someone may even ask you to write a book on the subject—I am not at all sure that it is then possible to avoid the sobering discovery that you have become, ex officio, a very tolerably accomplished fuddy-duddy.”

     

    In 1971 I used visqueen. Now I use dyneema. Backpacking as light as practical has always been the objective. The important thing is to get out and do it.

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