by: Steve Gillman
Here's an ultralight backpacking list, an example of what I typically take on a weekend hike. We're all different in our needs and skills, though, so please don't take it as a recomendation. My list, with weights (not including what I wear to start):
GoLite Breeze Backpack: 12 ounces
Western Mountaineering Bag: 17 ounces
Nylon Tarp: 17 ounces
Frogg Toggs Rain Jacket: 7 ounces
Groundsheet: 2 ounces
Sleeping Pad: 4 ounces
Bathroom Supplies: 3 ounces
First Aid Kit: 3 ounces
Knife, Lighter, Etc: 3 ounces
Hat: 1 ounce
Gloves: 1 ounce
Poly Vest: 4 ounces
Socks, 2 pair: 2 ounces
T-shirt, long sleeve: 6 ounces
Camera: 5 ounces
Light: 1 ounce
Water: 16 ounces
Raw Sunflower Seeds: 16 ounces
Fudge-dipped granola bars (8): 16 ounces
Tortilla Chips: 16 ounces
TOTAL WEIGHT : 9 pounds, 8 ounces
This is a summer backpacking list, but it's worth noting that my 17-ounce sleeping bag has kept me warm below freezing. The food adds up more than 6,700 calories, plus I tend to eat a lot of wild berries. I keep iodine pills for purifying water in my first aid kit, and stop often to refill the plastic water bottle.
This isn't an exercise in deprivation. I have done that too, going out with just a plastic bag to sleep in and a few granola bars. This list is what I need for comfort, warmth and safety. It is actually very enjoyable to easily walk twenty miles through the mountains, with less than ten pounds on my back. With the right skills, equipment and preparation, ultralight backpacking is never about suffering.