Sunday, August 23, 2009

A Beta Quality Lightweight Backpacking List

Weather permitting, I've got a short (3 day, 2 night) backpacking trip coming up. The last backpacking trip I was on was years ago, and while the details are hazy, I recall one clear thought: bring less stuff. Last time I didn't take pack weight seriously, and it was a pain.

This time, I plan to be extra careful. I've gone through various gear lists and used my own past camping/backpacking experience to come up with the following. When I compiled the gear earlier, minus the pack and a few odds and ends (like the camera and swiss army knife), the weight was around 10lbs. So, it's certainly a start.

Speaking of existing gear lists, here are a few that really shaped my list:

  • Brett On Stuff - Brett clearly knows his stuff. His gear list is perfect if you're ready to spend cash and do it right.
  • 3 Days, 10 Pounds - this is a no-nonsense list that provides more ideas for a 10 pound pack.
  • Frank Perkins' Gear List - Frank provides another really complete list. Like Brett, it's more oriented towards those who are ready to buy the ideal gear.
  • Low Cost Ultra-Light Backpacking List - This is a detailed list that shows how you can go lightweight without spending lots of money. Definitely helpful.
  • Travel Independent - What To Pack - These are actually packing recommendations for tour backpacking (think: backpacking Europe), not trail backpacking. But, I found it such an entertaining and thoughtful read, I think it's worth of being on the list.

So here it is - my current 3 day backpacking gear list.

DISCLAIMER: This really is an untested list. Use it as inspiration, not a definitive recommendation

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