Ultralight Backpacking Essentials: Warm & Cold Weather
The lightest backpacking setup possible falls under the category of ultralight backpacking, where base weights (everything excluding food, water, and fuel) can go below 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or even lower.
Here's SENDY’s overview of an extremely lightweight yet functional setup:
Essential Ultralight Backpacking Setup (~6–9 lbs base weight)
Backpack (12–24 oz / 340–680 g)
Frameless or minimal frame pack (e.g., Zpacks Nero, Gossamer Gear Kumo, Pa’lante Packs)
Pa’lante Pack
Shelter (10–20 oz / 280–570 g)
Dyneema tarp or single-wall tent (e.g., Zpacks Plex Solo, Tarptent Aeon Li, Six Moon Designs Deschutes)
Sleeping Bag/Quilt (12–22 oz / 340–620 g)
Down quilt rated 20–30°F (e.g., Enlightened Equipment Revelation, Katabatic Gear Flex)
Sleeping Pad (8–14 oz / 225–400 g)
Ultralight inflatable or foam pad (e.g., Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite, NEMO Switchback)
Cook System (4–6 oz / 110–170 g)
Stove: Esbit, alcohol, or ultralight canister (e.g., BRS-3000T, Toaks Alcohol Stove)
Pot: 550–750 ml titanium (e.g., Toaks 550 ml)
Water Filtration (1–3 oz / 30–85 g)
Sawyer Micro Squeeze, CNOC bag, or Aquamira drops
Sawyer Micro Squeeze
Clothing (Worn + 1 extra insulation piece)
Base layer
Wind shirt (e.g., Montbell Tachyon)
Ultralight down jacket (e.g., Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer)
Rain shell (e.g., Zpacks Vertice)
https://backpackers.com/outdoor-gear/reviews/zpacks-vertice-review
Misc Gear (varies, aim for ~16 oz / 450 g total)
Headlamp (e.g., Nitecore NU25)
Toothbrush, toothpaste, small knife, lighter, first aid, cordage, etc.
Example of Ultralight Base Weight (~7.8 lbs / 3.5 kg)
Item | Weight |
Pack (frameless) | 13 oz |
Tent (solo DCF tent) | 15 oz |
Quilt | 18 oz |
Sleeping pad | 8 oz |
Stove + pot | 6 oz |
Filter + bottle | 3 oz |
Clothing & misc | 23 oz |
Total | 7.8 lbs (3.5 kg) |
Focus on minimizing weight while ensuring safety and comfort
Ultralight Warm Weather Setup (50–80°F / 10–27°C)
Target base weight: ~6–8 lbs (2.7–3.6 kg)
Essentials:
Item | Model Example | Weight |
Backpack | Pa’lante Joey / Zpacks Nero | 12–16 oz |
Shelter | Zpacks Plex Solo / tarp + bivy combo | 10–15 oz |
Quilt | Enlightened Equipment Enigma 40°F | 12–14 oz |
Sleeping Pad | Therm-a-Rest UberLite / NEMO Switchback | 8–12 oz |
Cook Kit | Toaks 550 ml + BRS-3000T stove | 4–5 oz |
Water Treatment | Sawyer Micro Squeeze + 1L Smartwater bottle | 3–4 oz |
Clothing Packed | Wind shirt + down vest | 12–16 oz |
Misc Gear | Headlamp, med kit, knife, etc. | ~1 lb |
Tips:
Sleep with minimal layers, bring bug protection (headnet), and ensure ventilation in your shelter.
Use a closed-cell foam pad if bugs or punctures are a concern.
Ultralight Cold Weather Setup (15–40°F / -10 to 4°C)
Target base weight: ~9–12 lbs (4–5.5 kg)
Essentials:
Item | Model Example | Weight |
Backpack | HMG Southwest 3400 / Gossamer Gear Gorilla | 24–30 oz |
Shelter | Tarptent Aeon Li / Durston X-Mid Pro 1 | 16–20 oz |
Quilt/Sleeping Bag | Katabatic Flex 22°F / EE Revelation 20°F | 20–26 oz |
Sleeping Pad | Therm-a-Rest XTherm (R-value 6.9) | 15–17 oz |
Cook Kit | Stove + pot + windscreen + fuel | 6–8 oz |
Water Treatment | Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc Vecto (store in jacket) | 4–5 oz |
Clothing Packed | Down jacket, thermal base layers, gloves | 24–30 oz |
Misc Gear | Headlamp, hand warmers, repair kit | ~1.5 lb |
Tips:
Sleep with electronics and water filters inside your quilt to prevent freezing.
Use a full-length insulated pad or double up (e.g., foam + inflatable).
Vapor barrier liners can help in deep cold.
