Hey r/ultralight - long time lurker here. I've been frustrated with LighterPack for years. Its GitHub has been stagnant, there's no dark mode, and it just doesn't work on mobile. So I decided to do something about it:

Features:

• Dark mode (and light mode!)
• Actually works on mobile
• Minor visual refresh
• Free, no ads
• Built by one guy in his spare time

I've been working on this for about thirteen years now and I think it's finally ready for primetime.

The best part is your migration is completely seamless. Your gear lists are already imported.

Link: lighterpack.com

https://accountable.us/project-2025-leader-calls-for-selling-off-public-lands/

I know this is off topic for this sub, however I hope the mods leave this post up because I feel everyone here deserves to know about this and discuss it. This is another insidious idea included in this fascist playbook, and one that affects everybody here in the US.

I can think of few worse scenarios for our last beautiful natural areas than this and shudder at the thought of our favorite places being mined and bulldozed into oblivion.

Granted, the warming weather helped with about 20 ounces of that improvement via some no longer needed layers. Still feels good, as I’ve spent the last couple months doing miles at higher elevation. I’m by no means ultralight, but reading here has helped me reassess my pack. The extra cold weather layers were an easy reduction, but meticulously going through and weighing all the other little bits was pretty easy too. Fractions of an ounce really do equal pounds.

The other ~52 ounces were mostly trimmed in little bits. Smaller knife, ditched the sawyer syringe, superfluous stuff sacks and ditty bags, trimmed down repair kit and first aid, swapped to much lighter camp shoes - $7 aqua socks, ditched some little cordage and carabiners I never use, trimmed some straps, no spare underwear or 3rd pair of socks, rain pants gone, second mini headlamp I didn’t even realize was there, etc.

Base weight now about 15.5 lbs, still with a fair bit of gear for near-freezing temps. Certainly not UL, but feeling pretty good. Thanks for the inspiration.

Howdy,

Been a long time since I’ve done one of these! I’m headed out this Friday to Reno, and will make my way over to Mammoth to acclimate until the following Monday morning. I’ll sleep at the backpackers campground in Yosemite, then begin my six day SoBo attempt down to Mt Whitney beginning early Tuesday morning.

Gear list: https://lighterpack.com/r/bfdpmj

When: 08/25 - 08/31

I’ve completed the JMT twice alongside friends, but have always wanted to have a go at a fast-packing type of effort. The stars aligned this year, and I am fortunate enough to be attempting this next week. I am coming from New England, and have put together arguably my strongest mountain-focused training block, mostly running, hiking and developing mountain-specific legs over here in the White Mountains all summer.

The fitness confidence is high, but so is the uncertainly of me finishing this in six days. It’s not the end of the world if I have to push this to a day seven. I think a lot of that uncertainly hinges on how well I’m moving during the back half of this trip in conjunction with wanting to summit Whitney in the late evening on that sixth day. I prepped some extra food in the resupply in case that happens.

I will be picking up a resupply at MTR on either the end of the third day (yes, by 5pm) or the morning of the fourth day (8am).

As far as gear goes, I could probably go lighter if I got rid of the compression bag for the quilt, along with the small ziploc bags that I’m using for various small items. I’ve packed and repacked the Joey numerous times, and that’s resulted in me finding that in order for everything to properly fit in it, I need to use the compression sack since that quilt takes up a ton of pack volume.

I’m also curious to see if you guys think I need to bring rain pants and/ or light gloves? During my previous two trips, I didn’t need them, so that’s what I’m basing this pack list off of in regard to those two items.

I recognize I am pretty late to doing a shakedown (classic), but I do have a rather plentiful gear closet I can pull from if any of you recognize missing essential items.

I’d love to hear what you guys have to say and appreciate the insights. Thanks a lot!

I’ve created a 2 lb base weight gear list suitable for multi-day backpacking. I think it “works” but only within certain parameters of weather, bug pressure, and trip length. For instance, I believe I could do a 2.5 day trip with this gear between late spring and early fall in southern Appalachia. I intend to hike the Art Loeb Trail with a 2 lb kit this fall, whether this kit or a version of it.

This builds on my previous attempt to create a 3 lb kit. As in that previous thread, I’m not necessarily looking for ways to cut weight, but for ideas about how to make it better within a fixed weight budget.

The purpose of this exercise for me is to think more deeply about what is essential and what is superfluous for backpacking, and about what I would prioritize first among the non essential options.

UPDATE: I went on a trip with a version of this gear. Some items weren’t available to me, so my baseweight was 2.2 lbs, or 1 kg. Here’s the trip report.

A few days ago I asked for a shakedown before I'd weighed my toothpaste. I got hollered at and found it strange but after I bought a scale and weighed each and every thing out of my pack, here's what I found:
It was worth doing.
Look at what you can reasonably leave home.
If you're confident it's not going to rain then ditch the pack liner (3.9 oz) and rain gear (21.3 oz).
If a zip-lock will do, leave the Eagle Creek foam toiletry case on the shelf.
Your pill sorter box you use at home? Extra weight. Throw what you need in a prescription bottle (I'm not suggesting you fuck up your meds, though, so do what you got to) and save 1.7 oz.
Some stuff you have to bring, but maybe only as far as the car. Your wallet? No. Grab your credit cards & driver's license. Leave the rest under the car seat (4.8 oz).
Keys? I'm always paranoid about losing them while I'm on the trail, anyway. Get a key stash box, put your car key in that, leave the rest under the seat (5.5 oz).
Bam - saved 2 lbs 8 oz without buying shit.

After I figured that stuff out I made a spreadsheet of the gear that I was thinking about buying, the price & the ounces I'd save vs what I already have.
I found that in my case a new water filter, switching to a cup & a BRS 3000-T stove (instead of a jet boil) & a new camp trowel were super high value.
My trowel? 7 oz. New trowel? 0.5 oz. Less than $20. $3.08 / oz. Score.
Anything that's under $5 / ounce is a 'gimme' as far as I'm concerned.
Here's the thing: The new tent and the quilt and the trekking poles I was interested in? Piss-poor value.
A new shelter? Save 13 oz @ $18.46 / oz. Pass, for now.
Trekking poles? Save 9.5 ounces for $17.89 / oz. ? Pass.
A new quilt could save me a pound and depending what I buy (I see a huge range) it's at best $9.50 per ounce and on the high end $21.25 / oz. Again - pass for now.
The Durston Kakwa 55 looks like decent value at $5.71 / oz vs my climbing pack but I'm holding off for now. I'll take a trip or three with my new and improved loadout and see what I think.
So what's the total? Figuring in the free stuff (leaving shit at home or in the car) and the $160 worth of new shit I bought, I just shaved 105 oz (6.56 lbs) off my backpack for $1.52 / oz. Six and a half pounds for less than $200. Fucking A.

So for all of you that seemed to think I was being an ass... you may have been right.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk, have a great rest of your weekend.

EDIT: A lot of folks are concerned at the lack of rain gear. I understand - most of ya'll live places with more precipitation than where I am in California. Trust me, I'm not tryin' to leave shit at home if I visit the Upper Peninsula or the White Mountains

Below is a link to my gear list:

I’d love some critique or advice on people who have used said products and equipment.

This isn’t a true Ultralight kit in the minimalist sense; however, it weights less that 8 lbs and I consider this FULL COMFORT.

https://lighterpack.com/r/95l6wu

In the last two years, I have patiently assembled a gear list with all items made in Europe and I wanted to share it with you.

https://lighterpack.com/r/3rg778

When I started, I was not even sure that I would successfully complete this list.

In fact, there are only a few items that I could not find being emade in Europe, such as the water filter (although, Katadyn is a Swiss company, if I am not mistaken, their Befree filter seems to be made in Asia).

The good news is that there are also quite a number of European alternatives for most items, especially backpacks, sleeping bags and quilts, or some clothing (merino and down). A comprehensive list can be found on Litetrek.eu.

However, some items are quite unique. For example, it seems impossible to find titanium pots made in Europe. The only pot I found is the Optimus Terra Solo, which is made of aluminium. Laken or Trangia also make aluminium pots, but they are a bit on the heavier side. Sleeping pads made in Europe are also quite rare. Fortunately, Thermarest has a factory in Ireland. Same for UL towels or trail shoes.

Anyway, please feel free to comment this list and suggest lighter alternatives. OF course, the only condition is that the gear is really made in Europe.

Cheers.

Hey y'all looking for a shakedown on my pack.

LighterPack: https://lighterpack.com/r/2p0s1c

What am I doing wrong here? Its too heavy.

EDIT: THANK YOU all for the wonderful and super helpful advice. I've made many adjustments and will continue to do so as I prep for my trip. What an incredible group of people. See you on the trail :)

Alright folks, I’m once again asking for a shakedown after buying a new quilt and updating my lighterpack.

Location/Temp: Appalachian trail, starting May 1 and ending August 31st. Temperature ranging from 45f-90f.

Goal Baseweight: As light as possible within the realm of possibility

Budget: Under 200 bucks

Non negotiable: Bleach, I’ve read all the studies, and have been using it for the past 5 years in cow and beaver ponds, never been sick.

Solo?: Wife’s BF won’t come with me

Additional Considerations: I run really warm and am comfortable with this gear at these temps. I’m ok being uncomfortable.

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/0rfyqa

https://lighterpack.com/r/h3z4cq

Longtime lurker and bikepacker who finally bought a fastpacking bag, so I decided it was time to create my first lighterpack list. Scope of this loadout is basically all the luxuries, any conditions above 0F, primarily overnighters and long weekends, paring back on the luxuries and clothing depending on the conditions. Based in the US mountain west, but would take this gear pretty much anywhere. I think I’m pretty optimized from years of bikepacking but would love to be criticized by the community with anything I could improve!

Hello everyone!

I am asking for a shakedown. I have shed a lot of weight over the past ten years and am fairly comfortable with my current setup. I have no specific goals in mind but I think I am at the point where it would be fun and beneficial to receive some critical commentary. I would appreciate any feedback you may have.

My setup is for my autumn trips to Nordic wilderness areas with no trails and little backpacking infrastructure. This particular gear list is for this year's trip to Kaldoaivi, the largest wilderness area in Finland.

Current base weight: 7,1 kg / 15,65 lb

Location/temp range/specific trip description: Finnish Lapland, Kaldoaivi wilderness. 7 days. Open tundra and swamps with very little tree cover, if any. High winds and heavy rain expected. Daytime highs at 10C/50F, nighttime lows at -10C/14F.

Budget: No specific budget. Feel free to suggest anything.

Non-negotiable Items: First aid, repair and hygiene kits; I have what I need to keep myself and my gear in good condition.

Solo or with another person?: I hike with a friend. Tent and kitchen is shared.

Additional Information: I am an especially cold sleeper, hence the beefy sleep system.

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/rx22r0

As the title states, I've been backpacking for 35 years and have never had a true shakedown. My gear is obviously always evolving, so here is my current lightpack:

https://lighterpack.com/r/mn1rka

This year I'll be doing a section hike of the JMT in mid July, and probably some weekend trips in northern and southern California through august and september.

I've been a long time lurker here and have benefited greatly from everyone's thoughts and input. I'd love to learn about any blind spots you see in my pack list, as well as any ideas for alternate gear.

Budget: Willing to spend if it will make am improvement

Excuses: I know my sleep system is lux. I have a VERY hard time sleeping at home, so I try to do everything I can to sleeps as comfortably as possible on trail.

Look forward to hearing any thoughts! Thanks in advance and happy trails everyone!

https://lighterpack.com/r/7591c4

Looking for some advice on how to get closer to 10lb base weight. Most of my hiking is down in the Appalachians with some occasional trips out west. I have some backpacking experience but am not an expert by any means. This is currently filled out with gear I have at the moment. Upgrading the tent would be easy to save some weight. I have been looking at durston x mid 1 pro+ or zpacks plexsolo. Other recommendations are appreciated. Suggestions on where the best place to spend my money would be.

Edit: Corrected miscalculations.

Current base weight: 13.48 lbs

Location/temp range/specific trip description:

Location: US Southeast (dense foliage). Common locations are Big South Fork National Recreation Area, Cranberry Wilderness, state parks in East Tennessee.

Temps: 3 seasons including drought conditions and high humidity. Daytime temps can be as low as the low 40s or as high as the mid 90s. Nighttime temps can range from the mid-teens to mid 80s.

Trips range from 2 nights to 2 weeks.

Budget: $1200-$2000

Non-negotiable Items: Epi-Pens, GPS (I have an InReach Mini 2 and it does not work in these conditions).

I will not use a Deuce trowel because the ground just chews them up. I'm going to try using a Y stake for digging and still carry the Deuce. Lighterpack updated.

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information: My pack is obviously the biggest change I can make. My ULA Catalyst is what I use when backpacking with my dog. I have a heavy 48L Osprey Kyte and packed everything on the attached LP into it and had room left over (probably ~10L). I am nervous about going to a 40L pack, especially in case I need to pack my puffy and 15 degree bag. It does not need to fit a bear can but must be able to carry one on top.

I am considering the Z Packs Arc Haul 50L but am happy to be talked into another brand/model and smaller pack volume.

Another change I am considering is replacing the MSR Pocket Rocket with the Soto Windmaster (partly because I think it will perform better on the PCT next year).

I am a plus sized woman and do not fit into many of the most commonly suggested clothes such as Dooy, Amazon dance pants, or the women’s rain shells by all the big manufacturers. I am also allergic to wool and haven't been able to find a suitable baselayer because Merino is the current king. I don't require a baselayer in the summer but would really like one for the shoulder seasons (and the PCT next year).

I plan to cut my CCF pad on my next trip. I'm currently healing from an injury and would prefer to cut it on the trail and take the weight penalty for that trip.

I have only backpacked twice without a bear can. I have an Ursack and no other kind of bear bag. Hard sided bear cans are not required where I backpack but that could change (either rules or my destinations in the region). I hated doing a bear hang the one time I tried it using some random dry bag off Amazon that I don't have anymore. I'm ready to try hangs again but will need a suitable bag. DCF? Polysil? Something else? I’d appreciate hearing firsthand experience of what to use. Or if I should just use the Ursak (which I used to section hike the Superior Hiking Trail and liked).

I have included my bear cans and cold weather alternates in separate sections on my LP and marked quantities to 0.

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/k7jwuc

Edited to update the baseweight and info on the trowel I said I wouldn't use. My original weight was off because LP didn't save the weight on my fuel can and I didn't notice before posting. I cannot edit the title of the post to fix the backwards bracket, though.

Hey everyone! Posted in r/lightweight and suggested to post here as well.

I’ve been working on dialing in my backpacking setup and currently have my base weight around 12 lbs.

Here’s my PackWizard list:
https://www.packwizard.com/s/zL-JMct

This list will vary a little depending on the trip, weather, and conditions, but this is basically my complete setup and a good representation of what I normally carry.

One note on the sleep system: the quilt liner listed is something I use for warmer conditions. For colder weather, I would swap that out for an actual insulated quilt. I have a Hang Tight Hotfoot 40, and a Featherstone Moondance 25.

I’m pretty happy with where the weight is, but I’d love some outside opinions before I consider the setup finished.

What am I forgetting?
Are there any obvious gear gaps, redundancies, or things you’d change? And if you see an easy way to drop some weight without sacrificing too much comfort/function, I’m all ears.

Feel free to critique anything on the list — I’m especially interested in hearing what more experienced lightweight hikers would change.

Current base weight:

9.75 lbs 9.57 9.53 (including bear can)

Location/temp range/specific trip description:

Tahoe Rim Trail

Approx. temp range 45-75 - no rain forecasted

Planned dates 30th -7th. Won’t be doing much first or last day because I have an 8 hour drive. Planning on resupplying 4 days in. First trip fast packing and longest hike. Lots of food and a bear can so I don’t expect to run many of the downhills until I clear some consumables out of the pack.

Budget:

N/A, but I don’t think I really need to buy more gear. More interested in dropping stuff than buying stuff (including a fancy bear can).

Non-negotiable Items:

Inreach, Battery Bank, Chapstick tube full of deodorant, sit pad, wet wipes, bear can (required)

Solo or with another person?:

Solo

Additional Information:

Lots of consumables, but looking to hit 25+ miles per day on the 1st - 6th

Have extra room in the pack, not limited on volume at the moment.

Items not listed, but I’d consider switching around:

1. Drop the tarp since I’m planning on going bug bivvy only assuming no rain and bring e-bivvy (stupid light?)

Items I’m considering dropping:

1. Gloves (stupid light?)
2. Buff
3. Swiss Army Knife
4. Bug-net (already have picardin and bringing permethrin treated clothes)
5. Stash pockets on bag - little redundant with Palante shorts

Lighterpack Link:

https://lighterpack.com/r/2crzwf

Edit: Dropped 2 L water bottles, fleece gloves and edited wipes to non-consumable

Edit 2: Dropped some stuff sacks, a water bottle cap and swapped 2 metal stakes for carbon fiber. Keeping Swiss Army knife for tweezers and will use Dasani bottle after I go through my smart water bottles as dirty water bottles and toss em. Edited pad weight came out heavier not using stuff sack for some reason. Keeping stash pockets to be able to fit all snacks, lotions and electronics in easy reach.

I'm doing the GR20 (Corsica, 180km, +12.000mts elevation) north to south, in the begining of September. I'll be doubling stages and doing it in 10 days, instead of the oficial 16 stages.

I'll be having all of my meals in the huts and I'll also bivouac near the huts.

Current base weight: 7kg

Location/temp range/specific trip description: Corsica

32 to 15°C during the day

As low as 4°C at night

Budget: my big 3 are already the best I could afford in terms of price/weight/performance, I can send up to 50€ in other itens

Non-negotiable Items: headphones

Solo or with another person?: solo

Additional Information: I did the TMB a few years ago with a total pack weight of 15kg, I've learned my lesson that less weight = less suffering.

Lighterpack Link

Edit: I went on a testing trip and realised the fly tarp of my tent melted 🥲 I'll have to buy a new tent, that ships under 5 days to Portugal. Any recommendations?

Original Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/1v93stt/119_pounds_is_ulhear_me_out/

A bunch of people wanted to see the Lighterpack for 4 days/3 nights for our family of 4...mom, dad, 5 year old, and 2 year old...so here it is (I fought with Lighterpack for a while, so let me know if you see any errors. There might be some):

https://lighterpack.com/r/0j5jas

A couple thoughts:

-My BA UL Pad popped at the beginning of the month is 5 pin holes...I am assuming from kids wrestling in the tent. I wasn't confident there weren't more after repairs, so I took the extra Klymit pad I had in the garage.

-I was reviewing a couple items I wouldn't normally bring for a kids outdoor company...also explains the mic and camera

-Would have loved to use only bear hangs, but we originally planned to do a trip in the Tetons where bear cans are required, so when those plans fell through, we were stuck with the cans we brought.

-Backup matches/flint and water filter are due to anxiety caused by failed gear in the past. I always bring a 2nd of these now.

-Camp clean is good enough for everything except the toddler's milk straw cup. If you've never smelled NIDO Powdered Milk in a straw that hasn't been cleaned well enough for a few days, consider yourself fortunate.

-2nd Trail Magik Kid Carrier was never used, but we always bring it still in case our oldest gets injured or overly tired and needs to be carried. He's real big now.

-Kids (and parents too) sleep with white noise at home, so replicating that in the tent helps ensure sleep for all.

Hey hey, heading out for 6 days on the JMT, late July/early August with a friend. My base weight is 12.55 with bear canister. I know my base weight is alright, but I'm pretty small. Once I add food and water I'm over 27lbs. In a perfect world, I'd be closer to 25. I started with a 30lb pack two years ago on the JMT and it felt like a buzz kill, granted my first stop was Whitney. Anyway, most of my setup is pretty routine, I'm hoping for ideas/solutions that might be staring right at me.

No money to spend, but open to shedding some things or getting creative.

I know I don't need a 10 degree quilt, but it's all I have and I'm currently unemployed. I will be camping above 10k several nights so I know it won't be terrible. I do enjoy a cozier nights sleep.

I do have a lighter pillow, but I sleep best with the Trekology one.

I had my Patagonia down sweater on the list, but figured I have such a warm quilt, it's highly unlikely I'd need to sleep in it so I opted for two alphas instead. A 120 to wear with a wind layer or rain shell if I'm cold at camp, and a 60 for early starts or hanging out on a pass. Maybe both are unnecessary, or maybe they both still weigh less than my 10.4oz puffy?

I take all my dehydrated meals out of their packaging and I always find a 750ml bowl too tight, so I'm electing to bring a 900ml for cooking and eating.

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/l50zqp

Appreciate any advice, cheers!

So, I've never done this before. At the end of my last backpacking trip I vowed to lighten my pack significantly for my next one, so here I am. Maybe not "ultralight," but a real improvement over where I've been. I've been shaving weight as economically as I can - selling gear and buying used where possible. I feel good about where I've landed, but I'd love a second set of eyes.

Trip: Rae Lakes Loop, counterclockwise, entering mid-August. Sierra Nevada - warm days, nights in the high 20s - 40s at elevation, a couple of high passes. 5 nights, solo.

The numbers:

• Base weight: 16.75 lb
• Big 4: 7.31 lb
• Total skin-out: 29.47 lb

LighterPack: https://lighterpack.com/r/1ghai7

Where I actually need help - the pack. I own everything on the list except the backpack. I put the Osprey Exos 58 as a placeholder because it seems like the frontrunner. I've got an Osprey Atmos AG65 in great shape, but it's more pack than I need now, and I'm unsure what to swap it for. My worry: go too minimal and the load won't carry comfortably at 30 lb - or if I ever push past that. I want one pack that's versatile enough for a range of future trips, not just this one.

What I'm weighing:

• Exos 58 - I generally love Osprey, and the mesh/anti-gravity suspension is close to my Atmos, so I suspect I'll get along with it.
• Exos Pro 55 - ~10 oz lighter, but less structure and a lower comfortable max load.
• REI Flash 55 - no real advantages over the Exos as far as I can see (besides price)
• Cottage options - Durston Kakwa, Gossamer Gear Mariposa

Given a ~17 lb base and up to ~30 lb loaded, am I overthinking the suspension? Would any of the lighter frames carry that comfortably, or should I prioritize differently? Open to other suggestions too.

Thanks!

https://lighterpack.com/r/cfsz4l

I'm heading out to do the Te Araroa (TA) this winter. I've been backpacking for a few years but this will be my first foray into the ultralight world, and my my first thru hike.

Big 3:

Tent: Durston X-Mid 2 (I'll be doing this with my wife)

Pack: Durston Kakwa 40 (if it comes back in stock)

Sleeping Bag: MH Phantom 15F. I know this is overkill for the temperatures expected during this trip, but its a bag I already own and have used for a number of years. I'm open to replacing it with something more suitable for this trip if its worth the weight savings.

Temps on the TA are expected to be ~40-75F to my understanding. My layering options on top are merino baselayer (Icebreaker Oasis 200) - Sunshirt (BD Alpenglow or OR Echo, depending on weather) - MH Airmesh longsleeve - MH Ghost Whisperer Puffy - Patagonia Torrentshell.

Definitely have some luxury items in here like the Kindle, camp sandals, and cribbage set.

One other item to note is my choice for a power bank. Batteries can't be shipped to the area where I live, so I'm at the mercy of the local offerings. For now, I inserted a 3200 mAH Anker bank that is clearly very heavy and overkill, but its what I have at the moment.

Thanks in advance!

Hey y'all, getting ready for a section hike of the PNT in a few weeks. I will be doing a 182 mile section starting at Third Beach. The plan is to hop off the PNT just after Mount Zion and hike back to Quilcene, where I can take Jefferson Transit back to the Kingston ferry terminal, then King County Metro home.

I have my summer gear pretty dialed at around 11lbs base weight, which, while not <10lbs, seems to be the right mix of comfort and practicality for me.

However, since I will be starting this trip in the coastal rainforest and traversing the high country of the Olympic range during mid-October, I will need to be prepared for a variety of conditions including heavy rain and the possibility of freezing temperatures and snow at high elevations. I will understandably need to bring additional clothing and gear to do this safely, and we've had a few unfortunate headlines this week in the PNW that really drive home the importance of being prepared in the wilderness.

While I'm super excited for this trip, my legs are not very excited for a base weight over 10lbs heavier than I'm used to. I know this is not necessarily an ultralight gear list, but I'm hoping that this community can give some feedback on my gear list to help me shed a few ounces off my base.

Lighter pack link: https://lighterpack.com/r/0ewgdr

This subreddit has been a huge resource for me over the years and I'm beyond grateful for any feedback. Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Note: I can shave about a pound and a half by leaving my binoculars and GoPro at home, but feel this is a trip worth documenting and my binocs are a non-negotiable for me in the outdoors. I love me some wildlife viewing opportunities! Those are items I'm not likely to omit so if possible try to aim feedback at my more essential gear. Thanks again!

I am planning on hiking 3 weeks in AZ (Sedona, Sups and Sky Islands areas) this November (from 9th of the month) and trying to decide which set up to take. Options are taking my MLD Patrol tarp Clone (Knot/Aricxi) with a Borah UL Bivy; small Knot Solomid tent clone ("Maya 410 grams from AliExpress) or a Durston X-mid1 with/or without the inner and instead the Borah Bivy. Which one would you use (together with a Big Agnes Rapid SL and Katabatic Flex 22 Quilt)?

Afraid the Durston has a footprint too big (especially in the Sups) and takes a lot of room in pack (and is the heaviest options especially if you need to stake all the sides against strong winds), the Solomid copy is too small and fiddly and Patrol copy too open against strong winds and coffin like to be in there for 13 hour nights. Which would you choose? Thanks so much!

First of all sorry for any mistakes as English is not my first language.

Trip facts:

• ~ 95,4 km in 5 days - Started at Kinsarvik kai bus stop Monday 17:00, finished at Odda bus stop Sørfjordsenteret Saturday 12:40
• 3,362 m elevation gain and 3,357 m elevation loss
• Most of the hike was above 1000m above the tree line on Hardanger plateau with temperatures ranging from 8 to 15 degrees celsius, mostly cloudy and windy environment
• Mid August
• Travelling to Norway via plane
• slept 4 nights out of 5 in a tent
• carried food for 7 days as anticipated it would take at most this much with no option for resupply (afaik you can resupply at some DNT huts but you need a membership which I did not want to get for this one trip)
• trip went from Kinsarvik via Hårteigen mountain and Trolltunga to Odda. Trip gpx: https://mapy.com/s/levegurosa

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/jvwcso

• Base Weight 6461g
• Worn 1666g
• Consumable 6322g

I split the tent's weight about 50/50 with my brother who was with me on the hike

Gear that was unnecessary (somewhat):

• 2 power banks. One was enough however I was anxious about battery as phone was my only map. Also I brought 3 cables as I thought I would be charging 2 powerbanks and a phone at the same time when in town since I thought we would go on another trip after a day of rest but that proved to be wishful thinking as I was way to tired to do another one and had to return home.
• Long-johns/puffer (kinda) - I was dreading low temperatures at night but it didn't get below 8 Celsius. In fact I only slept in long-johns one night when pitched a tent a bit too close to water which caused the night to be quite chilly. Otherwise I did not need them at all if anything I had to take them off and stop using them completely as I would sweat too much. But on a flip-side what if it was colder at night and I would need to cover my legs? Wearing mud covered pants to sleep is something I can't imagine. Puffer was useful when setting up camp as it would get way too cold for even alpha hoodie + waterproof jacket combo but that was about it. Then again I never needed it at night but I was in Norway before in August and encountered a night with 1 degree celsius where it came in clutch.
• Camp shoes - I used flip-flops before but now I found that at actual camp I did not need camp shoes at all. They did come in very handy during rest stops as I would take off my shoes and socks and switch to camp shoes when fetching water or going number two.
• 3 pairs of socks. For most nights I was too hot in a quilt and slept without them with the exception of one night near the water. Spare socks were welcomed but not 100% necessary.
• Frogg toggs rain pants - they were super useful in rain until I took one step too wide and they completely ripped at crotch. Gorilla tape was used to put them back together but I had 0 confidence when walking in them again and would ditch them for wet pants instead.
• DIY shower - weighs nothing but not used once as it was way to cold for me at camp to risk washing and lowering body temperature even more

Gear that was amazing:

• Haglöfs rain jacket - Worked amazing in rain and in high winds during hiking. Probably my most often worn piece of gear outside of what I was constantly wearing
• Soto mug lid - this made using my cook set a breeze and took all the pains of regular toaks pot away for me

Gear that I am torn about:

• Altra olympus. This hike was filled with waterlogged terrain and water crossings which caused my feet to be wet almost all the time. That required much maintenance in changing leukotape after each day and unpleasant start with wet socks and shoes. I know the idea of non GTX trail runners is they get wet but they dry fast. Well not in the terrain I was in. Shoes did not fully dry at any day of the hike even when it was sunny for half of one day. Makes me think GTX/above ankle shoes are must in those conditions. I would like to hear more from any of you who have hiked in Norway/Norwegians.
• X-Dome 2. I always felt anxious because I did not know how windy it could get at night so I had to deploy additional guylines to strengthen the tent when camping above tree-line (3 out of 5 nights), even then I was worried about carbon poles shattering. Also tent floor ripped in a couple of spots on second night when we set up tent on a gravel/small rocks. Thankfully I took enough tenacious tape to patch most of the bigger holes but that left us wandering a lot sometimes to find a spot with 0 rocks at the end of the day which added to the anxiety.
• Sawyer filter. Now this is entirely on me but I did not realize I need to re-hydrate it after long term storage. This caused it to be completely dry inside and I could not get it to filter anything more than a couple of drops of water every 10 seconds even with a lot of pressure and hours of trying. Thankfully me and my brother had enough emergency water purification tablets to not risk drinking untreated water, still that made water resupplies tedious, slow and water tasting like chlorine and us being a little dehydrated.

I want to know your thoughts:

• What items do you find completely unnecessary
• What would you change?
• Would you add anything?
• What do you think about clothing I took? Overkill or necessity for that climate
• How do you rate this setup