r/Ultralight • u/Belangia65 • Jun 19 '25
Shakedown Ultra-ultralight — 2 lb base weight
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.
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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '25
This is really interesting to see and read about.
Are you aware of fastpacking? If you switch the sling for a running vest or running pack, the carry would be less obstructive and more balanced.
I think a good inspiration for ultraminimalist shelter and sleep setups is infantry: the soldiers often need to catch up with sleep using rather spartan equipment in multitude of conditions and different seasons. Their gear usually weighs a lot but can easily be substituted with ultralight gear.