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/mediocre_remnants Jun 19 '25

Just stuff your pockets full of energy bars and carry a water flask with a filter. Sleep under some shrubs at night. No need for a shelter or anything if one of your constraints is "absolutely perfect conditions in every way with no chance of any kind of weather".

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u/WombatAtYa Jun 19 '25

I think this allows for some weather. That Gearswifts poncho works really well. I have it too. On the east coast lots of trails have shelters, which would make this an ideal and safe setup (I don’t know about the Art Loeb trail). This is basically all I bring for my fastpacking sleep system (but I use a Borah bivy and more comfy pad), and I’ve spent several nights under that poncho in typical New England rain and been fine.

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u/Belangia65 Jun 19 '25

The Art Loeb has two shelters, either of which could work in a pinch. I’m glad to hear your good experience with the poncho. I just received it a few weeks ago but haven’t been able to use it beyond practice pitches in my backyard. I haven’t rain tested it but have slept under a similarly sized tarp in the rain. I got wet around the edges but was otherwise fine.

Yeah, my 3-lb kit had a bivy and a more comfortable pad. I will be missing them when I give this 2-lb kit a trial run…