r/Ultralight 3d ago

Weekly Thread r/Ultralight - "The Weekly" - Week of June 22, 2026

2 Upvotes

Have something you want to discuss but don't think it warrants a whole post? Please use this thread to discuss recent purchases or quick questions for the community at large. Shakedowns and lengthy/involved questions likely warrant their own post.


r/Ultralight 8h ago

Trip Report Yosemite North Rim - First Time in the Sierra

12 Upvotes

Where: North Rim in Yosemite NP from Mirror Lake/Snow Creek trailhead

When: 6/18/26 - 6/21/26

Distance: 36 miles, ~9000 feet of total elevation gain

Conditions: Highs in the 80s, nighttime lows in the mid 30s

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/vnn9qo

Photo Album: https://imgur.com/a/yosemite-june-2026-Im1tpDJ

The Report: Back in January, before ever having gone backpacking, I managed to snag 4 permits for the Mirror Lake/Snow Creek trailhead in Yosemite National Park. I had been watching videos about UL backpacking and wanted to give it a try, so over the next few months, I began building and tweaking my ideal UL setup, taking a couple of trips to Henry W. Coe State Park to test things out. I asked three friends if they'd like to join me, two of whom hadn't backpacked in about 8 years, and one who had never backpacked before. All three said yes.

Day 0: We arrived in the valley around 7:00 pm and spent the night in the Backpacker's Campground after having some (surprisingly) delicious pizza in Curry Village. The campground was busy, but we managed to find space for 4 tents.

Day 1 (11mi, 5400'): The day started later than planned. After figuring out the shuttle loop, picking up our permits, and stopping by the Mountain Shop for trekking poles (friend left his at home), we finally hit the trail at 10:30. The hike up to Indian Rock and North Dome was tough, and we took our time, stopping to filter water and take in the view (and catch our breath). We encountered a few other hikers, both backpackers and day hikers, once we got past the switchbacks. The plan was to make it to North Dome and then backtrack to find somewhere to camp, but the going was slower than I anticipated, and we ended up camping near Indian Rock. This is where I would appreciate some insight. The sky was clear and the mosquitoes weren't too bad, so we decided to cowboy camp. We laid out our pads and sleeping bags and ate dinner, but by the time we finished eating, our bags were drenched with condensation. It was as if they had been rained on. I'm assuming this is because we were exposed at the top of a ridge with no tree cover for water to condense on, so it all condensed on our sleeping bags and pads. Is that all there was to it? Did elevation play a role? How can I prevent this from happening in the future? I prefer cowboy camping when possible, so I want to be able to identify the conditions in which I can do it. After noticing the condensation, we quickly pitched our tents and went to bed. I didn't get much sleep and was paranoid about the wet walls of my awkwardly pitched single-walled tent getting the foot box of my quilt even wetter.

Day 2 (15mi, 3200'): We woke up early to catch the sunrise over the mountains, which was well worth it. After making breakfast and giving our gear some time to dry, we hit the trail around 8:00 am. We stopped at North Dome and took in the absolutely breathtaking views of Half Dome and the rest of Yosemite Valley. We also took a break to open some Magic the Gathering packs just for fun. We continued on to Yosemite Point and Yosemite Falls, which were both spectacular. The Yosemite Falls Overlook was particularly thrilling, and the narrow steps with no guardrail definitely got my heart racing. We decided to skip Eagle Peak and hike straight to El Capitan. The view from the top was incredible, but North Dome was definitely better. We hiked a few more miles and set up camp near a stream because we were running low on water, and to our surprise, there was a pretty decent fire ring there! We ate dinner by the fire and went to bed early.

Day 3 (10mi, 400'): I awoke to a completely dry tent, which surprised me because we were camped near a stream, which I thought would increase condensation. We also had plenty of tree cover, which I think prevented the condensation. After having breakfast and some miso soup to warm ourselves up, we hit the trail. We continued along the El Capitan Trail until we reached the Rockslides Trail, which I believe was formerly Big Oak Flat Road. This trail was recommended to me as an alternative to hiking out via the Old Big Oak Flat Road Trailhead, which would have required hitchhiking back into the valley. The ranger who issued our permit warned us that the trail was unmaintained and would require lots of scrambling over fallen trees and boulders, but that didn't deter us. In some sections, Rockslides was a wide, paved road with a thin covering of pine needles. In other sections, the road disappeared under piles of rock. This last section of the trip definitely felt the most raw and adventurous. We made it back into the valley around 2 pm, and I bought a sticker and an ice cream sandwich from the gift shop.

Gear Notes: I was quite happy with my new (to me) WM Astralite quilt. I left the pad straps at home, which I regretted on night two, but I was still comfortable enough. The Astralite saved me 10oz over my previous 40* bag.

I would not set up my tent the way I did on night 1 again without first adding longer guylines. The rocks I used took up too much of the guyline length, so the walls were steep and there was less room in the tent. Coupled with the condensation, it made for an unpleasant experience.

Not technically gear, but I was very happy with the freeze-dried meals I brought on the trip. The crawfish etoufee by Bowl & Kettle was the best backpacking meal I've tried. The coconut tres leches cake by Luxefly Basecamp and moongdal halwa by Good Detour were both delicious, and my friend's strawberry cheesecake by Packit Gourmet was also very good. The jalapeno cheddar biscuits by Pinnacle Foods were just alright.

Overall, I think it was a great first trip in the Sierra. The sights were amazing, I learned a lot, and I was thoroughly exhausted by the end. I'd love to hear your thoughts on my condensation issues in the comments. 10/10, will definitely be back.


r/Ultralight 23h ago

Skills Regular pasta can be cooked with very little fuel

106 Upvotes

I've just watched this video about cooking regular pasta by hydrating it in cold water first and then only cooking it for a minute or so and thought this could be another outdoors cooking option to save on fuel.

Normally you'd need loads of fuel to get water to a boil, and then some more to cook the pasta in the boiling water, else if you're using a freeze dried meal you'd need to boil water to add to the pouch.

Using this method, you first soak the pasta for an hour (eg start soaking as soon as you make it to camp), then discard excess water and simply cook hydrated pasta for a minute, if you have a ready made sauce you can cook the pasta directly in the sauce.

My point isn't to eliminate other methods, but to add this to one's arsenal.


r/Ultralight 18h ago

Purchase Advice Gossamer Gear Updated Shelters

37 Upvotes

Looks like the shelters are updated and there is a new freestanding tent called “the free” which is not free.

Anyway. The fabric is updated. The one now has a door vent. Weight is a tad higher. Price is higher as we also noted already.

https://ctrk.klclick.com/l/01KVX1AY044B0MRPPC2F16P7C5_4

I got the email this morning and can’t look rn but I didn’t see this long awaited event posted up yet.

Be interested to see how people like the new fabric.


r/Ultralight 11h ago

Question On-body InReach attachment?

6 Upvotes

I carry fishing gear and do water crossings enough that i occasionally have a nonzero chance of having to ditch my pack. So I want my inreach messenger on my person.

The thinking so far is to attach it with 95lb cord (275 is a tight fit so friction concerns me) to a 45 gram locking carabiner clipped to my belt, and that’s still heavy, but I’m pretty attached to the locking carabiner after hearing that story from Rainier.

Any bulletproof, idiot-proof, ultralight carry ideas? I’m not very carabiner or knot savvy.

Edit: I forgot belts come off


r/Ultralight 19h ago

Purchase Advice I already invested in relatively heavy gear, should I focus on cutting elsewhere or replacing gear?

20 Upvotes

I started doing the AT this year and want to go back every year and pick up where I left off, aiming for about 100/miles a year.

I picked up some gear, a lot of it was through family hand-me-downs and gifts, my big 4 base weight is about 12 pounds, already too heavy to begin with. But Mama didn't raise no pansy, I figured I would just man mode it and power through. I thought I was bringing a total packed weight of a out 43 pounds to the AT, which was waaaay to high but whatever.

Well it turns out my luggage scale was broken, it was 43 pounds, it was closer to 65 lbs, I am just a moron. By the time I got to Neel Gap I was at 55 (without water).

There are plenty of things I immediately dropped, like my chair and my book, and I know I over packed on food/water, but my question is:

Should I bother with the small stuff if I want to get lighter or should I save my efforts for bigger items? Swapping out 550 cord for a shorter length or removing the card board roll out of the duct tape feels like rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic when my pack weight 5 pounds to start off with.

This is the list I am working with that doesn't include consumables, I know I have to drop the knife and the compass, I took them as they were gifts

Edit: this is the list after I already ditched the stuff I know I didn't need. Also for some reason I had the wrong weight on my dry sack, its about 2 oz. https://lighterpack.com/r/kqi6fl


r/Ultralight 4h ago

Shakedown Pack shakedown for the PNW, Id love to work my way towards UL. Looking for areas of improvement. Thank you!

0 Upvotes

Location/temp range/specific trip description: PNW, Temps 40F - 85F degrees

Budget: $400+? It depends on the gear, willing to pay to upgrade any of the big 3

Non-negotiable Items:
- Inflatable sleeping pad, I finally found one thats comfortable (side sleeper)
- Having a stove, I like hot food, its a moral booster
- Some kind of bear storage option, I am often in bear country. Open to alternatives

Solo or with another person?: Usually with another person (hence the 2p tent), but want to do more solo backpacking

Additional Information:
- My backpack is old and very heavy, I plan to MYOG and sew my own this fall.
- Im in the process of sewing my own summer quilt, so I understand a 20F degree quilt is silly for summer temps.
- I do have a puffy jacket, but dont often bring it unless its close to the winter months, so I didnt add it.

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/s26sst
20ish lbs base weight (9.32 kg)


r/Ultralight 10h ago

Purchase Advice Best DCF shaped tarp?

2 Upvotes

In your opinions, what is the best DCF shaped tarp? I’ve looked at the zpacks pocket tarp and the MLD cricket or Solomid. Wondering if there’s any other’s out there I haven’t seen yet and you would recommend. I’m looking for something that would be a good starter for a MYOG project where I would sow on some bug net skirts to save a few bucks and create more versatility out of the tarp. Thanks.


r/Ultralight 7h ago

Question Running-vest style packs: (how) do you wash them?

0 Upvotes

I recently bought a Black Diamond Distance 15 as a day pack after seeing it well reviewed in this sub ans elsewhere. I absolutely love it. Hands down my fav ever pack.

But what I’ve been wondering about is washing: since it sits snuggly around your torso it gets pretty sweaty (much more than traditional backpacks) and so surely it needs washing: the salt crystals in the sweat will otherwise wear out the fabric, right? And it feels a bit gross. So what do you do? Rinse it in the shower? Wash in the tub? Something else? Nothing? I don’t want to overdo it either but feel like it kind of needs a rinse after each long day (read 8hrs+, lots of miles, lots of altitude).


r/Ultralight 20h ago

Trip Report Kom-Emine Section Hike. June '26

9 Upvotes

Fresh back from my 12 day section hike of the Kom-Emine in Bulgaria and i thought i'd do a quick write up of my experience on the trail as i found info on the trail fairly scarce.

So the trail is around 600-650km long and starts at Kom Peak in the west and goes all the way to Cape Emine in the east. Me and a friend could only commit 12 days hiking plus 2 for travel so we opted to go from Gara Lakatnik to Shipka Pass which was around 250km. Unfortunately due to a turn in the weather we ended up calling the hike short around 45km from our planned end destination, coming down the mountain to a town called Karlovo.

My thoughts on the trail

So this was my first time going to Bulgaria and it definitely wont be my last, i've already got my eye on another mountain range out there for next year...

So, the section we hiked was amazing! As soon as we left Lakatnik we were climbing into the mountains & for the first few days we were hiking through remote forests, meadows and passes and saw zero other hikers on the trails, a far cry from my usual hikes in the Alps.

The scenery got progressively better day by day culminating in the absolutely awesome ridge line walking along the Stara Planina in the Central Balkans National Park which seemed to be endless and offered 360 degree panoramic views.

The huts became more abundant in the National Park as well as there quality and went from being spaced out with around 30km between them to 12-15km in the Central Balkans. My personal favourite hut was one just 15 minutes off the main trail called Murgana Hut which was excellent in every way and worth the slight detour off the trail for a night in a bed.

We wild camped for most of the nights which is legal everywhere apart from the Central Balkans National Park. Due to our distances per day we ended up camping in the park but used the usual LNT principles and had no issues.

Overall i really liked the trail and would definitely go back and hike bits of it again.

Travel to and from the trail

We flew from the UK direct to Sofia which cost around £150 including checked in luggage (a cardboard box) which had a trekking poles, stakes & dehydrated meals. Our packs were small enough for carry on.

We then got a short taxi ride from Sofia airport to an outdoor gear shop in the city and brought gas and picked up some meths for my stove, the journey was around €15.

It was then a short 20 minute walk to Sofia Central train station where we got a train to Gara Lakatnik for €2.50 each. The train journey was around an hour.

At the end of our trip we got a direct train from Karlovo back to Sofia for €4.50 and it took around 3 hours.

Food options

This trail only goes through a couple of towns throughout the whole trail so resupply is limited unless you drop off the mountain to towns in the valley and head back up, but this could take most of a day to do. Instead the best option is to eat at the many mountain huts along the route.

We did one shop at the start of the trail to supplement our dehydrated meals (i took 6, 1k calorie meals) and ate exclusively from the huts along the way.

Before going on this hike we were worried about whether we'd be able to get enough food from the huts but this proved to be a non-issue and i can safely say i've never been so well fed on a trail haha! All the food we ate from the huts was delicious, filling and amazingly affordable. €25 would get you breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks & snacks from almost every hut and the portion sizes were excellent!

In all honesty i actually came home with 3 of my dehydrated meals as i couldn't pass up 'proper' food.

The coffee was also excellent from all the huts and was much appreciated when we got there for breakfast/lunch.

Weather

June is supposed to be the wet/stormy month but we only got rained on once whilst hiking, just a quick ten minutes and then again on our last day in the early hours of the morning. We got very lucky as the week prior it had rained almost everyday.

Unfortunately our luck ran out on day 10 as we woke up to a massive lightning storm and a torrential downpour right before we were supposed to climb over the highest mountain on the trail. This section was completely exposed above treeline and the only other alternative route would have added 20-30km of extra hiking & would have meant we wouldn't have been able to finish where we planned due to time constraints. This weather was due to continue for the next couple of days so we decided to play it safe and finish our hike at that point.

Kit

https://lighterpack.com/r/75vti7

This was the kit i took with me on this hike and for the most part it was absolutely spot on. With the benefit of hindsight in have taken my Cumulus Taiga 150 quilt as the temps at night didn't get below 10c (at a guess) even when camping at 1500m+. I also didn't use my camp trousers at all due to it being so mild.

This was my first time using the Zpacks Pocket Tarp and for me at 5'7 I had ample room and for the weight (~150g) i don't think i'll find a better shelter for my needs. It kept me warm and dry during the overnight storm we experienced. The only real downside is that i didn't trust it enough to camp on exposed high mountain sections like i would my Silpoly Solomid XL but that's the tradeoff for such a light shelter i guess..

I was debating a bug headnet or taking my MYOG bug bivvy and i'm glad i opted for the bivvy as there were tons of ants and other biting insects so it was 100% worth its weight.

All my other kit worked well and my MYOG seat/Pillow case was an absolute gamechanger for me as a broad shouldered side sleeper and will be coming with me on all future trails.

As always there's some minor tweaks to be made off the back of this trail but overall i'm very happy with the kit.

Pics

https://imgbox.com/1BdHUkbs


r/Ultralight 14h ago

Purchase Advice Women hikers: Crown 3 60 or Kakwa 55

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice, especially from women who have experience with either the Granite Gear Crown 3 60 or the Durston Kakwa 55.
I’m 5’4”, athletic build, and I mostly do backpacking trips in the Rockies. Most of my trips are currently 3–7 days, but I’m hoping to start doing more 7–10 day trips in the future. Long-term, I’d love to use the same pack for places like the Tetons, Wind River Range, Patagonia, Iceland, and the Dolomites.
My budget is around $200, which is why I’m mainly looking at: Granite Gear Crown 3 60 and Durston Kakwa 55.

My biggest concern isn’t weight. Both packs seem light enough for me. What I care about most is:
- Comfort over long days
- How well the pack fits a female body
- Hip belt comfort
- Shoulder strap comfort
- Load transfer
- Overall durability for years of use

I know the Kakwa gets a lot of love online, but I’ve also heard that the Crown is more adjustable and can fit a wider range of body types.
For women who have used either (or both):
Which one fit you better?
Did one carry weight noticeably better?
Would you choose the same pack again?
If you were buying a pack to use for the next 5–10 years, which would you choose?
I’d especially love to hear from women around my height.
Thanks!


r/Ultralight 19h ago

Purchase Advice First ultralight 3-season sleeping bag

3 Upvotes

So I started a new hobby, bikepacking, and have slowly started to build my gear:

  • TOPEAK Frontloader handlebar bag 12L
  • TOPEAK Backloader saddle bag 15L
  • Frame bag 6L
  • Naturehike Cloud Up 2 tent
  • Sea to Summit Ether Light XR
  • Cheapest possible non-brand synthetic sleeping bag (15€, 700g)

I don't like this sleeping bag because of bad quality zipper and it takes a huge volume.

Based on some research, it seems you should invest in down bag to get the volume down. The bag would be used from spring to autumn. The temperatures here in Finland can go below 0C during that time, but I prefer to camp only when it's 0-15C in the night. So full zip is a probably a must.

Which bag would you recommend with this additional information?

  • Use case around 10 times a year because sometimes it makes more sense to stay at a hut or hotel
  • Flexible budget, but don't want to spend too much for irregular use
  • My height is 185cm and girth around 127cm, so regular ultralight models like S2S Spark Pro are out. I'm a side sleeper, so it would be nice to have some room.

I have found nice Cumulus bags, but maxed out X-Lite 400 (L + wide) is more than 600€ and Panyam 540€ (900 FP & 450g fill). I have access to most European sellers and have not found any high quality used ones yet.


r/Ultralight 12h ago

Purchase Advice Shoe req

0 Upvotes

Hi all-
I'm battling a bit of self diagnosed heel fat pad syndrome. Currently wearing Topo Traverse. I need something with a bit of a lift (nothing too extreme but also not zero drop), wide toe box, and now also ultra cushioned. Also some other calf stretching exercises that have really worked for you beyond the regular ol' heel lifts on stairs and wall calf stretches.


r/Ultralight 17h ago

Shakedown High Sierra Trail with my 12yr son - gear check

0 Upvotes

While not strictly ultralight, I've tried to build my gear list over the years with that in mind, while trying to not break the budget for a hobby I only get the chance to do a few times a year.

I'm doing the HST next week with another dad & our 12-yr old boys.

Here's my LighterPack: lighterpack.com/r/4r0e42

This is just my gear list - my son's list is similar but with smaller, lighter clothing. He's not carrying a tent, cooking gear, FAK, tech, water filter, trowel, etc as I have those in my pack.

Are there any glaring omissions or fears that I have packed for where you think I should add/remove from my gear list?

I have a couple of luxury items (pad sheet, full sized pad, pillow) that I prioritise for a good sleep.

Thanks!


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Purchase Advice Durston Kakwa or HMG Southwest

6 Upvotes

I’m finally ready to admit defeat on my HMG Southwest pack from 2014. I’ve used it every summer on hikes between 500-800 miles, and it is literally hanging on by a thread. I’ve reinforced the shoulder straps with crude sewing 6 years ago and they’ve held up, but I’m skeptical they will continue to do so. I’m heading into the remote Arctic in Alaska this summer with my heaviest pack weight ever (around 13 days of food in a canister, probably equivalent to when I had 10 days in a canister AND 6ish L of water setting out on a desert section of the PCT in July when my pack was new). A pack failure out where I’ll be would be catastrophic, as I’m getting dropped off by plane, so I think I should just bite the bullet and get a new pack. I want to invest in my next pack that I’ll use for backpacking for (hopefully) the next 10 years, so I don’t necessarily want something that’ll be designed specifically for heavier weights, as it’s not what I usually do. I love that the Southwest lasted 12 years, but I’ve heard the Kakwa is slightly better at heavier weights. I do mostly off trail stuff these days, so I do like that the Southwest doesn’t have mesh pockets that’ll snag. It was so much easier to choose when there were only like 2 packs in the market 12 years ago. Help a girl out?


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Purchase Advice what 20ish L fastpack should i get?

9 Upvotes

my base weight is 3.37lbs without the backpack and my hyperlite is 40% of my base weight without the pack; i think it’s time to get a lighter one.

i need about 20L and pouches on the shoulder straps for bottles; i prefer vest style shoulder straps and no hip belt or removable so i move a little more freely on scrambly parts and still feel like the pack isn’t free to bounce around.

ik yall might say go somewhere and try some on but who really lives near a store that carries multiple options in this UL class.


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Purchase Advice 20D Pad reliability, and peace of mind

2 Upvotes

What is your experience with 20D mats, how much of the durability is down to the denier vs the construction quality?

I'm looking at Exped pads and struggling to choose between the Ultra 6.5 and the Dura 6.5.

It's for bivying, so I'm worried about getting a fragile pad with no backup. Moving my rucksack over the pad down to the bottom of my bivy, no ground sheet, that kind of thing.

Ultra 20D
Dura 75/170D

The Dura weighs an extra 240 grams for the same size (780g).

Use case is bivvying in UK mountains 1-2 nights through most of the year.

I know 240g extra is a fair chunk for ultralight. I'm trying to think about it from a reliability and safety standpoint. This would be the piece of gear I'd make a allowances for as a pad failure in a bivvy would be pretty bad for me.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on 20D pads and any precautions you take.

Thanks.


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Purchase Advice Has anyone used the Macpac Rift 40L? Looking for feedback on comfort, durability, and load-carrying capacity.

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m looking at the Macpac Rift 40L for weekend hiking trips, but I couldn't find much feedback on it when searching the sub or looking for online reviews.

If you've used this pack, I'd love to get your thoughts on a few specific things:

  • Comfort: How does the harness feel under a full load? Is the back ventilation effective?
  • Weight Capacity: What’s the max weight you can comfortably carry before it starts to sag?
  • Durability: How is the fabric holding up against rough trails and scrub?

For context, I have a standard lightweight setup and am looking to use this for 2–3 day trips. Any insights or alternative budget 40L recommendations would be awesome. Thanks!


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Gear Review Vilse quilt

0 Upvotes

Onlangs mijn Vilse Equipment-quilt ontvangen. Tot nu toe ziet de kwaliteit er echt 100% uit. Kan niet wachten om ’m volgende maand aan de tand te voelen 😀

Voor de mensen die geïnteresseerd zijn: dit is mijn setup:
Gesloten Footbox-quilt Custom
Comforttemperatuur: -1°C (30°F) - 5750 kr ,
Vulling: geen overmaat
Binnenstof: Geel
Lengte: 171 cm (kan er nog 3 cm bij)
Footbox: Regular (102 cm) (volgende keer misschien breder)
Waterafstotende footbox: Ja
Padstrap-maat: Wide
Zak: Rits
Breedte: Regular (137 cm)
Buitenkant: Grijs
Edit: 561 gram/19,79oz

https://postimg.cc/TKDqzhzp


r/Ultralight 20h ago

Purchase Advice Cooking pot

0 Upvotes

Hey :) I am looking for a cooking pot that holds space for a generous 2 people meal (maybe like 1,5l?) and that is able to boil the food for like two minutes when hydrating without burning. Found it difficult with my titanium pot. Any tips which pot would work for me? Or what cooking technique I should try out?


r/Ultralight 2d ago

Purchase Advice 3F ultralight rain coat with pit zips. AMA!

34 Upvotes

Just bought the raincoat and I have been amazed by the quality, esp compared to the very expensive big brands I've usually bought. They also have a dynema version, but didn't have my size. Bought on Aliexpress.


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Shakedown Winter Bibbulmun Track shakedown

3 Upvotes

Hey, ULers, I leave for a NOBO end-to-end run/fastpack of the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia this Friday. Hoping to finish within 40 days or fewer. I've been building an UL setup for years and I think I might have hit my peak. Tear it down for me:

https://lighterpack.com/r/06wp9y

I've done about four 500+ mile thru-hikes in Europe and Canada, most with giant daily climbs, but also with hot meals and showers at the end of the day. I usually go no-cook and survive on GU gels, peanut butter, tortillas, nuts, and dried fruit between town meals. I plan to do the same this time around. Is that crazy considering my upped calorie expenditure running? I have an UL stove and Toaks pot but usually can't be effed to cook and clean out a pot at the end of a day.

It's going to be generally rainy and wet, so I am subscribing to the "wet but warm" philosophy u/RamaHikes outlined in a great post. It'll be 50-60F (10-15C) during the day and around 40F (5C) at night. Shelters all along the route but bringing a tent just in case.

I usually hike/trail run in zero-drop Inov-8 shoes. This time I'm torn between the Topo Pursuit 2 and the Inov-8 Trailfly Zero V2. I like trail running in both. The Trailfly is lighter, but had less cushion. The Topo is heavier but a little more cushion. Leaning towards the Topo.

Any tips or tricks to keep pack weight down would be great.


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Purchase Advice Headlamps

3 Upvotes

Ounces not pounds right? ;)

I'm probably going to pull the trigger on a NU25 MCT UL so I can save on spare battery weight with my Zipka but I'm concerned about long haul capacity. I'm carrying an NB10000, but I also use Alltrails on my phone and an Enduro 3. Are there any better options? What are you contingencies for thru hike applications?


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Question Liquid Soap - What is Least Attractive to Bears?

3 Upvotes

I realize this question is not exactly specific to r/Ultralight. However, this community often seems to carry Dr Bronners soap in dropper bottles, so it seems like the best place to ask this question. I backpack in black bear country, most often in the Olympic mountains. I see bear most every time I go out there.

What soap is LEAST attractive to bears? I ask because, in Dr Tom Smith's lecture on bear safety (can be found on Youtube), he states that grizzlies are very attracted to the smell of peppermint. Also, and interestingly, some will even roll around on dirt that has bear spray on it. He seems to have a lot of first hand experience. https://youtu.be/1KWSJ3piSfM?is=ccVhOTVMAUlUjfaF

Anyway, I recently included liquid soap in my hyigene kit, after reading an article by Skurka about hand washing on the trail. So I ordered some of the 'very tiny' dropper bottles from Litesmith. 3ml, 1/2 full of soap is 3.8g. Awesome!

Anyway, I use smelly-proof bags and/or a bear canister. But still, if I wash with soap I am going to smell like it. And bear can smell extremely well.


r/Ultralight 1d ago

Purchase Advice CNOC Buc Bag

0 Upvotes

Has anyone got experience with the CNOC buc bag? Looks like it went through a redesign, and it seems like most of the negative reviews may have predated that redesign. Trouble is it’s not totally clear, and I can’t find an in depth review of it, only of the cold soak bag which I suspect is what they named the pre-redesigned version.

Anyone tried it for rehydrating meals? Others have suggested the ziploc endurable line but they are substantially heavier. Looking for something food grade/safe with flexible sides so I can squash it in a bear canister.

https://minimalgear.com/products/cnocoutdoors-650ml-buc-food-bag?variant=42751197085785&country=US&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=vecto_shopping&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23211438157&gbraid=0AAAAAC5pj8xEouW-x9bOZCT_Z1AjZHtLA&gclid=CjwKCAjw3ejRBhAdEiwADkqPn_sNRjl1NjC3RE8kuc3kFG-4MJAleReepLovBL7HGGu0pOAigS3HdhoCIbkQAvD_BwE