How much weight do I need to carry to be considered a lightweight backpacker?
The answer to this question is frequently debated. Our position is that there isn’t a catch-all answer for every backpacker. Each backpacker must find the right weight to carry for themselves. Often times reducing pack weight means going without luxury or comfort items that make your in-camp experience more enjoyable. However, some backpackers select lightweight gear so that they can still take a few luxury items with them, or so that they can carry additional “comfort” food and still be within their goals for total pack weight. A few years ago, it was generally accepted that a lightweight backpacker was one who carried less than about twenty pounds of gear (not including food, fuel, or water) for a typical summer backpacking trip. Enjoying the fruits of lightweight backpacking can be as simple as trading in your 6 pound tent for a 4 pound tent, your 4 pound sleeping bag for a 2 pound sleeping bag, and your 7 pound backpack for a 3 pound backpack. And just like that, you’ve saved 8 pou
