Why is lightweight backpacking and outdoor gear so important?
Lightweight backpacking gear is amongst the most technologically advanced outdoor gear available. This is because it uses the specially advanced technologies which serve the same core purposes as ‘regular weight’ outdoor clothing and equipment, but at a reduced weight. The importance of this to you, as a lightweight backpacker, is that you can move over-ground faster, with more stability and / or efficiency with less weight but the same benefits as if you caried regular-weight outdoor gear. People who enjoy lightweight backpacking often still use walking poles, rucksacks, walking boots, etc, but simply benefit from their lightweight eficiencies, such as light weight materials including Pertex and titanium. There are those than do push lightweight backpacking to the extreme and benefit from notions of minimal and ultralight travel. This breed of backpacker enjoys carrying as little gear as safely possible, and making sure that every item has at least 24 purposes! Gram-by-gram they will
