r/Ultralight

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/knobbledy on 2025-01-05 13:40:49+00:00.

I wanted to post this as I've seen a lot of comments here discouraging people from synthetic jackets and bags due to their performance drop with use. It's often said that synthetic insulation only lasts a single season, and some people report loss of loft after just a single trip.

I've had the Rab Xenair Alpine and vest for a while now, both of which contain Primaloft "gold active" insulation. One interesting thing is how warm they feel instantly when you touch them. It's very similar to how CCF mats feel warm to the touch compared to insulated air mats. I do wonder if there's some type of heat-reflective material applied separately to the lofting insulation, which might also explain my experience with them.

For the record, I have used and abused both these items. The Alpine jacket goes on every trip close to 0°C or below and I pretty much don't take it off, it keeps me warm when stopped but is still breathable for active use. I also sleep in it sometimes when my bag is at its limit. And because it's windproof, it's usually my outer layer that gets scraped and snagged. The vest gets used on trips between 0-10° but I also have it for day-to-day use, so it's been crushed against car seats and packed into suitcases many times. And because it's the cheaper item, I don't care much about protecting it.

All this to say, neither item has lost much performance at all. Visually you can see the wear on them around pack strap areas, particularly on the shoulders so they might have lost a bit of loft. I can't notice any difference in warmth feeling, which is obviously subjective but it's also what actually matters with an insulating piece.

I think there is a problem with discussing all synthetic insulation without specific reference to items/materials. I know BPL have done some good efforts to test and quantify synthetic performance, but it's difficult because new technologies are coming out all the time and manufacturers use buzzwords and trade marks rather than numbers. So if you bought a Primaloft jacket 6 years ago you might have had a bad experience but a newer jacket may perform differently. My hope is that we can have more jackets like these that insulate well, regulate temperature when active and actually last many years before needing to be replaced. Mountain Equipment have just released the new Oreus line with proprietary insulation, which reviews say rivals down for warmth/weight but can still be worn when active.

So if you are looking for a synthetic jacket for performance/allergy/ethical reasons don't despair when you read the endless comments trashing synthetics. Do the research on specific pieces you're interested in rather than writing them all off and assuming down will always be better. Thanks for reading.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Gitgudm7 on 2025-01-04 20:25:04+00:00.

Hi folks. I know this sub frequently gets trail recommendation questions, but I figured I'd shop around for people's opinions so I can make a strong plan.

I'm taking a semester off from school due to mental health reasons. Part of my recovery plan is doing stuff that gives my day-to-day structure and purpose. To me, the obvious answer is long-distance hiking. I've toyed with the idea of doing just one of the >2000 mile trails, but I do wonder if my time would be better spent stitching together various trails across North America to see more of the world. I was thinking of doing the AT or CDT after I graduate anyway, so I might still have the opportunity next year.

My schedule will probably be freed up around late February depending on circumstances. I've been considering doing the AZT first, then maybe the SHT, and then something alpine in the late summer like the Colorado Trail, the GDT, or the Vancouver Island Trail to wrap things up. I might also have time to throw in some shorter trails (~100 miles) in between, so I'm considering trails like the Uinta Highline Trail, the South Dakota Centennial Trail (maybe this one with a friend), and the Tahoe Rim Traverse.

I do most of my hiking on the East Coast already, so I'll probably not be doing too much of that. I enjoy the social aspect of hiking, but I also really enjoy solitude, so that's not really a factor for me. Logistically, I probably won't have much access to a car, so that's something that I need to account for as well.

My hard cutoff is late August. Any pointers, whether on planning, budgeting, or transport, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

TLDR: Looking for recommendations on long trails and how to do them in the next eight months.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/flammfam on 2025-01-04 05:39:50+00:00.

Honest question here. I'm a firm TP guy because I don't particularly love hiking with a damp butt. I also understand that the Leave No Trace standards have shifted a bit, and they want people to get away from digging cat holes and burying tp.

I do like the idea of shaving more oz. with a bottle bidet, but I just can't seem to get behind using my drinking bottle to squirt my a$$ clean and then go back to using it for drinking water. Help me understand. Drop a link in the comments to the ones that you've found work well.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/quintupleAs on 2025-01-03 20:21:57+00:00.

The OT at Talimena State Park in Oklahoma and ends 223 miles later at Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock Arkansas. It's a great winter trail with AT style shelters, you should maybe go hike it. I did a little over half of it and had a blast walking, met some cool people, and got my head right for 2025.

Where: Ouachita Trail, 0.0 to the Hwy 27 Trailhead

When: 12/27/2024-1/2/2025

Distance: 121.7 miles, total ascent 20,325' total decent 20,361'

Conditions: The area received a deluge of storms the week before, a few inches of rain the day before, and a thunderstorm day 2 of the trip and drizzle all night day 3. Water was everywhere. high temp of 65F, low of 31F (thanks thermodrop!) Tremendous fog and wind were common.

Lighterpack:

Useful Pre-Trip Information or Overview: Hiked EABO and spent the night at Talimena SP before stepping off. Dale the shuttle driver dropped off a resupply package at Queen Willamina Lodge and SP, and also shuttled me back to my car upon conclusion. Highly recommend him, his number is 479-234-3253. I planned to sleep in the shelters as much as possible.

Photo Album:

The Report: 

Journal

Day 1 16.9 miles

Burley is how I would decide the first 40 or so miles. There were buckets of rain the day before and water was everywhere. I never needed to carry more than a liter at a time. Rocks and especially the bridges were slippery and I skated across them.

Day 2 17.1 miles

After the rigid miles of the day before, today seemed cruisy. It rained all day, and I spent 2 hours at winding stair shelter waiting out the lightening. Crossing Big Cedar Creek was way up, crossed about 60ft downstream and it was up to my waist. I enjoyed the liberty of splashing through the puddles.

Day 3, 17 miles

Warmer. Nothing dried out overnight, if anything it felt wetter. Hard to dodge the constant drainage. Curious what the rock walls are before the cemetery. Made it to QWSP after a beautiful sunset and showered and did trail laundry, then left it to dry under the sink. Stealth camped below the tent pads to block the wind. More rain than forecasted and very windy but the little tarp did fine. Saw a mouse but he left me alone.

Day 4 17.8 miles

Drizzled all night and the place was in a cloud in the morning. Retrieved my almost dry clothes from the bathroom and walked to the lodge to get my resupply. Everything went smooth thanks to Dale. I had an hour and some change before breakfast so I topped off my electronics behind the Christmas tree. This is where I contrived the questionable idea to finish drying my clothes on the heater vent in the floor. It worked amazing and there was nobody else in the lobby- this is the off season. Breakfast omelette and biscuits and gravy and a few cups of coffee hit the spot. Incredible wind and dense fog greeted me on the trail, and it's a bit colder than forecasted. I could not see much more than the rocks I was stepping on. After about 1.5 miles the trail opened up and put in come good miles. Met Charlie who thru hiked the OT last March and seemed to enjoy the same type of hiking. He was doing an overnight trip. Foran Gap Shelter had trash but the shelter was in a nice spot. Wind made it frigid out of the quilt, but my clothes were too hot under it.

Day 5 21.8 miles

The valve came off my sleeping pad! Was hiking at 6:30 and made good use of time. Miles came easy on the feet but seemed endless. The views were great today on blue mountain and I stayed on the ridges. Water still abundant. Almost stepped on a tiny owl, who flew away and then glared at me irritatedly. This makes 4 ticks I've had on me this trip, even though 3 were on the top of a mountain, 45° and gusty. Trail Magic hit the spot, snickers and cherry cola. Bubbles for the new year. Grabbed a hand warmer as well, supposed to be cold. Incredible day of hiking even though I dropped my water bottles down a waterfall. Slept great at bushy Creek mt shelter.

Day 6 18.1 miles

Everything is total bliss even with a chilly start. Fantastic day of hiking and the weather was beautiful. Passed mile 100, saw some cool hawks hunting together. I've realized how much focusing on small goals helps me not get in a defeated mood. Met Cheater and trail dog Jake, AT and GDT hikers and shared sentiments and the Suck Mt shelter. Kinda ran out of food but it was groovy.

Day 7 13.1

Miles came so easy, and I made great time even with a 1.2 mile detour and my flashlight dying. Phone shut down because of the cold. Dale is a treasure and a fantastic guy, Bluebell Cafe was stellar. Lori loves hikers and has a long shelf in her store free for hikers. Made it back to the car, showered, and made the drive home. What a blast.

Gear Notes:

The shining star of the equipment list was my alpha hoodie from Superior Fleece! Wearing it under my rain jacket allowed me to dry out because of the air pockets it creates, similar to how I understand mesh baselayers work. I slept in it each night though it was too warm sometimes and I would have preferred my shirt if it wasn't sweaty. Overall it was very versatile in the changing weather conditions. I run very warm, so the 60 was great; I would have been miserable with 120 or maybe 90 as well.

I brought along a dual port charging block, but I don’t think I particularly needed it. I was able to plug in at the State Park and at the Lodge. If I was to continue after the Cafe and charged there, it would have come in handy.

I really enjoyed the floating hip belt on my SWD pack as I felt it allowed very natural movement, something I was concerned about coming from frameless/hipbeltless packs.

If I do this trail again, I would definitely still use trekking poles, and I believe removing the straps kept me multiple times from breaking the carbon fiber.

I have had chafing issues for a few years now, and the solution, in addition to losing 45lbs, that has finally proven itself is the exoficio boxer briefs. No chafing issues, and the very lightweight material of the Mier shorts did not incite any extra sweat.

The most exciting gear related event was the valve coming off of my old xlite pad. Weant to let the air out and then there it was in my hand, right before the temps dropped. I have never packed superglue before this trip, but I thought it might be good for medical purposes primarily, but it worked great for the valve.

Speaking of pads, I received an Alpenblow pump for Christmas and threw it in the bag for this trip. Simply incredible for its imperceptible weight. I even accidently stepped on it with no ill results, though I’m sure its not recommended by Gadget.

In retrospect, I would not change a single piece of gear. I know there are perhaps better shelter options, but creativity and resourcefulness prevailed. I do think I would have enjoyed a wind shirt for most situations, and that combined with a poncho shelter could have been slightly better for the weather and this trail.

Budget (edited)

Parking that the SP: $70

Shuttle and resupply drop off: $140

Fuel: $70

Meal at QWSP and BB: $30

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Traminho on 2025-01-02 22:50:10+00:00.

Over the past years, several improvements have taken place with regards to lifespan enhancement of the four main tent fabrics. Examples:

• Some years ago, 0.51 oz/yd² DCF was claimed to withstand only ~150 nights due to pinholes and delamination. In the meanwhile, users report way longer lifespans with newer DCF generations
• Sil-Poly has widely replaced Sil-Nylon thanks to reduced fabrics sag
• UltraTNT has entered the market
• Sil/PU, although cheaper, is rarely used anymore due to inavoidable delamination of the PU layer

I would be interested to know if a "tough" DCF version like DCF8/CT2E.08 (0.78 oz/yd²) might provide the same longetivity as the "gold standard" of tent fabrics, say Sil/Sil-Nylon 6.6 in 30D thickness?

What are your up-to-date experiences about longetivity of DCF or UltraTNT?

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/WildernessResearch on 2025-01-02 16:13:34+00:00.

REI has listed the NEMO Pulse quilt for pre-order, the first retailer where I'm seeing detailed information on this quilt. Maybe I'm skeptical but $550-580 for this seems ... high?

• 1,000-fill duck down
  • 340g or 12oz fill weight for regular length
  • 397g or 14oz fill weight for long length
• total weight
  • 510g or 1lb 2oz for regular length
  • 595g or 1lb 5oz for long length
• 10-denier polyester lining
• compressed volume is
  • 2.3l for regular length
  • 3.1l for long length
• temperature rated at
  • 1C or 34F 'comfort'
  • -5C or 23F 'lower limit'
  • -22C or 8F 'extreme'

Its nice to see bigger companies expand (back) into quilts. But I don't know if this is "it."

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/moonSandals on 2025-01-02 22:59:02+00:00.

I just got an order from ULSUS for some Alpha Direct gear. I just wanted to write first impressions somewhere so people can find it when they search. I haven't seen much show up in the search here.

I've been looking for some AD pants for each my wife and I, and an AD zip up (either half or full) hoody for my wife. I didn't want to risk waiting for a Senchi drop before our next trip, and I spent a tonne of time looking at fit and sizing and weight per garment across different companies including:

• Senchi
• Magnet designs
• Farpointe
• ULSUS
• Yama Tomichi
• Sambob

I've also been looking at Octa Fleece options, as I have an Airmesh myself.

ULSUS seems pretty competitive to Senchi with respect to weight per garment. I had a spec for AD60 pants for ULSUS (which are no longer sold) and those were within around 10 gms of the Senchi listing at the time.

Also the sizing seemed consistent with the shape and sizes of my wife and I (I am usually an SM or M, she usually wears a SM). So they seemed like a good fit for us.

They also had items either in stock or on preorder a few weeks away - vs having to jump on ordering something when a new drop comes live. They were available when I wanted to order them. So that worked.

Order:

• 1x AD90 Bear Pants in Medium
• 1x AD90 Bear Pants in Small
• 1x AD90 "Hoody Zipper" (hoody with half zip) in Small
• 1x AD90 Two-way zipper Jacket (hoody with a full zip two way zipper) in Medium, in case the half zip didn't fit my wife for some reason or if we wanted to go hiking together and share a hoody. I already have an MH Airmesh so this was just thrown in the order "just in case"

First impressions:

• The items are packaged professionally. Each item is packaged individually in a clear plastic bag with the opening folded over and closed with an adhesive strip. They don't come with the garment bag like Senchi provides, but I don't think I need it anyways.
• The construction quality is excellent. I didn't see any defects. The seams all appear to be professional quality and tidy.
• We look like a couple of muppets, but they are cozy. My wife's hoody is "cookie monster blue" - I love it.
• Each item got at least one sticker in the bag. Some got two. Very nice quality stickers. My 4 year old instantly decided he needed to stick one to his arm, then regretted it (they are VERY sticky)
• They fit us as expected based on the measurements
• I like the crotch gussets in the pants
• I am on the fence with the lack of elastic cuffs in the pant ankles. Without cuffs, I can probably get them on without taking my shoes off (bonus). For sleep or when hiking cold I can tuck the pant in my socks (I wear tall socks and shorts normally). So it's not a big deal but I feel they might feel more comfortable with a soft elastic cuff.
• The waist elastic is very comfortable on the pants
• The cuffs in the hoodies are very nice and comfortable. The hood fits around my face well. Nice design.
• The zippers on the hoodies are good quality and run smoothly. Fabric didn't get caught in the zipper when using it.
• The labels are sewn on and of high quality, but seem unnecessarily large. I think a more minimalist label would be more consistent with an ultralight garment. In reality, it doesn't add much, but is one of those details.

Weight:

I weighed them at home immediately:

• 1x AD90 Bear Pants in Medium - 102 gm
• 1x AD90 Bear Pants in Small - 94 gm
• 1x AD90 "Hoody Zipper" (hoody with half zip) in Small - 110 gm
• 1x AD90 Two-way zipper Jacket (hoody with a full zip two way zipper) in Medium - 128 gm

I am happy with these weights. If I recall correctly, they are consistent if not a bit lower than the advertised ones on the website.

I initially was hoping for AD60 pants as I think those might be enough and would be a bit lighter, but settled on AD90 through ULSUS just to ensure we got something. We also hike with our son, who's 4 years old, so we got a bit slower and can't just push the pace to hike faster and warm ourselves up. So AD90 will be beneficial for us. For the fabric weight I think this is a reasonable garment weight but I wish there were more options for AD60 garments, specifically pants. Many other companies that I found online either only offer AD90 or offer AD60 but at a similar garment weight to AD90 (in which case, you might as well go with AD90 from someone else for that weight).

I might get Senchi AD60 pants if I can snag some, but now the pressure is off a bit.

Shipping

I live in Canada. Canada Post has been on strike and were just very recently ordered back to work. This has caused havoc on our shipping here - anything shipped through Canada Post wasn't delivered for more than a month. Anything shipped through other couriers was inconsistent (I've had some items just get held in a warehouse and not delivered) or a complete rip off.

Thankfully these items shipped RIGHT as Canada Post started working again. The items shipped through Taiwanese mail, which had some brief delays due to a COVID breakout at the airline. This was brief (days). Then handed over to Canada Post and in my hands within a week or so of shipping from Taiwan.

Tracking was a pain.

Everything needs to be translated through Google Translate, and the tracking details were lacking. I couldn't get the tracking to work on Canada Post website using the original Taiwanese tracking number either. But everything arrived quickly, in good condition, and in my hands without having any duties.

Overall

Anyways - happy with the purchase. I'll try to post once I use them on trail enough to get a proper review in.

Let me know if you want me to look at anything specific on the items, or take photos. Happy to share a bit more of how they look.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Gitgudm7 on 2024-12-31 21:25:34+00:00.

Hi all! In the search for affordable UL gear, I've been doing some digging in the Indonesian UL scene, inspired by u/yellowsuprrcar's earlier post about YSR Packs. The ultralighters over in Indonesia seem really in touch with what the UL market wants in North America and Europe. I've been seeing lots of frameless, low-volume packs with attractive features like running vest straps, shoulder pockets, bottom pockets, etc. that other budget manufacturers (e.g. from China) tend to miss.

There's obviously still a lot more digging to do, but here are a couple compelling options I've found:

• YSR Packs (mentioned above) - Cottage frameless packs. They look really neat. The other poster mentioned having a ton of customization options, and the final product came out really affordable.
• Kawipack - Cottage(?) frameless packs and running vests. They have a pretty gorgeous selection of packs ranging from 22L to 34L - I'm very tempted to pick up a 27L myself. Their designs are genuinely really stylish and remind me of Pa'lante. I'm not sure if they take custom orders, so I'm trying to get in touch over Whatsapp.
• Parlente Equipment - Cottage quilts and frameless packs. They could be a really affordable alternative to mainstream quilts (and possibly a competitor to those Ice Flame ones). From a quick glance, I can see that they have comfort rated 40 degree quilts in the 20oz range. They also have a sleek 30L vest-style pack (it looks suspiciously like a Joey).
• Mahagane Outdoors - Cottage frameless packs. From a quick glance, their main offering is a 25L model in various fabrics, including EPX 200 and EPX 70.
• Kyuu Design - Cottage frameless packs. Yamatomichi-esque. Thanks u/yellowsuprrcar!
• Subaki Gear - Cottage frameless packs. Mostly in the 30L range; reminiscent of Zimmerbuilt.
• Monte Equipment - This company seems to be quite big - so not cottage - but they've been discussed several times in the UL Anglosphere (see here, here, here, here etc.). Their designs seem more weight-competitive than other big brands like Naturehike and 3F UL, and I like that they're more stripped-down.

It definitely seems like the biggest barrier is communication and shipping, since even though these brands all offer really affordable options with great features, they're not well-known at all. Maybe folks with any experience or knowledge can chip in. I'm sure folks over in the Indonesia Ultralight Backpacking Facebook Group would also love to give more suggestions if one of us said hi, lol.

If I do end up buying from on of these brands, I'll make a follow-up post with my experience ordering and using their stuff. It seems like they really deserve more love (and business).

EDIT: I've added a few more from the comments and additional digging.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/baokaola on 2024-12-29 23:42:55+00:00.

DCF stuff sacks and pack bags seem very popular and it’s clear that a lot of people are very happy with them. However, I don’t quite understand why you would use DCF for this purpose.

From my research, the main advantages of DCF are its high tensile and tear strength. This makes perfect sense in a tent where the fabric will be subjected to a lot of force but I can’t really see how a stuff sack or pack bag will see enough force for this to be a meaningful advantage.

The main disadvantage of DCF is its poor abrasion resistance. A tent is mostly exposed to air and rain water so it will not experience much abrasion. While you typically don’t drag your bags over rock slabs, packing and unpacking items as well as having contents rub against the fabric over and over again must surely decrease the lifespan of them?

Is there something I’m missing here?

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/soleilvie on 2024-12-28 02:22:43+00:00.

I love my Patagonia capilene cool daily hoody but I feel too hot in it on a sunny 70F+ day. I have an OR Echo as well but it’s in a darker color and it’s even hotter than the Patagonia one. I normally go sleeveless for running and day hiking in warm temps but I’m planning a PCT thru attempt so obviously looking at sun protection.

Should I try merino? I looked at the Mirage and Ridge Merino Solstice as options. They sound very breathable but if I’m hiking in 80 degrees and there’s no breeze I think I’ll be miserable. Is there a sun hoodie with pit zips?!

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Bueller-Report on 2024-12-29 22:04:31+00:00.

Right now my Big 3 weighs 9 pounds. I’ve used it for car camping and a couple weekend trips but I’m going on my first 2 week through hike this summer and am considering spending $1400 to upgrade to a 5.75 pound Big 3.

Worth it or keep using what I’ve got?

Current Kit: Durston X-Mid 2 36oz ThermaRest Pad 20oz REI Flash 55 46oz Sierra Design 15F Sleeping Bag 42oz

$1400 Upgrade: Durston X-Mid 1 Pro: $550 16oz ThermaRest Pad 20oz Hyperlite Mountain Gear 40 or 55L $360 30oz Enlightened Equipment Revelation $365 26oz

Thanks for any thoughts on the matter!

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/WhiskeyEsq on 2024-12-28 06:21:06+00:00.

Really want to pick up a 60 weight hoodie but they feel impossible to come by, with only a limited number of cottage makers even releasing them. Kind of stunned they aren’t more available. Anyone know why this is? Is the material super hard to produce or come by?

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Objective-Resort2325 on 2024-12-27 16:48:30+00:00.

A few months ago I posted this shakedown request, which generated quite a bit of discussion. I've refined the shakedown list and removed all the stops. The only constraint that I feel I must not compromise on is my choice of shoe. The only luxury item I've got is an 11 gram MYOG stuff sack that I use as a pillow when stuffed with everything I'm not wearing to bed. (If I'm wearing everything, it's empty.) Everything else is fair game. And I've included things on this list that I don't currently own / whose weights are hypothetical or estimated (marked with a red star).

For my choice of a pack: I've searched out what I think is Dandee's lightest pack ever made that still looks like an actual pack. (i.e. not a stuff sack.) It's 24 liters, which would be 6 liters larger than the Osprey I had previously. It's 1.5 ounces heavier, but considerably more functional. I haven't challenged Dan to see what the lightest thing he could make is - I just went through his instagram posts to find what I think is the lightest.

For my choice of quilt: I've listed a Timmermade Coati 50F. I don't own this, but I do own a Coati 20F, and know from experience Timmermade is conservative with his temp ratings. Temp-wise I'm confident I'd be comfortable at 50. Technically I could have chosen his 40F Serpentes false bottom (fetal position) bag, but in my size it'd be the same weight (though 10 degrees warmer.) Possibly Dan could make a special-case Serpentes in a 50F which would save some weight - not sure how much that'd be.

Where else can we shave weight? Have fun!

Location/temp range/specific trip description:  Appalachian Trail, 50 degree lower temp limit. Water must be plentiful and animal pressure low. Must have full/reliable cell coverage. 4 day limit (battery power is the constraint.)

Goal Base weight (BPW): As low as is safe and reasonable. Some level of discomfort acceptable (I've only got a GG Thinlite pad, for example, and not even a full-length one.)

Budget: Unlimited.

I’m looking to: Identify opportunities and solutions for additional weight savings. Can you identify alternates to the items I've listed that are lighter with equivalent functionality?

Non-negotiable Items: Altra Olympus 4.0 shoes with green inserts.

Solo or with another person?: Solo

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Jjays on 2024-12-26 20:03:02+00:00.

Photos here:

Comparison of original Nitecore NU25, updated NU25, and the NU20 Classic.

I’ve been using the original Nitecore NU25, purchased with a LiteSmith modded headband, for a few years and have taken it with me on several trips into the great outdoors. As much as I loved this headlamp, the downside was it being charged via micro-USB while everything else I own uses USB-C, so I purchased the new NU25 about a year ago after it was released. While I liked that it was brighter and now had a USB-C charge port, I didn’t care as much about how they changed the button configuration and form factor with the new model, so I soon went back to using my old headlamp.

And then Nitecore released the NU20 Classic, a faithful upgrade to the original NU25, which I recently purchased from Garage Grown Gear during their holiday sale. I did not however care for Nitecore’s version of an ultra-lightweight headband, the same one they added to the new NU25 UL, so I took some 1/16 in. blue reflective shock cord purchased from Litesmith and created my own new headband for the NU20 Classic just like my old headlamp had.

Since I currently have all three of these headlamps, I’m selling the older two soon, so I’ve decided to share a few photos. And knowing ultralighters, I’ve also included their weights, taken from my Ozeri kitchen scale.

Original Nitecore NU25 headlamp with Micro-USB (Litesmith modded headband)

Weight: 32.0 grams / 1.13 oz Mono-price mini Micro-USB cable: 6.5 g / 0.32 oz Combined lamp and mini-cord: 38.5 grams combined / 1.36 oz

Included micro-USB cable: 20g / 0.71 oz

New Nitecore NU25 UL with USB-C

Weight: 46.5 g / 1.64 oz

Nitecore NU20 Classic with USB-C

With factory “UL” headband: 38.0 g / 1.34 oz With self-modded headband: 30.5 g / 1.08 oz

I'd have shared some outside photos of the headbands in action, but it's currently very wet here in the PNW.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/BhamsterBpack on 2024-12-24 01:23:47+00:00.

I've been spending time lately trying to hone down my pack weight while simultaneously dialing in the logistics for a long hike in 2025.

It's fun. But I feel like it also encourages a lot of the ways of thinking that I'm trying to leave behind by heading into the mountains: lusting after material things, scrolling through countless online forums (yes, like this one), etc.

It seems like sometimes I neglect the "ultralight mind" in the quest for ultralight gear and planning long distance hikes.

In the spirit of trying to invigorate that ultralight way of thinking and being (whatever that means to you), I'd love to hear what books folks have read that help put them find that frame of mind before, after or during a hike.

Here are three from me as a starting point:

1. "Walking" by Henry Thoreau
2. "The Art of Living" by Thich Nhat Hanh
3. "Goodbye to a River" by John Graves

What do you recommend?

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Appropriate-Gift8524 on 2024-12-23 15:59:14+00:00.

Hey everyone, not much information about aluula on here yet so thought I would add to it. I bought a parbat mountaineering pack that uses aluula graflyte and durlyte together. Within 20 meters of scrambling, it already produced a hole from light abrasion on some rocks. Pictures attached.

Pretty disappointed given how exclusive aluula is trying to make this fabric. Perhaps for a reason. Anyone else have similar experiences? Maybe I just got a lemon.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/SheScreamsMyName on 2024-12-21 07:23:36+00:00.

ULA just dropped their first fully new pack in almost 10 years. Frameless, claimed 40L overall, 32L internal volume, 19-22oz, sewn-in hipbelt, upper deck pockets, hybrid J/S shoulder straps, can fit a BV500 vertically, $280 and $230 usd in UltraX and Ultragrid respectively.

Seems sized to compete with the MLD Prophet/Durston Wapta/HMG Contour/GG G4-20 class, with perhaps more of a focus towards on-trail trips due to copious strechmesh pocketry and looking especially rectangular in the main body.

Competitively priced when compared to the Prophet (which is perhaps the most direct comparison since the Wapta/Contour's hipbelts are modular and they use a different fabric).

Thoughts on it's position in the market? Anyone excited about it? Is it just an option from ULA in this increasingly popular pack class that doesn't do anything meaningfully better than other options on the market?

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Ollidamra on 2024-12-21 03:36:34+00:00.

I'm 5' 8'' 145 lb, ordered Size M last week and received it this week.

According their website, the major updates are:

• Flat-seam construction
• Reinforced chain-stitched elastic hem and cuffs
• Integrated thumb loops
• Ultralight YKK zipper with soft backing
• Heat-transfer neck logo with hanger loop
• Minimalist woven logo
• Relaxed fit for freedom of movement and layering over a baselayer or under a shell

What I like so far:

1. Flat-seam: I also own A90 half-zip hoodie from last generation, so I did a side-by-side comparison. If you want to wear it as base layer next to skin, the flattened seam on new version makes difference, you can feel it clearly.
2. Thumb loops: this is what I'm looking for. The length of sleeves is also longer so you can easily reach the holes without stretching the sleeves.
3. The elastic hem and cuffs are less elastic and larger, so it's easier to roll the sleeves up to look at the watch.
4. The fabric feels softer, but I'm not entirely sure if it's just because of new vs. old.

What I don't like:

1. It's generally bigger in size, compared to old version, though I do feel it's less restrictive when moving.
2. Bigger hanger loop on back: adding useless 2 grams.
3. The end of zipper inside is not sewn down so some time you can feel it if wearing it as base layer.

One more thing:

The fabric of Senchi Bag (the free mesh laundry bag coming with your order) changed too, it's softer now.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/Any-Cartographer-971 on 2024-12-19 07:55:55+00:00.

I know this sounds really backwards, but I'm looking to move off of inflatable pads and onto a 1/8 pad for comfort. I straight up just sleep on the carpet at my house, and it's the best thing to ever happen to my back. I just want to know your guys experience with how much padding the 1/8 pads feel like they provide. (First post, sorry if I broke some unwritten rule)

UPDATE: (is this where this goes?) After reading all your guys stuff, I think I'm gonna go for a 3/8th mat. I'll see if I can pick some up at the hardware store, if not I'll get the GG one. Thanks for all the tips, didn't know reddit was this quick.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/SexyEdMeese on 2024-12-20 00:41:34+00:00.

I'm moving into winter backpacking and having a hell of a time.

I'm tall, slim, and get cold easily. It's not a problem when I'm moving but when I stop for the day I get cold - really cold. I'm fine in the sleeping bag but spending the dark evening hours in camp is rough. Looking for gear tips.

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/neeblerxd on 2024-12-17 21:27:28+00:00.

Looking for a pair of rain pants that are very light and packable. Use case is mainly for day hikes during cold/wet/windy weather this time of year, where I'd want something covering my legs.

Highly packable because my kit is stored in a Salomon AdvSkin 12 so I'm trying to keep things compact.

I appreciate the rain skirt recommendations but I'd like to stick with pants. Also avoiding a poncho because of wind

Has anyone had a chance to compare the Vertice and Versalite pants? These seem like the top contenders so far. Is there another offering that I should pay attention to?

Thanks

Update: Decided to order the Montbell Versalite pants with ankle zips as they checked my boxes and were available to order. Thanks all for your suggestions

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/hiddenp4nts on 2024-12-18 06:51:42+00:00.

Hey all, been struggling to find a reliable, lightweight glove system for backpacking in sub-freezing temperatures.

I've been using my BD Guide ski gloves a couple times now and apart from being heavy, I'm having some issues with them eventually freezing overnight if they get wet, and not having the dexterity to do camp tasks, so I end up taking them off, which makes things worse.

Open to suggestions of either a glove/shell system or anything that people have had success with for this.

Thanks!

Edit: Since people are asking for more info, I typically hike with spikes/snowshoes with trekking poles in the PNW. Temp-wise I'm usually in around 10-25 degrees F

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/turtlintime on 2024-12-16 18:01:51+00:00.

"We finished a new adventure in Tianshan today. Just receive Internet signal now. This expedition reached the peak over 4000m altitude and encountered all kinds of weather along the way😂. We tested the new backpacks and tents in this adventure and we are happy with the new gear, but we think it could be better so we will improve. We also came up with a new tool to protect the sleeping bag from condensation.😉

Even though we took a lot of mountaineering tools this time, we still kept our backpacks at about 10 kilograms (including food for 7 days). This is made possible by a lighter backpack and a lighter Lanshan tent (only 630 grams).

btw, the new pack will be named 'Tianshan'."

In the comments they mention it will be 15d Silpoly

In the comments of a more recent post (1 week ago) they said at least 3 months out

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/plynurse199454 on 2024-12-15 20:05:23+00:00.

When I get into something I tend to look to read up on what the "pros" are doing, I got my tent (x-mid) from researching and seeing Dan on all the sub reddits giving great responses and even answering my newbie questions and it seemed to be the best value. I loved reading Andrew Skurka's The Ultimate Hiker's Gearguide. That book lead me to Mike Clelland and I started reading his book Ultralight Backpackin Tips. I have enjoyed that book and the "mindset" it lays out to how to approach lowering pack weight, but there were some things in the book that seemed pretty extreme. And maybe kind of dangerous for someone starting out with backcountry hiking in general? . I was wondering if this sub could give some inputs on some questions these books have raised.

1. Mike talks about how much water to carry, he mentions one of his favorite quotes. "If you arrive at a water source with water still on your back, you have made a mistake" he also mentions how we need to drink atleast 4 L of water minimum per day, but also says in the same paragraph. " I drink as much as I can continually throughout the day. At the same time I try to never carry more than half a L on my back" I got Dan durstons email gear list and he list 3 L total in his " Ultralight 3 season gear list". I know water carries are all dependent on terrain, climate, distance between water sources etc, but never carrying more than a half L seems risky? Wondering how many people here adhere to that logic?
2. Also, this is a rough summation of Mike Clellands take but he basically mentions how he sleeps in every single layer he has, that way he doesn't have to bring as warm of a sleep system. This kind of sums up the the other question I had, how many people bring an extra set of sleep clothes? The idea of trying to sleep in a baselayer, possibly midlayer and puffer jacket seems horrible. He also mentions that if it is raining the ambient temperature is therefore warmer when it's raining which makes sense, so he says he will wear everything to bed unless it's wet. Somewhere else in the book he mentions it's okay to have to do situps in your sleep to stay warm once during a 7 day trip, but if you have to do them every night you underpacked for warmth
3. How many of you use a tent stake as a trowel? I bought the BoglerCo trowel and at 0.46oz it seems like a good trade off, as I can't imagine tearing my hands up trying to dig a cathole with a tent stake. Clelland also mentions how he basically only uses a half length pad, as he uses his pack for the lower half of his body? Is this actually comfortable?

Anyway just wondering opinions on the above

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The original was posted on /r/Ultralight by /u/turtlintime on 2024-12-14 18:15:18+00:00.

I wanted to write up a budget gear list for the end of 2024. Almost all of these items can be found on aliexpress for these prices (plus a bit less if you use sitewide coupons). I tried to also include a more conventional alternative for each option. You could also buy these on amazon, but it is the exact same product with a markup

Tent: lanshan 1 pro $117, 800g. Alternatives: Xmid1, Paria Bryce 1

This one has been the budget king for the longest time. You can spend a bit more and get the xmid which is highly recommended here, but it is a lot more money and a tad heavier. Generally the non trekking pole tents are going to be a lot more expensive if you want to get near the 2lb mark for a tent.

Quilt: Ice Flame NXT Quilt Large $146, 585g. Alternatives: EE Enigma Apex, REI magma 30 quilt (on sale quarterly)

Here is my review for the Ice flame quilt. I genuinely think this is the value king at this price and competes with quilts 2 times the price

Backpack: 3F UL QiDian 40+16L $56, 850g. Alternatives: Naturehike Rock Backpack 40L

You could also get the Qi Dian pro for $90, but I don't really understand why. The specs say the standard Qi Dian is 30 grams lighter and the only difference is the Dyneema like fabric (please correct me if i have it twisted). I still need to test this one

Sleeping pad: Light Tour 4.2R RW pad $75, 535g. Alternatives: Flextail Zero pad, Exped Ultra 3R, REI Helix, folding foam pad if you can sleep on one.

I haven't seen many reviews of the 4.2R version, but the 7.5R one has a ton of good reviews. In terms of traditional brands, it is hard to find a lightweight and comfortable sleeping bag, but Chinese brand sleeping pads have come a long way in the last 6 months and many have ASTM tests and the value is insane.

Cooking: BRS 3000t, titanium pot 750 or 550ml $10+18 Alternative: BRS 61

Don't really need to explain this one. This is the go to for most people.

I did want to shout out/draw attention to the BRS 61. It is a jetboil like system for $20-30 which is pretty insane, but not the lightest

Water: hydro blue versa flow w/ 2 bags $26 or $22 for just the filter

Surprised to not see more people talking about this insanely underrated filter.

Section hiker gave it an almost perfect review. My only issue with it is the lack of an O ring, but if you tighten it a lot, it works great. Plus for $26 it comes with 2 fantastic 2L bags and a tube to turn it into a hydration pack

Trekking poles: Walmart Ozark trail $25

I am open to alternatives. I have been using these and they work great assuming you properly tighten the hand screws. I feel like weight doesn't matter that much for trekking poles on a budget, but I could be proven wrong.

Headlamp: NU-20 classic $20

This is just one of the best ultralight headlamps on the market, but also the budget king. They made so many improvements over the NU-25, thank god the button config is more intuitive and the 1 lumen modes are a godsend.

Let me know what you guys think! If you think I missed any good gear options, let me know :)

I may make a clothing version of this list (albeit it will be less complete)