Welcome to the world of ultralight hiking! If you're ready to embark on outdoor adventures with minimal gear and maximum efficiency, you're in the right place.
Ultralight hiking has been gaining popularity recently as it helps hikers reduce fatigue, move more swiftly, and experience a deeper connection with nature. The idea is to adopt a minimalist approach to packing, maximizing efficiency so you can experience the wonders of nature while minimizing the burden of heavy loads. This means you will need to rethink every item you carry and prioritize lightweight, multi-purpose gear to make your pack as light as safely possible.
Ultralight Principles
How much should your pack weigh? This is a popular question with every hiker. The general rule says no more than 20% of your body weight for backpacking and no more than 10% for a day hike. However, for ultralight hiking gear, the goal is to minimize packed weight as much as possible by following a couple important rules - weight consciousness, multi-purpose functionality and minimalism.
Minimizing the weight of your gear should not come at the cost of functionality or safety, however, each item you pack must be carefully considered, with essential gear prioritized while non-essential items are eliminated. Every ounce matters, so choose lightweight options whenever possible.
When deciding what constitutes ‘essential’ on your hikes, practicing minimalism is the way to go. Gear that serves multiple functions also helps minimize the number of items you need to carry. For example, a sleeping pad that doubles as a sit pad during breaks. You can also make the most of your available items to reduce your packed weight, for instance, using your stuff sack or a rolled up jacket as a pillow.
Ultralight hikers often opt for lightweight shelters such as tarps or single-wall tents instead of traditional heavy tents. These shelters provide adequate protection while significantly reducing pack weight. Finetrack’s KAMINA MONOPOLE 1 or Zelt 1 OG are good options to consider. The KAMINA Monopole is a compact one-person monopole tent weighing only 800g. Made of the highest quality, made-in-Japan, strong nylon ripstop fabric, it provides wind and weather resistance and is strong and durable despite its lightweight fabric. On the other hand, the Zelt is a bivy (emergency) shelter large enough for 3 or 4 adults to sit and rest, or for 2 adults to sleep in case of an emergency. Weighing just 230g, it is also strong enough to be used as a rescue sheet.
Tips for Ultralight Hiking
Start with the Basics: Begin by assessing your current gear and identifying opportunities to reduce weight. Focus on the items that contribute most to your pack weight, such as shelter, sleep system, and clothing.
Prioritize Comfort and Safety: While minimizing your pack weight can make your hike easier, be sure you have what you need to be comfortable and safe. Ensure that your equipment provides adequate protection from the elements and supports your physical needs on the trail.
Share Gear: If hiking with others, share gear like tents or cooking equipment to minimize weight and avoid unnecessary duplication. This also reduces the costs involved and increases efficiency - you can choose the best gear from your pooled resources to take on your hike - and the weight of heavier items can be distributed evenly among the group.
Streamlined Clothing: Overpacking clothing and layers is one of the biggest mistakes novice hikers make that make backpacks unnecessarily heavy and bulky. That's why it's worthwhile to carefully select a set of ultralight hiking gear that function well and can be quickly modified to suit different situations, like gear from Finetrack’s 5 Layering System.
The Polygon UL Jacket Mid Layer, for example, is perfect for ultralight hiking adventures. At 185g, the Polygon UL features a double layer of FINEPOLYGON, Finetrack's innovative 3D thermal insulation material, that retains its loft and insulating properties even when exposed to moisture from sweat, water or snow.
Practice Makes Perfect: Ultralight hiking is not a competition. Test your gear and skills on shorter hikes before tackling longer, more challenging trips. Experiment with different gear setups, take note of what items you use most frequently and adjust your gear accordingly for the next hike.
Finetrack’s 5 LAYERING® System - Ultralight Outdoor Clothing and Gear
Hikers traditionally use a 3-layering system of base layer for sweat-wicking, mid layer for insulation and outer shell for protection from the elements. However, this system lacks versatility, and many hikers end up carrying an extra insulating layer or taking their layers off and on as needed. To make a system that was comprehensive enough for extreme weather, yet versatile enough to work for any condition, Finetrack created their 5 LAYERING® System.
Building on the conventional 3-layer system, the 5 LAYERING® System adds on two ingenious components - the Elemental Layer® and Midshell®. What makes this system so effective, however, is the perfect synergy that is achieved when all 5 layers are combined. This synergy is powered by 3 of Finetrack’s technologies - Link Dry®, LinkVent® and Double Shell.
Link Dry®
The first three layers of Finetrack's system keeps moisture away from the skin for dry, comfortable, optimal performance in the elements.
L1 Elemental Layer® passes through perspiration through its mesh holes, allowing the L2 Base Layer to efficiently wick and diffuse the moisture away, while the Elemental Layer® works as a shield to keep your skin dry. The L3 Mid Layers, designed with superior moisture management, creates a dry inner environment by efficiently expelling moisture and perspiration outside the garment while retaining warmth.
With all three of these layers working together to pass moisture outwards, you are able to keep the same clothing on throughout your hike. Since spare layers are not needed in this case, the overall weight of your pack can also be reduced.
LINKVENT®
Most outdoor clothing is equipped with ventilation zippers to release excess heat and moisture without removing layers when on the move. What makes Finetrack’s system so efficient is its LINKVENT design, which places ventilation zippers of different layers in the same position, relative to each other.
This interlined LINKVENT® positioning allows for efficient temperature and humidity control by unifying the ventilation openings of L3 Mid Layer, L4 Mid Shell®, and L5 Outer Shell. Moisture that has accumulated inside these layers can be discharged almost instantaneously. This means you can keep wearing the same clothing on your hike, even in changing conditions. One less thing to slow you down on your outdoor pursuits.
Double Shell®
In the conventional layering system, insulation comes from your mid layer, typically down or fleece which efficiently retain warmth with their high loft. However, these insulating layers are usually packed away and only used when the hiker is at rest. With Finetrack’s Double Shell® system, which combines their L4 Mid Shell® and L5 Outer Shell, a very useful insulating effect is produced.
Similar to the double paned window system (often used in cold countries), Finetrack’s Double Shell® system means a layer of air is trapped between the L4 and L5. This layer of warm, trapped air improves the insulating property of your outfit, and prevents condensation from forming under your shell. Because of this extra insulation, you can choose a lighter insulation layer, which reduces the overall weight of your layering system and your pack weight.
Finetrack’s L4 Mid Shell® and L5 Outer Shell layers also boast exceptional waterproof and breathable properties, ensuring that you remain dry and comfortable without heaviness.
In the world of ultralight hiking, every ounce counts. By embracing the principles of minimalism and choosing gear that's lightweight yet durable, you'll not only lighten your load but also amplify your enjoyment on the trail. With Finetrack's innovative 5 LAYERING® System leading the way, you'll be ready to tackle any terrain with style and ease.
Pack smart, shed the excess weight, and let the ultralight journey begin!