9 Ways to Make Your Hiking Gear Lighter

[@tjn0110]

I know few will want to hear this, but, my favorite way to lighten a pack is to train with a heavier pack.

[@settohike]

Boss level 😛

[@corleyoutdoors2887]

And it’s that simple.👍

[@OldNavajoTricks]

Ask not for an easy load, but rather a strong back to bear whatever you must...

[@miker5740]

That method will definitely reduce the wear and tear on your joints 🤪

[@billsmith6884]

Same

[@k2theunknown]

Your voice is so soothing, Thank you for this video.

[@settohike]

Thank you for watching! and listening haha :)

[@hnahler]

I think this is just another incarnation of optimising everything in our lives. - I have done my fair share to lighten my pack over the last decade. But actually, in the last two years my bag got heavier. That 700g tent in which I cannot get a decent sleep unless there is no breeze, no rain and low humidity, and still requiring me to be a contortionist for everything I want to do other than just lying down. An actual pillow gives me a proper night’s sleep, rather than just stuffing my clothes into a dry bag. Camp-shoes / sandals make your evening so much more comfortable and put your feet into better shape for next day. Yes, clothes to change is a waste except for socks. Many hikers take too much food. Consider where you can buy food for re supply on the way. If there is water, take a filter rather than loads of water in your pack. - I aim to strike a balance between comfort while walking (reduce pack weight) and comfort while at camp and sleeping. I don’t want to be miserable. It’s a holiday not a competition. - Consider trail running shoes instead of hiking boots. The saying is, one pound saved on your feet is equivalent to five pounds off your back. And train, train, train with a heavy back. Most of us can put one foot in front of he other but that doesn’t make you a good and fit hiker. Most issues on long-distance hikes are down to lack of training and preparation, not the weight of the pack. - Reducing the pack weight is not a quick-fix for lack of training.

[@wobblysauce]

The shoes you use daily can be better for most people then any hiking shoe, as the ergos can throw them off.

[@tangoduck01]

Great video Hayley - the list of local companies was amazingly helpful.

[@settohike]

Thank you! Glad to know it was helpful! 🙂

[@matthewvelo]

I find that there is a trade off between durability and weight when it comes to gear. I hike in the Victorian high country, and when I use ultralight gear I need to do running repairs more often than I do with heavier, traditional gear. Balance between weight and wait and fix.

[@daven.7685]

I’m with you on water insecurity. I’m in Southern California, and until just recently, water sources were nearly non-existent in many areas. Three liters minimum for a day hike is the norm for me!

[@edking6835]

I agree with you 100%. I usually hike off trail in West Virginia and Western Maryland. Water is there, but to access it you have to travers some pretty steep grades... and don't think it's worth the risk to save a couple of pounds.

[@settohike]

We are responsible water hoarders 😛

[@thirstymercfan]

Great video Hailey and I like your tip to weigh everything 😊 I’ve slowly been updating my heavy items. Just got a better quality sleeping mat, a sleeping bag a while ago they make a big difference for sure. Luxury I always take my nature hike pillow it makes a big difference and not much more weight

[@megalicious7757]

eyyy great tips, H! I only learned to rid of the 'just in case' mentality this last year, and man oh man it's so liberating! Coincidentally, only yesterday, I cut off unnecessary straps, some straps' length, reservoir pouch and clip, replaced some thicker straps with bungee cords on my pack and shaved off a good 220g! So fun!

[@settohike]

Nice one! Thats actually crazy that all those can add up to 220g! You feel so accomplished when you save on weight haha 🙂

[@dilsonaventuraeharmonia]

Very good tips! In Brazil I have been trying to reduce the hiking gear weight, and the trekking is getting more comfortable and amazing!

[@hillrunner2]

Great advice will change a few things in my backpack. Thank you for sharing the video was enjoyable to watch.

[@settohike]

Woohoo! Thank you for watching 🙂

[@HolisticHikes]

Love this. Currently working on lightening the load for a Washington nobo hike next summer! Thanks for sharing, lovin’ these videos!! 💚💚

[@settohike]

Aww thank you I appreciate it! By the way, your video thumbnails are very nice!!

[@HolisticHikes]

@@settohike aw,thank you!! 💚💚 we’re excited for your future content.

[@richoslandscapephotography164]

Another fantastic video Hayley. I better take out the hairdryer from my pack :) Also another tip would be to fill your pack with Helium.

[@settohike]

Hahah but how will you dry those luscious locks!? Oh great tip. I'm gunna have to call my helium supplier for a top up. 🙂

[@rockytopwrangler2069]

.. Does that work // fill a couple of water bladders ,, pack weight will be near nothing ...

[@richoslandscapephotography164]

@@rockytopwrangler2069 i don't know the math, but you'll probably need a big bladder of Helium to "lift" a small amount of weight. so if you have a huge bag it might work.

[@mickgately5423]

i do wild camping and biggest hit on weight saving was going from 3mm paracord to 1.6mm dyneema, 3mm shockcord on underquilts to 1.5mm and ditching carabiners for soft shackles. 1.8k removed. carabiners were 17.8g soft shackle is 6.9g.

[@BeyondtheWay]

Hayley, you are amazing! Having spent many years making 'Camino hiking' content myself, it's such a joy to see your films. Well researched, well presented, very well produced and with a good dose of humour. Bloody good little Aussie!

[@AusCelticsFan]

Great video Hayley! I recently switched to Hyperlite southwest pack, thermarest sleep pad, and Lanshan tent. Much easier on my shoulders and back!

[@settohike]

Nice! 😀 We are both Hyperlite and Thermarest buddies!

[@gillyc15]

Have you tried using trail runners instead of hiking boots

[@prasadmadushan]

Love ur content and specially lighterpack web site

[@settohike]

Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@newzealandrelaxinghikes]

Thanks a lot for the ideas, I am really slow because the way of my backpack. However, I disagree with using trail shoes instead of at least mid cut hiking boots. You need good feet support hen you carry backpack. I have seen really fast people on trail with trailing shoes carrying relatively heavy backpack. They periodically almost twisting they feet.

[@jhonyermo]

KIWI Ultralight??? Have you tried it?

[@ervinslens]

Fantastic upload my friend, this was helpful and enjoyable to watch! 👌

[@settohike]

Thank you for watching! 😊😊

[@idontakepictures]

Thank you for sharing ❤️

[@settohike]

Thanks for watching! ❤

[@billsmith6884]

I once ran out of water in the Himalayas, I would now rather carry more than ever be that dry again. You can always use the excess to cool off or rinse items at the end of the day.

[@settohike]

Yeah that would be terrifying to run out of water. Definitely nice to have excess!

[@justrusty]

My tip: Don't be too narrow in your thinking when looking at equipment, in other words, don't look at one thing in isolation if it affects other things. For example, my tent is lighter than my hammock. But if I use my hammock, I don't have to bring a sleeping pad, just a light rubber insulated pad. So it's not the weight of the hammock that counts, but the weight of the (tent + sleeping pad) vs. (hammock + insulated pad). In my case, they turn out to be almost the same so I usually take the tent because I find it more to my liking. Same thing with stoves. My solid fuel stove is lighter than my propane stove. And for shorter hikes the solid fuel stove is more weight efficient. But the fuels is hard to come by so I have to bring the entire supply for the whole trip. If I'm out for more than a week, the propane stove is more efficient because the fuel is so much lighter. (14 g/liter-boil solid vs. 3.5 g/liter-boil propane.) Seems like a small difference but it adds up on long hikes. And yeah, I ran out of water twice in the Grand Canyon. Both times I managed to find more within a few miles, but I'm paranoid about water and usually start the day with 3 liters now.)

[@HikingWithShawn]

I need to weight my stuff. My pack is heavier than it should be. I bet if I weighed things, I could persuade myself to carry less. Great video!

[@irenebuchan5135]

Haha! just been weighing some of my stuff when I came upon this video! My pack was too heavy last time I tramped so going to cut back next time - starting with my camera gear!

[@settohike]

Haha youtube just knew you were weighing your stuff! Oh yes, sometimes I think how light my pack would be if I didnt carry any camera gear!

[@josueneris1861]

Great video!

[@UltralightHiker]

Great tips Haley lightening you load does not mean comprising on comfort. It just means choosing gear that it multi purpose, not packing your fears or swapping things out which are lighter.

[@settohike]

Perfectly said! 🙂 I hope you are enjoying Tasmania!!

[@Gmeriot]

I loved the video

[@dansworld9635]

Any thoughts on coming to America and hike the PCT?

[@settohike]

I think either the PCT or the AT would be on my list of things to do before I die haha. I talked about it once with a friend. Maybe it needs another thought. :)

[@dougieranger]

Greetings from Scotland. Liked and subbed. 👍🏼

[@settohike]

Hello and welcome! 😀😀

[@dougieranger]

@@settohike Thank you. Slàinte. 🥃

[@goldlock2971]

You can macke some smol bags if you have a plastik welder so you can putt stuff sych as tuthpeste or food in 😅

[@mrt7121]

Agree on the water tip. I hiked the combined Wilsons Prom southern and eastern circuits with a far fitter friend a few yes back. The 7 litres of water he was carrying slowed him down nicely. He couldn't believe my system was just downing the remain water in my 1.25 litre bottle every time we found flowing water. I'd refill, pop in a purification table and 30 mins later back was to drinking with much lighter pack.

[@settohike]

Haha nothing like 7 litres to slow you down. I am glad you are a living example of this tip. 😛

[@goodwaterhikes]

Good job 👍👍😊☮

[@settohike]

Thank you 😊😊🌿

[@guanjiao1708]

视频非常棒，持续更新学习

[@themodernviking8707]

I do like a good pie chart.

[@settohike]

Especially raspberry.

[@themodernviking8707]

@@settohike yum.

[@spuriouseffect]

You can use a pot cozy lined with a zip-lock to make a bowl, and nothing to clean afterward. A 4-quid reflective car windshield sun-shade is lighter than any commercial sit pad. You can make 2 by cutting them in half. A 2-quid mylar emergency blanket is one of the lightest tent footprint replacements. Trimmed to size they can weigh less than 25 grams. Throw everything that can't get wet into one pack liner, and ditch all the separate stuff sacks. Keep all your small items organized in small zip locks, placed inside one larger zip lock. Remove tags and any unused things from all your gear.

[@justo316]

Excellent video 👍 I'd add that if you like managing your pack weight on a phone instead of a computer, I find Packfire works better than Lighterpack as it's more mobile friendly. I use both though.

[@settohike]

Thank you! I have always been a big computer user over the phone so I havnt heard of Packfire. Sounds great! 😄

[@MichaelTrxn]

10k in no time! 👀

[@settohike]

Haha 🤞🤞🤞

[@usernameisusername]

I had one of my kidneys removed. Ounces count and I had two.

[@settohike]

You are very qualified to say that 😛

[@usernameisusername]

@@settohike 👍

[@williamgarrison6060]

😅

[@andrewhowie4217]

🤣🤙

[@jamesb7563]

I find the current hiking gear culture here is Aus so interesting. It seems so far behind in its offering of lighter weight gear compared to the US. Although as you mention the tide is finally turning with more Aussie online companies offering lighter gear appearing. I can’t work out if companies don’t see enough of a profit in UL gear, it’s seen as too niche, maybe we don’t have a large enough hiking population or it’s not always suited to some of the types of trails we have here? Or other factors? 🤔

[@settohike]

I often think about this quite a lot! It's hard to pin point why. I always think about the first time hikers who go into a regular outdoor stores for advice, but don't know yet that there is a whole other lightweight world!

[@toocleanpappas5397]

Definitely some good advice here. (I have about 16,000 km of hiking now, and most videos I watch I laugh at how poor some of the advice is. But this is solid.) A suggestion for you, if you get a chance try the Platypus Quickdraw water filter. I saw you using the Sawyer, and the Platypus is so much faster! My friends and I have all switched to it. I've used it on the CDT and my hikes across Ireland, Scotland, and Spain, so it's well tested. It's a definite upgrade. So here's a question for you. I'm looking at coming over to Australia around August/September and am looking for some good long trails to hit. I'm thinking of New Zealand, Tasmania, but then I want to do some on the continent. Any suggestions? The longer the better. I usually hike about 6-7 months a year, so I figure I'll still have time after New Zealand and Tasmania. Also, any tips for Australian hiking? I've done the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and as I mentioned Ireland, Scotland, and Spain. But one thing I've learned after hiking that much is that there is always new things to learn, especially when it comes to hiking in a place you've never hiked before. :) Again, great video!

[@settohike]

Woohoo! Thank you for watching 😀

[@J0rdan1987]

Take a plastic A4 paper sleeve. Cover with a layer of duct tape. Its a sit pad or a fire 'flapper' You can also peel the tape off if you need it, and also stuff it with a t shirt (or debris) to thicken the cush for your tush. Also, bread bags as camp shoes; but reinforce the toe box and heal with tape. Im a big fan of tape as u can see, wrap a M or so around ur hiling pole and ur lighter. And finnally; take a deck of cards, worth the weight imo and amazing if u bump into people on a hike> i once played poker using burnt and unburnt matches, and halves of matches as chips when i was hiking in Georgia 🇬🇪. 'Prison' style.😅

[@S3A2021]

Perfect 🥰 💞 👌

[@OldNavajoTricks]

/Looks at current setup... Nope, not too heavy yet as it ain't ordered yet haha all my gear is spread across rooms as I'm still building the system :-p

[@settohike]

Haha what a fun mess! Not even heavy until the 2nd day in 😛

[@OldNavajoTricks]

@@settohike Oh yes, its a proper load lol, cant keep up dont step up haha!

[@romeur8709]

As pessoas negligenciam muito o peso e acabam sofrendo atoa.. é uma coisa tão simples de resolver.

[@Kackzoger]

Being almost 2 m tall. I don’t have many lightweight options for gear. Any suggestions?

[@settohike]

Hmm the sleeping bag/quilt you would be able to get custom made for your height. I think some companies would custom make packs too you'd just have to find the right ones. I can imagine finding a tent and a mat would be difficult for you though! At least you could start with all the accessories to make those lighter.

[@gravelbike912]

❤️❤️❤️

[@settohike]

❤❤❤

[@patchess5488]

Pretty easy saw off the handle of your tooth brush

[@603storm]

Good info but in my experience there are two broad categories for a lighter pack; spend money, leave it home.

[@gabrielcarias1260]

Hola

[@settohike]

😀😀😀

[@gabrielcarias1260]

@@settohike abla español yo solo puedo ablar spanish

[@paulcritchley464]

If it doesn’t fit in your pack don’t take it. Reason when you go of track it catches on everything and anybody can stay on the track, the fun begins of the tracks Cheers have a great day

[@Silvius.2]

Most wight its my digital camera batterys🤷‍♂️ its not an mirror one and sucking to mutch power.... every searching using power. Your must be an mirror camera. How many battery's u use at an 4-5day trip? And wear merino then of course never smelling like plastic fibres!

[@RootsLion]

get a llama t carry your pack.. peoblem solved lol HNY

[@settohike]

Haha I like your thinking! Happy New Year to you too 🙂

[@Adventures_with_Sog]

I personally don't get this recent obsession people have for going lightweight. Pack light, restless night.

[@terrydaly9791]

Best way to reduce pack weight is to spend shit loads of money, simple.

[@Joeslinx]

“You can’t actually reduce the weight of your pack without knowing it’s weight.” False.

[@BushcraftEurope]

Nonsense, I am not hiking for a week without 23kg of gear. I reduce junk food and not reducing exercise

[@Nope-wd4rw]

Zpacks is always the answer to a lighter pack. 😁🤣😁🤣

[@settohike]

hahah, when in doubt...Zpacks! 😂

[@RobboElRobbo]

wrap your duct tape around a hiking pole

[@RC-qf3mp]

Should I take hiking advice on lightening a pack from somebody wearing boots?!

[@settohike]

Haha trail runners will probably be in my next gear overhaul.

[@TheRealLachlan]

Dude where did you get that top?!

[@settohike]

Actually just off the website SHEIN, Im sure its a rip off of an original top haha

[@LastDays2024]

To lighten my pack, a Heavy Wallet full of Money?