Another Ultralight Backpacking Gear Loadout Video - Everything I Took on the Uinta Highline Trail

Dillon, the founder and owner of PilgrimUL, shows his ultralight gear kit for hiking on the Uinta Highline trail and any other high elevation long trail such as the Colorado trail or John Muir trail.
Check out the ultralight gear at PilgrimUL here: pilgrimul.com/
The Highline framed backpack: pilgrimul.com/product/2024-hi...
My lighterpack sheet: lighterpack.com/r/lq731c

[@pilgrimultralight]

Update: We've now got the 2024 version of the Highline backpack available for orders. We've improved comfort and capacity with a new carbon fiber U shaped frame and added some other features while keeping the low weight and nimble feel of the original. Thanks again for the support!

[@GarthSomerville]

I notice the new U frame uses straight rods that are not curved? How well does the pack conform to the S-shape of the back? How does comfort compare to the previous curved frame design?

[@pilgrimultralight]

I, along with many other users, can't tell a huge difference. I've found that straight rods work fine if they don't run right along one's spine (I've tried dozens of different configurations). Since the new frame has the rods run down the sides of one's back, rather than the center, there's no discernable difference. Going this route also allows the new suspension to be much better at transfering weight to the hip belt and overrall, the new pack design feels even more comfortable carrying loads without losing the sleek and nimble feel of the original. @@GarthSomerville

[@kyledeboor]

Fantastic loadout video. KZbin recommended your video today. Your color grade, and video style is pleasing as well. Keep it up!

[@KevinSmith-wr1sy]

Great load out. Congrats on an epic thru hike.

[@HistoryHeadlines]

Subscribed! This was a great first video. Looking forward to what you will develop at Pilgrim UL.

[@MNmostly]

Thanks for the detailed gear rundown! Subscribed, looking forward to future videos.

[@PACKMAN608]

Very nice gear! And I will be for sure checking out your designed gear! Thanks for the video!

[@DavidHain-TX]

Good to see you back on KZbin. Hope you and your wife are doing well. Great opening video for your new channel.

[@christophercarroll7315]

This video was well done. Thorough on the details. Thank you for this.

[@hoser7706]

Love the look of the pack. May grab one. Thanks for the shakedown

[@stevebebb1543]

One of the best videos I ever seen on the topic 👌🙌

[@RayHikes]

That’s a great looking pack. Hard to make anything new while still fitting the UL mold, but that pack seems like it has some great features. Well done with all the gear!

[@georged822]

Nice to see ya back on air, loved the Sequoia vids. Didn’t know you were such a UL hiker! Beautiful pack.

[@MylesAway3]

Great load out, and video. Thanks for sharing!

[@HilltopPacks]

nice setup! have fun out there!

[@janavelozo4777]

Talk about color matching!! It's incredible how EVERYTHING is your gear matches, even your shoes! Love the colors! I live in Brazil and I'm starting ultralight backpacking now, after car camping around. So, it's a challenge the balance between weight and comfort. Videos like this are really helpful. Thanks Dillon!

[@pilgrimultralight]

Thanks! The color matching takes effort!

[@zoo2you]

Great video. Hope to see more. Cheers.

[@_crane_7475]

I'm diggin the color scheme you have going with your gear. Big fan of the red, black, and white. Lots of the same gear in my pack. I love the Rapide SL as well. I am hoping to get one of your packs in the near future, they looks awesome! Great video. I hope you make more. Thanks Dillon!

[@pilgrimultralight]

Thanks! I was hoping someone would notice as I'm very careful to pick gear that falls within the color scheme. As a pack designer, sometimes I get carried away with how things appear. Thanks for watching and would love to build a pack for you when you're ready!

[@_crane_7475]

@@pilgrimultralight I like the color scheme. Even your stuff sacks and charging cord are in theme. Mine is more of olive green and black so far. Haha I look forward to the pack in the future!

[@pilgrimultralight]

@@_crane_7475 there’s tons of olive colored fabrics options so we could certainly help get you a pack that aligns with your theme!

[@_crane_7475]

@@pilgrimultralight That would be great! I will reach out when I am ready to get one! It will most likely be next year. Thanks Dillon!

[@tom_olofsson]

First video? Well done. Thanks for not using canned music. I will check out your packs.

[@pilgrimultralight]

First video on this channel, however, my wife and I have previously built another outdoor-related channel that has over 10K subscribers so we've got a little prior experience in the video-making world. Thanks for your support!

[@tom_olofsson]

@@pilgrimultralight I wondered how you were so polished on your first vid.

[@tom_olofsson]

@@pilgrimultralight What is the other channel?

[@nategilka4386]

Got your bag on GGG and I love it! Had a 12 lb base weight and some extras and the high line pack carried great!

[@pilgrimultralight]

That's awesome to hear! Have you fully loaded it yet? I'm very confident most people will find 25 pounds to be comfortable but curious to hear some feedback from those who have gone even higher.

[@BryceU]

Nice load out video. Would love a complete overview video of the Highline too :)

[@pilgrimultralight]

It’s on the to-do list!

[@xmetal280]

Nice to see a new maker, and very nice selection of items! I've enjoyed my 5 years of constant refinement to get to my perfect kit. I have a fair number of the same things as you, though I am way older than you so I need a few more comfort items for my pathetic old bones (I will never again leave for a trip of any length without my chair zero)😂

[@pilgrimultralight]

Chairs are awesome and I’d like to get one for more casual “weekend getaway” style trips when I’m with my wife and/or friends. On the uinta highline trail, I was doing around 25 mile days and only stopped at camp long enough to sleep so a chair wouldn’t have done much for me but I’m not “anti-chair” like some did-hard ultra lighters are haha. Thanks for watching!

[@panhandlejake6200]

Good gear selection ! I love my Aeon LI tent - particularly its small footprint. I have pitched it in some pretty small places - makes camp site selection a little easier. Nano stakes (long version) are available from Outdoor Vitals among other places.

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Pack looks good! :)

[@too_lowkey]

Solid video

[@GarthSomerville]

The order that items came out of your pack is very interesting. I use the same Tarptent but have really struggled to figure out how to pack vertically. It would be incredibly helpful if you made another video with more details about how you are packing vertically.

[@pilgrimultralight]

It actually changes depending on the amount of food in my food bag. If I have the food bag full then the tent and food bag sit in the bottom side by side vertically, and then everything else stacked on top. If the food bag is down to 3 days worth or less, then I’ll typically place my quilt and clothes next to the tent on the bottom with everything else stacked above. I may make a video too to help clarify. Thanks for watching!

[@ArchDeusAirsoftNC]

All of my winter gear has Apex climashield insulation. Love it.

[@jimizxztheorginal]

I like how you packed the sleeping pad!

[@pilgrimultralight]

It’s a nice little trick for giving the pack a little more cushion 👍

[@niekwolthuis5113]

Nice vid. Thanks

[@pudgylittlehamster]

On board with everything but the chair is a must

[@pilgrimultralight]

I'm yet to try the chair but I definitely see the appeal!

[@DanielOutdoors]

Nice pack. But just a head up! Dont rely on that EE Synthetic jacket as a safity item. Why? Well couple of years ago going across Norway, my wife and I who has the jacket got stuck on a rainy storm across the mountains, so becoming super wet, we had to immediately setup a shelter to protect and we where having symptoms of hypothermia. But you see the problem is this jacket it's practically impossible to put on, due to wet body. Try it yourself try to put the jacket on when you go out from a shower and you have cold hands. Eventually and it took two people to try to put on those jackets...

[@MidwestBackpacker]

Nice video Dillon. I am thinking of hitting the Highline Trail next year. May bug you for some planning tips.

[@pilgrimultralight]

I highly recommend it! Such a great trail. Since you enjoy Colorado hiking so much, I’d imagine the highline would be your cup of tea.

[@cdkcdk1990]

Good stuff -thx

[@DiabloOutdoors]

Very interesting. I subscribed.

[@gregoryoutdoors]

Glad to see Rapide SL sleep mat which is not often! I got wide and long and love it, worth extra weight. I sold my Sts Ether Light and Thermarest as they are nowhere near so comfy and not as warm as well. Zoom one is overrated and also not warm enough. Anyway nice backpack, atb with the business etc.

[@terryevans2411]

In wet snow or mud gaiters are a must with boots😮

[@gadblatz4841]

Man, this guy is a sleeper hit. Coming out as team spork AND aeon li over soloplex in the same video? Baller moves.

[@pilgrimultralight]

lol I might disappoint you as I just picked up a used Altaplex for a steal and now I’m comparing it to the aeon. I have to sell one of them

[@WoodswomanWrites]

I'm a short senior woman with a knee replacement returning to backpacking after a long hiatus, and this is the first ultralight gear loadout I've seen that looks like it would practical for me. Minimizing weight is critical to being able to backpack still, and while I need to bring a bit more because of that senior stuff--such as a heftier pillow and med kit--the rest seems really doable for me. Thanks so much.

[@pilgrimultralight]

I’ve been wanting to try a heftier pillow also but haven’t found the right one. Thanks for watching!

[@saltydog6241]

Nice rundown. Looking forward to more videos, and will check out your site. Subscribed.

[@danielcluley870]

Merino buff with a ball-cap works well to keep the sun off your neck and ears and also, can wipe the sweat off easily with just lifting your cap instead of pulling it on and off over your head.

[@user-gu2tu3lg5r]

Great video, thank you! I noticed you didn't include the trekking pole in your Lighterpack sheet, is that because you're using it hiking?

[@pilgrimultralight]

It’s because I forgot 😂 A lot of people will exclude their trekking poles from their baseweight since they have them in hand but I almost always leave it in the pack so I need to go back and add it. Thanks for watching!

[@daisychain4096]

Love the pack, very intrested in these packs that are between fastpack and ultralight. Im a ula fan boy tho haha u rock the circuit but wanting to get an ohm 2.0 before i attempt the AT

[@pilgrimultralight]

We love ULA! They're neighbors of ours just a few towns north of us here in Utah! They make awesome products!

[@tdub1623]

Hi, Thanks for the video. I'm wondering if the UHT is suitable for hammock camping?

[@pilgrimultralight]

It can be done but I probably wouldn’t recommend it. The high uintas wilderness is the second largest land area in the lower 48 above tree line so there’s definitely some sizable sections without decent trees. Specifically the area around Anderson pass and painters basin was really lacking from what I remember.

[@danolin8095]

Great video, thanks for sharing! FYI your Lighterpack link shows your Micro USB Cable as 13 ounces, when you almost certainly meant grams :)

[@pilgrimultralight]

Good call! Thanks!

[@michael133]

Do you know which version of the smartwool gloves those are by chance?

[@pilgrimultralight]

Should be this one here: amzn.to/3QBniN9

[@brennanbrennecke3323]

Hi Dillon!

[@jakeva9802]

Does it come with a mesh front pocket instead of the stretch?

[@pilgrimultralight]

We're happy to do it! Just send us an email or fill out our contact page here and let us know: pilgrimul.com/contact/

[@dbbeck90]

Man if I started buying all this ultralight stuff I could just camp in my wallet because that’d be my lightest piece of kit at that point.

[@pilgrimultralight]

Compared to high quality traditional backpacking brands (Osprey, Gregory, REI), ultralight gear really isnt a whole lot more expensive and sometimes even cheaper. For example, the Osprey Atmos is $340 which happens to be the same price as our Highline framed pack (which is also made of much more premium materials). You can find lower budget traditional and ultralight gear as well but the main difference is that there typically aren't any "dirt cheap" ultralight options. Teton sports sells backpacks for $70 dollars but they really lack features/quality whereas I don't see any ultralight packs in this price range. If you're looking at decent quality gear, there's almost always ultralight options at the comparable price point, you just have to know where to look.

[@mattmcconnell6703]

How was the garmin messenger on your phone battery?

[@pilgrimultralight]

I didn’t notice any significant difference from without it.

[@TSchulzeMasterClimb]

02-jan-2014 Obrigado por compartilhar! Saudações do Brasil!

[@loonytik25]

Wish I had found this pack before buying a different brand. Looks to have more features for the same price.

[@pilgrimultralight]

Never too late to switch 🤞 Thanks for watching!

[@GusHill88]

Just and FYI, Hammock Gear no longer use Hydrophobic down unfortunately.

[@pilgrimultralight]

That’s disappointing! I bought mine over a year ago so I guess things have changed.

[@matthewsnyder4053]

What size/capacity is your sack for your quilt?

[@pilgrimultralight]

I believe it’s about 5-6 liters. It’s a touch smaller than the one hammock gear included in my purchase.

[@soccerelite8807]

@@pilgrimultralight Great! Thanks.

[@TDOLLA]

the BRS 3000 is as light as it gets and it works… but everyone will tell you its just a little unpredictable. It reminds me of Joe Pesci in Goodfellas it’s a little maniac. Is it efficient? no does well in wind? no does it sometimes suddenly start spitting a huge flame? yes is it super small and light? yes I love my BRS and I am endlessly amazed at its weight and size but I ended up switching to the fire maple 300T which is basically the BRS with certain parts upgraded and you sacrifice a little weight for more reliability and to me it was worth it

[@Geogeorgex]

I always have to have a brimmed hat with me, baseball cap style- like the jolly gear cap, so when I put the rain jacket on, I have a place for the ‘hood’ to stick to and the brim keeps the rain jacket out of my face. Ultralight rain jackets are not comfortable at any size period.

[@C3OZ]

Im soooo relief to see im not the only one with a color OCD thanks god 😂

[@pilgrimultralight]

It’s a serious problem for me 😂

[@MrJacobmetcalf]

500 sub

[@danielcluley870]

Get a SAK Nailclip 580 instead of the gerber dime.

[@pilgrimultralight]

Why?

[@danielcluley870]

@@pilgrimultralight lighter weight, better scissors, nail clipper (nail clipper can be used for other things also like fishing line) overall, just a better option than a gerber dime for a backup IMO. Try it!

[@danielcluley870]

@@pilgrimultralight Lighter weight, better scissors, specific nail clipper for hikers that can be used for othe things as well (such as thread or fishing line). As a backup, just better and more useful than a gerber dime. Put it with your Leuko-tape and you will use it.

[@danielcluley870]

You won't meed a can opener or the other tools on the trail.

[@pilgrimultralight]

Sounds pretty good to me. I have to admit, I mainly chose the gerber dime for the flat head screw driver. I like having that for tightening the tripod plate on my camera. Does the SAK have this?@@danielcluley870

[@solukhumbu911]

looks like a decent pack , i was genuinely interested and went over to the website, the pack is already priced to toeline with the already well established ultralight backpack companies to begin with, which in itself is already a bold move. and then the "options" part of buying this pack to charge for fundamental utilities of a backpacking pack , such as hipbelt pockets and cordages, thats downright a scam. by adding the bare minimum , my cart already jumped up to 440! no thanks

[@pilgrimultralight]

Thanks for your comment. If we compare our prices to our most similar competitor, zpacks, we’re actually very similar. We both manufacture completely in the US and we both offer some of the lightest framed packs with carbon fiber frames. If you went to zpacks and added an arc backpack with two hip belt pockets, you’d have a very similar price to our Highline or Roan pack with two hip belt pockets but our packs would still have more features like the bottom pocket. We know it’s a premium price, but that’s what it takes to stay a float as a cottage company these days. Other similar offerings like Durston, Outdoor Vitals, or Hyperlite manufacture overseas which is how they can charge a little less.

[@moorshound3243]

I'm not a fan of all this lightweight stuff, all of it will break easy, my gun weighs more than your whole kit? If you are enjoying yourself then great, but I'll stick to waxed canvass and ex military gear. Rock and roll.

[@pilgrimultralight]

I think you might be surpised. We just had a hiker finish the PCT with one of our packs. It went 2,650 miles and could certainly last a lot more. Curious what gun are you bringing that weighs 9 or more pounds? When I carry one on a hike, I typically just take my FN509 handgun. Its only about 4 pounds with a full mag and holster. I like it quite well in my chest pack.

[@tomnoyb8301]

Geese and ducks come waterproof from the factory. Hydrophobic only degrades down performance.

[@pilgrimultralight]

Duck and geese feathers are water resistant (hence the term “water on the ducks back”) but down is actually not made of feathers. Down is the flumes of material under the feathers and no, they are not water resistant at all. Relying on wet down to keep you warm is a great way to get hypothermia in the backcountry.