--- title: "Lightweight hiking – does it make sense for you? What are the benefits?" description: "Ultralight backpacking (traveling light) is a minimalist approach to preparation and packing. What are the benefits of a lighter backpack on a trek, and is it even for you?" canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/lightweight-hiking-benefits" last_updated: "2019-04-15" --- # Lightweight hiking – does it make sense for you? What are the benefits? Authors: David Czempka Date: 2019-04-15 Ultralight backpacking (traveling light) is a minimalist approach to preparation and packing. What are the benefits of a lighter backpack on a trek, and is it even for you? When you pack for the outdoors, does your backpack's weight matter to you? It probably matters more than you think. It sets your pace, drives your fatigue, and shapes your enthusiasm and decision-making. Yet with better preparation, smarter packing, and lighter gear, you can turn a fifteen-kilogram backpack into a seven-kilogram one, without giving up comfort or compromising your safety. But before we explain why less sometimes means more, let's take a look under the hood of a concept called ultralight backpacking – or, as we like to call it, lightweight hiking. ## **Is lightweight hiking for you?** We won't pretend everyone needs to obsess over their backpack's weight. They don't. Honestly, if you only get outdoors occasionally, your hikes or trips rarely stretch beyond a few kilometers, or you spend most of your time camping in one spot, pretty much anything that does the job will do. But if you hit the trail regularly, plan longer crossings, or simply can't handle a heavy backpack anymore because of an injury, then lightening your gear definitely makes sense. ## **What will it cost you?** Mostly your time. Lightening your load isn't just about gear. You have to test for yourself what you need and under what conditions – how much clothing, how warm a sleeping bag, how much water and food, and so on. You'll probably need to pick up a few specific techniques (pitching a tarp, cooking with alcohol stoves, filtering water..) and gradually swap out or drop gear as you home in on your own ideal setup – which will look a little different for everyone. Most people assume that lightening their backpack means breaking the bank. That's simply not true. Sure, if you chase weight to the extreme and hunt down products labeled "lightest in the world," it'll likely cost you more. But standard lightweight/ultralight gear is priced comparably to (or even cheaper than) regular brands that don't prioritize weight. What weighs down you and your wallet the least, after all, is what you leave at home. ## **What are the benefits?** ### Comfort, and saving your body and energy We probably don't need to spell out that a lighter backpack is more **comfortable** – no more straps digging into your shoulders, hips, and back. If you're not exactly twenty anymore, or you have limiting health issues, a lightweight backpack can bring you back into the game. **You reduce the strain on your body** (knees, ankles, and spine…), and that pays off both in the short term – mornings and evenings after a full day of walking will be much more bearable – and in the long term, letting you keep doing outdoor activities well into later years and lowering your risk of re-injury. Your energy levels will be much higher too, which shows up in your mood and even your appetite for watching the night sky once you make camp. With less weight on your back, **you can** (terrain permitting) **swap heavy hiking boots for lightweight** trail running shoes. They say 1 kg on your feet tires you out as much as 5 kg on your back. Precise or not, 30 km is a lot easier and more pleasant in trail running shoes than in hiking boots. The shoe molds to your foot better, dries faster, and thanks to mesh ventilation, your foot can breathe too. For most hikers in trail running shoes, blisters are already a thing of the past. - [Topo Athletic Women's Terraventure 4](/p/topo-athletic-terraventure-4-womens.md) - [Darn Tough Men's Sunset Ridge Micro Crew Lightweight](/p/darn-tough-sunset-ridge-micro-crew-lightweight-mens.md) - [Liteway Gramless Pack 35 L](/p/liteway-gramless-pack-x-pac-35-l.md) - [Liteway Litebag With Dyneema®](/p/liteway-litebag-with-dyneema.md) - [Patizon G Quilt 350](/p/patizon-g-quilt-350.md) - [Liteway Poncho Simplex](/p/liteway-poncho-simplex.md) - [Enlightened Equipment Men's Torrid Pullover](/p/enlightened-equipment-mens-torrid-pullover.md) - [Enlightened Equipment Torrid Booties](/p/enlightened-equipment-torrid-booties.md) - [Fizan Compact 4](/p/fizan-compact-4.md) - [MSR PocketRocket Deluxe](/p/msr-pocketrocket-deluxe.md) - [TOAKS Titanium 750 ml Pot](/p/toaks-pot-750-ml.md) ### New possibilities Your pace might pick up a little, but more importantly, it'll stay more consistent throughout the day. You won't need to slow down as much on climbs, and long breaks to rest your shoulders will mostly disappear. It's not about rushing anywhere, but if you can cover more kilometers in a day, that opens up new possibilities. **A four-day crossing in just a weekend?** Why not. Keeping a comfortable pace for nearly the whole day is key on longer trips. It's up to you whether you spend the energy you save on covering more distance or on other activities. ### Room for other things Combining different activities gets easier with a lighter backpack. **Sometimes you cut weight and the number of items so you can add something else instead**. Hiker-photographers could tell you all about it. The same goes for bringing someone else along whose things you need to carry – whether that's your four-legged buddy, your partner, or your kid. ### Simplicity Fewer things are easier to organize and pack. You'll appreciate that on long trips as well as on micro-adventures, when you pack up and head out in just a few minutes. From our own experience, we know that **when you have fewer things, you value them more and know them better**. This mindset will probably rub off on you and you'll start applying it to your own life too. If you can get by on a long trek with just a handful of items that fit in your backpack, why keep piling up so much stuff at home? ## The need to think ahead Packing a bombproof three-kilogram tent is easy – but what about heading out with a tarp that weighs just 300 grams? Now you actually need to know how and where to pitch it. It's just as important to be able to work out how much fuel, food, and water you'll need. Lightening your load practically forces you to gain experience, learn new techniques, and get creative. Out on the trail, you **probably know a lot better what you're doing**. - [Gramino Ultralight Sit Pad](/p/gramino-ultralight-sit-pad.md) - [Gramino Trucker Hat](/p/gramino-trucker-hat.md) - [Tyvek 75x230 cm (for 1 person)](/p/tyvek-groundsheet-230-x-75-cm.md) - [Kula Cloth](/p/kula-cloth-pee-cloth.md) - [Sea To Summit Mesh Stuff Sack 2023](/p/sea-to-summit-mesh-stuff-sack-2023.md) - [Hyperlite Mountain Gear Pods](/p/hyperlite-mountain-gear-pods.md) - [Sea To Summit Airlite Towel – Small](/p/sea-to-summit-airlite-towel-small.md) - [Sea To Summit Premium Aeros Pillow](/p/sea-to-summit-premium-aeros-pillow.md) - [Život na treku Sticker](/p/sticker-zivot-na-treku.md) - [Curaprox Travel set](/p/curaprox-travel-set.md) - [HydroBlu Versa Flow Water Filter](/p/hydroblu-versa-flow-water-filter.md) This post is also available as [HTML](/blog/lightweight-hiking-benefits). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.