hiking ·
What Gear Would You Take: Ultralight VS Heavy Luxury.
Sometimes the question isn’t whether to go Ultralight or Not-Ultralight when hiking; sometimes the question is, what do you always go ultralight on, and what are the heavy luxuries you always take no matter their weight?
I asked some of the team what their must-have ultralight items are and what they’re packing no matter how much it weighs - this is all personal, and you’ll notice that a lot of the answers contradict each other, because what goes into your pack is such a unique choice. We all have different things that are important to us when out on the trail.
What gear in your pack needs to be ultralight?
“I want my pack to be as light as possible, so I don’t have to compromise on other gear!” - Ant
“I’ll avoid carrying litres and litres of water in. I always look at the map beforehand and figure out where I’m going to be able to fill up and only take as much as I need.” - Charli
“I’ll always take the lighest shoes possible for what i’m doing (within reason!) and one time I did cut a toothbrush down so it could fit in a bikepacking bag, and I just keep using it…” - Lana
“I don’t have a particular item, but I have a number (kg) in mind for what I want my total packweight to be and remove things based on that weight.” - Nat
“I want the item I have to take, but might not use, to be nice and light - like Waterproof Overtrousers! Great to have when you need them, but most of the time are left at the bottom of your pack.” - Bri
Hyperlite packs are a great Ultralight pack choice!
What is a Heavy Luxury you always take when hiking?
“A hiking chair. I don’t want to sit in damp grass at camp when looking at the stars. Also a portable espresso maker - I’ve had many a hiker look longingly at my freshly brewed coffee as they’re walking past” - Darren
“I’m not a fan of a bad night's sleep, so I prioritise my sleep system - and also big fluffy socks!” - Julz
“I always have my (small) foam pillow. It’s not inflatable. Feels just like you’re sleeping at home.” - Siggy
“A good mat and sleeping bag!” - Ant
“The biggest and warmest jacket I can find. I don’t want to be cold.” - Charlie
“Food! It’s the treat at the end of your walking day!” - Nat
“My sleep system, but I’m also not going to skimp out on food. Or coffee.” (Does she take a portable coffee grinder? Yes, yes she does!) - Lana
“Especially when doing things like bikepacking, I’ll always take heavy-duty dry bags, so all my gear will 100% not get wet!” - Senka
“I’ll always make sure I have a lot of water and some form of pillow.” - Bri
“Sleeping Mat. Doesn’t matter how heavy it is!” - Dave
“I’ll always take a pair of slippers (with a hard sole) and extra snacks (like a block of chocolate!)” - Kirsty
Is your heavy luxury maybe a brew from our mate Grant at State of Play?
I’ll be honest, for a lot of us, it was way easier to think about a heavy luxury than something we take that is lightweight or ultralight!
Things like making sure your pack fits, you're using it for it's intended purpose, and you have your items packed so they help, not add to the forces on your body, will all help if you’ve got that extra bit of weight. And the same goes for ultralight hiking, but make sure you squeeze a nice lightweight treat in your pack too 😉 (something with a wafer and a light chocolate coating on it, they’re light as!)
What would you take on a hike that has to be ultralight? And what’s a Heavy Luxury you would take?
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