QiWiz's Uberlight Backpacking Gear List
This is the list of gear I used on the 2014 Allegheny-100 Challenge. The challenge I chose was to cover 100 miles on the North Country Trail in 72 hours. Not being the fastest hiker, 17 of these hours were night hiking by headlamp. This kit is about as light as I am able to use for 3 days on trail in Pennsylvania in mid-June. Wet trail conditions and occasional thunderstorms are the norm. Night temps are often in the 50's, daytime into the 80's.
Gossamer Gear DIY Polycryo Tarp and Minimalist Backpack
| Category | Gear Selection | Weight (oz) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packing | Gossamer Gear Minimalist Daypack | 10.1 | "Just" a daypack, but works well with this light kit |
| Gossamer Gear Pack Liner Bag | 1.2 | Keeps the insulation dry | |
| Large Stuff Sack | 0.6 | DIY out of Spinntex, holds quilt and clothing | |
| OP Sack | 1.3 | For food | |
| Sleeping | Hammock Gear Burrow 50 | 11.8 | Down top quilt |
| NeoAir Xlite Regular | 12.0 | I can't sleep well on something less cushy | |
| Shelter | Polycryo Tarp | 5.3 | DIY from a large Gossamer Gear Polycryo ground sheet |
| Skewer stakes (6) | 1.2 | Titanium | |
| Zpacks Poncho Ground Sheet | 5.1 | Double-duty as rain gear | |
| Packed Clothing | Silk Skins Top | 4.1 | Sleepwear |
| Silk Skins Bottom | 4.6 | Sleepwear | |
| Spare Fox River Liner Socks | 0.8 | Wash and hang one set to dry on pack while hiking in the other set | |
| Spare Darn Tough Hiking Socks | 2.7 | Wash and hang one set to dry on pack while hiking in the other set | |
| Spare Under Armour Boxers | 3.2 | Wash and hang one set to dry on pack while hiking in the other set | |
| Fleece Beanie | 1.1 | DIY from generic fleece | |
| Hydration | Sawyer Squeeze Mini | 1.4 | |
| Sawyer 2 L reservoir | 1.0 | ||
| Gatorade 20 oz bottles (2) | 4.2 | Wt. includes attachment to pack straps with cords and cord locks | |
| Cooking | Stoveless / Potless | 0.0 | If I brought one, it would be a beer can pot and Esbit burner |
| Small Essentials | iPhone 5 | 4.9 | In LifepProof case; use for map and navigation, music, photos |
| First Aid / Repair Kit | 2.4 | Bacitracin ointment, Aleve, Leukotape, Needle/thread, Etc. | |
| Zebra Light Headlamp | 2.9 | Bright enough for night hiking, did many hours of this over 3 days | |
| Spare Lithium AA's (2) | 1.0 | I used both spares, so good I had two | |
| "Original" cathole trowel; TP | 0.7 | Titanium cathole trowel from QiWiz.net | |
| Total, oz | 83.6 | ||
| Total, lb | 5.2 |
This ultralight backpacking gear list was contributed by former Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador Rob "QiWiz" Kelly.