11 Tips to Reduce Your Backpacking Pack Weight

11 Tips to Reduce Your Backpacking Pack Weight

Whether you're a first-time backpacker, a beginner thru-hiker, or a seasoned fastpacker, at some point, every backcountry adventurer wonders how to lighten their load for a more comfortable trek. Ultralight backpacking strategies range from shaving off a few grams to cutting several pounds from your base weight—but at its core, it's all about learning to take less so you can do more.

If you're wondering how to cut weight when backpacking, you're in the right place. With insights from our brand ambassadors and staff, we've compiled practical tips to help both beginners and weekend warriors streamline their gear choices. We hope this list inspires you to refine your pack and find the perfect balance of comfort and efficiency while on trail.

1. Learn Multiple Uses for Your Gear

A great way to cut pack weight is to bring gear that can be used in multiple ways rather than needing separate items for different functions. When items in your pack can perform double duties, it allows you to leave additional items—and weight—at home.

Here are a few examples of double-duty gear items:

  • Bunch up your puffy jacket or extra clothing layers to use as a pillow at night rather than packing a separate camp pillow
  • Choose a tent that you can set up with trekking poles, such as The One or The Two, rather than needing to pack separate tent poles
  • Learn how to use your gear for first aid scenarios, such as substituting a sit pad in place of a SAM splint
  • Bring a backpacking tarp, which has so many potential uses that we even launched the #GGTarpChallenge for anyone who would like to participate

2. Cold Soak Your Meals

If you’re already not a big fan of cooking in the backcountry or just want the easiest dinner option at the end of a long hike, try ditching your stove and cold-soaking your meals instead. This option is best during warm summer trips where a hot meal isn’t as vital or appealing.

Even better, invest in a Crotch Pot! You read that right. Our Crotch Pot allows you to cook your dinner while hiking, using your own body heat. Not convinced? Our blog editor (me!) took it for a spin on the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies and wrote a detailed review and guide on the experience. Read more about the tips and tricks learned on the Light Feet blog.

3. Scrutinize Your Extra Clothing and Other Items

Many beginner backpackers bring more clothing than they actually end up needing or using. Just because you’re hiking for seven days doesn’t mean you need to pack seven pairs of socks, for example. It’s good to have one extra pair of “sacred” socks that you only wear in your tent or otherwise keep dry at all costs, but beyond that, you can probably make do with one pair.

Investing in good merino wool hiking attire can make re-wearing your trail outfit for multiple days a less stinky affair, as can learning some backcountry laundry skills. But, also, it’s ok to embrace the stink a little. Sometimes there’s only so much you can do, and you’re just going to be a little dirty along the way. It makes the post-trail shower all the more glorious!

So, as you’re packing, question whether you’re bringing any doubles of stuff that you don’t need doubles of: Do you really need hiking pants and hiking shorts? Do you really need two hiking shirts? Do you need a base layer and pajamas?

4. Streamline Your First Aid and Repair Kits

Commercially available first aid kits are usually heavier than they need to be for a backpacking trip because they have higher item quantities in them, such as a full box of bandaids or multiple packs of bandaging materials. However, they’re also often more economical since they prevent someone from having to purchase bulk quantities of every item separately. Use these as a starting point. Pull what you need from them for your trip and then store the extras at home to replace anything you used when you return.

Gossamer Gear founder Glen Van Peski also wrote a Light Feet blog about how he has created a minimal, essential first aid kit over time for backpacking if you need additional inspiration on how to streamline what you carry.

Also, take a look at your repair kit and see where you can reduce items. For example, you don’t need an entire roll of duct tape or a full set of repair patches. Trim down the extras and take only what you need.

5. Repackage Your Toiletries

Similar to first aid and repair kits, toiletries are often an easy category to cut some pack weight. Instead of taking a full bottle of sunscreen, carry only what you need by putting some in a small refillable bottle. Rather than take your full container of floss, cut off the amount you’ll need for your trip and store it in a Ziploc bag or lightweight stuff sack.

Figure out what toiletries you really use while on trail and bring only mini versions of each. With time, you may find that you don’t actually need some items while hiking, such as a deodorant stick given you’re likely to get sweaty no matter what.

6. Have a Plan for Your Water Sources

One of the heaviest things hikers and backpackers carry is water. One gallon weighs more than eight pounds! Before heading out on your trip, get a good grasp on available water sources along the way. Will you pass through towns where you can fill up? Are there frequent well-flowing streams or full lakes along the way?

As much as possible, reduce your pack weight by carrying only the amount of water you’ll need between reliable fill-up sources. Of course, if you’re traveling through desert areas or other regions with low or unreliable water sources, reducing water weight will be harder, but doing some route research beforehand is crucial.

7. Identify Your Heaviest Gear for Possible Replacement

For most people, their backpack, sleeping bag, and shelter are going to be the heaviest items they carry as part of their base weight. If you’ve trimmed down everything you pack each trip but still find that you want to go lighter, it may be time to start looking at replacing these items with ultralight alternatives.

Review some different models to find the right price and comfort combination for your needs. Remember that investing in the lightest option upfront that still feels comfortable may save you in the long run. You can also look into lighter headlamps, stoves, clothing, and other gear.

8. Skip the Excess Waterproofing

If you find yourself putting your gear into several waterproof stuff sacks before putting it into your pack, this is an easy place to cut some weight. Each additional bag you use for waterproofing or organization ultimately adds extra weight to your bag that may not be necessary.

One alternative is to use a waterproof pack liner instead. Gossamer Gear’s clear waterproof pack liners weigh less than 40 grams with a 48-liter capacity to keep all your gear dry without weighing you down. Keep your waterproofing and storage simple by ditching individual stuff sacks for a pack liner.

9. Weigh and Track Your Trip Food

Food is heavy, and professional guides have found that beginner backpackers tend to carry more than two pounds of extra food per day than what they really need. Start tracking what you actually eat on each trip per day compared to your mileage. This can help you better budget in the future for how much food you actually need to pack.

Weighing your food can also help with decision-making in terms of what to bring. Choose lighter food options that still offer the same nutritional value and tastiness.

10. Trim Unused Parts From Your Gear

At Gossamer Gear, we design our packs to only include the essentials. We want every piece of our gear to serve a useful function. However, if you really want to get into the nitty gritty of shedding some extra grams, many ultralighters will cut off, or otherwise remove, pieces of their packs and other gear that they find superfluous.

For example, if you never intend on going on an adventure where you’ll use an ice axe, feel free to cut off the ice axe loop from your pack! Got your strap sizing just how you want it? Some backpackers like to cut off any extra webbing that dangles from it. Other ultralight hikers might cut off the handle of their toothbrush or remove tags from clothing. If you find anything that doesn’t serve a purpose in your gear that you can discard, go for it!

Curious what everything on your Gossamer Gear pack actually does? Check out our blog that explains all the hidden, highly functional features on our lightweight backpacks.

11. Learn More and Practice to Trust Your Skills

One of the best and often overlooked ways to cut weight from your pack is simply experience. The more you get on trail, the more you see what works for you and what you can do without. You start to trust your skills and know what risks to prepare for versus which are likely overkill. More trail confidence means a clearer head and lighter pack—and vice versa!

Taking a Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder certification can help hikers continue to refine their skills and confidence in the outdoors, improving their ability to pack what they need for safety and comfort without overdoing it. Becoming an avid reader of the Light Feet blog also helps, of course.

Shave Weight From Your Backpacking Pack With Beginner Tips and Tricks

Our mission at Gossamer Gear is clear: take less. do more. When you’re able to reduce your pack weight down to the essentials, you can move with more ease on trail and embrace the journey. We hope these tips for shedding a few more grams or pounds from your pack come in handy for your next adventure!

Have your own creative ideas for cutting pack weight for backpacking trips? We’d love to hear them! Tag Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and use the hashtag #takelessdomore to share your wisdom with our community.

Hungry for more outdoor adventure inspiration and planning knowledge? Check out some of our other articles on the Light Feet blog:

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