“Take less. Do more,” we say! “But, how?” you might ask. And we’re so glad you did. Welcome to the first blog in our new series on backpacking baseweights, where we chat with backcountry travelers about how they’ve lightened their load over time.

A backpacking baseweight is the total weight of your pack before adding consumables, like water, food, and fuel, as these items will get lighter throughout your trip as you use them. Your baseweight is essentially the lightest your pack will ever be on trail with what you’ve chosen to bring along. This makes it an easy focus for shedding weight over time. With thoughtful choices and the right gear, you can reduce your baseweight and, you know, “take less. do more.”

In this inaugural interview for the series, we talk with the Gossamer Gear founder himself, Glen Van Peski, who has previously shared thoughts with us on what he has learned after analyzing a decade’s worth of gear lists.

Glen is based in Bend, Oregon, and regularly travels throughout the U.S. and abroad. He has hiked most of the Pacific Crest Trail and parts of the Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail, and has bikepacked large chunks of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. His trips average about 3 to 5 days, and the longest he’s been out is three weeks. Glen is the author of take less. do more: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker, which details his thoughts on lightening one’s baseweight in the book’s seventh lesson.

We hope Glen’s thoughts below—and the other interviews to come in this series—inspire our community to experience the magic of a lower baseweight and the power of doing more while reducing your footprint in the wilderness.

Break down your baseweight for us! What’s your overall weight and what items form that?

Generally, my baseweight is around five pounds, although I’ve done a trip with a baseweight as low as 2.89 pounds. The gear list changes based on the particulars of the trip I’m planning, but some of the big items are:

Gossamer Gear Murmur 36 Hyperlight Backpack (no hipbelt) - 7.8 oz
Custom down sleeping bag (no zipper, no down on bottom) - 17.2 oz
3/8 in foam torso sleeping pad - 2.1 oz
Gossamer Gear prototype DCF Wedge tarp - 2.7 oz
Tarp stakes and Gossamer Gear Polycryo Ground Cloth - 2.9 oz
Cooking system - 3.4 oz
Clothing (packed) - 16.5 oz

Sample gear lists from a variety of trips are available on my website.

Are there times when your baseweight fluctuates? What considerations do you make on a per-trip basis that impact weight?

My baseweight changes for every trip. I have a gear list for every trip I’ve taken. When planning a trip, I typically pull up the latest gear list from a similar trip in a similar season. If I don’t have an exact match, I might look at several lists, each of which matches some aspect of the planned trip: season, elevation/environment, anticipated weather, trip length, etc. Then, I review my notes from the previous trips for any changes I wanted to make when I was on them. Typical decisions include which sleeping bag to bring (based on anticipated temperatures, as I have two options), which shelter to bring (based on bug pressure and amount of anticipated wind and rain), and the optimum clothing setup.

How have you been able to make cuts to your base weight over time? What changes have you made? How long have you been tinkering with it?

If you count my cross-country bicycle trip at age 17, I’ve been working on reducing my baseweight for almost 50 years. One of the big ways I’ve been able to continue to reduce pack weight is by making my own gear, and by the availability in recent years of lighter materials. I made my own tarp in 1976, but the only material available was 2.2 oz urethane-coated nylon. Now, I have a tarp I made out of 0.3 oz DCF. When I got back into backpacking almost 30 years ago, there weren’t any light packs available. So, I sewed my own, leading to Gossamer Gear (then GVP Gear). From the early Boy Scout trips with our son Brian, major changes included sewing a pack, ditching the air mattress, moving to a tarp shelter, a custom sleeping bag, and moving from a white gas stove to a fuel table system. Honing the amount of food I need to take for a trip is another weight savings, as is refining the clothing choices. There are, of course, a hundred smaller changes, but those are the major changes.

Do you take any specific items that some might consider a luxury? What makes these important to you on trail?

The greatest luxury to me is a light pack, as my trips tend to favor near-constant forward motion. The oldest piece of gear that still goes on virtually every trip is an old pair of purple fleece socks that I bought three decades ago at REI. They are my sleeping socks to keep my feet warm. They are also part of my camp shoes, as I slip hospital booties over them. And, they are emergency mittens when needed, since I have cut thumb holes in them. They only weigh 1.8 ounces! As far as luxury, I’ve dabbled with no-cook, but since my cooking kit is only 3.4 oz, I enjoy the luxury of a hot dinner. Of course, the Crotch Pot is even lighter…

What advice do you have for someone looking to lighten their baseweight?

My advice on lowering baseweight would depend on the person’s current baseweight. But generally, the approach I recommend for starting out is:

Weigh EVERY item on your list and put the data in a spreadsheet. Most people are surprised by how many individual items they pack, and how a lot of little things that don’t seem to weigh that much add up.
Take less stuff. Look for items that you take but never use. Take smaller quantities by repackaging soap, insect repellant, etc. Look for multiple use items, like a pot that you can also eat and drink out of.
Take lighter stuff. Take advantage of advances in technology to find the lightest option, like a bamboo or titanium spoon instead of a steel one, a smaller headlamp, a lighter jacket, etc.
Focus on the “Big 3.” For most people, their backpack, sleeping bag, and shelter are going to be the heaviest three items, so it makes sense to take a hard look at these to find the lightest alternatives that you can get comfortable with and can afford.
Increase your knowledge. Start taking notes on your trips, and studying the gear of those you hike with. Research gear lists online to learn from them. Read books and take online courses to increase your skills in traveling with lighter gear.

Anyone interested in my full advice for lightening your baseweight, including tips for people who already have a light baseweight, is contained in a document sent free to anyone signing up for my newsletter.

Learn to Lower Your Backpacking Baseweight for Light Feet and Longer Mileage

Glen’s thoughts on baseweight are a great reminder that lightening your load takes time, tinkering, and attention. Take notes on what you consistently don’t use. Find the items that you can leverage in multiple ways. Invest in lighter gear when you’re ready and able. You can find more from Glen on LinkedIn, Instagram, and his website, which includes “what’s in my pack?” videos, gear lists, and ample tips and advice.

Have stories or tips on how you’ve lightened your baseweight over time? Share your insight with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and using the hashtag #takelessdomore. Interested in being considered for a future baseweight interview? Pitch your story to korrin@gossamergear.com.

If you’re hungry for more outdoor inspiration, check out other articles on the Light Feet blog:

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August 30, 2024 — Korrin Bishop

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Backpacking Baseweight Series: Glen Van Peski Shares How He Goes Lighter