My Ultralight Experiment

Even though I'm not hiking the full JMT/Nüümü Poyo this summer, I am still a gearhead at heart. So, I've been counting the ounces to get my pack as light as possible for the section I will do in July.

It's not really about being an ultralight backpacker. Instead, it is taking care of my aging body that hikes with a zirconium hip that I'd like to last as long as possible. And I don't like pain...in my knees and feet, especially.

And I am a kind of small human so that means my pack will be pretty light. When looking at what our fully loaded packs should weigh, including food and water, the target is to try to get at or under 20% of your body weight. For lots of people that's pretty doable, but for some of us, it means taking nearly nothing except necessitites on the trail.

So rather than a list of items that I chose to take or leave behind, I share with you the questions and conundrums I faced in packing my backpack and how I ultimately made the decision.

The calculus I use, and in no specific order, is:

money vs. ounces vs. comfort

Here are some ways that I consider how I make these choices.

Saving ounces rather than money:

I am renting a fancy bear canister to save 8 ounces. This is carbon-made item that I am trying out for this trip.

I chose to save a 6 ounces by purchasing a new rain jacket that provides excellent waterproofing but with minimal weight.

Saving money:

I create most of my own food options. Borrowed a dehydrator this time to create even more choices. Prepackaged dehydrated food costs can add up quickly.

I try to choose from what I already have. Same boots, same puffy, same backpack. Used a lot and totally ready for more miles.

Reducing weight but also reducing comfort:

I am bringing my foldable closed-cell foam sleeping pad to save ounces even though it's much less comfortable than my self-inflate sleeping pad. (I haven't found an inflatable air pad that I can sleep on because the noise and motion are too much for me...I know, I do have Princess and the Pea tendencies!)

I'm NOT bringing extra clothes...this one is always hard for me, but once I am out in the backcountry and dirty and smelly anyway, it doesn't matter so much. Plus, I can always rinse or wash clothes if needed.

Choosing comfort above all else:

I'm bringing my 15° sleeping bag since I sleep cold. It's worth the extra ounces of comfy, hydrophobic down.

I chose to purchase a soak jar so I can add hot water when I need to rather than the ultimate reduce-reuse-recycle version of a Trader Joe's peanut butter or Talenti gelato jar. It probably evens out in terms of weight with the added ounces for the jar for the saved ounces for extra fuel.

Continual Dilemmas

Whenever I bring my chair I wish I had left it at home. Whenever I don't bring my chair, I wish I had it with me.

My sleeping pad situation is actually a regular quandry for me. Haven't found the perfect one just yet so I switch out with what I own and have tried numerous new options, only to return them to the store unsatisfied.

Complete Packing List

For those of you who are curious about my actual packing list, I'll include all the items in my Gear Hub in the coming weeks. Check it out here.

Finally, I always keep notes every time I go out backpacking—what I wish I had brought and what I won't bring next time. It's an ever-evolving process🥾

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Lea Appleton, PCC, NBC-HWC, is a Wayfinding Guide whose outdoor job is leading Wayfinding Days and Labyrinth Walks and whose indoor job is coaching, writing, and speaking. She works with people who sense the path calling—and are learning to trust that it is worth following. Learn more at www.wildwayfinding.com.

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