Understanding Pack Weight Categories
- Base weight: Everything in your pack except food, water and fuel. This is the number that matters for comparing setups.
- Traditional: Base weight over 9kg. Common for unprepared or over-packed trekkers.
- Lightweight: Base weight 4.5–9kg. Achievable without specialist gear by packing only what you need.
- Ultralight: Base weight under 4.5kg. Requires deliberate gear selection and some trade-offs.
- Super ultralight: Under 2.5kg. Specialist gear, high cost, significant comfort trade-offs. Not relevant for most trekkers.
For most trekkers, lightweight (4.5–9kg base weight) is the realistic and sensible target. Getting from traditional to lightweight is largely about not packing things you don't need and making one or two better gear choices. Getting from lightweight to ultralight requires deliberate system design and gear investment.
The Complete Checklist: What to Carry and What to Weigh
📦 Pack System
Weight target: under 1.5kg for a 60L pack. Under 500g for a frameless 40L ultralight pack.
A pack liner (bin bag or Sea to Summit dry bag) is lighter than a fitted rain cover and equally effective for keeping contents dry.
😴 Sleep System
The biggest weight saving available in the sleep system. A premium 850-fill down bag at the right temperature rating can weigh half a conventional bag.
Inflatable pads are lighter than foam for equivalent warmth (R-value). The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite is the benchmark lightweight inflatable.
🥾 Footwear
Switching from heavy leather boots to trail runners saves 400–600g — felt on every step. Only appropriate for trekkers with strong ankles on well-maintained trails without heavy loads.
🧥 Clothing
Weight target: under 400g for a packable 3-layer shell. The Arc'teryx Zeta SL at 275g is the benchmark.
Higher fill power = lighter for same warmth. 800+ fill down jackets pack to the size of a softball and weigh under 300g for a basic insulation layer.
🍳 Kitchen (for camping treks)
Integrated canister stoves (Jetboil, MSR Reactor) are heavier than ultralight titanium pot-and-stove systems. For boiling water only, a BRS-3000T burner with a titanium pot is lighter than any integrated system.
Weight Savings That Are Never Worth It
Some items should never be cut regardless of the weight they add:
- Navigation tools: A map and compass (or GPS device) for any route where getting lost is possible. A phone is not a substitute for a dedicated GPS in remote mountain areas where battery dies in cold.
- First aid kit: A compact 200g first aid kit covers scenarios that matter. Leaving it behind to save 200g is irrational risk management.
- Emergency shelter: A lightweight bivvy bag or emergency blanket (90g) can save your life if you're benighted or injured. Non-negotiable.
- Rain cover for your pack: Even if your gear is in dry bags, a wet pack is heavier and more miserable to carry. Keep some form of rain protection.
- Sun protection: Sunscreen and sunglasses are not luxury items at altitude. Snow blindness and severe sunburn are medical emergencies.
The 10 Most Common Unnecessary Items
- Full-sized towel (swap for microfibre, save 400g)
- Multiple books (one Kindle Paperwhite weighs 200g and holds thousands)
- Spare boots or camp shoes heavier than necessary
- Full laptop (leave at the hotel)
- Excessive amounts of food (re-supply is possible on most major routes)
- Hair dryer or straighteners
- More than one spare outfit beyond minimum rotation
- Tripod larger than a small GorillaPod
- Hardback guidebooks (photos and maps on phone instead)
- Duplicate gear "just in case" (carry one headlamp with spare batteries, not two headlamps)