Call it backpacking lite.
Sleeping bags now stuff down so small they can be mistaken for airline pillows. Tarp-tents fold into bundles the size of rolled-up hiking socks. Headlamps are no bigger than marshmallows. Rucksacks weigh less full than vintage packs empty.
This is ultralight camping in the 21st century, the latest trend in the world of freeze-dried food and fleece booties.
New designs and materials, such as the super-light but indestructible fabric found in bulletproof vests, are making it possible to hit the trail with as little as 20 or 25 pounds on one’s back, compared with the traditional back-breaking loads of 40 to 50 pounds.
The biggest fans are adventure racers, mountain climbers and long-distance “through hikers” who spend weeks or months on routes such as the Appalachian Trail, the Continental Divide Trail or the Colorado Trail.
But other back-country users, including weekend campers and even Boy Scouts, are embracing ultralight equipment as well, finding that with it, they can travel farther, faster and much more comfortably.
“Once you realize you can go without the kitchen sink, backpacking becomes a lot more enjoyable,” says David Mead, a manager at the Wilderness Exchange Unlimited, a Denver closeout shop that often touts the advantages of packing light.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Drew Sottardi (dsottardi@tribune.com)
