Only when my knees were starting to feel their age did I decide to lighten up a my load a little bit to reduce the pressure from them. Trekking poles did help but reducing my pack weight was even better.
People who stopped backpacking because of complications with carrying heavy loads on their back can now take up the passion again thanks to ultralight backpacking techniques.
Ultralight backpacking emphasizes carrying weight that is as light as possible. Safety is taken into account as well as the terrain in question. The amount of minimum gear is dependent on the terrain and weather.
Advantages of Ultralight Backpacking
There are two advantages of ultralight backpacking. One of the biggest advantage is flexibility. You can climb a mountain, use just about any route and in some cases you can even use your backpack as a flotation device.
Having a light backpack also reduces the chances of blisters as the feet doesn't expand as much without the extra load and no heavy boots are required for support. Without all the stress, your feet are more comfortable.
It's freedom and comfort that usually leads to an enjoyable backpacking experience. You are also less prone to injuries as a result.
Ultralight backpacking is commonly refer to backpacking with a pack weight of less than 10 pound or 4.5 kg. Some extreme enthusiasts go even further by only packing only 5 pounds or 2.3 kg of gear.
The Disadvantages Of Traditional Backpacking
Traditional backpacking often results in base pack weights above 30 pounds (14kg), and sometimes up to 60 pounds (27kg) or more.
When you have too much weight on your back you instantly lose some of your freedom to move. You are restricted by the weight you carry.
Carrying a heavy backpack is also very tiring and you don't enjoy much when you're tired. The weight also makes you prone to injuries like sprained ankles, back and knee problems. All this leads to slow progress, less energy for other enjoyable things and more exposed to danger in the wild.
Ultralight Backpacking May Not be for Everyone
If you have bad habits that require you to carry a heavy pack or if it's your first time backpacking in the wild then ultralight backpacking may just not be right for you yet.
On the other hand I do not know anyone who converted back to traditional backpacking. It's a blessing to be rid of the extra burden on your shoulders so why would anyone change anyway except of course as a self challenge or a competition like Extreme Backpacking where you have to carry a backpack weight with kettlebells on the beach for two miles. For every quarter mile participants are required to perform a hundred repetitions of a set of exercises including push-ups.
The good news is that even a backpacker with huge requirements can slowly reduce his backpack weight until the reaches the ultralight backpacking category. You can almost always find lighter alternatives of everything, for example, a down sleeping bag is a lighter alternative for the same category of sleeping bags.
If you do it right, ultralight backpacking will give you freedom, more comfort, more enjoyment, less safety issues and less suffering than traditional backpacking. You can move a whole lot faster and longer. People who have more energy tend to notice the magnificent landscape around and enjoy the moment.
If you haven't tried ultralight backpacking before, you should give it a try and feel the sense of liberation when you do. You'll easily walk past overloaded backpackers struggling on a uphill climb. Once you go ultralight, you'll never go back.
People who stopped backpacking because of complications with carrying heavy loads on their back can now take up the passion again thanks to ultralight backpacking techniques.
Ultralight backpacking emphasizes carrying weight that is as light as possible. Safety is taken into account as well as the terrain in question. The amount of minimum gear is dependent on the terrain and weather.
Advantages of Ultralight Backpacking
There are two advantages of ultralight backpacking. One of the biggest advantage is flexibility. You can climb a mountain, use just about any route and in some cases you can even use your backpack as a flotation device.
Having a light backpack also reduces the chances of blisters as the feet doesn't expand as much without the extra load and no heavy boots are required for support. Without all the stress, your feet are more comfortable.
It's freedom and comfort that usually leads to an enjoyable backpacking experience. You are also less prone to injuries as a result.
Ultralight backpacking is commonly refer to backpacking with a pack weight of less than 10 pound or 4.5 kg. Some extreme enthusiasts go even further by only packing only 5 pounds or 2.3 kg of gear.
The Disadvantages Of Traditional Backpacking
Traditional backpacking often results in base pack weights above 30 pounds (14kg), and sometimes up to 60 pounds (27kg) or more.
When you have too much weight on your back you instantly lose some of your freedom to move. You are restricted by the weight you carry.
Carrying a heavy backpack is also very tiring and you don't enjoy much when you're tired. The weight also makes you prone to injuries like sprained ankles, back and knee problems. All this leads to slow progress, less energy for other enjoyable things and more exposed to danger in the wild.
Ultralight Backpacking May Not be for Everyone
If you have bad habits that require you to carry a heavy pack or if it's your first time backpacking in the wild then ultralight backpacking may just not be right for you yet.
On the other hand I do not know anyone who converted back to traditional backpacking. It's a blessing to be rid of the extra burden on your shoulders so why would anyone change anyway except of course as a self challenge or a competition like Extreme Backpacking where you have to carry a backpack weight with kettlebells on the beach for two miles. For every quarter mile participants are required to perform a hundred repetitions of a set of exercises including push-ups.
The good news is that even a backpacker with huge requirements can slowly reduce his backpack weight until the reaches the ultralight backpacking category. You can almost always find lighter alternatives of everything, for example, a down sleeping bag is a lighter alternative for the same category of sleeping bags.
If you do it right, ultralight backpacking will give you freedom, more comfort, more enjoyment, less safety issues and less suffering than traditional backpacking. You can move a whole lot faster and longer. People who have more energy tend to notice the magnificent landscape around and enjoy the moment.
If you haven't tried ultralight backpacking before, you should give it a try and feel the sense of liberation when you do. You'll easily walk past overloaded backpackers struggling on a uphill climb. Once you go ultralight, you'll never go back.
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