Lightweight Backpacking Philosophy

The "Lightweight Backpacking Philosophy" most commonly mentioned emphasizes a never-ending commitment to

1. scrutinize packing habits in order to fine-tune minimum packing needs and
2. aggressively seek out the smallest, lightest-weight, highest-quality gear available to satisfy those needs.

The Lightweight Backpacking Philosophy we embrace at Lightweight Backpacking 101 expands on that, and emphasizes the following:

• Scrutinize gear, clothing, and food selection to fine-tune minimum packing needs.
• Aggressively seek out smaller volume, lighter-weight, high-quality/high-performance gear and clothing.
• Seek clothing and gear that can serve multiple purposes (multiple gear use).
• Educate yourself on backcountry travel and safety, being well prepared for changing weather, wildlife encounters and whatever else may happen.
• Use lightweight techniques to keep travel through the backcountry low-impact on both yourself and your environment.
• Use products that provide the level of comfort you desire, even if they aren't the absolute lightest available.

At Lightweight Backpacking 101 you will find information about lightweight backpacking, weight-reducing tips, gear that can be used for multiple purposes, general packing information, gear checklists, backcountry ethics, and much, much more.