12 Tips to Pack Light for Long Hikes

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When planning to hike for an extended period of time, you should know of the value of lightening the weight you will be carrying.

Lightening up your backpack load can be quite a daunting task, especially when you want to carry everything you need for that long hike.

A lighter backpack can help you hike better for a longer period, prevent your back and knees from injuring, and help you enjoy the overall venture even more.

For those and more reasons, here are 12 tips that can help you lighten the load but still carry everything you need.

1. Analyze your current gear

Try to catalog and weight every piece of your hiking gear. This will help you know how efficient (weight wise) are your items and which ones might need some improvement (replacement) for future hiking trips.  

Try replacing heavy gear with lighter ones that perform as well, if not better.

You can see some of the gear I used on this post, where I shared what I packed to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, or this one for the W Trail in Torres del Paine, Chile.

For females, I recommend checking this post that shares a selection of hiking clothes for women. 

2. Go with the lightest gear possible

Normally, the lighter the item, the more expensive it might be.

Select the lightest sleeping bag, backpack, and shelter according to your budget (try to do your best with these three items). Then replace other heavy items with lighter alternatives.

In this post, I help you select the correct backpack for your travel style, body, and travel needs.

3. Take only what you need

This might be one of the most important tips. Take only what you need, not what might be useful on the road.

Sure, there are certain “luxuries” you can carry –like books, electronics, and other items for comfort and entertainment– but don’t go overboard with them, and if possible, look for lighter alternatives. 

A good packing phrase: “Pack everything you think you will need, then get rid of half of it.” See a list of 15 things you don’t need to pack, but usually, make their way into the backpack.

4. Sharing is good

You have a great opportunity to reduce your load by sharing it with a friend. Create a balanced share where both (or more) benefit from the additional manpower. 

There are some common items everyone will use, but there is no need to have more than one or a few of each –like maps, pots, tents, etc.

5. Consume the heaviest food first

If you’re carrying snacks and food for your long hike, you might notice that they tend to take up a considerable amount of space and add significant weight. Try eating the heaviest and most perishable items first. 

You can reduce some of that load by carrying energy bars from kates real food or similar. These are easy to carry and delicious in taste.

They are also healthy and nutritious snacks to keep your energy up as you hike. You can check more info about the best hiking snacks on this post.

6. Try the dry or dehydrated option to liquids

Liquids (or specifically, water) weight around 8.35 lb per gallon (1 kg per liter). When you add your liquids you’ll notice they add a significant amount of weight.  

Try the powder-based juices, dry thin paper soaps (really light), and other dehydrated alternatives.

7. Carry a wind shirt

Windshirts not only protect you from the elements but also significantly reduce the load compared to other clothing options.

Windshirts can weigh less than 3 ounces and still give you tremendous comfort and significant warmth. This allows you to wear lighter base layers.

8. Seek for multipurpose items

The more items that you can use for two or more functions, the fewer items you need to carry. Think of your gear as a system that works together.

Many separate items can have dual use by themselves or can be paired with other items to provide a new use. This not only helps reduce your backpack load but also helps simplify your approach to lightweight backpacking. 

9. Choose clothes and sleeping bags with down fill insulation

The insulating value of down insulation in sleeping bags and insulating clothing has always been higher compared to synthetic alternatives.

But be aware that in inclement weather down insulation needs “more attention”. It tends to provides less insulating value when gets very wet.

10. Pack according to weather

Select clothing, shelter, and sleeping bag that are appropriate for the season and weather. If you’re traveling to cold weather, try packing clothes that can be used in layers. 

Layering is more effective than carrying that bulky sweater and coat. Layers can be mixed and matched, so you’ll look as if you have many styles throughout your hike using only a few clothing elements. 

11. Learn some skills

Learning “survival” skills will help you overcome many situations with minimal equipment or supplies, thus reducing your backpack load. This expertise is acquired through experience. 

The more you do backcountry hiking, the more experience you gain and the more innovative you become.

12. Have the right mentality

If you want to go light, you really have to want to go light. Have a common sense of what you really need to carry and stick to it. Don’t carry things just because you think they can come in handy. 

From experience, most of the time, those “handy” items are never used; but you end up carrying them all the way. The more experience you have, the more accurate you become in carrying the right “stuff.”

You will see this process is mastered as you gain experience. Before, during, and after every trip, take the time to learn about your packing habits and get to know what items you really use.

This will help you reduce the amount of unnecessary weight, and help you be more practical on every trip.