I have been writing about lightweight walking and running for a magazine article and discussing kit lists with my friend Matt Gemmell, who is a keen ultra distance runner and “fastpacker”. There definitely appears to be a trend towards lighter, faster adventures but, of course, this needs to be done safely.
As Matt says: “To be able to break any rules, we must know the actual rules inside out.”
What he means by this is that we need the experience of different types of trips and terrain, as well as a variety of weather conditions, to know what we need to take with us and what would be foolhardy to be without.
This blog post includes a kit list for a multi-day fastpacking trip in summer in Scotland. It totals 5kg, plus food and water. Remember that a litre of water is the same as 1kg in weight.
It is the sort of list you could use for a running or walking trip but it is for good weather. You could use a similar equipment list for bikepacking. I have added some other poor weather essentials at the end.
Note about the weather
The kit list is for a good weather trip in summer in the UK and one that does not gain more altitude than 500m. It is likely that navigation will be relatively straightforward, although adventurers would be wise to take map, compass and back up route on a phone app.
Matt says of his trip: “There were lots of hard choices when it came to kit and I did ditch some items I might normally pack. I took what I felt was the bare minimum and I decided to pack a tent and not a bivvy bag. [Note: A bivvy bag can weigh as much as a tent.]
“I also made the decision to take only one soft flask for water, which was a risk and there were some ‘dry’ points, but it saved 500g in water weight. I drank water when I could. I also packed a water filter in case because I was worried about the quality of water.
“Finally, I did not take a toilet trowel. I just kicked a hole in the ground.”
5kg fastpacking kit list
Equipment
- Rucksack: Matt’s choice is Ultimate Direction Fastpack 35 ((Remember that the larger the pack, the more you will be tempted to pack!) Other ideas:
- OMM Classic 32
- Lowe Alpine Aeon 35
- Mountain Hardwear Scrambler
- Berghaus Freeflow 40
- Osprey Talon 22, 33, or 44
- Salomon X ASlp 30
- Salomon Outweek 38+6
- Liner/dry back if there is no rain cover
- 1x 500ml soft flask
- Whistle (many packs have a whistle built into a clip)
- Cash/cards/keys
- Mobile phone and cover
- Apps: OS mapping/GPS/Apple Pay
- GPS Watch (eg Suunto or Garmin) and charging cable
- Personal Locator Beacon eg Ocean Signal RecueME1
- Mini Water Filter eg Sawyers, Water to Go filter bottle or Katadyn BeFree
- Power pack/ lead to charge phone
- Compass
- Laminated paper print of OS map
- Sunglasses
- Small First aid kit (ibuprofen, blister plasters etc)
- Head torch
- Small repair kit (cord, cable ties, duct tape)
- Swiss Army knife.
Clothes to wear
- Waterproof running jacket (eg OMM/Salomon etc)
- Trail footwear: Shoes or boots (there are so many to choose from, but fit is the most important factor)
- Trainer gaiters
- Base t-shirt/long-sleeve
- Shorts/skort/tights
- Socks
- Peaked hat/buff
- Gloves.
Spare clothes
- Waterproof running trousers (eg OMM Halo or inov-8 race ultra) for water resistance and windproofing (the windproofing can be a big help in the evenings when temperatures drop).
- Lightweight insulated jacket (down or synthetic but make sure it packs small and it keeps you warm)
- Baselayer, running tights, socks for overnight.
Sleeping
These three items will be the heaviest and there is the greatest potential to save overall weight. You might need to pay more to purchase a lighter tent or sleeping bag but it is worth thinking about comfort, too. A lightweight sleeping bag will feel great on your back but it might not keep you warm at night.
- Tent: Matt’s choice is Terra Nova Competition Laser 1 (860g)
- Nordisk Lofoten 1 ULW 490g
- Two person Terra Nova Laser Competition 2 (1kg)
- Rab Element 1 Solo tarp (310g)
- Rab Storm Bivi (664g)
- Sleeping bag: Matt’s choice Hangar 18 (0 degrees) (500g)
- Rab Mythic 200 (475g)
- Nordisk Oscar -2 (850g)
- OMM Mountain Raid 160 (450g) [There is a lighter weight version but I have found this weight to be the minimum for warmth]
- Mountain Equipment Helium 250 (705g)
- Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32F (462g).
- Sleeping mat: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite (249g)
Cooking
- Stove: Matt’s choice is a Primus Express c/w pot windshield 335g
- MSR Windburner
- MSR Pocket Rocket 2
- MSR Whisperlite
- Gas C100 canister
- Titanium pot eg Evernew ECA252R 0.9L 108g (unless you have an all-in-one stove)
- Titanium spoon or spork
- Matches/pietzo lighter for stove
- Cup (titanium will be the lightest)
- Food: Aim for dehydrated products (there are many brands of camping foods), or take lightweight pasta or couscous with your choice of sauces etc. Look for high calorie to weight products, too. Some sports energy foods can be a good choice on shorter fastpacking trips for a quick hit of calories.
Miscellaneous
- For Scotland in summer: Midge net / jacket and “card sized” Smidge
- Tick removal tool
- Washing kit – tiny soap and pre-loaded toothbrush (no towel)
- Toilet bag – loo paper/hand gel/Vaseline/ waterproof zip bags
- Two plastic bags (to put over dry socks when you want to wear wet footwear in the evening)
- Poly bags for rubbish.
Winter fastpacking kit essentials
If the weather is less than warm and wonderful, you will need to pack a few more essentials. A multi -day running or walking trip in winter will be for the more experienced adventurer, too. You will most likely need a larger rucksack, too.
- Ice axe
- Petzl Ride (lightweight)
- Crampons eg Petzl Leopards
- Or miscrospikes if conditions allow eg Snowline Chainsen
- Winter warm sleeping bag
- Extra warm insulated jacket
- Full winter waterproof shells
- Bothy shelter / emergency foil blanket
- Extra food.
Have I missed anything crucial?
- Read Matt Gemmell’s blog.