Backpacking Gear Philosophy

For the High Sierra Trail, I had a light pack until I added my camera, extra lens, and tripod. At that point, it was not light, but the views made the camera worth it, and the days were never too long.

Let’s be honest: backpacking kind of sucks sometimes. Sweating all day just to sleep on the cold, hard ground? Yeah… why didn’t we just go car camping? Or book a hotel? If that’s how you’re feeling, you’re definitely not alone. Even the most seasoned backpackers ask themselves the same thing now and then. Backpacking can be hard. It can be uncomfortable. But it doesn’t have to be.

As someone who’s spent over three years living in tents (about two-thirds of that on backpacking trips), I can confidently say: gear matters—a lot. I’ve been soaked in leaky tents, eaten alive under tarps, swayed in hammocks, and cowboy camped under the stars. I’ve carried ultralight packs, 80-pound behemoths, and everything in between.

After thousands of miles, there’s only one constant: I’m always changing what I bring.

The "Boy Scout" method of carrying everything but the kitchen sink is how I got my start in backpacking. I'm glad I don't regularly carry 50+ pounds anymore.

Trail vs. Camp: Pick Your Poison

When it comes to multi-day backpacking trips, your gear choice generally comes down to one big decision:

Do you want to be comfortable on the trail, or comfortable in camp?

Go light, and you’ll float up climbs, cruise the flats, and protect your knees on descents. It’s a logical move for long or strenuous trips. But there’s a catch: you’re leaving behind the stuff that makes camp life enjoyable—things like chairs, camp shoes, spare clothes, and cushy sleeping pads. Bring those comfort items, and you’ll sleep better and relax easier—but you’ll feel every single pound with every single step.

So what do you do?

Well, it depends—on you and the trip. Long days and big miles? Go light. Shorter days with chill afternoons? Maybe that fishing pole and camp chair are worth the weight.

Or you could do what I do: ignore the ultralight purists and the camp-luxury maximalists.

Tumbles pack for the PCT. Here he is descending Whitney after a very cold sunrise.

Meet the Middle Path

My favorite “weight class” of gear is what I call "comfortably light."

It’s a compromise—a sweet spot between the brutal minimalism of ultralight and the plush excess of the heavyweight crowd. It’s the default I keep coming back to.

The idea? Carry just enough to be comfortable in camp without being bogged down on trail. The exact gear list changes depending on the trip, but the principle stays the same.

Sierra's PCT loadout was a good balance to keep her happy but not too weighed down. If she can do that after a 25-mile day and still be warm at night, she's doing something right!

How to Build Your Ideal Gear List

Step 1: Weigh Everything

Seriously. It sounds nerdy, but it completely changed how I pack. Grab a basic digital scale and start logging your gear weights.Use a spreadsheet or an app—I recommend lighterpack.com because it organizes gear by category and makes visualization easy.

Step 2: Play Around

Create multiple gear lists. Start with your current kit, then build out a “lightweight” version and an “ultralight” version. This lets you compare setups without needing to physically re-pack everything—or suffer through a miserable night just to test a theory.

Step 3: Field Test

Pick a setup that looks good on paper—then go try it in the real world.This is the fun part. Go hike. See what works. See what you miss.

Step 4: Upgrade Slowly

Some gear upgrades are cheap and save a few ounces. Others are pricey but make a big difference.

For example:

• Swapping a 5lb Osprey pack for a 2lb Dyneema pack? Big weight savings, but it’ll cost you.

• Inflatable pad vs. foam pad? One’s heavier and more expensive, the other is lighter and cheaper—but way less comfy.

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Eventually, you’ll hit a tipping point where your pack gets lighter and cheaper. A Talenti jar weighs 3oz and costs $7 (with dessert included!). A lightweight cookset? Easily $150 and a pound heavier. You get why I tolerate cold soaking when weight really matters? Tarps are cheaper and lighter than tents, same goes for quilts vs sleeping bags. You can see where I’m going with this.

Alli's lightweight Z-Packs setup was ideal for this high-altitude Peru trek.

The Tradeoff

But beware: once you pass that tipping point, you’re deep in ultralight territory and things might start to get rough. If you’re still comfy—congrats! You found the sweet spot. If not? It might be time to revisit some of those “luxury” items that actually make backpacking enjoyable. Sleep well, eat well, and carry what you need to have fun.

Carrying 80+ pounds and a crosscut... at least I was comfortable in camp!

Final Thoughts

The gear you bring is personal. There’s no “right” answer—only what works for you. So don’t let anyone tell you you’re doing it wrong. Just throw some stuff in a pack, hit the trail, and enjoy the ride.

Because that’s the whole point… right?

My moderately heavy load for a relaxing 3-day trip in the Sierra Mountains of California.

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