By Lauren HollandA backpacking gear list reddit search usually turns up dozens of threads where experienced hikers post their full kit, weights, and reasoning. This guide shows you how to read those lists critically, turn them into a base weight breakdown for your own trip, and build a checklist you can reuse. By the end, you will have a working list, a target base weight, and a short routine for checking it before you hit the trail.
What a Reddit Gear List Actually Shows You
Most posts in communities focused on backpacking share a gear list formatted by category, often with a base weight total at the bottom. The base weight is everything you carry except food, water, and fuel, so it reflects your pack, shelter, sleep system, clothing you wear to sleep, and kitchen. Reading these lists well means understanding what the poster chose to include, what they left out, and why their numbers may not match your trip.
Keep in mind that a single list reflects one person’s climate, body size, risk tolerance, and budget. A desert hiker in spring and a Cascades hiker in October will carry very different sleep systems. Treat each post as a data point rather than a template.
Step 1: Define Your Trip Conditions
Before you copy anything, write down the parameters that drive every gear decision. Your list will fall apart if you skip this.
- Trip length: Number of nights and whether you can resupply.
- Expected low temperature: Check historical lows for the elevation and month, not just the valley forecast.
- Precipitation risk: Rain, snow, or dry conditions.
- Terrain and water sources: Water availability determines how much you carry between sources.
- Your personal comfort range: Know how cold you sleep and how much weight you can handle comfortably.
Step 2: Break Your Gear Into Core Categories
Organize your list the same way most reddit posters do. Standard categories make it easier to compare your list with others and to spot where your weight is concentrated.
- Big three: Backpack, shelter, and sleep system.
- Sleep clothing and insulation: Layers you wear only at camp or in your sleeping bag.
- Cook and water: Stove, fuel, pot, filter or treatment, and bottles or bladder.
- Clothing worn on the trail: Usually counted separately from base weight by many hikers, but tracked for total pack weight.
- Navigation and safety: Map, compass or GPS device, headlamp, first aid kit, and emergency communication.
- Miscellaneous: Repair kit, toiletries, trowel, and small items.
Step 3: Calculate Your Base Weight
Weigh every item on a digital kitchen scale in grams. Record the name, the weight, and the category. Then add the totals.
A simple formula works well:
- Base weight = sum of all gear excluding worn clothing, food, water, and fuel.
- Total pack weight = base weight + food + water + fuel.
- Base weight per day = base weight divided by number of days, useful for comparing trips of different lengths.
Many hikers consider a base weight under about 10 pounds (roughly 4.5 kilograms) ultralight, between 10 and 20 pounds lightweight to moderate, and above that traditional. These are conventions rather than strict rules, so use them as reference points only.
Sample Category Targets
The table below shows a rough weight budget for a three-season lightweight setup. Your numbers will differ, but the proportions are a useful sanity check.
| Category | Example Items | Typical Target Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Backpack | Frameless or light frame pack | 0.5–2.5 lb |
| Shelter | Single-wall tent, tarp, or bivy | 1–3 lb |
| Sleep system | Quilt or bag, pad | 1.5–3 lb |
| Cook and water | Canister stove, pot, filter | 1–2 lb |
| Sleep clothing | Puffy jacket, base layers | 1–2 lb |
| Navigation and safety | Map, headlamp, first aid | 0.5–1.5 lb |
| Miscellaneous | Repair kit, toiletries | 0.5–1 lb |
Step 4: Build Your Own List From a Reddit Template
Once you have your conditions and categories, find two or three lists from trips that resemble yours. Compare them line by line. Ask why each poster brought each item, and whether your conditions justify the same choice.
Questions to Ask Each Item
- Does this item solve a real problem on my route?
- Does it have a second use, such as a shirt doubling as a pillow?
- Could I replace it with something lighter without losing safety?
- Am I carrying it because of past experience or because I saw it on a list?
If you want a structured way to judge individual items before adding them, the guide How to Evaluate Packing Gear Before You Buy walks through a useful framework for comparing specs and trade-offs.
Sample Shortened List
- Pack, 40 liters, roughly 2 lb
- Tarp shelter with stakes and cord, roughly 14 oz
- Quilt rated to expected low, roughly 1.5 lb
- Inflatable pad, roughly 12 oz
- Canister stove and small pot, roughly 9 oz
- Water filter and two bottles, roughly 6 oz
- Headlamp, first aid kit, and repair items, roughly 10 oz
- Puffy jacket and sleep socks, roughly 1 lb
Your totals will shift with brand and season, but a list like this gives you a starting structure to fill in.
Step 5: Test and Refine Before Your Trip
Lay everything out at home and pack it into your pack. Check whether it fits and whether you can reach what you need without unpacking. Take a short overnight or a day hike with the full load to confirm comfort, then revise. Note what you used, what you never touched, and what you wished you had.
Common Mistakes
- Copying a list without matching conditions. A summer desert list will leave you cold in the mountains.
- Forgetting consumables. Fuel, batteries, and medication are easy to overlook in base weight math.
- Weighing items inconsistently. Weigh with stuff sacks and tags removed, or note which you included.
- Chasing the lowest number. A few grams saved on a shelter can cost more in comfort or safety than it returns.
- Ignoring the rest of your pack. Total pack weight matters for your back, not just base weight.
Tips for Using Reddit Gear Lists Well
- Sort posts by trip type and season, not by popularity alone.
- Read the comments, where people often explain what they regretted leaving behind.
- Save your own list after each trip and mark what changed.
- Keep one master list and duplicate it for each trip to avoid starting from scratch.
Recommended gear
A few tools make building and checking a list much easier.
- Digital kitchen scale: Accurate gram readings are the foundation of any base weight calculation. View on Amazon
- Packing cubes: Grouping gear by category makes it easy to see where weight is stacking up in your pack. View on Amazon
- Waterproof gear list notebook or label kit: A physical or printed checklist you can tick off before each trip. View on Amazon
FAQ
What is a backpacking gear list reddit users usually share?
Most posts include a categorized list of every item with its weight and a total base weight. Some also include notes on why each item was chosen and what the trip conditions were.
How do I convert a reddit list to my own trip?
Match your expected temperatures, precipitation, and trip length to the original poster’s conditions. Swap items where your needs differ, then recalculate the base weight.
Is base weight the same as total pack weight?
No. Base weight excludes consumables like food, water, and fuel, as well as worn clothing for many hikers. Total pack weight includes everything you carry.
Do I need a digital scale to build a gear list?
You can estimate with listed manufacturer weights, but a digital scale gives more reliable numbers, especially for items that vary by size or configuration.
How often should I update my gear list?
Review it after every trip and whenever your typical conditions change, such as moving from summer to shoulder-season hiking.
What is a reasonable base weight for a beginner?
There is no single right number. Many beginners find a base weight in the lightweight range comfortable, and reduce it gradually as they learn what they actually use.
Should I trust gear list advice on safety items?
Use lists for ideas, but make your own decisions about navigation, first aid, and emergency gear based on your route and training. For medical or safety-critical questions, consult a qualified professional or local ranger service.
Conclusion
A backpacking gear list reddit search can give you a strong starting point, but the real value comes from matching other hikers’ choices to your own conditions. Define your trip, organize gear into categories, weigh everything, and test the setup before you leave. Refine the list after each outing, and it will become a reliable tool for every trip you plan.
About Lauren Holland
Lauren Holland is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our backpacks & packing systems guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.
