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The Backpacking Checklist

Every weight verified against manufacturer specs.

A sound backpacking packing list starts with the trip, not somebody else's target number. There is no best base weight: weather, terrain, distance, experience, and medical needs all change what belongs in your pack. Use this gear checklist as a complete starting point, then remove what your route does not require. Where RidgeNote has enough verified products, the ranges below show what the register actually measures—not a guessed ideal.

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The Big Four

Backpack
Shelter635–2449 g across the 8 shelters on record
Sleeping bag or quilt499–2041 g across the 7 sleeping bag or quilts on record
Sleeping pad355–590 g across the 6 sleeping pads on record

Cooking

Stove and cookpot18–435 g across the 11 stove and cookpots on record
Fuel
Lighter
Eating utensil

Water

Bottles or reservoir37–92 g across the 3 bottles or reservoirs on record
Water treatment53–322 g across the 4 water treatments on record

Hygiene

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Backcountry toilet kit
Hand sanitizer
Personal medications

Camp clothing

Insulated jacket
Midlayer
Sleep base layer57–331 g across the 3 sleep base layers on record
Dry camp socks

Hiking clothing

Rain shell
Hiking pants or shorts
Trail footwear108–800 g across the 3 trail footwears on record
Hat and gloves
Sun protection

Miscellaneous

Headlamp41–88 g across the 5 headlamps on record
Map and navigation73–156 g across the 3 map and navigations on record
First aid and repair kit68–204 g across the 4 first aid and repair kits on record
Knife or multitool5–159 g across the 7 knife or multitools on record
Trekking poles295–544 g across the 3 trekking poless on record
Phone, battery, and cables

Food

Meals and snacks
Food storage

Optional

Camp pillow59–1055 g across the 3 camp pillows on record
Camp chair
Camp towel
Hiking umbrella

Estimated pack weight

0 g

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