The Ultralight Backpacker: The Complete Guide to Simplicity and Comfort on the Trail

Book Description
Developed primarily for long-distance treks, the ultralight method is considered by many traditional backpackers as too austere. Author Ryel Kestenbaum shows that thanks to recent improvements in equipment design and manufacture, as well as in food processing, ultralight backpacking now offers a safe and comfortable alternative to traditional backpacking methods. In The Ultralight Backpacker, he dispels the myths surrounding this rapidly growing trend. Kestenbaum acquaints readers with the ultralight philosophy and shows how backpackers can once and for all do away with heavy packs and move quickly and comfortably on the trail, whether on a day-trip or season-long trek. He also provides the most complete survey available of ultralight equipment, clothing, and footwear, along with tips on how to select the right gear for each reader’s unique interests, needs, and personality.


From the Back Cover

Head out lighter, farther, freer--welcome to the world of ultralight

Backpacking has always been one of the best ways to experience nature up close, with much of traditional backpacking based on the idea that the more your campsite feels like home, the happier you'll be. By contrast, ultralight backpacking pares equipment, food, and clothing to the essentials, giving it the undeserved reputation of sacrificing comfort for utility.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Backpacking has always been one of the best ways to experience nature up close, with much of traditional backpacking based on the idea that the more your campsite feels like home, the happier you'll be. By contrast, ultralight backpacking pares equipment, food, and clothing to the essentials, giving it the underved reputation of sacrificing comfort for utility.

However, with recent advancements in equipment manufacture and design -- lighter pack frames, sleeker tents and sleeping bags, multipurpose fabrics -- you can now be both comfortable and practical. The Ultralight Backpacker is the first book to offer a complete survey of this new generation of gear and to show how the ultralight method works for any backpacker or hiker looking for a less stressful trip, whether it's for a night, a weekend, or several months on the trail. By emphasizing self-reliance over gear reliance and by adhering to the maxim "less is more," the ultralight backpacking philosophy is inspiring beginners and converting traditionalists. The Ultralight Backpacker shows you how to combine proper planning and the right attitude to create a less complicated and more rewarding backpacking experience -- safely, comfortably, effortlessly.

SYNOPSIS

Head out lighter, farther, freer—welcome to the world of ultralight

Backpacking has always been one of the best ways to experience nature up close, with much of traditional backpacking based on the idea that the more your campsite feels like home, the happier you'll be. By contrast, ultralight backpacking pares equipment, food, and clothing to the essentials, giving it the undeserved reputation of sacrificing comfort for utility.