Full Guide: How to Pack Light for Hiking

Lightweight hiking is all about being smart with the gear you take on your hiking adventures so you’re not carrying unnecessary weight. 

If you’re new to overnight hiking, you’ll feel tempted to take a lot of “just in case” clothing and equipment, which can quickly add up to a few kilograms.

Packing light is about being very intentional with the hiking gear you take. Taking this approach contributes to:

• Less fatigue on tough terrain

• Faster recovery after long days

• More energy for exploring side trails or enjoying the view

• Fewer injuries from overloaded joints and poor balance

• More fun and less pain

Ultralight hiking, on the other hand, focuses on reducing your pack weight to the absolute minimum. This often involves extreme measures such as cutting toothbrushes in half, only taking a tarp for shelter, trimming clothing labels and pack straps, hiking without a gas cooker, wearing the same clothes for days on end, and not carrying maps, books, or a personal locator beacon.

For most hikers, the sweet spot lies in lightweight, not ultralight. You’ll still have essentials like a stove, a decent sleep system, safety gear, and spare clothing while also being mindful of not taking unnecessary items.

How to Choose a Lightweight Hiking Pack

If you want to pack light, start with a light pack. If you’ve inherited an old hiking pack that weighs 5kg or so, you’re starting on the back foot. Sure, it’s better than nothing. But the best thing you can do is invest in a good quality, lightweight hiking pack from the start.

Choosing the right size hiking pack is also important. If you’re only planning to do overnight hikes, you won’t need a large 80 litre pack. But if you’re doing multi-day Great Walks or week-long expeditions, you’ll need a pack that’s up to the task.

Check out our full guide to choosing the right hiking pack

Gear Lists: How to Pack Light for Hiking 

We’ve created three hiking gear lists based on trip duration - overnight, 2-4 nights, and 5-7 nights. These gear lists aren’t gospel, they’re there to guide your packing decisions. Things such as location, weather, season, and hiking experience will influence the gear you choose to pack.

Target base weight: ~10 kg 

Clothing

Sleeping System

Cooking and food

Other essentials 

This overnight hiking gear list comes to a total of 9.75 kg on the lower end and 10.35 kg on the higher end. This is a pretty comfortable base weight for an overnight hike. There are definitely areas where you could shave more weight off, especially in the warmer months. Eg. You may not need a rain jacket and a puffer jacket on summer hikes. But overall, this is a pretty good example of a lightweight hiking set up. And if you’re staying in huts you can save yourself 2.5 kg by leaving your tent and sleeping mat at home.

This is the additional gear I'd suggest packing for a 2-4 night hike. Start with the overnight hike gear list as the base and add these items

Target weight: ~12 kg

Clothing

Personally, I would take the exact same clothing on a 2-4 night hike as an overnight hike. However, you may want to take one more base layer top and pair of underwear if you’re not quite as feral as me.

+ 1x undies (30 g)

+ 1x base layer top - merino or synthetic (160 g)

Clothing extra: 190 g 

Cooking and food 

Food and fuel are the main things that will increase as you extend your hiking trip.

+ Approx 500 g extra per day (1.5 kg)

+ Extra gas (200 g)

Cooking and food extra: 1.7 kg

Other essentials 

If you fancy the option of having a swim or wash in a stream, river or lake to stay fresh and want to avoid putting your boots back on after a hard day of hiking, you might want to consider packing these items.

+ Camp towel - small, quick-dry towel (100 g)

+ Camp shoes - Crocs or slides (300 g)

Other extras: 400 g 

This brings the 2-4 night hike gear list to around 11-12 kg. A lot will depend on the types of food you bring with you and how well you can tolerate sweaty, smelly clothes for a couple of days. But this is a pretty good bench mark for a multi-day hike in a wide range of weather conditions.

You might be surprised how little extra gear you actually need for a week-long wilderness adventure. Food is the main factor that’s going to bump up the weight significantly. Remember, this is a guide for lightweight hiking so the priority is keeping weight down while staying safe and comfortable.

Target weight: ~14-15 kg 

Clothing

Honestly, you’re not going to need much more clothing, but you may like to take another pair of undies or two. You’ve already got three base layers (two for hiking, one for sleeping). If you get the chance to wash your base layers in a stream and dry them by a fire, that’s more than enough. 

+ 1x undies (30 g)

Clothing extra: 30 g 

Cooking and food 

I’ve added a bit more food for the longer hike. I’ve found the longer you’re out there, the more of an appetite you build up. You’re extending the time between a high-calorie re-feed (burgers and beers at the closest pub) so I recommend taking a little more food than you think you’ll need. Also, the longer you’re out there the higher the chance of encountering bad weather, which could slow you down. Always better to have an extra meal or two in reserve. Two gas canisters will be enough for the week if you’re being somewhat conservative. 

+ Approx 600 g extra per day (1.8 kg)

Cooking and food extra: 1.8 kg

This brings the total pack weight for a week-long hiking trip to around 14 kg. It might sound like a lot to carry, but just remember that most of that weight is coming from your food which will get lighter with every meal you eat. Again, if you’re staying in huts the weight will be significantly less.

Optional Extras for Lightweight Hiking 

Here are a few optional extras if you’re happy to carry a little more in exchange for added comfort.

• Powerbank 

• Book or Kindle

• Sleeping bag liner 

• Mug

• Pack of cards 

• Inflatable pillow

If you want to shave off a few extra grams from your pack weight, here are a few simple strategies I’ve picked up from seasoned pros:

• Remove excess packaging: The cardboard box your nut bars come in - unnecessary. Strip down the packaging as much as possible

• Portion out what you need: Don’t take the entire block of cheese, salami, or peanut butter tub - take as much as you need and put it in a zip lock bag

• Create DIY meal kits: Put your breakfast oats, milk (or protein) powder, and other toppings into a sealed bag for each day. Do the same for your pasta or couscous dinners. This helps to prevent taking too much food

• Decant Toiletries: Just like you do on a flight, squeeze your essential toiletries into smaller travel containers so you don’t need to bring the full tube of toothpaste or face cream. Do the same with the dish soap

• Research lightweight alternatives: Eg. Microfibre vs cotton travel towel, titanium vs stainless steel cookware

• Evaluate “just in case” items: Be really honest with yourself about what you really need. If in doubt, you can probably leave it behind

• Use multi-purpose items: Eg. Your puffer jacket can double as a pillow and your cooking pot can also be used as a coffee mug

The Best Way to Pack a Hiking Pack

It’s one thing to bring the right gear — it’s another to pack it properly. Even with a lightweight setup, poor packing can throw off your balance, strain your back, and make rough trails feel tougher than they need to be.

Here’s how to pack your hiking backpack so it carries comfortably, moves with you, and keeps everything right where you need it:

• Keep the heaviest gear close to your spine, and high in the pack This helps keep your centre of gravity stable, especially on steep climbs or rocky descents. Think food bags, stove, and tent — aim to pack them snugly between your shoulder blades.

• Soft stuff goes at the bottom Your sleeping bag, mat, and spare clothes make a great cushiony base. They also help absorb shock and prevent heavy gear from bouncing around.

• Quick-access items go up top or in outer pockets Rain jacket, snacks, map, headlamp - keep them easy to grab without digging through your whole pack. You’ll thank yourself when the weather turns or your stomach starts growling mid-hike.

• Compress and stabilise everything Use compression straps and packing cells or dry sacks to keep your load tight and secure. A pack that shifts around while you move will tire you out faster and throw off your rhythm on technical terrain.

Pack Lighter, Hike Stronger

Packing light isn’t about chasing gram-counting perfection, it’s about building a system that supports your style of hiking. When your gear is dialled in and you're not weighed down by "just in case" extras, everything feels easier.

Whether you're heading out for a single night or a full week, packing light gives you the freedom to focus on what matters: the experience, the wild, and the adventure right in front of you.

Explore Bushbuck’s lightweight hiking gear