Ultralight
We tested and rated the top products from Big Agnes, Gossamer Geear, ZPacks, Nemo, and more.
Credit: Amber King
Whether a weekend backpacking excursion or a dream thru-hiking trip, our expert lightweight backpacking team has a comparative review for you. We cover the top categories like ultralight-specific tents, tarps and backpacks. We also make weight-based recommendations in all our backpacking gear reviews for sleeping pads, stoves and more. We buy every product, just like you do, and publish only the truth.
Most Popular
Best Picks in Ultralight
Best Ultralight Tent of 2022
To bring you the best ultralight tent review, we've focused on options weighing less than two pounds. Thru-hiking on the world's longest trails, running from point to point, and...
Best Bivy Sack of 2022
What is the best bivy sack? Throughout the past few years, we have traveled near and far with a pack full of bivys to determine which are worth their weight and which should be turned into...
Best Hammock of 2022
How do you find the perfect hammock in a market exploding with options? You lay around a lot. We tested the top contenders in the field side-by-side to help you find the perfect option for...
Best Ultralight Backpack of 2022
Keen to make ultralight backpacking more enjoyable? Over six years, we've purchased and tested over 25 of the best ultralight backpacks. We've done the leg work, highlighting our top...
Best Ultralight Sleeping Bag of 2022
We tested 15 of the top models available today to help you find the best bag for your lifestyle. Ultralight sleeping bags use top of the line materials and construction to keep you warm on...Recent Gear Reviews in Ultralight
Best Buy
Sierra Designs Backcountry Bivy Review
Combines a full complement of features, comfort and weather protection into a lightweight package. Not only is it lightweight, it deploys and stows easily to keep the frustration at bay...
Editors' Choice
Outdoor Research Helium Bivy Review
A highly refined and functional bivy which has obviously been through extensive research and development. Down to having multiple colors on zippers making it easy to distinguish what...
Best Buy
Durston X-Mid 1P Review
A highly adaptable tent that provides double-wall comfort without weighing down your pack or your budget. With an intuitive rectangular footprint and a symmetrical design, set-up and...
Editors' Choice
Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2 Carbon Review
Lightweight with top-notch performance and conveniences, this is one of the lightest semi-free standing tents tested with exceptional weather resistance. Lacking in...
Editors' Choice
Gossamer Gear Mariposa Review
This year's Editors' Choice award winner provides ample storage, tons of flexibility, and is lightweight as well.
Best Buy
Osprey Exos 48 Review
For an easy-to-use, popular introductory ultralight pack, it easily offers the most bang for your buck, making it the obvious choice for our Best Buy Award for ultralight backpacks. This...Ultralight Learning Center
How To Choose a Bivy Sack
How to choose the best bivy sack? While the idea of zipping yourself up inside a nylon sack for the night might seem daunting or uncomfortable, the opposite can actually be true - a bivy...
How to Choose an Ultralight Backpack
Our first side-by-side review of ultralight backpacks compares eight of the best and most popular options for lightweight and ultralight backpacking trips. Here in our Buying...
How to Choose the Right Hammock
So you want to try camping in a hammock instead of a tent? Maybe you've heard that owning a hammock can lighten your load and provide a unique experience, but you aren't sure if you will...
Ultralight Tents - How to Choose
Here we detail all the expert advice you need to fully understand material choices, types of ultralight shelters, and the importance of lowering your base weight on your overall...
How to Choose an Ultralight Sleeping Bag
Choosing an ultralight sleeping bag that best suits your needs means considering a myriad of things, such as the activity you will be using it for, the climate where you are going, and how...Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by Testing.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
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