Ultralight Backpacking Gear Under $30
Backpacking gear (especially ultralight gear) can be expensive. If you feel like your backpacking hobby has been hitting the wallet a little to hard lately, here are 9 ultralight backpacking items that are under $30. Some of the links below are affiliate links where I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Toaks 550ml Titanium Pot
Titanium cook pots are all the rage with ultralight backpackers right now because they are lightweight, compact, and cheap at $29.95. This is a high quality cook pot if you are only boiling water for freeze dried meals. A lot of backpackers prefer the 750ml pot, but I find 550ml is still big enough for most freeze dried meals, and it can double as my wife’s coffee mug. (I don’t like coffee, don’t hate me.)
BRS 3000T Titanium Stove
This may be the lightest backpacking stove available. And it only costs $16.95. This is real popular with ultralight backpackers because it’s made of titanium and weighs less than an 1 oz. Some people say the titanium will warp under its own heat. But for the price and the weight. This is hard to beat.
GoBites Duo Long Handled Spoon/Fork
Long handle spoons are great for getting deep into freeze dried “boil in a bag” meals without getting your hands dirty. I like this spoon fork combo from Go Bites because I don’t like using spoons. It also breaks down for compact storage. And it costs less than $8.00
Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter
There are plenty of affordable water filters on the market, but my new favorite is the Platypus QuickDraw. This is a great ultralight filter that only costs $29.95. Add another $10 if you want the dedicated squeeze bag, but if you don’t want to spend the extra money just grab some smart water bottles from the gas station, they work too.
Adventure Medical Kits .5
This is a great ultralight First Aid Kit from Adventure Medical Kits. It’s small, lightweight, waterproof and only costs $18.95. I wouldn’t use this kit for more than one person. But if it’s just you going out, this is a high quality, cheap and ultralight option.
Petzl Headlamp
One of the things I take on every trip I go on is a headlamp. I really like Petzl headlamps because they are high quality and inexpensive at 29.95. They even have some models as cheap as $20.
Frogg Toggs Ultra-lite2 Rain Suit
A lot of ultralight backpackers love Frogg Toggs because they are incredibly lightweight coming in under 8oz. And they do the job of keeping you dry in the rain while managing to be breathable. Plus they are cheap, only $17 for a whole rain suit. But be careful, because these can rip fairly easily.
Outdoor Vitals Pillow
One of the things that will keep you sleeping well at night is a good pillow. Get an inflatable pillow to save weight and space. I got this pillow from Outdoor Vitals through a promotional deal for only $10, but they normally cost $25.
Z-Lite Sleeping Pad
Ok, this last one is only an honorable mention because it’s a little over our price range at $39. But this is a high quality, light weight, fairly warm sleeping pad that is popular with ultralight backpackers. For the price it’s hard to find a better sleeping pad. But be warned, they aren’t the most comfortable.
