This Budget Ultralight Backpacking Kit Costs Just $550

Between inflation and rising tariffs, prices for gear have gone up noticeably over the past few years. Ultralight gear—even American-made ultralight gear—isn’t immune: Between 2023 and 2024, the total cost of one popular budget ultralight kit we published on Backpacker rose $52, and it has continued to go up since.

If you’re an aspiring ultralight backpacker on a budget, that extra cost can be hard to swallow. But if you know where to look, you can still snag deals on quality gear. Here, we’ve built a Backpacker-tested ultralight kit aimed at budget-minded backpackers who don’t want to waste their money: The four main items in this kit—tent, pack, sleeping pad, and quilt—will cost you $550 and weigh just 5 pounds, 12 ounces combined. (You can add on our picks for a headlamp, jacket, filter, and poles for an additional 1 pounds, 12.8 ounces and $192, leaving plenty of room for clothes and other necessities while still staying below a 10-pound baseweight).

Continue reading to learn more about this budget ultralight backpacking kit, written by Adam Roy.

作家

亚当-罗伊

In his time with Backpacker, Editor in Chief Adam Roy has hiked or skied in and reported from five different continents and is still dreaming about hitting the other two. A former editor for Outside Magazine, he makes his home in Colorado’s Front Range and spends his free time ski touring, climbing, trail running, and backpacking with his family.

来自小队

与我们的社区（从小队成员和大使到品牌合作伙伴和 Sawyer 团队）进行篝火对话。

来自小队

4 MIN

媒体报道

Add an extra layer of protection to your clothing, shoes and gear with this unscented and editor-chosen permethrin spray by Sawyer that bonds to fabric fibers and repels ticks and 55 other insects, including mosquitoes.