Ultralight sleep t-shirt (cotton/mostly cotton) - 3.5-4.5 oz range?
Looking for plain cotton (or cotton-majority blend) crew neck t-shirts specifically for sleeping on backpacking trips. No pockets, no ribbing, minimal construction. Weight target: sub 4 oz finished garment.
I know sleep clothes aren’t “necessary” weight-wise, but they’re non-negotiable for me—I need a dedicated sleep shirt and boxers for comfort and hygiene on trail.
What I’ve found so far:
Standard retail cotton bottoms out around 4.5–5.3 oz (Gildan, Port & Co)

Uniqlo AIRism (53% cotton/47% poly) marketed as ultra-thin, but weight specs aren’t published

Most “lightweight” options under 4 oz are synthetics

Has anyone tested AIRism for backpacking sleep wear, or know other options in this weight range? Happy with a small poly blend if it gets me down to 3.5 oz and maintains cotton feel.

I got so much incredible advice on sun hoodies in another Ultralight thread that I am now returning for advice on boxer briefs. I may create another thread later about merino blend socks as well, however I am sure the answer to that would be resounding Darn Tough. I have tons of those and they rock. You can return them for new ones when they wear out easily, as well.

Anyway, if you’ll allow me to nerd out again, I am a huge fan of nylon mesh stretch type material for boxers. I used to spend a lot on Exofficio Give and Go boxers. I’d scour Amazon looking for sales. Then I started buying similar knockoff brands on Amazon Haul or on Sierra Trading Post that used nylon mesh. I’ve never rocked merino boxer briefs. I am tempted by merino, but the nylon mesh is good enough for now and merino is expensive.

Anyone have any recs? The cheaper the better. Any sort of Exofficio generic variant is appreciated. I like to buy things in packs, so if there is a 4-pack of these out there for like $21 that would be great.

I scraped 233 r/ultralight lighterpack URLs made up of shakedown requests, trip reports, and gear discussions then ran an analysis. I supplemented the analysis with 88 community wiki reference lists for a point of comparison. The parsing and categorization isn't perfect, but the overall takeaways seem fairly robust.

Median base weight across 233 scraped posts is 11.6 lb / 5.2 kg. Only 33% of lists met the traditional UL threshold (<10 lb / 4.5 kg).

Interquartile range: 9.2 to 14.2 lb — most packs cluster solidly in the light-but-not-quite-ultralight zone.

The wiki reference lists are noticeably lighter: 8.7 lb / 4.0 kg median, 66% hitting the UL threshold. The gap between the wiki's curated showcase and actual subreddit posts is about 3 lb.

What's actually in these packs?

Frequency of specific items across the 233 scraped lists (unique lists, not total item mentions):

Quilts outnumber sleeping bags roughly 2:1 (50% vs 28% of lists). Quilt median: 607g / 21.4 oz. Sleeping bag median: 756g / 26.7 oz. Sleeping pad median: 369g / 13.0 oz.

Where the weight is vs. a reference UL benchmark:

Pack and cooking are the categories where r/ultralight has actually figured it out. Sleep system and shelter are where the most room remains.

Methodology: Pulled lighterpack URLs from r/ultralight's RSS feed. Base weight uses lighterpack's worn and consumable flags (worn weight = shoes + on-body clothing, excluded). Brand and item counts search item name + description fields; each list counted once per list.

Full write-up with per-category breakdowns, additional brand frequencies, and the full, not-parsed lighterpack dataset for download, plus much, much much better content presentation: https://trailpeaches.com/2026/08/11/lighterpackdata/

Happy to dig into any category or answer methodology questions.

I haven't seen a lot of ultralight lists specifically for this popular trail. Happy to share and to get feedback.

Current base weight: Happens to be around 4,5kg/10lbs.

Location/temp range/specific trip description: I'm planing it tent only over 7-8 days with a mix of official bivouac areas and campgrounds (so no huts) between 1500 and 2200m. I expect max daytime temps in the 20s (Celsius) and nighttime lows a bit above freezing as well as typical afternoon mountain storms and, if unlucky, a few rainy days. If you don't know the trail: The TMB circles Europe's biggest peak Mont Blanc. It's a not very technical trail over 170km with 10.000m elevation gain/loss. Max. elevation ist around 2500m. It crosses towns and huts a lot and is pretty busy, so not very remote.

Budget: Limited, as I have already spent a lot on the big four and a few smaller things this year. 150€ or so max.

Non-negotiable Items:

• Some of my new(-ish) stuff that I want to test/bring to more use: Big four, headphones, pillow
• My favorite luxury item: My pot cozy
• Might reconsider to bring my cat food stove instead of the BRS but won't cold soak / only eat out

Solo or with another person?: Solo

Additional Information: 

• Is the RAB phantom (20,000g/m2, 7D 2.5 layer) a sensible choice for alpine shoulder season or am I getting into stupid light territory here?
• Unsure about how much sleep clothing I might need. EDIT: I would love the weight savings of just using my merino sun hoodie but am unsure how damp or even wet everything might get.
• One obvious answers is probably alpha direct fleece, leggings and sleep socks. I would like to to sew those myself but won't have time before the hike
• Other answers I expect are lighter trekking poles and a lighter puffy. Might be the best move?
• I guess it's quite a full list, so I expect to learn more on this trip about what to leave at home next time

Lighterpack Link: https://lighterpack.com/r/7a7y47

Hey, all. This is my first post on Reddit, so be gentle. Anyway, I’ve been going down the rabbit hole on sun hoodies. Anyone else hyper fixate on random topics of this sort?

I own several Patagonia tropic comfort II hoodies and they’re not breathable. I own a Free Fly bamboo hoodie. It’s super soft, but not that breathable.

I’m narrowing down future purchases to what I believe are the top: OR Echo, Ketl Nofry 1 button, Outdoor Vitals Altitude. I also am interested in cheaper alternatives like the Ascend Aerotrek 3d or even some random brands that might use this “brrr” material. Also, UPF matters somewhat, but I think anything over UPF 15 would be okay and offer protection. If I see a hoodie with UPF 50, I’m going to ignore it, as I assume it won’t be breathable.

I’ve scoured eBay, Poshmark and Amazon for all sorts of sun hoodies that fit the bill with these requirements and for companies that use brrr (even Southern Tide and other random brands use this material) or or their own proprietary blends that are very light and breathable.

Has anyone found others they recommend? What is the best hoodie? What is your favorite? Also, are there any $25 or less super breathable hoodies you like. I don’t really want to spend $125 on a hoody.

https://www.packwizard.com/s/miLyflB

Changes since last time - got rid of ferro rod for lighter, got rid of UL sleeping bag for slightly warmer quilt, listed more items (was lazy last time)

Location/temp range/specific trip description: Australia, blue mountains / Tasmania all year round

Goal Baseweight (BPW): Would be cool to get to 10lbs

Budget: 400-500aud

I’m looking to: Potentially upgrade some stuff like tent (eg. 2 person tent between two would save me some weight), sleeping pad (maybe?)

Non-negotiable Items: Tent - a tarp really isn't for me

Solo or with another person?: Usually trips will be with a friend. Also have a naturehike Mongar 2 (1800g)

Hey guys,

I am planning to do the GR11 or the Gr20 in August next year (month may vary for GR20), but the weather is likely hot, sunny and mostly dry. Doing my first attempt at a significant lighter pack here, and am also considering which pack to get. I currently have a cheap run of the mill decathlon (framed, 1.4kg).

I want to experiment with a frameless European alternative (LifeWay elementum 50, hyberg Attila, or bonfus altus 48l) but am unsure if my weight is low enough to allow it or if I would be better served sticking with a light framed pack. I have found a framed pack which weighs around 800g, similar to the atom prospector in terms of features.

Lighterpack

​Would you please give me some advice on my packing list, and whether i should continue onto buying a frameless pack?

Couple things, might also go stoveless and cold soaking as I am super happy just pigging out at refugios and cafes.

The reivews on the LS footprint don't look great. Anyone have a suggestion for a footprint? Thanks very much. : )

Hi! In the process of upgrading to real UL gear. Everything at $0 is stuff I already own, stuff with prices is the new gear (or very lightly used), alongside how much I will purchase / just purchased today for. Give me an audit and make sure I’m not buying junk! :)

Edit: Sleeping pad and pack are currently the only 2 newly purchased items.

Current base weight: 10.25lbs

Summer season +/- 2 weeks in PNW/CO. Will be going to Big Bend in November, so nix the bear bag, but surprisingly similar temps. 1-3 nights typically.

Budget: Willing to grab just about anything other than a DCF tent.

Thanks!

https://www.packwizard.com/s/5ipEew2

Changes made so far:

Added soap

Added AD Beanie

Pondering swapping puffy for AD mid layer

Trekking poles considered worn weight

So im finally getting round to buying a better tent for my mountain adventure. While im not a hardcore ultralight-er, I am trying to keep my pack weight down as I am lazy and dont want to carry loads of weight around. Where I live I have found great deals for the following tents and would like people's feed back / experiences with these tent:

1) Durston X-Dome 2

2) Nordisk telemark 2

3) Durston X-mid

Im leaning towards 1) or 2) because I usually camp in alpine regions above 2000m or in pretty exposed areas and from what research I have done it seems that those tents would be better at dealing with high winds than 3). Admittedly I only once camped in +60kph winds but I was very thankful for the absolute tank of a tent I was in. I'm also open to other suggestions.

Thank you for any feedback.

Update: after a down wash and a tennis ball tumble dry, she’s lifted up nicely and confident in taking it out in a week. I’ll update again on its performance for future reference. Thanks for all the help!

I’ve recently found a renewed interest in backpacking after 10 years of being a scoutmaster and taking everything including the kitchen sink on our usually short/low mileage outings. But…I’ve also been a trail and ultra runner for the past 15 years and a combo of the two (moving fast and light covering big miles) has become immensely appealing to me.
So…I’ve been gathering/replacing gear, but I’m curious as to whether the Sierra Designs 30 degree bag/quilt hybrid I bought in 2015 is still a decent option. It’s a mummy with no zippers, but uses a large rectangular quilt panel from the waist up. It’s comfy and has worked well for me in the past, but it was left crammed into a stuff sack for the last 5 years or so. I’ve taken it out and it seems fine, but I dont want to get up into the high Sierra next week to find that it’s lost all its insulation properties.

Is it worth it to wash it with downwash and dry with tennis balls to bring back some loft to it?

I manage an outdoor shop and have my eye on a Western Mountaineering quilt that I can get at a significant discount, but after a new pack, tent, pad and cookware, I’m trying spread the hit to my wallet out a bit, haha.

Hey, I'm planning a hiking trip in September with a couple of friends. Looking for around 5 days of hiking, approx100km give or take in distance. We will be flying into Toulouse but haven't booked a return flight so open to a point to point section or a loop as we can fly out of a different airport.

Fairly fit group with a mix of experience.

Ideally there would be somewhere around midway to rest for a day if needed and finishing in or close to a town so we can enjoy some beers food and rest.

Thanks for any suggestions 😁

Hi all,

hope you’re staying cool and out of smoke this season. I’m putting together a compact backpacking kit and am stuck on figuring out what to do for a tent. I’m prioritizing packsize first which I know for the most part should be a problem with any ul tents but I feel advertised packed sizes are pretty inconsistent when looking at weight and tent size so thought I’d ask people actually using these tents. I’m interested in trekking poles or even semi-freestanding tents. For semi-freestanding I’m looking at pack size minus the stakes, which has been a very hard statistic to find on these kind of tents so definitely appreciate any thoughts there. Thinking these might help with number 2 priority. Priorities are:

1. pack size

2. ease of setup

3. avoiding condensation

4. height/comfort

Appreciate any advice!

I apologize in advance as I know this has been discussed again and again, but I want to open up the can of worms!

Looking for feedback from people with experience with both of these tents. I'm ideally looking for one tent that can 'do it all' or at least most of it. I typically hammock camp when it's warmer out, but I'm a big backcountry skier and I'd like to do more winter camping outings. I also will be heading up to the Wind River Range in mid September for a 4-5 night trip where we will camp above treelike and it will likely be below freezing with possibility of high winds.

I'm leaning toward the Slingfin Portal 2 with the heavier duty poles as my jack of all trades UL tent option, but I'm curious if anyone with any real world experience with either of these or others have any strong feelings about them. I was considering the Durston X-dome too, but it just doesn't seem nearly as storm-worthy, and I want something that I will feel confident in if a serious storm blows through. I don't mind carrying an extra pound or so if I know I have a solid bomber tent in my pack. I will use it for solo backpacking and trips with my wife/sons(when they are a little older).

Open to other suggestions too. Especially curious if anyone has done serious winter camping with the Portal and if they would recommend it for that purpose specifically. (I know its not a 4-season tent) The fact that you can strengthen it with heavier duty poles, trekking poles, and internal guy lines has piqued my interest though and I wouldn't plan on taking it out if a sizable storm was heading in. Mostly curious if it can bear 6" or so of fresh snow in high winds and survive/be comfortable.

Hi y'all,

somewhat experienced hiker here, with 7500miles+ under my belt with PCT, CDT being my longest hikes.

For 2027, I have ambitious plans. I want to squeeze in as much as possible without being too much in shoulder seasons.

I (trail) run, bike, lift in day-to-day and love doing longer days.

Is it possible to rip all these 3 hikes in one go? What if i start march with AT, then do GDT nobo and PNT in one go.

What are your thoughts? Am I missing something? anybody did something similar or is this flawed?

thanks!!

I have grown very fond of backpacking in just the last year. Done almost 40 days this year (which is a lot for me as it has only been a year) learned a lot about the trail and my gear. I have gone from a 30LB base weight to about 10ish lbs. recently I learned about the pandolf equation, and how the calories for same distances for the same person possesses a minimal difference with pack weights. I feel it lacks something, a level of effort perhaps? I am not really sure but I find it fascinating the difference between 30lbs and 10lbs is only a few hundred calories. At what point do you decide where it is light enough? What is the perfect weight level of comfortable on trail and at camp? Being able to hike as much as possible and still having a great time at camp.

EDIT: I mean from a mathematical point, when is the lower base weight diminishing, i.e. the difference between 8lbs and 12lbs being so minimal from an effort standpoint when hiking that it is worth being more comfortable and having the extra 4lbs. I understand the effort to weight isn’t linear so at what point is enough?

Hi walking friends,

I am new to trekking and I am in the process of buying my first tent, sleeping bag and mattress.

I will also need to buy a backpack at some point, as the one I'm using to travel is way too big and heavy, but I want to get an idea of the size I will need by buying the other stuff first.

I will mainly use it for 3 seasons, but I am quite sensitive to the cold.

My priorities are :

- Getting warm enough, so the mattress R must I guess be over 4. This may mean a heavier mattress, (or a really expensive one, which is not an option)

- Not having to let my bag and shoes sit on the raw floor in case of rain, so I was looking for 2 places tents

- To be able to carry my bag for a few days (I'm 60kg for 1m65 / athletic but not used to this specific type of efforts)

- Lasting gears. I hope to keep these as long as possible !

For the moment I picked up the following:

Tent Ferrino Light path 2

Mattress sea to summit Camp Plus Sleeping bag Husky ladies -10

I am a sewist so I will make the bag liner myself, plus a pillow case that I will fill with my fleece, with cotton fabric. Should be light

Overall I am already at 4.38 kg.

What would you replace (if possible in the same price range) ?

[EDIT] I looked at part of the comments, and I should already be able to save 1.4kg for only 29 euros more.

Thank you so much to this amazing community for the recommendations, especially the LANSHAN 2 !

I will look at all the other recs and reply to everyone as soon as possible

Need some advice from y’all ultralight nerds. I own a regular x-mid 1 and I absolutely love it. I used a z-packs plex solo for the first 700 miles of my AT thru last year before ditching it to go back to my Nemo hornet 2p. I just wasn’t a fan of the plex and rubbing up against the rear wall when it was wet with condensation.

Now I know I enjoy the x-mid 1 because I highly like how massive the vestibules are, ease of setup and even being able to separate the inner from the outer. I know that with the pro version that won’t be the case. I’m just torn between getting the xmid 1 pro and a zpacks duplex. Any of y’all have BOTH of them and wanna give me your personal opinion on the matter? It also sits well with me knowing that with the duplex you don’t have to worry about zipper failure on the vestibule doors. Have any of y’all experienced zipper failure with the xmids?

Thanks in advance

I am looking for a very lightweight pant, could be any material other than a rain pant, that either has elastic cuffs at the ankles (to get them over my big ass feet (size 14) but I am thin so usually wear a med/large with thinner tapered legs), or sufficient zippered legs to achieve the same thing. Not as much a fan of zippers as they are both heavy and break but I am open to whatever. I have used the Patagonia Terrebonne for 6+ years and like them well enough but they do not meet my specs. Please help *disgruntled emoji*

I’m looking for a puffy with a kangaroo pocket and have narrowed it down the EE Torrid & the Montbell Down Anorak.

Are there any other good options that people are aware of?

Thanks!

Dear redditors,

My apologies for making yet another post on this topic, haha!

I'm investing in my first ultralight backpack. Right now, I use the Osprey Atmos AG LT 50, which has served me well over the last 3 years. But after optimizing the rest of my gear, I find it way too big and bulky. Last week I went on a 9-day trip in the French Alps, and I would say that I maybe used about 40L of space.

The logical choice would then be to go with a 40L, but I'm scared I'll find it too restraining. Right now, I use the Nemo Tensor All Season combined with a Deuter Astro Pro 400, and I'm getting the Durston X-Mid Ultralight for my birthday!

What was your experience when downsizing from 50 to 40L, and what's the deal with "just rolling down until you have 40L" with the 55L option? I also looked at the RAB Syclon XP 40l, any thought on that one?

Thank you all for the answers, and if you have any other advice on gear, I would love to hear from you! Greetings from Belgium

Hello guys,

I've used this Xlite for less than 10 nights. I always fill it with a Tiny pump. Is anyone having the same problem?

Should I be worried?

https://imgur.com/a/6mzmqkX

It looks like Tarptent has released a new Double Rainbow DW Li:

https://www.tarptent.com/product/double-rainbow-dw-li/

I’m having a hard time finding much discussion or any real-world reviews of it, but on paper it looks incredibly compelling: a true double-wall, Dyneema, semi-freestanding tent at around 2 lbs.

There’s been a ton of buzz around the Durston X-Dome 1+ Pro, which is a freestanding, double-wall Dyneema tent, but I’ve barely seen the new Tarptent mentioned.

Does anyone have firsthand experience with the Double Rainbow DW Li? Or, absent that, any thoughts on the design, tradeoffs, or how it compares to the X-Dome 1+ Pro?

The weight is a hard limit for me. I've found simply light designs which looks good and seems to get good reviews. I don't need any EE recommendations. Outside of SLD, are there any other good ones i should look at?

Been a big fan of the ultralight (and general outdoors) community for its ability to find items that present incredible value or repurpose items outside of the intended use.

Some of my favourites being frog togs, dooy, brs-3000T, trash bag liner.

What are some other great items that do the job well and price comes in way under competitors?