| What it is | Pack weight minus consumables |
| Excludes | Food, water, fuel |
| Lightweight | ~20 lb / 9 kg |
| Ultralight | under 10 lb / 4.5 kg |
Base weight is the weight of a backpacker’s gear excluding consumables — food, water, and fuel — that change over a trip. It’s the standard way to compare pack loads because it stays constant. Lowering base weight is the central goal of ultralight backpacking, with benchmarks around 20 lb for lightweight and under 10 lb for ultralight.
Why it’s measured this way
Food, water, and fuel shrink as you go, so excluding them gives a stable number reflecting your gear choices — the focus of ultralight backpacking.
The big three
Most base weight sits in the pack, shelter, and sleep system — where materials like Dyneema save the most.
Frequently asked questions
What is base weight?
Base weight is the total weight of your pack and everything in it except consumables — food, water, and fuel — which steadily decrease as you use them. Because it stays the same all trip, it's the fair way to compare one backpacker's load to another's.
What counts as ultralight base weight?
A base weight under about 10 lb (4.5 kg) is generally considered ultralight; under about 5 lb is 'super-ultralight'. Around 20 lb is usually called lightweight, and traditional backpacking base weights run higher.
Why exclude food and water from base weight?
Because they're consumables that change constantly — you start a trip with more and finish with less, and they vary with trip length and water availability. Excluding them gives a stable number that reflects your gear choices, not your menu.
Sources
- Lightweight backpacking — American Hiking Society