What’s your backpacking base weight? Build your gear list below and the calculator separates base weight from consumables and worn items, shows your ultralight tier, breaks down the Big Three, and checks your loaded pack against your body weight. Your list is saved in your browser.
Tally your gear into base weight, consumables, and worn weight — see your ultralight tier and whether your pack is a safe share of your body weight.
Base weight by category
What counts as base weight?
Base weight tiers
Backpackers classify kits by base weight — the weight of the pack and gear, excluding food, water, and fuel:
| Tier | Base weight | Typically |
|---|---|---|
| Super-ultralight (SUL) | under 5 lb (2.3 kg) | Experienced minimalists, fast trips |
| Ultralight (UL) | under 10 lb (4.5 kg) | Weight-focused backpackers & thru-hikers |
| Lightweight | 10–20 lb (4.5–9 kg) | Most committed backpackers |
| Traditional | over 20 lb (9 kg) | Comfort-first or beginner kits |
Example loadout
The calculator starts with this sample three-season kit. Notice how separating consumables and worn items reveals the true base weight:
| Item | Category | Weight | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpack | Pack | 38.8 oz | base |
| Tent / shelter | Shelter | 42.3 oz | base |
| Sleeping bag | Sleep | 28.2 oz | base |
| Sleeping pad | Sleep | 14.1 oz | base |
| Stove + cookpot | Cooking | 10.6 oz | base |
| Water filter | Water | 3.2 oz | base |
| Insulated jacket | Clothing | 12.3 oz | base |
| Headlamp + electronics | Electronics | 5.3 oz | base |
| First aid + repair | Other | 10.6 oz | base |
| Food | Cooking | 49.4 oz | consumable |
| Water carried | Water | 35.3 oz | consumable |
| Worn clothing | Clothing | 42.3 oz | worn |
| Trekking poles | Other | 17.6 oz | worn |
In this example: base weight 10.3 lb (165.4 oz) → Lightweight tier · consumables 5.3 lb · total pack weight 15.6 lb. Worn items (3.7 lb) don’t count toward base or pack weight.
How to use base weight
Because consumables change with every trip, base weight is the number experienced backpackers track and compare. To cut it, start with the Big Three — your backpack, shelter (tent), and sleep system (bag or quilt plus pad) — since they’re usually the heaviest items and offer the biggest savings. Chasing a lower base weight is the heart of ultralight backpacking, but never sacrifice safety essentials to hit a number.
Frequently asked questions
What is base weight in backpacking?
Base weight is the weight of your backpack and all the gear inside it, excluding consumables (food, water, and fuel) and excluding what you wear or carry (clothing on your body, trekking poles in hand). Because consumables vary by trip length and get used up, base weight is the stable number backpackers use to compare and optimize their kit.
What is a good backpacking base weight?
It depends on your goals and conditions, but a common benchmark is: under 20 lb is lightweight, under 10 lb is ultralight, and under 5 lb is super-ultralight, while traditional kits run above 20 lb. Most backpackers do well aiming for the 12–18 lb range; going lighter requires more specialized gear and experience. Comfort and safety should always come before hitting a number.
What's the difference between base weight and total pack weight?
Base weight excludes consumables; total pack weight (sometimes called 'pack weight' or 'from-skin-out' minus worn items) is your base weight plus food, water, and fuel — the actual load on your back when you start. A 12 lb base weight can become a 22 lb pack with several days of food and a couple of liters of water.
How heavy should my backpack be relative to my body weight?
A widely used guideline is to keep your loaded pack to about 20% of your body weight or less for comfortable backpacking, and closer to 10% for ultralight or day use. Carrying much more than 20–25% becomes hard on your body over distance. Use the body-weight check in the calculator to see where your pack lands.
What are the Big Three?
The 'Big Three' are your backpack, shelter, and sleep system — usually the three heaviest items in your kit and the biggest opportunity to cut base weight. Lightening the Big Three first gives the most weight savings for the effort, which is why the calculator breaks them out separately.