Below is listed almost everything I carried on my 7-day hike of the Omine Okugake Trail. Excluding water, my total pack weight was ~11 kg, of which ~4.5 kg was food.
Although I could probably go even lighter on some items, there’s always a question of cost, comfort and how often you will use things. I wouldn’t change much though the hunt for food which is both tasty, nutricious and light is ongoing!
Note: I get small commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.
Pack system
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gossamer Gear Gorilla 40 Ultralight Backpack (2017) | They don’t make this model anymore but all their stuff is excellent. | ★★★★★ | |
| Zpacks Large Food Bag | 43 | ★★★★★ | |
| Zpacks Medium Dry Bag (for clothes) | 20 | ★★★★★ | |
| Zpacks Small Dry Bag (for electronics) | 14 | ★★★★★ | |
| Zpacks Front Utility Pack Accessory | 46 | Fiddly to take on and off but very convenient to hold frequently needed items. | ★★★★ |
| Sea to Summit Ultra-SIL Waterproof Backpack Cover (large) | 96 | ★★★★★ | |
| Wallet + Money + Cards | 80 | ||
| Notebook + Pen | 40 | Field Notes make a good waterproof expedition notebook. | ★★★★★ |
| Paper Map | 33 | Don’t leave without this, as a backup at minimum. | |
| Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trek Walking Poles x1 | I only carried 1 as a walking aid and to hold up my tent. | ★★★★★ |
Sleep system
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zpacks Plexamid Tent | 435 | Fantastic single-walled ultralight tent but expensive. Easy to set up and I had no condensation issues. | ★★★★★ |
| MSR Tent Stakes x10 | 100 | ||
| Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad + repair kit | 400 | Crinkle sound can be annoying. Takes a lot of puff to blow up. | ★★★★ |
| REI Co-op Magma 10 Sleeping Bag + compression sack | 934 | Affordable but fits a little snug. | ★★★★ |
| Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow (regular size) | 75 | Very compact but a little firm. | ★★★★ |
Cook system
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platypus 1 Litre Ultralight Collapsible SoftBottle x2 (full) | 2050 | ★★★★★ | |
| Sawyer MINI Water Filtration System | 85 | Convenient but the water flow is slow and requires considerable pressure. | ★★★ |
| Jetboil MicroMo Cooking System | 365 | One of my favourite pieces of kit. Super fast to boil and well designed. | ★★★★★ |
| Primus IP-110 Gas Canister (~24 Boils) | 200 | ||
| MSR Folding Spork | 10 | ★★★★★ | |
| Cleaning Sponge | 5 | Could have lived without this since I was mostly only boiling water. |
I’ve not listed out all the food that I carried but if you’re in Japan I recommend Izameshi for some tasty camping meals (especially the ramen). MUJI is also good for curry and snacks.
Electronics
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPhone 12 Mini + lightning cable | 180 | Apparently, the 13 Mini has much better battery life. | ★★★★ |
| Apple AirPods (2nd generation) | 47 | ★★★★★ | |
| Ricoh GR III + spare battery + sd cards + lens wipes + USB C cable | 330 | I borrowed this from my wife and it exceeded my expectations for a camera of this size. | ★★★★★ |
| Petzl e+LITE Headlamp | 34 | Battery lasts forever. | ★★★★★ |
| Anker PowerCore Essential 20K PD Power Bank | 345 | Kept my iPhone Mini and camera charged for a whole week. | ★★★★★ |
Washing & care kit
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washbag | 15 | ||
| PackTowl Ultralite Microfiber Towel | 35 | Attach to the outside of your backpack to dry during the day. | ★★★★★ |
| Toothbrush + Toothpaste | 27 | ||
| Washing Line Cord | 5 | ||
| Toilet Roll | 100 | ||
| Deuce of Spades Trowel | 17 | Aside from at Misen, there are no toilets along the trail so you need to bury your waste. | |
| Wet Wipes | 45 | ||
| Sunscreen | 20 | ||
| Tape (for feet) + extra plasters | 46 | ||
| Antihistamines + painkillers | 5 |
Emergency
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .5 First Aid Kit | 130 | It’s amazing how much useful stuff is packed in here. | ★★★★★ |
| Spot Gen 3 GPS Messenger | 135 | Potential lifesaver but the Gen 3 takes ages to establish a satellite connection. Useful to let people know you’re alive! | ★★★ |
| Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife | 33 | Amazingly versatile small knife, even with scissors. | ★★★★★ |
| Lighter | 14 | ||
| Compass | 28 | ||
| Whistle | 14 |
Clothes
| Name | Weight (g) | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap | Keeps the sun off your neck/ears. | ★★★★★ | |
| Warm Hat | 34 | ||
| Patagonia Capilene Midweight Zip-Neck Top | 177 | Super comfortable and warm. | ★★★★★ |
| Arc’teryx Remige Shirt Long Sleeve (day wear) | Great to keep the bugs and sun off your arms. | ★★★★★ | |
| Arc’teryx Remige Shirt Short Sleeve (night wear) | 85 | ★★★★★ | |
| Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody | 380 | Great warmth to weight ratio. | ★★★★★ |
| Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket | 320 | The jacket is a little heavy. I would get something lighter next time. | ★★★★ |
| Patagonia Quandary Pants | I’ve walked thousands of kilometers in the same pair. | ★★★★★ | |
| Shorts | 133 | ||
| Underwear x3 | 80 | ||
| Injinji Outdoor Midweight Crew Nuwool Socks x3 | 150 | Toe socks are great for reducing blisters. | ★★★★★ |
| Arc’teryx Venta Glove | 60 | Comfortable but doesn’t work well with smartphone screens. | ★★★★ |
| Merrell Moab 2 Hiking Shoes | I’ve had 3 pairs of these. Comfortable and more durable than a trail runner. | ★★★★★ |
Feel free to leave me any suggestions in the comments below.
David, you and I have a lot of the same gear. For the Gossamer Gear bag, I’d recommend replacing the back pad on the pack with the sit-lite pad they offer. It’s easier to get in and out and does wonders for breathability and back sweat (though you will still sweat plenty). Very comfortable as well.
Thanks Sam, great recommendation!