Gear Weight Calculator

Base weight is the weight of your pack plus all gear inside it, excluding consumables like food, water, and fuel. It is the standard comparison metric used by the backpacking community to measure how light a kit is.

A base weight under 10 pounds (4.5 kg) is generally considered ultralight. Sub-5 lb base weight is called 'super ultralight.' Most traditional backpackers carry 20–30 lb base weights.

Base weight is all gear except consumables. Total carried weight adds food, water, and fuel. Because consumables are burned off during a trip, the community compares base weight, the part you always carry.

Click 'Copy shareable link' in the summary panel. The entire gear list is encoded into a URL — anyone who opens the link sees your exact kit loaded in the calculator. No account or login is required.

Most beginners start with 25–35 lb total carried weight, which puts base weight around 15–20 lb (traditional range). As you replace heavy items with lighter alternatives, many backpackers work their way into the lightweight category (10–20 lb base) within a season or two.

Yes. The backpack itself is part of your base weight. Some ultralight hikers use frameless packs weighing under 1 lb, while a traditional frame pack can weigh 4–6 lb before anything is packed inside.

Yes. You can save up to 8 named gear lists in your browser without creating an account or signing up. Each saved kit is stored in your browser's local storage, which means it persists across visits but is tied to that specific browser. If you clear your browser data or switch devices, the saved kits are gone. To move a kit between devices, use the share-link feature: click 'Copy shareable link' to get a URL that loads your exact kit on any device.

Worn weight is gear you wear on your body during the hike — boots or trail runners, hiking pants and shirt, sun hat, trekking poles, base layer. By community convention, worn weight is excluded from base weight because it's not 'in your pack.' This calculator lets you mark items as worn so your base weight number reflects only what you carry.