Deuter Futura Vario 50+10, Graphite/Black: 74 oz. This was the backpack I was fitted for and used in Iceland. I loved it for a beginner’s pack. I would not get anything bigger than this when starting out, as it will just encourage you to pack more.

REI Flash 55:42 oz and down to 35 oz if you remove all “packmods” such as the backpack brain. As you can see, this shaved almost 3 lbs off my base weight. I really like this pack and its adjustability makes it competitive with true ultralight packs. However, do not get this if your pack weight is over 30 lbs – it’s meant for weights 15-30 lbs.

Tent

Beginner 

The North Face Stormbreak 2: I used the Stormbreak 1 at 55 oz (4.6 oz footprint); this is a link to a 2-person version. This is the one person tent I brought to Iceland and used around Colorado. I love this tent. It’s a good value and recommended for rain/wind/storms. It’s easy to set up and break down solo. I like being cozy and thought it was a good size for one.

Ultralight

REI Flash Air 2 Tent: 31 oz. My boyfriend and I now use an REI Flash Air 2, which we love and is 31 oz if you pitch with trekking poles (good value for an ultralight tent). The Flash Air 2 is not freestanding, so you have to pitch it correctly, but it’s not too difficult once you learn how, and I’ve felt confident in the pitch in wind, rain, and hail.

Both Beginner and Ultralight

MSR Groundhog Tent Stake Kit, 6-Pack, Regular – 7.5-Inch: .46 oz each. I was looking for the best stakes for Iceland and found these. Light, easy to stick in the ground with your foot, easy to pull out with the string.

Sleep System

Beginner

Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad: 18.1 oz. This is a great value pad that I used in Iceland. I want to upgrade to the Therm-a-rest Neoair Lite but $$$.

Klymit Pillow X Inflatable Camping & Travel Pillow: 2.25 oz. This is so tiny and light it’s easy to bring a pillow backpacking.

Sleeping Bag: 39.5 oz. I have a Mountain Hardware Heratio 15 degree down sleeping bag, which I like a lot. I got it on sale so I think it’s discontinued. I love it – it’s very warm but compressible, and I even have gotten overly warm in Iceland and Colorado summers. I upgraded to a quilt which is much lighter and less bulky than this bag, and I think 15 degrees is overkill for Colorado summer backpacking.

Ultralight

Thermarest NeoAir Xlite Women’s: 12 oz. This is lightest pad with the highest R-Value for its size of 5.4 – that Klymit does the job but the R-Value is 1.3 It’s a bit narrow and takes some getting used to, but keeps you warm and comfy. Also, I’m 5’8″ and this pad is a couple inches short, but Nick is using the same one and it’s not very noticeable; you can add some clothes at your feet for extra insulation.

Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt: 19 oz. You can see this is a huge weight savings of over a pound, and space savings. There is a bit of a learning curve for a quilt, but conceptually, the bottom part of the sleep bag you are pressing down on isn’t keep you warm and is wasted. Plus, most people already have a beanie and hood so you don’t need a sleeping bag hood. For me, cinching the toe box and neck tight enough kept me toasty down to freezing temps in my car camping test of this quilt.

Cooking and Hydration

Both Beginner and Ultralight

Sawyer Products SP129 Squeeze Water Filtration System : 3 oz. This is a lightweight, easy to use water filter. I used it solo and it also works for couples backpacking.

GSI Outdoors Long Essential Spoon, Large: 1 oz. Once I started eating dehydrated meals, I wanted a long spoon. I like this one – cheap, light, and long, but it can retain smells. That silicon is good for scraping the bag though.

MSR PocketRocket Ultralight Backpacking, Camping, and Travel Stove, PR 2: Ultra Compact:  2.9 oz. I have the Deluxe with the piezo igniter built in, which I like (but I always bring waterproof matches as a backup). Part of the reason I bought this stove was I read it’s easy to find fuel, which I’d have to buy in Iceland. I love this stove – it’s small and light and it works.

GSI Outdoors Bugaboo 20 Oz Bottle Cup Lightweight Aluminum Design for Camping and Backpacking: 2.6 oz. My bf brings this cup and I have a knockoff GSI cup from Walmart that is a bit heavier at 4.8 oz, which works as both a cook pot and cup. I like the GSI one because it has measurements, but my cup cools down more quickly so we tend to use that to cook. We use cups to boil water for dehydrated meals and drink coffee and hot chocolate.

smarwater 1 L: 1.2 oz. I used to use a Nalgene, but my bf and I have switched to ultralight Smartwater bottles, which we plan to reuse, and saves 5 oz. They also work well with the Sawyer water filter. I would buy one with a sports cap to add to your one liter bottle for drinking.

Gregory Mountain Products 3D Hydro Reservoir 3 Liter, Optic Blue: 6.5 oz. This is my water bladder – the only thing I don’t like is no cap for the bite valve, so I rigged the Camelback one to my pack: CamelBak Big Bite Valve Cover. I think this summer I will ditch this for backpacking since the Flash backpack has really reachable water bottle pockets while wearing the pack.

Columbia Women’s OutDry Ex Reversible II Jacket: 11.2 oz. I have the original version of this that seems to be discontinued at 18.4 oz. Anyways, this is the jacket I used for Iceland and keeps you legitimately dry in the rain. I am replacing for backpacking with the Helium, but will still use this if very heavy rain could occur.

REI Talusphere Rain Pants: 11.4 oz. These are the pants I got for Iceland that pack into their own pocket and kept me dry and warm in the crazy weather. However, they are fairly heavy to bring as regular backpacking rain pants.