Ultra-lightweight Fastpacking Apparel
With less weight comes more speed. We borrow from trail running to get apparel that's made to move. Use the TrailTech Short, Radical Airflow, and Cap Cool Sun during the day with the Boulder 125 legging for after dark.
M TrailTech Short
"The TrailTech short is a 5" liner short that we choose because it doesn't ride up. The stout elastic keeps the short in place for all day comfort. With nearly a liter of storage within the short, snacks and essentials stay handy and carry efficiently. The TrailTech short is comfortable under a pack and doesn't compromise in fit or materials."
- Alpenglow Educator, Max
Pickup available at 415 North Lake Boulevard
Usually ready in 24 hours
M TrailTech Short
Black / S
415 North Lake Boulevard
415 North Lake Boulevard
Tahoe City CA 96145
United States
Two-piece Pack Solution
A 20L running vest is a surprisingly useful bit of kit. With a compression sack, you can fit your sleep system in the back with nutrition and hydration up front. Add the Dera B01 Belt to put an extra 2L on your hips.
S/LAB Adventure 20 Set
"Can you run with a loaded 20 liters? You'll surprise yourself with this vests ability to equalize weight between front and back and feel super balanced. It fits my whole kit and the BearVault BV One bear can. My top pick for fastpacking."
- Alpenglow Educator, Max
Pickup available at 415 North Lake Boulevard
Usually ready in 24 hours
S/LAB Adventure 20 Set
Black/White / S
415 North Lake Boulevard
415 North Lake Boulevard
Tahoe City CA 96145
United States
Ready for more gear?
Optimize the Big Three
Start by optimizing your sleep system: bag, pad, and pillow. Our lightest summer-weight sleeping bag is the Western Mountaineering Summerlite at just 1lb 3oz. Pair that with the 8 oz (240 g) Tensor Elite Pad (lightest inflatable pad in production) and Airhead Lite Pillow.
SummerLite
"I love long days and nights in the mountains but I don’t love carrying a heavy pack. So I try to make my big three (shelter, sleep and pack) as light as possible. Western Mountaineering makes exceptional bags with their attention to detail and high quality 850+ ethically sourced (gathered from nests) goose down. The Summerlite Mummy Bag is rated as comfortable to 32F and with a well insulated sleeping pad and a liner or down jacket I have slept comfortably down to 25F. I use a lightweight compression sack to squish the bag down to the size of a grapefruit - I am 5’7” and I use the 6 ft bag — the weight is only 1 lb 3 oz! This bag has been perfect for summer and fall trips in the Sierra."
- Alpenglow Educator Janice
Pickup available at 415 North Lake Boulevard
Usually ready in 24 hours
SummerLite
LZ / 5'6
415 North Lake Boulevard
415 North Lake Boulevard
Tahoe City CA 96145
United States
Choose a Tent
Choose between a semi-freestanding (Hornet OSMO 1P), or trekking pole tent (String Ridge VST 1.5) for the lightest shelters available.
String Ridge VST 1.5 UL Tent
"The String Ridge VST 1.5 is fantastically light and offers a secure feeling inside the tent. Unlike a tarp shelter or other ultralight options, it has a full "bathtub" floor and bug netting. It's full-featured nature made it an easy transition from freestanding tents and I unlocked profound weight savings."
- Alpenglow Educator, Max.
Pickup available at 415 North Lake Boulevard
Usually ready in 24 hours
String Ridge VST 1.5 UL Tent
415 North Lake Boulevard
415 North Lake Boulevard
Tahoe City CA 96145
United States
Two-Person Tents
Choose the Hornet tents for lighter, semi-freestanding options. The Copper Spur and Dragonfly are fantastic freestanding options. Click "View all" for three-person and family tents.
Copper Spur UL2 Tangelo
"My first choice for a freestanding tent. You pay a small weight penalty when choosing a freestanding tent, but the comfort and ease is well worth it. The Copper Spur has vertical tent walls that offer great headroom and keep dew off your gear when tent walls are wet. You'll love the easy setup with no guylines."
- Alpenglow Educator, Max.
Pickup currently unavailable at 415 North Lake Boulevard
Copper Spur UL2 Tangelo
415 North Lake Boulevard
415 North Lake Boulevard
Tahoe City CA 96145
United States
Featherweight Emergency Gear
At less than 200 grams each and packing down to the size of a water bottle, having a Deploy puffy and Guardian Air shell in your pack is a huge confidence boost.
M Deploy Down Hoody
"At just 170 grams, this is the lightest down puffy on the market. 1000 fill power down means the is surprisingly light for the weight. Packing down to the size of a water bottle, a Deploy puffy in your pack is a huge confidence boost in the backcountry."
- Alpenglow Educator, Max.
Pickup currently unavailable at 415 North Lake Boulevard
M Deploy Down Hoody
Pewter / M
415 North Lake Boulevard
415 North Lake Boulevard
Tahoe City CA 96145
United States
Cold-soaking Essentials
Yep, no stove when fastpacking. Choose meals that are designed to be served cool, like the salads and bowls from Good to Go. All you need is a long spoon.
Ultralight Essentials
Learn More
Properly fitting your multi-day backpacking pack is crucial for comfort and efficiency on the trail. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you achieve the perfect fit for your backpacking pack.
Base weight is the combined weight of your backpacking gear minus all consumables, like food, water, and fuel. Understanding your base weight helps you plan for how far you can go, how fast you can...
How to Choose an Ultralight Tent
This quick guide has everything you need to make the right choice on what is often the single heaviest thing you will carry with you: your tent. Learn the difference between freestanding and semi f...
More kits?
Shop the Men's Running Kit
Shop our men's running kit curated with top apparel and gear picks. Curated by Brendan and Luke.