GEAR REVIEW and My Favorite Gear #2 Will Rietveld's Mountain SuperUltraLight Gear List

I launch my new Favorite Gear series by providing my summertime Mountain SuperUltraLight (MSUL) gear list. It’s focused on summertime backpacking in the mountains, as explained in my 7-part Backpacking Light article on Mountain SuperUltraLight Backpacking. Normally SuperUltraLight (SUL) backpacking has a base pack weight under 5 pounds, but MSUL adds an extra pound to provide the extra shelter, insulation, and rain protection needed to be comfortable and secure while backpacking SUL in the mountains. The target base pack weight of MSUL is under 6 pounds.

Category	Gear Selection	Weight (oz)	Details
Packing	Gossamer Gear Murmur pack	10.80	2014 model, 2200 cubic inches
	Lite Trail NyloBarrier Packliner	1.50	Plus oven roasting bag for front pocket
Sleeping	Montbell Down Hugger 900 #2 sl. bag	23.65	23F, 900 fill-power down
	Kooka Bay Inflatable Torso Pad	5.30	3/4 length
Shelter	Six Moon Designs Deschutes Tarp	10.30	Enclosed shelter w 6 Ti stakes, guylines, groundsheet
Cooking	Trail Designs Caldera Keg-F	5.80	Alcohol system. Includes plastic drink cup
	Sea To Summit Short Handled Spoon	0.30	Anodized aluminum
Water	Steripen Freedom UL	2.65	Filters to 0.1 micron
	1-gal Smelly Proof plastic sealable bag	0.40	For treating water with Steripen
	Sawyer flask, 1 Liter	0.80	For camp water or extra water on the trail
Ditty Bag	Photon II, toothbrush, pills, 1st aid, sunscreen, bug repellent, TP system, ear plugs, writing paper, pencil stub, backup water treatment	3.90	Misc. small items in a Cuben Fiber sack
Rain/Wind Gear	Montbell Versalite Pant	3.95	Rain pant
	Berghaus Vapourlight Hypersmock 2.0	3.20	Rain jacket
	ZPacks Cuben Fiber Rain Mitts	0.80	Rain mitts
Clothing Carried	Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Jacket	4.80	1000 fill-power down
	REI Silk long john bottom	3.20	Lightest long johns available
	Rab MeCo 165 Glove Liner	1.00	Wool and Cocona
	WindTech Windstopper Hat	1.40	Ear flaps, Velcro chin tab
	Possum Down Socks	2.29	Midweight, sleeping socks
	Berghaus Vapourlight Jacket	6.00	Reversible insulated jacket
Subtotal	Base Pack Weight	92.04	5.75 pounds

As you can see my base pack weight is well under 6 pounds, so I can opt for a more comfortable sleeping pad if I want and still keep under the weight limit.

Following articles will focus on my selection for each piece of gear, and it will include good alternatives when they exist. I won’t restrict my gear picks to MSUL limits, so I will also highlight alternatives that will fit within the UL base weight limit of 10 pounds. With the gear choices we have nowadays, it is very easy to design a gear kit that is well within the UL weight limit.