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Although your local or online retailer likely carries an array of backpacking and camping utensils sure to satisfy even the most advanced culinary ideas, most of us that don't work as a chef for a living can attain backcountry mealtime prowess with the simplest of choices and without cluttering or weighing down our pack. Here are my thoughts on the main players in this department and what I've found has worked best over the years.

A selection of backpacking utensils
The Backpacking Spoon
Perhaps utilized mostly for liquids at home, a backpacking spoon serves most mealtime purposes well on ultralight backpacking trips where most meals are made all-in-one style in the pot, freezer bag, or as freeze dried meals, and while those meals might not be soup the consistency is almost always easily scooped and eaten with a spoon. The backpacking spoon is also great if stored inside your food bag in that you're guaranteed that it won't ruin your Opsak if you're using one like me.

The long-handled spoon is perhaps, the most versatile backcountry utensil you can choose.
The Fork
While a staple off the trail, very rarely have I found myself longing for a fork when it comes to camp cutlery on the trail. Only on those few times I've cooked something more extravagant like steak the first night out has a fork been desirable, but steak on the trail or something similar is a rare, special occasion event indeed. In fact, while I have taken the lightest fork in the kitchen drawer backpacking a couple times, I’ve never purchased a dedicated backpacking fork, and hence no photo here. However, Vargo makes a very nice titanium fork and spoon set that is worth a look if you desire a more complete backcountry cutlery set.
The Spork
If you really can't decide between a fork and a spoon and don't want to carry both, one of the many sporks on the market can be an obvious choice. However, the spork’s short tines make it less than ideal as a fork and the same tines make for tough going in soup mode. I've used several throughout the years from offerings like the Toaks spork to a nylon spork (and spatula / knife combo) from Guyot Designs, but no matter which you choose the spork is a jack of all trades...while specializing in none. Combo spoon and fork options are also available that look to seek the best of both worlds in a single implement. If you do decide to go with a spork, I'd suggest going with something like the long handled Snow Peak spork (view at REI) to make eating out of freeze dried meals easier.

A backpacking spork offers a jack of all trades, master of none solution.
The Knife
You're most likely already carrying this, and thus no extra knife is needed for hiking purposes. A multifunction Swiss Army knife (I carry the Victorinox Evolution 17 which offers a nice blend of trail features without going overboard) does the job for tough to open packaging and for slicing up such backpacking treats as cheese and summer sausage...and these types of knives will usually even have a can opener if you ever end up taking some old school backpacking food like we did back in the day.
Specialty Utensils
Many other specialty utensils fill those outfitter shelves in nearly every form, color, and material from spatulas to foons to whisks and more (I am still waiting on an ultralight titanium potato masher myself), but these are very rarely needed for the average backpacker and work-arounds are easy enough with standard choices making your pack that much lighter. If you're headed out on a car camping or base camp excursion with a more elaborate camp cooking itinerary, by all means take multiple utensils as well as a bamboo cutting board and the kitchen sink, but for backpacking purposes where your camping gear needs to be light, simple is usually best.

No matter what utensil you prefer, look for something that won't weigh you down, won't complicate meal time, and is durable.
My Approach
In the end, after having tested camping utensils of every kind you can imagine over the years, I've found a spoon in the material of your choice – titanium, aluminum, and plastic are the most popular, to be best for backpacking purposes. You should be able to target something in the under 1 ounce weight range here.
I always go for titanium when it comes to backpacking cookware for its light weight, inertness, ability to sanitize over flame, as well as longevity and strength – titanium utensils offer almost the same light weight of plastic utensils, but add welcomed durability (utensils made from aluminum are not far behind). Other options like the GSI Essential spoon (view at REI) fall somewhere in between plastic and metal utensils with a nylon-silicone construction. A spoon combined with a small knife of the Swiss Army variety (or whatever knife you are carrying) will make a very versatile combo that keeps you prepared for nearly any backpacking meal.
Of spoon varieties (or even if you go for a fork or spork), long handled varieties are my favorite as they allow for getting to the bottom of freeze dried meals or freezer bags easily without getting food on your hands. Long handled varieties probably won't pack inside your cook pot though, but I just stash mine inside an Ursack and inside a Ziploc bag. I don't like folding varieties here – more nooks and crannies for food to accumulate and thwart cleaning efforts.

The best long handled spoon I've used is the no longer produced Ti-ware polished titanium spoon from REI, but Toaks makes a nice current day alternative with just a polished bowl – the polishing is both easier to clean and more friendly on your teeth than the rough surface of non-polished offerings.

A comparison of titanium spoons with polished and unpolished bowls. Titanium offers a slight upgrade compared to aluminum utensils.
And since I've lost the old REI offering somewhere along the way, I now use the Toaks long handled titanium spoon – a ~$10 investment here at Amazon or over at REI, that will last forever, along with my trusty Swiss Army knife on every trip. Thus and in conclusion, any small knife combined with a long handled spoon in your material of choice will leave you very well prepared for just about any backpacking meal. You can view an extensive list of backpacking and camping utensils which you can sort and filter by many of the points we've discussed above here at REI.com.

Performing a few simple yet vital tasks, our choice of a backpacking pot is one item that the rest of our cooking gear will frequently revolve around, especially if you like to pack your entire cooking kit inside your pot. A backpacking pot serves as a vessel in which we can prepare our backcountry meals and heat or even sanitize water if needed – and despite being such a simple item it is not one easily replaced.
In fact, if one were only allowed to take a few items of gear into the backcountry a good pot would be near the top of one’s list. This article will cover basics on backpacking cookware selection while focusing on the main player in this department – the backpacking pot – as we’ve already covered mug selection and backpacking utensils at the aforementioned links.

An assortment of titanium backpacking cookware
Backpacking Pot Capacity
With options out there in nearly every shape and size, the first step in narrowing down our cookware selection process is choosing the right capacity. In this regard we want to go with the smallest backpacking cook pot that will adequately cover our cooking needs, since weight increases with capacity. For solo use, pots or mug / pot combos in the range of 600-900ml are usually ideal for weight conscious backpackers. Sizes on the low end of this range will serve one well when it comes to boiling water for a freeze dried meal or for freezer bag style cooking, but if you like to cook simple meals in your pot, larger options are suggested.
In these sizes many options will be of the mug / pot combo variety, like the Toaks 750 or the MLD 850. These choices, while often being on the large side for a mug and on the small side for a pot, can save some weight and keep your camp kitchen simple by having only one vessel, whether it’s needed for morning coffee or meal preparation. In many cases and if you so chose (and get the sizing right), you could potentially even fit a fuel canister inside your mug / pot combo for packing, ending up with a very compact camp kitchen setup. For more involved meals it may pay to go with a larger, dedicated cook pot however along with a smaller dedicated mug.

The Toaks 550 cup / mug / pot combo in titanium
For groups of 2 or more however it will be time to move to a dedicated mug for each person, but a single pot can still be shared if desired. Here it pays to increase capacity as we’ll be boiling more water at once and having a pot that can handle this capacity will increase efficiency. Generally, unless appetites are limited and you plan to split single meals, moving into the 1000ml / 1liter + capacity range is needed, and it’s nice to have a little buffer to lessen the chance of spilling or boiling over. For 2 person trips the Evernew 1.3 liter pot has been about right for me, not only for basic meal preparation but this 1.25-1.5 liter range works very well for a wider range of cooking needs, from boiling water for 2 freeze dried meals, to cooking up a pasta dish right in the pot, or for comfortably heating water for an entire Nalgene.
For larger groups you will simply increase the capacity from here, although you can use your normal 2 person pot with multiple boils for the occasional group trip if needed. This won’t be convenient for meals that are made in your pot, but can work for boiling water to go around for meals that just need hot water. At some point however it may pay to take separate cooking gear for speed, convenience, and for requiring less group coordination – and large pots are difficult to pack.
Additionally, larger pots may also be too unstable, or too heavy when filled, to work with your stove of choice – suggested maximum pot sizes can often be found in your stove user manual. Solo or in a group, one situation where you will want to step up in capacity is if you’ll be going winter backpacking and melting snow for water – with low water content in snow it can take a lot of snow melting to get those water bottles filled.

The Evernew 900 titanium pot is a good size for 2 people that need to boil water for freeze-dried meals.
Backpacking Pots & Camp Cookware Features
Once you’ve decided upon the right capacity, there are a few other features to look for in the cookware department. One of the most important is shape. If you’re going solo and choose a pot / mug combo option, your pot will probably end up looking like a large mug. However, when choosing a dedicated pot something shallower and wider is desirable over a skinny and tall form factor and the wider pot will be able to use more heat from your stove and increase your fuel efficiency on the trail.
A nice tight fitting lid is essential for further fuel efficiency, as are ways to “handle” your pot. Look for collapsible handles, and if the handles feature an outer insulating material (often for lifting the lid as well) this can be helpful while adding minimal weight. However, ultralight cookware will often omit this feature to save weight, and in this case you can still handle the pot with a pot holder (bandanna, etc.) and / or by always making sure to configure your handles upwind.
If you’ll be cooking more complex meals in your pot quite often a non-stick coating can be helpful, but may have health considerations or concerns for some, will add weight, and can scratch if the proper utensils or cleaning methods are not used. The ability to perform cooking tasks such as dry baking would also be limited. Additional features to look for include measurement marks stamped right on the pot to make meal preparation easier, and a built in pour spout is a nice to have for spill reduction when you’ll be transferring hot water to another vessel. This could be the case when heating up water for a Nalgene bottle to make a shoulder season heater for example.

A pour spout can make all the difference when adding water to freeze dried or freezer bag meals.
Cookware Materials
While exceptions exist, most of the time for backpacking purposes we’ll be deciding between two materials – aluminum and titanium. Titanium will be the most expensive option, but is very light and strong, allowing pots constructed of this material to be of a very thin gauge. And while debatable, if aluminum cookware poses a health concern / consideration to you, titanium would be the way to go.
For actual cooking, with its thin gauge construction and tendency to develop hotspots, titanium can be challenging, but not impossible to use if you’ll be performing more complex trail cooking tasks in the pot like trying to bake a trail pizza, simmering, or when cooking less watery meals where burning is more likely to occur than with aluminum pots. Stainless steel pots can be found (such as the MSR Alpine series), however a stainless steel pot will be most ideal in a base camp or car camping type scenario due to weight considerations.

An aluminum pot, such as the Sea to Summit Frontier series, will conduct heat across the pot surface more evenly and distribute the heat better, while still being pretty light, and cheaper. In the end the best material to choose comes down to budget and personal preference / style. If you're car camping you might as well just take the traditional heavy stainless steel cook set or the cast iron cookware from the kitchen cabinet, but for backpacking purposes it's best to stick with lightweight aluminum or titanium pots.
Backpacking Cookware: Optional Items
Once you’ve settled on a pot, a mug (or pot that can also be used in this regard), and your utensil of choice about the only thing left to consider might be a plate or bowl of some type. If you’re making freeze dried meals no plate will be needed as you’ll be eating right out of the bag, and if you’re solo eating out of the pot or eating freezer bag style will certainly save you the weight and extra cleanup of bringing a dedicated solution here. Lids of larger pots can be used, and mugs can perform double duty, but if a dedicated plate or bowl is still needed various solutions like the popular Fozzils Bowls are worth a look, and other options include this Snow Peak titanium option. This category is a bit of a luxury however, so it pays to go as light as you can or accomplish this task with your other cookware if possible and if weight is a concern.

For the solo backpacker, pot / mug combos can work well.
Conclusion
Whether you end up with an ultralight titanium mug / pot combo for the lightest trail weight or the slightly heavier anodized aluminum pot sure to be great the next time you need to sauté a side dish in camp, much like a good down sleeping bag outdoor cookware is one area where it does makes sense to invest. Of all the things I pack on backpacking trips and while a lot of gear changes over time, I still often pack the same titanium pot and mug that I’ve been using for over a decade.
For a list of backpacking cookware that you can sort and filter by many of the options we’ve discussed above, take a look at this page at REI.

If you’re not thinking about your tent stakes on your next backpacking trip, it’s probably a good sign that you’ve chosen the right ones. If your stakes aren’t a good match for the ground and conditions at hand however, you could be in for a difficult shelter setup process and perhaps even for a long night. With a myriad of lightweight tent stakes on the market to choose from, there’s likely a specific tent stake for every condition you’ll encounter, as well as others that will perform well across a variety of conditions without specializing in any particular one.
The best backpacking tent stake may not be the same for every trip, and is one that meets our own individual approach in regards to durability, ease of use, effectiveness, weight, and price.

From left to right: Sheperd's hook, MSR Carbon Core, MSR Groundhog, and 2 examples of aluminum tubular stakes.
Backpacking Tent Stake Materials
Tent stakes can be made from a variety of materials from high grade aluminum like the popular MSR Groundhog stakes, to titanium, plastic, and carbon fiber…or a combination of these materials as you can find in the MSR Carbon Core offering. For backpacking purposes, tent stakes are a bit of a conundrum; they need to be both lightweight, and very strong. Heavier weight titanium and aluminum offerings will generally be the most durable and are the best choice if you’ll be setting up camp in heavily used compacted tent sites, where you might have to coax the stake into the ground by hammering them in.
On the flipside, you’ll need to handle ultralight tent stakes of the carbon fiber variety for instance, with a little more care. Most of us end up with something of a compromise between the two extremes, like a tubular aluminum design that has been found in the (now antiquated) Easton Nano, or an aluminum Y-type tent stake. Stakes made of stiffer more brittle material can fail by breaking, sometimes in rather spectacular fashion by becoming a flying projectile along with a resounding ping sound, while other stakes will bend instead of, or prior to breaking.

Tent stake design varies widely, and the best tent stake will vary depending on the conditions at hand.
Backpacking Tent Stake Design
Other than specialized options like snow and sand stakes, design of the stake is mostly related to how well it will hold in the ground vs. ease of use. Popular varieties include the aforementioned MSR Groundhog Y-shaped stakes, needle style stakes, V-shaped stakes, and tubular stakes. Y stakes and V-stakes offer very good holding power and are usually quite strong, but with their sharp edges they can be difficult or painful to use on the hands. Additionally, while these are some of the strongest stakes out there, when they do fail, the failures I’ve observed have been breakages. This is offset a bit by the one piece design however – there’s nothing to come apart.

Tubular stakes like the Easton Nano that still remains heavily used have a two piece design, where the top is glued / epoxied onto the aluminum tube, and these stakes will bend in my experience, prior to breaking when too much force is used on hard ground. However, being a two piece design, they can also come apart (but at the right angle can still be used for the rest of a trip). Like many things, they will often fail in this manner right away or last quite a while, so it’s not a bad idea to test at home first. With all stakes, but with these two piece types of stakes especially, it pays to first move the stake side to side to loosen before removal from difficult ground.
Ultralight shepherd’s hook stakes don’t offer as much holding power as the varieties we’ve covered so far, and can spin in place if you’re unable to get them all the way in, but they are often quite sufficient and are my favorite stakes for frozen ground, where the thin, needle like profile allows for easy insertion and removal, and in frozen ground any stake you can get into the ground will hold very well. Nail stakes would be another option here, and can also be used to first create a pilot hole for a larger stake like an Easton or Groundhog. It’s a bit of a double edged sword in this regard: thin stakes can’t be hammered into harder ground without bending, but the thin profile may keep you from having to do so.

Ultralight titanium shepherd's hook stakes weigh in the ~.2 ounce range
No matter the design of the stake you choose to go with, longer stakes will always offer more holding ability while of course being a bit heavier. The standard stake length is usually around 6 inches, and generally this is a good choice and balance of weight to holding power for most situations. Going with a longer stake like the 10” Dirt Dagger stakes for soft ground, or in areas of heavy forest duff in order to get into the better soil underneath can be helpful on some trips or for larger tents and shelters that place a lot of tension on the guylines.
Other Considerations
One at times overlooked aspect of a tent stake is color. From experience, I can tell you that going with a neutral colored, earth-toned tent stake will quickly lead to you having to buy more tent stakes in short order. Bright colors are the way to go here, or if needed you can attach a loop of brightly colored, or even reflective cord to an existing stake. Additionally, a great trick for those grey titanium shepherd’s hook stakes is to mold a section of heat shrink tubing in the color of your choice to the hook of the stake, although many now come partially painted for visibility.
Weight wise, no matter the stake you decide to go with or whatever design you prefer, for backpacking use we still need to keep it light. In almost all circumstances we can find a lightweight tent stake that will meet our needs and still weigh under an ounce each, with many options being right around the half ounce mark…and some lower like the MSR Carbon Core stakes or many titanium shepherd’s hook stakes. Even on the heavier end of these weights, it’s possible to pick up a full set of decent stakes that will hold your tent down, without weighing you down on the trail.

Clockwise starting at 2 o'clock, a comparison of ultralight titanium shepherd's hook, Easton Nano, MSR Carbon Core, and MSR Groundhog stakes
My Approach
Over the years, I’ve found that there is no one tent stake to rule them all. As such, over time I’ve accumulated a small collection of stakes, and will mix it up based on the type of trip, the type of shelter I’ll be using, and the weather. Frequently, I may even mix and match different stakes for a single trip as well. For 3-season backpacking use my go to tent stake has been the MSR Carbon Core for the past several years (find our full review here). Despite its two piece design (and price), this is a great option if you like the weight of ultralight titanium shepherd’s hook stakes, but would like a better hold in less than ideal ground conditions.

These ultralight stakes, at .2 ounces per stake, can weigh under 2 ounces for a set, and offer good holding power for most ground, sufficient durability with a little thought, and as a bonus the whole design and top is easy on the hands. Since these stakes are expensive however, I will often mix in some titanium shepherd’s hook stakes for a shelter that needs a lot of stakes or for those additional tie-outs, and during winter or cold conditions when I know frozen ground will be encountered, I will go a full set of shepherd’s hook stakes which are much easier to use in frozen ground with their thin profile.
If I know I’ll be encountering very soft ground, or if I’ll be using a shelter that puts a lot of tension on guylines like the Tarptent Hogback, I will then go with larger and heavier stakes I have on hand all around, or will use them on select guylines where the most tension will be seen, combined with lighter stakes in other areas. In conditions where you need it, a longer stake is the way to go. I do not use any snow stakes – in these situations I will use a freestanding tent, and when needed, use snow anchors made from snowshoes or trekking poles instead.

Choosing the best backpacking tent stake is a compromise between weight, durability, and holding power.
Final Thoughts on Backpacking Tent Stakes
In the end, every tent stake has its own share of pros and cons, and so many different options exist precisely for this reason. In this regard – while I’m always trying to simplify and pare down my overall collection of gear to keep things simple and keep only what I really need, different tent stakes are one category where it’s always nice to have a variety of choices on hand, so that you’re able to mix and match for a customized best approach on different trips or even on the same backpacking trip when desired.
For a nice list and wide variety of currently available tent and shelter stakes to choose from, take a look here at REI.com.

A good light for backpacking and hiking is a required and essential safety item and a category for which there are no shortage of options available – and considering the convenience and hands-free operation provided, headlamps are the most popular option for your backcountry lighting needs. What follows is an overview of features to consider when selecting a headlamp for the outdoors and thoughts on lighting needs for the trail.

A headlamp for backpacking and hiking should be lightweight, easy to use, and have a reasonable combination of run time and brightness.
The Backpacking / Hiking Headlamp
With headlamps offered in a variety of weight classes and with light output ranging from barely capable of illuminating a camp for basic tasks, to headlamps that could be bright enough to double as an airplane landing light, some form of balance must be sought in this regard. For hiking and backpacking we need a headlamp that checks a few boxes – a headlamp should be lightweight, bright enough for both trail and camp, have acceptable battery life, be easy to use at 3AM in the morning, and be durable and waterproof.
While these are the basics, other features can undoubtedly be nice to have. With USB connections and power outlets tough to come by in the wilderness, some way to lockout the light to prevent the light accidentally turning on inside your pack during the day and draining the battery is a great feature to have. Locking out the light, if equipped, can be performed through a manual switch or power button sequence, or – as is the case with the Zebralight H53w that I use, simply by unscrewing the battery compartment cap slightly. Whatever method here, you’ll be assured that you have light at the end of the day and peace of mind on the trail, but this is also something that needs to be easy to do – nobody wants to have to fully remove and insert batteries daily.

With LED headlamps dominating the market, these days it’s pretty easy to find headlamps that are both bright and light(weight). Usually something in the 3-5 ounce range – with batteries – is a good range to target. Lighter options do exist (example the Petzl e+LITE) but usually sacrifices will need to be made in regard to light output, battery life, comfort, or all 3. Heavier than this range and we are generally looking at headlamps that might be better suited for other activities and will begin to take up more pack space.
Look for a headlamp that is comfortable and waterproof as well – I at times wear my headlamp from dusk to dawn – a wide and adjustable headband helps here and this is another area where lightweight lights have the benefit of less bounce and just less to wear. For water resistance, some headlamps can oddly be lacking so it’s good to check the spec sheet here, and the more waterproof the better – some headlamps may only be splash resistant. Others have a waterproof main housing, but the battery compartment could still get wet in the rain and will have to be dried out later if this happens.
In the power department you have a few choices and many headlamps are available that can utilize standard batteries or rechargeable batteries, have a built-in rechargeable battery, or can use both in some cases. If you’ll be taking frequent trips throughout the year, I’ve found rechargeable headlamps to be ideal. When using disposable batteries in the past (Energizer lithium batteries are high performers), I’ve inevitably ended up, after a few trips, with a collection of batteries in unknown states of partial charge. When using rechargeable batteries or rechargeable headlamps, all one has to do is charge things up before a trip and you can start your trip on a full charge every time, and without having to take along too many spares.

Photo: Mark Wetherington
However both a disposable or rechargeable approach can obviously work. Keep in mind that many headlamps with built-in rechargeable batteries will lose capacity over time. With my headlamp of choice using a single AA battery, I go with Sanyo Eneloop batteries that are both replaceable and rechargeable and spares are easy to bring along. This is especially helpful during shoulder season and winter trips when daylight is limited and I find myself using my light much more. Either way, output of the light will be, depending on the light itself, regulated or unregulated. A regulated light will maintain a more consistent output of light over the life of the battery at the cost of overall time. Unregulated lights will gradually diminish the light output as the battery discharges, but will frequently have extremely impressive run time specs (at least on paper), but many of these hours will be at a quite dim light output.
Lumens and Light Temperature for Hiking & Backpacking
But how bright of a headlamp do we need? It all comes with tradeoffs, and more light means less battery life. A light with a wide range of adjustment, and that you can easily and intuitively adjust is ideal in this regard. For basic hiking on a trail at night, I’ve found about 50 lumens or more to be a good target number. You won’t be able to see far, but you will be able to see your feet, the trail, and a bit of the trail ahead.

Around camp, lower light levels are called for and perhaps 25 lumens will do for performing some camp chores in darkness. Once in the tent, a light output of just about as low as possible can be very nice to have for not blowing out your night vision and when you only need to find things very close at hand. This level of light can be obtained in a couple ways. One strategy is for a lower output, secondary red light to be designed into the headlamp, the red light being especially helpful for preserving night vision.
The other method is to simply have an extremely low mode and level of light built into the regular LED in the order of just a few lumens. I’ve found both approaches to work about equally as well. For off trail, searching for a blaze in the distance, or any time you need to see as far as possible high modes are needed – over 150 lumens. Some lights on the market today can output many times more than even this figure. For a backpacking light however, where battery sizes are smaller and we’re looking to go as light as possible, these modes will quickly drain batteries and are best used only for short periods of time as needed, with lower modes preferred for all around use.

For checking the map in the tent at night, low levels of light are called for.
On longer trips, more battery life is always better and can vary greatly by season. While in the summer I can make a single battery in an AA headlamp last for a weeklong trip, I might be going through an entire battery in a couple nights in late November. Taking along a spare battery, or a way to recharge a rechargeable headlamp with a built-in battery (battery pack or solar charger) in the field is one way to know you’ll always have battery power and if you have a headlamp with a battery level indicator like the Black Diamond Spot, all that much better.
Light color is another factor to consider. Possible red LED aside, headlamps on the market today are made of mostly cool white LEDs that are brighter on the spec sheet, but may be a little cold and on the blue side for some. Other warmer LED headlamps are also out there that provide light more like an incandescent light bulb and render colors more naturally. Some brightness will normally be sacrificed however. Other LEDs emit a light in the neutral category; somewhere in between. It all comes down to personal preference in this regard.
Beam pattern of the main LED is also something that should be evaluated. Beam types are most often full flood, or a combination hot spot (a brighter, longer distance center spot) combined with a dimmer flood pattern (spill) around the hot spot. Full flood lights can serve one around camp well and illuminate wider areas with brighter light, but less far. Hotspot / spill lights do sacrifice some close-in illumination coverage but will help in finding that next blaze at a distance. Other lights, like the Princeton Tec Axis, have an adjustable beam pattern and some lights may use multiple selectable LEDs to achieve this effect.

Center hotspot and spill example
Lanterns and Flashlights
Other lighting can be nice to have for camp if you don’t mind packing the extra weight, and on some more relaxed trips I have been known to bring along a Snow Peak Hozuki mini lantern for the tent at night – especially nice for a little reading on long winter nights. Any spare light you bring along is not always frivolous and can improve the camp experience a bit while serving as a backup light source as well. Flashlights can be useful on the trail – automatically by being held lower to the ground more shadows are created that can help when navigating bumpy trails. However, a headlamp can also be held and used like this or attached to one’s waist for the same effect.
Final Thoughts on Backpacking & Hiking Headlamps
Overall, the best backpacking and hiking headlamp might be the one you think about the least on the trail and a myriad of options are available – finding the perfect solution in this category is often a result of a series of compromises and finding the best balance in regard to your own lighting preferences. For a list of outdoor-ready headlamps that you can sort and filter by many of the considerations and features discussed above, check out this page at REI.

Finding a great backpacking sleeping pad is the next logical step in getting your backpacking gear all set once you’ve decided on the big 3 (tent, sleeping bag, backpack). The sleeping pad rounds out what’s known as the big 4 in backpacking – and this list makes up some of the most important gear you’ll carry, both in regards to its importance on the trail, and includes the most expensive and usually heaviest items where the most weight can be saved.

In this guide, we’ll look at the best backpacking sleeping pads that you can find on the market today. Note that in this guide, we’ll list the specs for the regular size if possible (generally 72x20 inches) and list the r-value as well – the higher the value the warmer the pad.
Best Summer & Ultralight Backpacking Sleeping Pads
For those that are looking to focus on a summer season specific sleeping pad and / or are looking for an ultralight solution for warmer seasons, there are a few standout choices on the market that weigh less than a pound.
First, if you’re a backpacker just looking for set and forget type reliability and if you’re the type of sleeper that can find comfort in just about any flat place, the venerable closed cell foam sleeping pad could work, and will save some cash as well. The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL (14 ounces, $60, 2.0 r-value), is a folding foam pad that makes packing easier (but as a foam pad, still bulky). This pad is a little light on the r-value, but would be sufficient for summer trips with moderate lows well above freezing.

The NEMO Switchback folding pad (15 ounces, $60, 2.0 r-value) is a competing option in this regard and worth equal consideration. For more, see our review of the NEMO Switchback. These foam pads are also great as a sit pad outside the tent and on breaks during the hiking day.
Most backpackers will want more sleeping comfort than a foam pad can offer however. For the lightest of the ultralight insulated inflatable sleeping pads, look no further than to the NEMO Tensor Elite (9 ounces, $230, 2.4 r-value). This new for 2025 pad will offer warmth for summer trips above freezing for most people and offers inflatable comfort, albeit in a mummy shape – this pad is all about saving weight. It should be noted that this pad utilizes 10 denier shell fabrics; extra care will need to be exercised.
NEMO also offers their Tensor Trail Ultralight (14 ounces, $180, 2.8 r-value) that doesn’t quite have the warmth to weight of some of their other pads that we’ll discuss later, but this pad is a bit lighter and makes this category.

The NEMO valve system allows for easy inflation, deflation, and fine-tuning of comfort level.
Exped has offered some of our favorite sleeping pads over the years, and in this category they offer their 1R and 3R pads, with both coming in either mummy or rectangular designs. The Exped Ultra 1R mummy sleeping pad (11 ounces, $120, 1.3 r-value) isn’t insulated, and with this low of an r-value this will only be suitable for the warmest of summer trips.

Ever since the Synmat series, Exped has offered value and all-around sleeping pad performance.
To me, the Exped Ultra 3R insulated pad (13 ounces, 2.9 r-value, $140) is a much more interesting pad. I’ve taken predecessors of this pad down to freezing or just a bit below, and lower than that combined with a thin ultralight foam pad (1/8" CCF foam). Again, Exped makes a rectangular 3R as well, but at a pound we are perhaps delving into the category to follow.

I've found that quilted construction in a sleeping pad (as seen above), or vertical baffles (baffles running head to toe) are the most comfortable and help to keep you on the pad. With a wide enough sleeping pad it's not a deal breaker.
However for me the leader in this category would be the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT (13 ounces, $210, 4.5 r-value) and this is an interesting pad because it’s also a leader in our next category as well. This pad has the ultralight weight that puts it in this category, and with the 4.5 r-value you likely won’t need to worry about warmth on summer trips. Looking for an ultralight pad for fast and light summer trips but that also packs warmth for the shoulder seasons? It’s a tall task to beat this pad for that type of use case.
Summary: Best Summer & Ultralight Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL
NEMO Switchback
NEMO Tensor Elite
NEMO Tensor Trail Ultralight
Exped Ultra 1R
Exped Ultra 3R
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
Best 3-Season and All-Around Sleeping Pads
This is your all-around, bread and butter sleeping pad category. While weights may not be the most ultralight due to the needed increase of r-value for 3-season and shoulder season temperatures, recent advances in sleeping pad technology (it all started with the original Therm-a-Rest NeoAir) have allowed for some very intriguing options to hit the market. Weights here are generally around a pound or just a little more, with insulation that should be good to freezing or a bit below.

Choices in this category can be quickly narrowed down to just a few options. The best options include the NEMO Tensor All Season sleeping pad (around $200, 1lb) which is an excellent choice for 3-season use where warmth is appreciated, but it still might get chilly to below freezing at night with a possible cold snap taking things down to the 20s or below, or for cold sleepers any time of the year. With a 5.4 r-value and a rectangular sleeping shape, this pad has a warmth to weight to sleeping and packing space ratio that would have seemed impossible a decade ago. The NEMO Tensor All Season is my pick as the top overall sleeping pad currently on the market.

For those looking to save more weight, the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT ($210, 13 ounces in the regular mummy, 4.5 r-value) again gets the weight down to an even more ultralight level with sufficient warmth for 3-season trips, and will save some space in the tent and pack if needed. This pad is also available in a rectangular shape – the NeoAir NXT MAX, which would be my choice if going with the NeoAir in this category, for the additional comfort. While the NeoAir line comes with an inflation bag that works well, it’s unfortunately not adequate to utilize as a dry sack for gear, as can be found in the Exped Schnozzel. That said it is included, and any inflatable pad these days should come with some type of inflation bag / solution.

Inflation bag included with NEMO sleeping pads
The great thing about these two pads is that they are light enough to be very justifiable for summer trips, have the warmth needed for shoulder season use, and can even be used for winter backpacking if you add in a foam pad to your system to boost the total r-value.
It must be noted that new for 2026, Exped will be releasing their Ultra 6.5R sleeping pad line (16 ounces, $200) which takes their venerable synthetically-insulated sleeping pads and also adds in reflective foil to boost warmth. These pads are not released yet, however this line looks to be very interesting for those that want to sleep warm and are looking for a lightweight, but perhaps not ultralight, sleeping pad. While at a 6.9 r-value this line will work in the next section as well, the weight specs do put this line in the all-around category.
Summary: Best 3-Season and All-Around Sleeping Pads
NEMO Tensor All Season
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir NXT MAX
Exped Ultra 6.5R Line (Pending)
Best Winter Backpacking Sleeping Pads
If you’re looking for a dedicated winter backpacking sleeping pad however, pads from NEMO and Therm-a-Rest again rise to the top. The NEMO Tensor Extreme Conditions Ultralight Insulated sleeping pad (18 ounces, $250, 8.5 r-value) isn’t the most lightweight in length of name but offers a very impressive weight to r-value specification and comes in multiple shapes and sizes.
The NeoAir XTherm NXT sleeping pad (16 ounces, $240, 7.3 r-value in the regular mummy) from Therm-a-Rest is available in either a weight saving mummy shape (previous link) or in their XTherm MAX version in a larger, more comfortable rectangular version.

These pads are very impressive on the spec sheet and in regards to warmth to weight ratio, achieving a warmth to weight to bulk combo that would have seemed impossible to achieve a couple decades ago. However, I prefer to use my all-around 3-season type sleeping pads combined with foam pads (Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest, etc.) for winter backpacking. The r-values add up, and the foam pad offers some redundancy in extremely cold conditions.
As mentioned in the previous section, another pad to look at will be the Exped Ultra 6.5R line. At a 6.9 r-value this line could be used in winter conditions but at 16 ounces for the standard size would work for your 3-season trips, as well.
Summary: Best Winter Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Tensor Extreme Conditions UL Insulated
NeoAir XTherm NXT
XTherm MAX
Add-on Closed Cell Foam Pads
Exped Ultra 6.5R (Pending)
Best Women’s Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Any sleeping pad in this article can be used by either men or women. There are few women’s specific sleeping pads on the market. These are typically temperature rated such that they will be warmer per a given temperature rating.
Additionally they may be shaped differently (if mummy-shaped) – generally wider in the hips, etc. for a better fit when sleeping and / or offered in shorter versions. Note that you can always use a rectangular sleeping pad for maximum room all around and / or choose a warmer pad and in various widths / lengths.
Regardless for women’s sleeping pads – a market in constant flux – the Sea to Summit Women’s Ether Light XT Insulated (18 ounces, ~$200, 3.5 r-value) offers a plush 4” of height in a women’s specific shape, and would be suitable for most 3-season, typical conditions for an average sleeper (a thin foam pad could be added for a warmth boost).
You might also be able to find a Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus Women’s (23 ounces, under $100 on closeout, 3.9 r-value) – note that the specs are often not listed correctly online – this is an old-school self-inflating foam mattress that offers just 1.5” of height but offers some intrigue. While this is getting a bit heavy, 30 years ago this would have been one of the most comfortable options you could get.
You can find a list of women’s backpacking sleeping pads here at REI Co-op.
Summary: Best Women’s Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Women’s Ether Light XT Insulated
Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus Women’s

Choosing the best backpacking sleeping pad is a series of compromises – it must be comfortable enough and warm enough, but pack small enough and be light enough. This results in a compromise, but in recent years these compromises have been lessened.
Most Comfortable Backpacking Sleeping Pads & Best Wide / Long Options
When comfort is the most important consideration (although keep in mind no matter how cushy, you won’t be comfortable if you’re cold), the Therma-a-Rest NeoLoft sleeping pad ($240) will be hard to beat. This larger air mattress has nearly 5” of height, but is still reasonably backpackable at 25 ounces. With a 4.7 r-value this pad should still keep you warm in 3-season type conditions. If you’re backpacking in, but will then be setting up a basecamp for a few days, this pad might be up your alley.
For me however, I don’t quite need to go up to NeoLoft level to find comfort on the trail and thus can save a bit of weight. I like to look for a pad long enough so my feet don’t hang off the end, and wide enough that as a toss and turn side-sleeper I don’t have to worry about falling off the side. The previously mentioned NEMO Tensor All Season sleeping pad – but in the long wide version, or the NeoAir XLite NXT MAX (in the large) are leading backpacking sleeping pad comfort contenders here. 25” wide pads are appreciated in this regard, along with a pad that is slightly longer than your height combined with a good backpacking pillow.

A good backpacking pillow setup, combined with the right size sleeping pad (NEMO Tensor series shown) will go a long way towards a comfortable night on the trail.
Note that any inflatable sleeping pad will be made warmer and more comfortable if you add a closed cell foam pad underneath. If you’re only using an air pad, you’ll usually want to inflate fairly firmly for more warmth, but if using a foam pad under it you can deflate the pad to a softer firmness while still having sufficient warmth in typical conditions. And, if you toss and turn at night – instead of bottoming out the pad on hard ground, even a thin foam pad will add a surprising amount of cushion for your hips.
It should also be noted that while a very niche item, if you’re looking for a 2 person backpacking sleeping pad the Exped Ultra 3R Duo (29-41 ounces, $250, 2.9 r-value) is an intriguing choice with separate inflation chambers for each person and in Exped fashion, is a compelling choice across the board.
Summary: Most Comfortable Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Therma-a-Rest NeoLoft
NEMO Tensor All Season (in larger sizes)
NeoAir XLite NXT MAX (size large)
Add-on Closed Cell Foam Pads
Exped Ultra 3R Duo (for two)
Best Budget Backpacking Sleeping Pads
If the latest greatest technology and spreadsheet leaders aren’t your thing, more budget-oriented sleeping pads in the $150 or less range are without a doubt quite workable. A venerable choice has been the Exped line – this line has a great valve system, vertical baffles that I find help keep you on the pad, and larger outer baffles to keep you centered. The Exped Ultra 3R insulated sleeping pad (16 ounces, $140, 2.9 r-value) is my choice in this category. This pad is warm enough for 3-season backpacking, can be used as part of a system with additional foam pads in winter, and won’t break the bank. The Ultra line from Exped and their predecessor from Exped (Synmat series) have been part of my backpacking gear repertoire for years, as they offer a nice blend of warmth, weight, comfort, ease of use, and price.

If price however is of paramount importance, look to the Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest, the Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL, or the NEMO Switchback. These foam pads will not be the most comfortable, and depending on the sleeper may only be barely better than nothing in the comfort department, but they do add 3-season warmth and will get the job done for around $60 or less. That said, for deals on usually more expensive inflatable pads from time to time, it’s worth checking at the REI Co-op Outlet.
Summary: Best Budget Backpacking Sleeping Pads
Exped Ultra 3R
Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL
NEMO Switchback
REI Co-op Outlet Sleeping Pads
In Conclusion
Finding the right sleeping pad is important on the trail, both for warmth and for comfort. To some extent this all goes hand in hand – while comfort is more than just warmth, you can’t be comfortable no matter how cushy the sleeping pad if you’re cold. When I look for a sleeping pad I look for the lightest weight sleeping pad that will keep me comfortable and warm on backpacking trips, and one that is also sufficiently durable while meeting the budget while also being easy to use.
You can find a complete selection of backpacking sleeping pads mentioned in this article along with additional choices here at REI Co-op. For more on sleeping pads take a look at our article: Choosing the Best Backpacking Sleeping Pad. For more on the “Big 3” of backpacking gear, see our articles: Best Backpacking Tents by Application and Budget and Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags, as well as our Best Backpacking Backpacks Guide.