1. Best backpack
2. Best tent
3. Best sleeping pad
4. Best sleeping bag
5. Best sleeping bag liner
6. Best pillow
7. Best lantern
8. Best headlamp
9. Best trowel
10. Best camping stove
11. Best pots and pans
12. Best cutlery
13. How we test
The best lightweight camping gear is a blessing. When starting out on our respective backpacking odysseys, many of us will have had the experience of lugging an oppressively heavy backpack up an unrelenting slope just to reach our intended camping spot. Sweating profusely and tired to the bone, we quickly realise that rudimentary kit can be somewhat on the weighty side.
This is why outdoor brands go to great lengths to designs tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, camping stoves and the rest to be as lightweight and packable as possible. Once you start collecting together some of the best lightweight camping gear, you soon feel the difference and enjoy a great sense of freedom on the trail.
Over the years, our expert reviewers have had the privilege of testing some of the finest camping tents, backpacks, stoves and other camping gear from the world's leading brands and we know great kit when we use it. Here, we've distilled this knowledge to bring you this guide to the best lightweight camping gear available in 2024. All the main items on your camping checklist with none of the weight.
The best lightweight camping gear 2024
The best lightweight backpack
Full of features, Osprey's Kyte (women's) and Kestrel (men's) hiking backpacks are ideal for lightweight wild camping adventures, particularly the larger versions. Our backpacking expert Alex Foxfield tested the 38-liter version of the Kestrel, which works well for very minimalist expeditions, though for multi-day treks, he'd recommend the larger capacity versions (48, 58 and 68).
An adjustable back system, complete with Airscape backpanel featuring foam ridges, means the bag is super comfortable to carry, even when fully loaded with bulky and heavy kit. Side straps make it easy to attach walking poles or a sleeping mat on the side, while the roomy top section allows enough space to fit a map and food supplies.
A large side-zip enables you to access the contents of the bag without unloading everything, while a drawcord closure ensures items are stowed safely inside, and the lid easily closes over the rest of the bag. There is also a separate zip to access the sleeping bag compartment, with a removable inner divider. Alex sums things up by saying it's a "lovable backcountry workhorse that won’t let you down".
Read our full Osprey Kestrel 38 review
The best lightweight tent
In 2023, Nemo unveiled its cutting edge Osmo fabric, which it championed as a leap forward in terms of sustainability, weight and performance. We've always been fans of the brand's Hornet series and the revamped Osmo versions are some of the best tents available today. Our expert tester Alex Foxfield reviewed the 3-person version, a semi-freestanding shelter that "just oozes high-end quality, surprising you with the little design touches and the very feel of its fabrics".
Weighing just 1.49kg (3lb 5oz), the 3-person version of the Hornet Osmo is lighter than most of the best 2-person tents, meaning you can opt for this extra living space and not be hampered on the trail. Of course, if you really wanted to shave the grams, there's the one-person version (1.02kg / 2lb 4oz) and the 2-person version (1.14kg / 2lb 8oz).
Read our full Nemo Hornet Osmo Ultralight 3-Person Backpacking Tent review
The best lightweight sleeping pad
Lightweight wild camping adventures don’t need to be uncomfortable – especially if your budget can stretch to an inflatable sleeping mat of such superb quality as the NeoAir XLite NXT sleeping pad. Therm-a-Rest pioneered high-tech inflatable mats, and this model is on of the latest incarnations. The sumptuously comfortable mat is 10cm (3in) thick when inflated.
Our expert tester Pat Kinsella was full of praise when reviewing this excellent mat. The brand say that the mat is six times quieter than its predecessor, by refining the way the mat’s Triangular Core Matrix integrates with the warmth-radiating ThermaCapture technology. On test, Pat found that "the NeoAir XLite NXT proved to be every bit as sumptuous as promised, and I have enjoyed a full and restorative night’s sleep each time I’ve used it".
Read our full Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad review
The best lightweight sleeping bag
Getting a good night’s sleep is important when you’re out in the hills – and getting one of the best sleeping bags is a vital investment. The Neutrino Pro 400 seamlessly blends functionality and performance and justifies its price tag with the use of durable PERTEX Quantum fabric on the outer, so you know the bag will be able to withstand continual usage in environments from mountain bothies to bivvies.
The high-quality 800 fill power goose down (ethically sourced) offers impressive warmth-for-weight as well as packability. This bag’s intended use is as a specialist mountaineering piece, where every gram and cubic inch counts, but it’s too good a sleeping bag to be reserved solely for elite climbers, particularly since so many of the features that enable the Pro to excel in high alpine environments mean it is also brilliant for backpackers and wild campers.
The hydrophobic fill and water-resistant shell makes it far more resistant to moisture than most down bags. Generous length and extra room for the upper torso tapering to a contoured footbox means this is a comfortable bag to lie in, whether you’re perched on a rock ledge or not. Wild camping expert Matthew Jones sums it up beautifully, saying: "the perfect three-season camping cocoon."
Read our full Rab Neutrino Pro 400 sleeping bag review
The best lightweight sleeping bag liner
This excellent sleeping bag liner from Sea to Summit traps body heat, protects your sleeping bag from dirt, sweat and body oils and feels great against the skin. There's a surprising amount of warmth here considering its meagre 268g (9.5oz) weight, which makes it a solid option for backpacking trips. Not only this, it packs down to a tiny 11 x 15cm (4 x 6 in).
Our expert tester Sian Lewis sums things up nicely, saying that it's "perfect if you’re packing light for hike-camp adventures or a wild camping and want to push the temperature you’re cosy at – and all with the quite luxuriously comfy feeling of fleece against the skin".
Read our full Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Liner review
The best lightweight pillow
"An excellent, super-comfortable, ultralight and ridiculously packable inflatable pillow that even the most wickedly weight-conscious trail wanderer and pedantic gram-counting bikepacker will find room for," says our camping expert Pat Kinsella. The Air Head Lite from pioneering brand Therm-a-Rest is the best lightweight camping pillow around.
This inflatable pillow is crafted from rugged, stretch knit polyester and, unlike many inflatable pillows, is gloriously comfortable to lie on and soft against the skin. It's top-notch valve makes it a doddle to inflate and deflate, while it also packs down into a tiny stuff sack for easy transportation. There's nothing not to love here.
Read our full Therm-a-Rest Air Head Lite camping pillow review
The best lightweight headlamp
The Black Diamond Storm 500R is designed for those who are looking for versatility and performance alongside the size and weight of a small unit. Featuring a range of beam settings, as well as strobe and brightness memory, it's got plenty to boast about for such a diminutive headlamp. Our expert tester Alex Foxfield says that he "loved testing it out during runs, hikes and camping trips".
Weighing just 100g, it's no burden at all in a backpack and it's low weight makes it suitable for running too, as well as myriad other uses from mountaineering to camping. Its maximum brightness is 500 lumens, more than enough for finding your way around camp in the wee hours. It features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, so it's worth remembering to bring a power bank.
Alex rounds things off by saying that the 500R is "a super little product that further enhances the already solid reputation Black Diamond's workhorse Storm series".
Read our full Black Diamond Storm 500R review
The best lightweight lantern
"I find myself reaching for the small but perfectly formed Moji lantern again and again," says our expert tester Sian Lewis. This dinky little light is perfect for wild campers, backpackers and anyone else who travels fast and light. We like taking our Moji camping lantern wild camping, as it’s so small and light (150g and about the size on an orange) that it fits in any backpack (or indeed, in any pocket).
Once you’ve set up your tent, the lantern’s unfolding hooks will easily hang off a ceiling loop and offer a welcoming warm glow that, at 100 lumens, is still bright enough to read by or to help you see when you’re getting your sleeping bag or your supper sorted. Brightness is adjustable, and the Moji will shine bright for days on the juice of three AAA batteries. Simple but brilliant.
The best lightweight trowel
Weighing about the same as two teaspoons of sugar – much lighter than a traditional ‘poo shovel’ – the Deuce #1 UUL Trowel is the kind of tool you barely realize you’re carrying. With more people using trails all the time, it’s more important than ever to adhere to ‘Leave No Trace’ principles, which means carrying a shovel and making sure that when you need to make like a bear you dig a ‘cathole’ at least 50m away from any sources of water (and places that might be used by other hikers and campers).
The product has a sharp handle that is used first to break up the hard ground, and a scoop to pry the soil away, using the Deuce’s spine. The idea is to lift the soil to create a plug, which can be levered off to make a cathole (the ideal size is at least 6-8 inches below the surface).
Our expert reviewer Jessie Leong rounds things up by saying that "this is an excellent piece of kit for any outdoor user, particularly when walking in wild places where toilets don’t exist".
The best lightweight camping stove
"We reckon the SOTO Windmaster is just about the most effective screw-in, canister-top stove around, making it a top pick for lightweight wild campers or committed backpackers embarking on extended thru-hikes," says our backpacking expert Matthew Jones.
As a classic screw-in type stove, the SOTO Windmaster has all the traditional advantages of a conventional canister-top design, namely, quick and easy set-up plus minimal weight and pack size. This makes it a good choice for extended backpacking trips or fast and light missions. However, as its name suggests, the Windmaster also offers superior performance in breezy and gusty conditions compared to most of its screw-in rivals.
The secret is its effective engineering. The concave burner head has a small but well-designed protective lip, while the low-profile pot support places the pot very close to the flame. Together, these features combine to offer excellent wind-resistance.
Unlike cheaper stoves, the Windmaster also has some clever hidden tech. This includes a micro regulator for more consistent power output, even when temperatures drop or when your gas is running on empty. It's simply one of the best camping stoves around.
Read our full SOTO Windmaster review
The best lightweight pots and pans
Cook up a storm using the Alpkit Mytistax titanium pots – a 3-pot stackable pot set designed for portable cooking – they're superb camping utensils. The pots use 0.4mm brushed titanium, and easily fit a medium gas canister and a stove snugly inside, producing a complete camp kitchen that takes up less room. Our camping expert Jessie Leong found on test that "for super lightweight adventures, a 400ml pan can suffice as a pan to boil up water and double up as a mug, while 800ml pan is perfect for boiling up pasta and noodles".
The lid helps speed up the boiling process, while the curled lip rims help prevent drippage when pouring water away. The rubber-coated handles help avoid hand burns, although care is required as these can still get hot.
The best lightweight cutlery
An extra-light cooking utensil that might just do it all – a spoon, a fork and a small serrated edge as a knife. According to our expert tester Jessie Leong, it's "basically the only cutlery you will ever need".
Entirely made out of titanium, the spork is easy to clean, yet doesn’t leave any taint or taste to detract from the enjoyment of your al fresco feast. Completely rustrproof, heat resistant and non magnetic, the spork can also be popped in the dishwasher when you’re back from your wild camping adventures. Just be careful when you’re packing – put it in a backpack pocket or somewhere else that it won’t put a hole in your expensive inflatable sleeping pad.
How we test the best lightweight camping gear
We put camping equipment to the test in a range of outdoor scenarios – car camping, backpacking, base camping – assessing their value and performance against the claims of the brand in terms of comfort, weight, ease of assembly/packdown, transportation, robustness and features.
For tents, for example, that means sleeping overnight outdoor conditions, temperatures and terrain appropriate to the rating assigned to the product by the manufacturers/ brand. For lightweight tents, we will also carry them in a backpacking scenario to test its performance as a shelter for multi day hikes.
We also test sleeping bags, mats, and liners outdoors overnight in appropriate conditions. Specific features (weight, warmth, loft, zip quality, hood, footroom, packability and so on) are tested against claims made by the brand. They will also carry the sleeping bag in a backpacking scenario to test its performance during multiday hikes.
Meet the experts
Alex is passionate about the mountains and counts wild camping among his favorite activities. Of course, the lighter the kit, the better, but not as the expensive of durability and quality. Here, Alex shares his expertise on some of the best lightweight gear around.
Jessie is a lover of the great outdoors and enjoys time in the mountains more than anything, whether she's climbing, hiking, mountaineering, camping and snowsports. She knows the value of lightweight camping gear and reveals her expert top picks here.
An outdoors writer and editor, Matt Jones has been testing kit in the field for nearly a decade. An avid camper, he knows one or two things about camping equipment, and loves all things adventure, particularly long-distance backpacking, wild camping and climbing mountains – especially in Wales. He’s based in Eryri (Snowdonia), where he can often be found wild camping on remote peaks.
Pat's outdoor adventures have taken him across the world and, wherever he goes, he's usually got a tent in his backpack. These days, when he's not solo camping in the hills, he enjoys camping trips with his family. An experienced gear tester, he leaves no stone unturned and no peg unexamined when it comes to judging outdoor kit.
An award-winning travel and outdoors journalist, presenter and blogger, Sian spends her life camping, hiking and wild-swimming and has camped all around the world. An experienced and avid camper, she can often be found under canvas, whether wild camping or glamping. Her blog, The Girl Outdoors, champions accessible adventures.
