Packs, Shoes, Shelters, and More

There’s a reason I’m a trail runner. I get excited by endless miles of trail stretching out before me. I love towering pines and arid deserts and cypress-lined beaches. I like peaceful moments enjoying the flowers and the trees, but I like to make haste. I like to cover ground. Honestly, I should probably learn to slow down a bit. But as it turns out, there’s a sport built exactly for that contradiction between speeding and sightseeing: fastpacking.

I was hooked on fastpacking from my first trip, a 12-mile trek to Imogene Lake in Idaho’s Sawtooth Range. After a handful of trips this summer (and with half a dozen more starting to take form), I think my love for fastpacking has in turn made me want to dig into the world of backpacking in a way that I never did before. It’s a win-win.

For someone like me, turning my trail runs into multi-day adventures was a dream, and I think it might be for more of you out there. So I put together this guide on getting started.

What Is Fastpacking?

At its essence, fastpacking is simply a combination of backpacking and trail running: You carry a full overnight kit, but you also move quickly and ambitiously with the goal of going further, faster.

Sometimes this means taking on a popular through-hike in fewer days than it would normally take to hike, or packing as light as possible in hopes of setting an FKT. And other times it’s just heading out for a multi-day trip with a lighter kit so you can pick up the pace and add on a few extra miles each day on the trail. Maybe you really want to go run that scenic 40-mile loop but you aren’t fit enough to take it all on in one day. Guess what? You can fastpack it.

People fastpack the Tour du Mont Blanc, finishing the loop in 4-5 days instead of the standard 10-11. Same goes for Italy’s Alta Via system or any number of European through-hikes. You can turn the John Muir Trail into a week-long trip instead of the usual 2-3 weeks. You can fastpack ultramarathon courses—in fact, fastpackers frequently take on the legendary Hardrock 100 course in Colorado’s San Juan mountains across four days (also known as Softrock).

But a fastpack doesn’t always have to be an all-out endurance event. It could be as simple as carrying a lighter pack and tagging that peak you don’t always have time for, or venturing out to that alpine lake that is a few miles beyond your usual camp site.

It’s up to you, and that’s the best part.

The Best Gear for Fastpacking

Some fastpackers are hardcore ultralight enthusiasts who keep a meticulously curated spreadsheet of all of their gear, measuring every gram before deciding whether it deserves a place in the pack. Others just leave a few comforts in the gear closet and commit to pushing the pace on the trail.

I’m no weight weenie, but I do like to move fast, so it’s fun to tinker with my setup to figure out what works best. My pack and its contents are always evolving, factoring in the unique demands of every trip.

Since there’s no one way to fastpack, creating a comprehensive fastpacking gear list is nearly impossible. But since I do like to nerd out about gear, here are a couple options for every essential category.

Pack

Pack size is important when fastpacking, but it’s not the end-all, be-all. You can slim it down and go ultra-minimal or load up on comforts, but I feel that something around 30 liters is the best option.

Mountain Hardwear has been on a tear lately, and the Lickety Split is another banger. I love using this bag for big days out on the trail, but if you pack light enough, it can definitely fit everything you need for a quick fastpack. It’s also a great option if you’re doing one of those epic hut-to-hut trips where your big bags are transported for you.

Six Moon Designs Flight 30

I love this pack. It fits all the essentials with ease, and has a bit of extra space for more food or clothes if I’m headed out for a multi-day mission. You can customize the shoulder straps and hip belt to optimize your loadout, and the various pockets and compartments are well-considered and easy to use.

Rab Muon 40L

If you want to go bigger while still moving fast, this is the pack I’d recommend. It has a frame, which I found to be much more comfortable for long days on the move, but is still incredibly light, which gave me a bit of leeway to store more snacks and a few more campsite comforts (like my camp shoes or a paperback novel). It doesn’t have runner-style shoulder straps, though, which is a feature I prefer to have, but otherwise, it’s a great option.

Footwear

Trail runners are the best option for most fastpacking trips. They provide enough support when the trails get technical, but are designed for fast movement, so you know you’ll be comfortable all day long.

Arc’teryx Sylan 2

This is a fun shoe for fastpacking. The carbon plate, rockered midsole, and supercritical foam may seem like overkill, but it all keeps you moving forward even as your body starts to fatigue. I also love the built-in gaiter, which is a huge bonus when navigating varied terrain and trail types.

Norda 001a

These are some of my favorite trail runners of all time, so it makes sense that they’d be a good fit for fastpacking, too. They are plush but not overly so, stable but not clunky, and grippy on all types of trails. I’ve run multiple ultramarathons in these, so I can take them into a fastpack with confidence.

Shelter

This is where selections start to get personal. I prefer the comfort of a full-sized tent and am willing to take the volume penalty, but a bivy or a tarp are excellent choices if you’re going minimal and the conditions allow it.

Six Moon Designs Lunar Orbiter

I love to have a simple, stable freestanding tent whenever I can, so the ultralight Lunar Orbiter became my go-to. It can fit into small footprints and doesn’t require any guy-line adjustment to get it dialed. You just set it up like any other tent and hop in.

Gossamer Gear The Two

This tent requires you to have trekking poles with you, but many fastpacks call for trekking poles, so that might not be an issue. This tent packs down super small, only weighs 28 oz., and lets you leave the tent poles at home. Just be sure that you can plant tent stakes wherever you plan on sleeping, otherwise this won’t stand up.

Outdoor Research Helium UL Bivy

For ultralight missions where every gram matters, the Helium UL Bivy from Outdoor Research is my choice. It’ll keep dew off your sleeping bag and stave off pesky bugs, all while only adding 18 oz. to your pack. I just hope you’re not claustrophobic.

Sleep System

For moving quickly and saving weight, I prefer a quilt. But, there are a huge number of ultralight sleeping bags out there that make sense for colder climates, too.

Therm-a-Rest Vesper 20

This is my favorite option for fastpacking (as long as it won’t be below freezing). The quilt packs down into a small stuff sack, regains its loft every time I pull it out, and doesn’t get cold spots, even after a ton of use.

Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 25

If you prefer a full sleeping bag, this is one of my favorite ultralight options. It packs down infinitesimally small, uses lofty 850-fill down, and has a forgiving ergonomic shape that works well for all sleep styles.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad

This is my favorite sleeping pad for fastpacking or otherwise. It’s incredibly light, packs down small, and, with a 4.5 R-value, is plenty warm for year-round use.

Apparel 

When you’re fastpacking, you’ll probably be stopping and starting often, which can lead to different periods of warming up and cooling down. For this, you need versatile layers that can be worn in multiple ways, multiple days in a row.

Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Zip Hoody

A sun hoody is a must-have on any fastpacking trip. It protects you from the sun, can be worn on its own as part of a layering system, and dries quickly. I’ve gotten a lot of miles out of this one from Mountain Hardwear—bonus points for the half-zip that allows for even more versatility.

Gnuhr Creeper Crew Merino v2.0

I got this shirt about 18 months ago, and it’s been my most worn piece of apparel in that time, both on and off the trail. Merino is a world-class temperature regulator, so this shirt will be your best friend on hot and cold days. It also resists odors, a huge plus on multi-day adventures. Gnuhr really dialed in the fit on this one, too.

Raide Research TrailTech Shorts

I reach for these Raide shorts for fastpacking for many reasons. They’re comfortable, have a ton of pockets, and are substantial enough to give me some protection when the trail gets overgrown. I think any running shorts with good pocketing will do, but if you want to splurge, these are my top pick.

The North Face Summit Series Breithorn Jacket

If I’m going fastpacking, especially in the mountains, I’ll almost always bring a down jacket, even if the conditions are looking good. You really never know what will happen, so having a lightweight, packable down jacket is a contingency I don’t like to give up. This one from The North Face has never let me down.

Navigation and Safety

Garmin inReach Mini 2

Any time you’re going to be venturing out beyond your cell phone provider’s service capabilities, you need to have a satellite communication device for emergencies. This one comes with me whenever I head out, especially when fastpacking, where a rolled ankle or bout with high elevation can quickly become an emergency situation.

Black Diamond Deploy

I love how small this headlamp is, especially for trips when I want to keep bulk at a minimum. It charges quickly, has a variable angle lens, and fits nicely with a hat or a beanie.

Garmin Enduro 3

You need a solid watch with good navigation when fastpacking. The Enduro 3 is an ideal choice thanks to its incredible battery life (320 hours in GPS mode with solar charging) and extensive mapping features. It also has a built-in flashlight, which comes in handy every time I take it out camping.

Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .7 Medical Kit

Leaving without a first aid kit is just a bad idea, especially if you’re planning on going fast. This kit is extremely light, but has enough first aid supplies for multiple days, if needed.