Individual Hiking
Individual Hiking

9 Gifts for the Ultralight Peak Bagger

Peak baggers are always looking for ways to become more efficient at their craft. And one good way to dial into the experience is by optimizing your gear selection. The best gifts for the ultralight peak bagger combine functionality with a minimalistic design. Ultimately, this makes it easier to get to the top of the mountain in question.

1. Lightweight Trail Runners

One of the best ways to prepare yourself for a tough peak is by dropping ounces everywhere you can. While a lot of hikers imagine that boots are the best choice of footwear for peak bagging, it can actually be helpful to ditch those boots for a pair of grippy trail runners like the Saucony Excursion TR16. This trail runner shoe weighs about 10 ounces (depending on your size). And, at a $74 price point, it costs about half as much as competitive trail runners. The Saucony Excursion TR16 is a great peak bagging shoe because of its rugged, grippy outsole. It also has plenty of cushioning and a padded tongue, which goes a long way during all-day excursions.

2. Packable Sunscreen

The higher you climb, the closer you are to the sun, which means that you’re more likely to get sunburned. Peak bagging – especially at high elevations, calls for a quality bottle of sunscreen like Sawyer’s 8-ounce Stay-Put SPF 30 Sunscreen. This little bottle of sunscreen is sweat-proof, and rub-proof. The solution includes ingredients like aloe vera and a series of vitamins to nourish the skin at the same time that it’s protecting it. Overall, this product offers a no-hassle way to protect your skin while you’re working on your latest project.

3. Ultralight Headlamp

Every hiker needs a reliable headlamp to light the way when darkness falls. And the Black Diamond Spot 400-R is one of the best options on the market. This 400-lumen headlamp is bright enough to out-perform most standard headlamps. It’s rechargeable. And it can even be fully submerged in a meter of water for 30 minutes without experiencing irreparable damage. So, you’ll have a functional headlamp even in the worst storms. The settings that are included on this headlamp include a distance mode, dimming option, strobe light, red night-vision, and a digital lock mode in order to cover every outdoor environment. And when everything is said and done, it weighs about 2.5 ounces.

Continue reading the full list that Mary Beth Skylis put together here.

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