Some of the best ultralight backpacking gear on the market is not made by the big gear companies (and it isn’t even available in most stores).
It comes from small, hiker-owned businesses who design, manufacture and sell their own gear on the internet and at small shows and hiker gatherings.
These “cottage industry” gear smiths are responsible for most of the innovative new ideas that have fueled the ultralight backpacking revolution (from tarp-tents to one-pound packs and more).
Alpine Fit
www.alpinefit.com – Base layers, hiking shirts, hats, neck gaiters, and other headwear.
AntiGravityGear
www.antigravitygear.com – Lightweight shelters, cook systems, accessories and more.
Appalachian Ultralight
www.appalachianultralight.com – Ultralight backpacks.
Bear Paw Wilderness Designs
www.bearpawwd.com – Lightweight shelters and accessories.
Big Sky International
www.bigskyinternational.com – Ultralight freestanding shelters.
Black Rock Gear
www.blackrockgear.com – Ultralight down hats, vests, gloves and apparel.
Brasslite Backpacking Stoves
www.brasslite.com – Lightweight alcohol stoves.
Bushbuddy
www.bushbuddy.ca – Ultralight wood burning stoves.
Cooke Custom Sewing
www.cookecustomsewing.com – Silnylon tarps, packs and other gear.
Dirty Girl Gaiters
www.dirtygirlgaiters.com – Colorful lightweight gaiters.
DIY Gear Supply
www.diygearsupply.com – Materials and fabrics for building your own lightweight gear.
Elemental Horizons
www.elementalhorizons.com – Lightweight backpacks and accessories.
Enlightened Equipment
www.enlightenedequipment.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts.
Equinox LTD
www.equinoxltd.com – Ultralight packs, shelters, accessories and more.
Feathered Friends
www.featheredfriends.com – Ultralight down sleeping bags and clothing.
Flat Cat Gear
www.flatcatgear.com – Ultralight stoves and baking systems.
Four Dog Stoves
www.fourdog.com – Ultralight multi-fuel stoves and cookware.
Gossamer Gear
www.gossamergear.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters, sleep systems & more.
Goosefeet Gear
www.goosefeetgear.com – Down booties and apparel.
Hammock Gear
www.hammockgear.com – Lightweight hammock tarps, quilts and accessories.
Hennessy Hammock
www.hennessyhammock.com – Lightweight hammock shelters.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
www.hyperlitemountaingear.com – Ultralight cuben fiber backpacks, shelters and accessories.
Integral Designs
www.integraldesigns.com – Lightweight shelters, bivys and accessories.
Jacks R Better
www.jacksrbetter.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts, shelters and accessories.
Katabatic Gear
www.katabaticgear.com – Ultralight sleeping quits and bivys.
Lawson Outdoor Equipment
www.lawsonequipment.com – Lightweight shelter kits, fabrics and accessories.
LightHeart Gear
www.lightheartgear.com – Ultralight double-wall shelters, fabrics and accessories.
LW Gear
www.lwgear.com – Lightweight backpacks, DVDs, books and videos.
Mayfly Ultralight Equipment
www.mayflyultralight.com – Ultralight camp shoes.
McHale Alpine Packs
www.mchalepacks.com – Custom fitted ultralight backpacks.
Moonbow Gear
www.moonbowgear.com – Modular pack systems, shelters and other unique gear.
Nunatak
www.nunatakusa.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts and down apparel.
Mountain Laurel Designs
www.mountainlaureldesigns.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters, sleep systems and more.
Outdoor Equipment Supplier LLC
www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com – Lightweight tarps, shelters and accessories.
Out Gear Recreation
www.outgearrec.com – Lightweight hammocks.
Oware
www.owareusa.com – Ultralight shelters, sleep systems and accessories.
Packafeather
http://packafeather.com – Lightweight alcohol stoves and accessories.
Purcell Trench Grills
www.purcelltrench.com – Lightweight grills for campfire cooking.
Purple Rain Adventure Skirts
www.purplerainskirts.com – Lightweight backpacking skirts and kilts.
Ray Jardine
www.rayjardine.com – The godfather of UL backpacking’s books and sew-your-own gear kits.
Ruta Locura
www.rutalocura.com – Trekking poles, tent poles, cookware and accessories.
Simblissity
www.simblissity.net – Lightweight gaiters, storage sacks and accessories.
Six Moon Designs
www.sixmoondesigns.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters and accessories.
Solo Stove
www.solostove.com – Lightweight wood-burning stoves.
Suluk 46
www.suluk46.com – Ultralight backpacking tools and accessories.
Tarptent
www.tarptent.com – The original lightweight single-wall shelters (and now double wall shelters)
Titanium Goat
www.titaniumgoat.com – Lightweight conical shelters, cook systems and more.
Trail Designs
www.traildesigns.com – Lightweight stoves, cookware and accessories.
Ultralight Adventure Equipment
www.ula-equipment.com – The best lightweight backpacks in the biz.
Warbonnet Outdoors
www.warbonnetoutdoors.com – Lightweight hammock tarps, quilts and accessories.
Water Road Outfitters
www.wrogear.com – Lightweight wood burning stoves.
Western Mountaineering
www.westernmountaineering.com – Ultralight down sleeping bags and apparel.
White Box Stoves
www.whiteboxstoves.com – Ultralight alcohol stoves.
ZPacks
www.zpacks.com – Ultralight cuben fiber shelters, backpacks and accessories.
This list is still a work in progress. If you have a question or would like to suggest a company that is not mentioned here, please post your comments below…