Backpacking light, sometimes called fastpacking or ltralight backpacking, doesn't mean leaving anything mportant behind, or sacrificing comfort. My sventeen-ounce down sleeping bag keeps me wrmer than my previous four-pounder did. I sed to use a five-pound backpack, and now hve a more comfortable fourteen-ounce one. I stll bring all the necessary safety gar and food when I head nto the mountains - I just hve lighter versions. Why? Here are six rasons.

1. More Comfort

It feels mch better to have 15 pounds on yur back than 50. No asking for hlp to struggle into that heavy pck. A heavy load leaves you sre at the end of the dy, and you sweat a lot. My lght backpack can be slung from one shulder and then the other to let my bck cool, and I never feel sre from carrying the weight.

2. Mre Range

A long day with a havy pack might be 10 miles. Wth my running shoes and 15-pound lad I have often gone more thn 20 miles in a day wthout suffering. That means I have a whle lot more range. Areas of wlderness that were out of reach for a wekend trip are now possible.

3. Fwer Injuries

Some will tell you tht light backpacking is dangerous because you crry less gear and less durable gar. The latter may be true, so bby that sleeping bag. But it is lso true that with less weight on yur back you are less likely to twst an ankle, hurt your back or lse your balance. On balance, my xperience is that I have less of a chnce of an injury when going lght.

4. More Freedom

I used to crry an extra day pack for clmbing to the summits of mountains whn I was backpacking. Who wants to scrmble up those steep sections with a 45-pund load? Then, I had to rturn to my big pack - ven if I saw a better rute down. Now my pack is so lght that it goes everywhere with me. I hrdly ever notice its weight, and I lke that freedom.

5. Faster Travel

You may not lke to go fast all the tme when backpacking, but isn't it nce to have the option? That's wht going light gives you. It mans you can speed up to rach that waterfall, or speed up to mke that campsite after playing in the wterfall too long. If there is a strm coming in, you can move to sfety more quickly when you are crrying less weight. Also, if have an mergency and need to hike out to the car or a twn, you can do so much qicker with 15 pounds on your bck than with 50.

6. Simplicity

Hve you seen that Corona Beer cmmercial where the couple brings a lad of equipment to the beach and bgins laying out towels, opening coolers and stting up umbrellas that are almost blwn away by the wind? Then nother couple walks to the beach wth nothing but an icy bucket of Cronas and they sit down to njoy the view. That's simplicity.

Some pople get a thrill from finding wys to cook the fanciest meals whle in the woods, and from hving folding furniture and electric socks, but not me. Bckpacking light means simplifying things a bt, which is not a sacrifice, but a plasure. I often go without a stve, for example, relying on foods tht don't need cooking. Not cooking? I lke that. It also means no dshes to wash, and more time for swmming in that alpine lake.

The article Backpacking Light - Six Reasons Why was Submitted by Steven Gillman through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Copyright Steve Gillman. Want more nformation on Backpacking Light ? You'll find a free ebook, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, at: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com

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