Backpacking Base Weight Calculator
Add up your gear to find your pack base weight, and see how you rank.
Enter the weight of each gear group in grams. Base weight excludes consumables (food, water, fuel) and the clothes you wear while hiking.
What is base weight?
Base weight is the weight of your loaded pack minus consumables — that is, everything except food, water and fuel, which get lighter as you hike. It excludes the clothes and shoes you wear on the trail. Base weight is the standard way backpackers compare setups, because it is the part you control and that stays constant.
Base weight categories
- Ultralight: under 4.5 kg (10 lb)
- Lightweight: 4.5–9 kg (10–20 lb)
- Traditional: over 9 kg (20 lb)
The "big three" — pack, shelter and sleep system — usually make up most of your base weight, so that is where weight savings pay off most. Compare real weights for every category in the free gear weight database.
Frequently asked questions
Does base weight include food and water?
No. Base weight excludes all consumables — food, water and fuel. Add those to your base weight to get your total "skin-out" or loaded pack weight for a given trip.
What is a good base weight for beginners?
Anything under 9 kg (20 lb) is a comfortable, achievable target for a first lightweight setup without buying the most expensive gear. Getting under 4.5 kg (ultralight) usually means specialised kit.
Want to track every item instead of categories? Build a full gear list with live weights in the free HikeLoad planner.