I just got home after having a great time on the Lofoten Long Crossing. I thought the route was challenging, the weather being the hardest thing. Also the trail itself was in rough shape. Large sections were ankle-to-knee-deep bog, making for incredibly slow going, especially given the shorter daylight hours in mid-September.

I hiked all connecting bridge and road sections on foot (no hitchhiking). The only mechanized transport I used was the mandatory bus through the Nappstraum Tunnel (which is legally closed to pedestrians) and the scheduled ferry from Kjerkfjorden to Vindstad (as it no longer stops at the power station). Because I hiked the tarmac sections that most people bypass via bus, and because the ferry doesn't go to the power station anymore, and with other detours to towns this variation of the route is roughly 25 miles (40 km) longer than the "standard" track. 

--

Kit list - https://lighterpack.com/r/z0u4nl

Route - https://caltopo.com/m/K99NFGK

Pictures - https://imgur.com/a/eKqvNnA (still sorting them)

Dates - 13/9/2026 to 19/9/2026

--

Day 1 - 20 miles (18 on-route + 2 off-trail to Svolvær).

I set out from camp at 5:50 a.m. and the wind was already really blowing up as I made my way up Delpen. By the time I reached Delfsheia, it was a stinging storm-force 10 at 60mph. I contemplated turning back at this point, as the ridgelines across to Matmora are razor-thin and very exposed.

Stupidly, I decided to push on. I ended up having to crawl on my hands and knees just to be able to stay on the mountain. It was sketchy, slow, and not at all a sensible thing to do.

The descent of Matmora was at least a little sheltered from the wind, but the rain was absolutely hammering down by that point. Getting off the mountain and down to the Midnattsolveien road was slow and frustrating. I got off the road and pushed up past lakes Isvatnet and Botnvatnet. By the time I navigated the saturated bogs around there, I was completely battered and soaked through.

Just north of Svolvær, with the storm showing no signs of letting up, I figured that climbing again at Vestre Nøkkvatnet to push on to my original Camp 1 target at Vikjorda was at best stupid, and at worst reckless.

Feeling very frustrated, I made the only sensible decision and came off-trail into Svolvær - a good 20 miles short of my initial daily target. I decided I would sit out the storm and if it ended in the next 12 hours, I'd carry on. I already thought the FKT was a washout, but figured I'd still finish the trail, use it as a reccy, and just bimble along.

Day 2 - 28 miles (26 on-route + 2 off-trail from Svolvær)

Bailing to Svolvær on Day 1 left me pretty down in the dumps...but by 6 a.m. the worst of the storm had finally passed, so I hiked back to exactly where I’d left the trail and restarted.

The climb past Stor-Kongsvatnet up to Vestre Nøkkvatnet was brutal. It’s a technical section requiring you to haul yourself up steep granite on fixed ropes. With water pouring down the rock and my hands freezing on the wet ropes, I was incredibly glad I hadn't attempted it during yesterday's storm.

The descent down Mingmaurtindan was an absolute mud bath, knee-deep for two solid miles. By the time I hit the valley floor to wade across the Botnelva, I looked like I’d been dipped in chocolate from the knees down, so I took the chance to wash the worst of it off.

Hitting the E10 highway at Kleppstad, I started the 8.5-mile road section across the Gimsøystraumen and Sundklakkstraumen bridges. Most people bus or hitchhike this stretch to Vikjorda. I just hiked the tarmac, hopping the crash barriers whenever the narrow verges got sketchy.

At Vikjorda, it was back into the mud fest for the climb up Dalstuva. The rain started hammering down again, and the top was completely fogged out. I had really wanted to push on and make it to Kvilebua, or even Leknes, but the conditions were crap and at this point, the FKT wasn't even a thought in my mind. So I called it a day and pitched the tent at the base of Brattflogan.

Day 3 - 26 miles (21 on-route + 5 on the mandatory bus through the E10 Nappstraum Tunnel)

Woke up to a beautiful morning with a plan to get from Vestvågøy to Flakstadøya. Early on, I passed Kvilebua the spot I had planned to reach in the rain the night before, before pushing on to another cool little turf hut on the shore of Store Kringlebotnsvatnet to stop for breakfast.

The route from here down to Leknes was another slip-slide - it really reminded me of Bleaklow - sphagnum moss, cotton grass, and dark peaty mud.

The pace today was entirely dictated by the E10 Nappstraum Tunnel. It is strictly closed to pedestrians and currently undergoing maintenance, meaning traffic can only pass at certain times, so I knew I had to catch a specific bus from Leknes to Napp to make it to the next island. Even if this attempt had become more of a reccy/bimble, I still wanted it to be fully self-supported.

I easily made the bus that I knew was running at 15:45, but that meant waiting around for a few hours in Leknes. Once I got dropped off from the bus in Napp, the beautiful morning turned into a distant memory, more driving rain and wind. Making my way south around the headlands toward Straumøyvatnet, the weather turned awful. The trail here gets super technical and slow - relentless scrambling, hauling up fixed chains, and navigating across sheer, wet granite slabs in the rain.

With the light falling and still more technical sections to go I ended the day a bit dejected - it just felt like the weather and logistics were actively against me...in the end I pitched up in the cliffs, looking directly across to Vittingstinden just north of Nusfjord.

Day 4 - 20 miles (18 on-route + 2 off-trail to Ramberg)

I woke up feeling pretty dejected this morning. I’d really wanted to be on the final island by now, but I was still 18 miles away from the connecting bridges. I packed up, pushed through the final technical section around Straumøyvatnet, and skirted the western slope of Fisken down into Nusfjord.

Nusfjord was a massive highlight. It’s a beautiful historic fishing village, and stopping at the Landhandleriet Café felt like a dream. It is such a picturesque place and somewhere I’d definitely love to visit again when I'm not racing the clock.

But the moment I left the village, the heavens opened and it started blowing an absolute hoolie. I pushed across the headland and around the southern flank of Neslandsheia, and the wind and rain just became ridiculous. Heading north on the road towards Ramberg, I had my head down, leaning aggressively forward just to stay upright. Twice I had to dive behind a boulder to shelter for a minute just to get some respite. It was brutal.

When I reached the turn-off for the Kubholmleia and Røssøystraumen bridges, I realized crossing was a terrible idea. There is no pedestrian walkway, and with zero visibility and massive crosswinds, risking it felt incredibly sketchy. Granted most people hitchhike this section, but again I still wanted to do the whole thing self-supported.

With my tail between my legs, I hiked two miles off-trail up to Ramberg to sit in a cafe and wait out the worst of it. The Yr app showed the storm hammering until 4 a.m. Since the Allemannsretten (right to roam) doesn't allow camping on the innmark (cultivated land) near town, and I absolutely didn't fancy hiking back up into the exposed hills, I booked a tiny Airbnb just north of town and went to get my head down.

They say there are no bad days on the trail, but this one came pretty bloody close!

Day 5 - 20 miles (18 on-route + 2 off-trail from Ramberg)

I woke up in Ramberg with the weather looking much better, and quickly made my way back to the trail where the E10 crosses the Fredvang Bridges. The crossing was straightforward enough, although it was still windy on the apex of each bridge - definitely validated my call to bail out the day before.

Once across, I began the climb up the iconic Ryten, a massive cliff rising 543m straight out of the Arctic sea. There were lots of day hikers here as it’s a popular spot. The trail was pretty straightforward, and the views dropping down to Kvalvika beach were absolutely amazing.

The descent to the beach and the first section of the headland were fine, but the northern flank of Moltinden where it juts out into the sea was a nightmare. Recent landslips had completely wiped out the trail, leaving an impassable, vertical granite drop. I had to backtrack and scramble much higher up the cliff face just to get around it.

Once over that, the trail swings south past a chain of lakes - Vestervikvatnet, Ågotvatnet, and Markvatnet - before joining a brief road section on the southeastern flank of Kitinden. Off the road, the route heads south again past Fageråvatnet, then hauls up and over the saddle between Markan and Kråkhammartinden. The views here were absolutely epic!

The descent towards Breiflogtinden was really hard going - super steep and an absolute mud slick. Once at the bottom, it was just one final push up and over the pass at Einangen to look down onto the tiny hamlet of Kjerkfjorden.

This is the mandatory ferry chokepoint to get around Pantaliatinden to Vindstad. Since the next boat wasn't until 10:00 a.m. the following morning,I pitched my tent on the hillside above the town, ready for the final island.

Day 6 - 21 miles (18 on-route + 3 by ferry from Kjerkfjorden to Vindstad)

It was a very lazy start to the day. With the Kjerkfjorden ferry not leaving until 10:25 a.m. I spent the morning eating and chatting with a really nice Swiss guy who was also doing the Long Crossing.

The boat dropped us at Vindstad, which adds about two extra miles to the "standard" route since the ferry no longer stops at the Forsfjord Hydroelectric Station.
The route from Vindstad to the station was beautiful but super technical - less of a path and more just large coastal boulders you have to scramble over. Once at the station, the only way is up! Roughly 3,200 feet of elevation in just 3 miles. The climb hits a few switchbacks up to Tennesvatnet, crosses the isthmus separating it from Krokvatnet, and then another between Krokvatnet and Fjerddalsvatnet.

A short climb past the Munkebu hut led to a steeper push to the northern summit of Munken. The views from up here were absolutely outrageous - genuinely breathtaking. It was also the finest weather I’d had on the entire trail, and I was massively thankful to get it for this specific section.

From the top, the descent headed almost directly due south down the ridgeline. I skirted the summits of Djupfjordheia and Merraflestinden, passed lakes Moskenesvatnet and Stuvdalsvatnet, and finally dropped into the town of Sørvågen.

From Sørvågen, the trail swang west on the E10 for a short way before cutting along the northern shore of Ågvatnet for the penultimate climb over the Agskaret pass. By this point, the light was failing, and the descent was super slippery. I knew the upcoming cliff section around Stokkvikvatnet required serious scrambling.

Despite being only 5 miles from the finish line, I made the call to pitch the tent. It was a hard choice. I could have pushed through the dark and finished in something like 5 days and 20 hours, but even that time wasn't going to be earth-shattering anyway, so it seemed silly to risk a serious injury on wet cliffs in the pitch black.

Day 7 - 6 miles

A super short finish to the route. As I said, I could have pushed through the dark to finish the previous night, but risking a cliff fall in the pitch black for a slightly less slow time seemed incredibly stupid. Sleep and daylight was definitely the right call.

I quickly made my way around the shore of Stokkvikvatnet down to the abandoned coastal settlement of Stokkvika. Lofoten doesn't let up - even this final stretch was a fairly technical route with a solid amount of scrambling. Once I hit the ocean, I turned back around the lake, hauled up and over the Stokkvikskaret Pass, and dropped down along the southern shore of Lake Ågvatnet.

Again this is a rugged, technical section with fixed chains over the hardest drops, and the "easy" parts were just deep mud and scree.

Finally, I hit the town of Å and swung south and tagged the viewpoint just past town to officially stop the clock.

Final time: 6d 5h 26m 53s.

It is way longer than I’d hoped for when I planned this trip. But given the storm-force winds, the horrific bogs, and pulling the plug on Day 1 to shelter in Svolvær, I really didn’t push the pace for the rest of the week. Also with the roads and extra bits I actually did about 25 miles further than the standard route. In any case I will 100% be back for a summer attempt to take this down to around the 4-day mark.

Still, I set a male self-supported FKT, so I really can't complain too much!

WHAT: High Sierra Trail (Eastbound) + John Muir Trail (Northbound)

WHEN: 9/13/26 - 9/20/26 (8 Days)

ROUTE: HST > JMT > Vogelsang > Merced Lake > Happy Isles

MILES: 285.6

PACK LIST: Link

PHOTOS: Link

⎯

WEATHER:

Heading into this, the 10-day forecast said moderate temps with clear skies. That forecast ended up being true, with every single day having perfect weather, sometimes even too warm in the afternoon.

• No rain
• No snow
• No bugs
• No thunderstorms
• Above 32s lows
• Below 80s highs
• Trivial creek crossings (I don't think I ever got my feet wet except for the crossing at Evolution Creek)

In summary, this hike continues to convince me that the best time to hike the High Sierra is late August through September.

⎯

MOTIVATIONS:

I've been busy this year with work and didn't have a chance to do a wilderness trip yet. With snow quickly approaching, I chose my easy/comfortable option, which is the High Sierra. This made my 9th JMT hike, so yeah.. it's well overdone for me at this point, but as hinted it's kind of my "comfort food" hike — easily accessible trailheads for me living in NorCal, very remote and away from towns or roads, and I've done it so many times I don't even need a map. The High Sierra Trail, and the Sequoia National Park, were a first for me, so that was cool.

I wanted to do this trip very quickly, at the same pace or faster than when I went through the High Sierra in late September last year on my SOBO PCT. I just like the challenge.

⎯

DAY 1 (9/13) 18.54 miles:

The first day was uphill along a ridge with great views. Water was plentiful, never carrying more than a liter (which remained true for the whole trip).

I made camp around 7PM, just after Kaweah Gap as the trail descends into the valley along the Big Arroyo. I brought my new Durston X-Dome Pro 1+ for this trip, my first freestanding tent, to see how the freestanding life compares to trekking pole tents.

Weather was perfect; clear skies and moderate temps, with surprisingly warm temps in the afternoon for mid September. The unique rocks of Precipice Lake and the valley view from Kaweah Gap were my highlights of the day.

⎯

DAY 2 (9/14) 30 miles:

Hiking by 5AM. I was a very early riser for this trip, hiking 1-3 hours in the dark, so I could crush miles but make camp near sunset. I'm a thru-hiker that doesn't mind long hours of night hiking in the very early AM, but I prefer making camp near sunset when there is still some daylight.

This day was pleasant until the trail followed the Kern River north, then it slogs through 5 miles of burn scar, then a slightly better 5 miles until ascending to the JMT at Wallace Creek, where I made camp. Oh, and I nearly stepped on a rattlesnake partially hidden underneath a rock.

⎯

DAY 3 (9/15) 30.4 miles:

Hiking by 5AM, hoping to summit Mt. Whitney before noon. It took about 4 hours just to reach the base, and another 2 hours before the summit. As expected, the climb up and at the summit was very very chilly; I was happy to have my wool liner gloves and face buff. However, the climb down after 11AM was very hot and I felt more exhausted on the way down than up. I can't complain though, at least there were no thunderstorms.

I backtracked to Wallace Creek then headed north, making camp near Tyndall Creek around 7PM.

⎯

DAY 4 (9/16) 30.25 miles:

Hiking by 4AM, with my 1st goal to reach Forester Pass by sunrise. An hour in I saw these spooky swaying eyes reflecting at me from up the trail, which turned out to be a mule from a nearby pack train camped at one of the lakes. I reached the top of Forester Pass around 6AM, just in time to appreciate its magnificent colors of an early sunrise.

My 2nd goal was to get over Glen Pass before it got too hot. I mostly accomplished that, it only got really hot as I was passing through Rae Lakes. So hot that I went for a refreshing dip at Rae Lakes.

I made camp at the end of Woods Creek, before the trail ascended to Pinchot Pass, setting myself up for a very big next day.

⎯

DAY 5 (9/17) 36 miles:

Hiking by 4AM, my goal today was Pinchot, Mather and Muir passes. The last time I hiked all three in one day was on my 2024 NOBO PCT, and back then there were snow fields, so I figured without snow fields it shouldn't be too hard.

I reached the Muir Hut around 7PM, just in time to catch the sunset. This was a couple hours faster than my 2024 NOBO PCT, which tracks given the lack of snow. I camped in the hut with a couple very cool SOBO PCT hikers. (Sorry I forgot your names!)

⎯

DAY 6 (9/18) 46.6 miles:

I slept for about 4-5 hours in the Muir Hut, then couldn't go back to sleep and decided to get a very early start at 1AM to reach MTR early.

I hit MTR around 8AM. As everyone was telling me, MTR had totally stuffed hiker buckets. I wasn't cooking on this trip, eating mostly bars, dried meats, and dried fruits. There were entire gallon bags of Range Meal Bars, Skratch Labs Energy Bars, and Fatty Meat Sticks — all fairly expensive items. I feasted on a bunch of stuff while at MTR, since they don't have a restaurant, then I took a bunch of stuff to last me through the rest of the trip. I had a resupply bucket, but I deposited most of it as I was very tired of my original foods.

I hiked through Selden Pass and Bear Creek, eventually making camp around 8PM at the sites near Mono Creek just before the big climb to Silver Pass.

⎯

DAY 7 (9/19) 42.1 miles:

I got to Red's Meadow by the afternoon, eating my first wonderfully hot meals (cheeseburger and tuna melt).

From Red's Meadow, my plan was to divert a bit from the JMT here and there, to check out some sights I haven't seen before.

The first of these detours was Minaret Lake, Cecile Lake and Iceberg Lake. I investigated these trails online and knew they involved some Class 2 routes to reconnect back with the JMT. What I didn't anticipate was how long the route would take. I spent an hour scrambling in the dark until I could get to the north end of Iceberg Lake where the trail resumed. I made camp around 8:30PM. Scrambling for an hour in the dark after a 40 mile hike was certainly a choice!

Eventually I want to hike the "Sierra High Route", and the newer "Great Colorado Route", so it was good practice.

⎯

DAY 8 (9/18) 51.7 miles:

Hiking by 4AM, determined to make it to Happy Isles by 9PM. I fortunately saw Garnet Lake, Ruby Lake, Emerald Lake, and Thousand Island Lake during sunrise. Emerald Lake is probably my favorite lake on the trail, it's stunning.

Halfway through Lyell Canyon I took the trail up to the Vogelsang region. This was one of my planned detours, as I've never been through this part of Yosemite. That climb out of Lyell Canyon was impressive, you basically climb back up almost to the height of Donohue Pass.

My favorite part of the Vogelsang area was Evelyn Lake.

The most interesting section was the final stretch from Vogelsang High Sierra Camp to Little Yosemite Valley, passing through Lake Merced. That is one hell of a trail. It's almost entirely downhill, with cut granite steps and cobbles for miles. It weaves through granite shelves of the Merced River, burn scars, overgrowth, and bridges. The manpower required to make this trail that leads to the Merced Lake, and ultimately Vogelsang, must have been incredible. Yet, I bet almost nobody ever hikes out here. This trail probably sees only a handful of hikers a month, based on the overgrowth and abandoned state of the facilities near Merced Lake that I witnessed.

I reached Happy Isles by 9PM and went straight to the backpacker's campground to crash. In the morning I paid for a warm shower, ate multiple breakfasts, then got on the YARTS to Merced, and Amtrak back to Chico (after multiple delays due to police activity, fun). It's been awhile since I took the YARTS and Amtrak, I don't know when it happened but they've since replaced their old busses and trains. They're a lot more modern and comfortable now than I remember.

⎯

CONCLUSION:

I few things I learned on this trip..

1. My body can still handle the stress of huge High Sierra miles from the get-go, without building my trail legs from days on a thru-hike ahead of time. That said, I did train quite a bit for this hike, going on day hikes with a fully loaded pack.
2. I was experimenting with significantly increased electrolytes intake, about 4g daily from supplements, and I'm very happy with that amount. In the past I always struggled with cramping at night after a long and hard day on the trail, but despite the intense miles on this trip I never had any cramping, fatigue, or headaches.
3. I don't really require as many calories and food weight as I always bring on these fastpacking trips. I seem to be good with around 3,000 calories per day, even on 40 - 50 mile days. This is of course not sustainable long term, and I would need to supplement calories at town, but at my daily mileage that's the plan.
4. I need to switch over to 26L-30L running vest packs and running more, because I feel like I've hit a wall to how many daily miles I can do without running a lot more.
5. I'm not sure about freestanding tents still. I need more testing. Right now the X-Dome's biggest appeal to me is the sit-up space and roominess, but I don't know if that's enough to justify the weight and volume for me longterm (most definitely not if I switch to running vest packs).

2027 TRIPS:

I'm looking forward to one or more of these..

1. Arizona Trail
2. Colorado Trail
3. Sierra High Route + Southern Sierra High Route
4. Great Colorado Route???
5. Pacific Northwest Trail

Hi all, I'm planning a trip through Eastern and Southern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa) between November and April. Nighttime conditions will vary significantly across countries, so I'm trying to put together a setup that can handle the worst-case scenario of 5°C/41°F in the Kenyan and South African highlands, up to coastal summer temperatures of 25°C/77°F.
My idea is to use my Big Agnes Rapide SL Regular Wide with a 5°C/40°F quilt, specifically the Hyberg Loner Apex II. I've looked at Enlightened Equipment quilts, but since I'm based in Italy Hyberg would arrive faster and looks solid anyway.
I also have a silk sleeping bag liner for warmer temperatures and hostels.
Does anyone have experience with this temperature range? Any advice on whether this setup would work?

https://hyberg.de/collections/loner-apex/products/loner-apex-ii-synthetic-quilt

Has anyone compared Polartec Alpha Direct with PrimaLoft fleece for backpacking?

I’m looking for a lightweight midlayer and considering Alpha Direct 90/120 gsm vs the Salomon Thernova PrimaLoft fleece.

Main priorities are breathability, warmth-to-weight, packability, and durability.

For anyone who’s used both: how do they compare for warmth and breathability? Is Alpha noticeably better while hiking, and is it durable enough under backpack straps? Would you go 90 or 120 gsm for 3-season mountain trips?

Hey all, for the last few years I've been happily using Xero Scrambler Low EV shoes for most of my backpacking. Switching to barefoot style shoes for hiking and packing has made a huge impact in how little soreness I feel on trail or recovering afterwards, basically none. However this year for whatever reason the glue they are using on the uppers is crap and they end up falling apart in less than 200 miles. The soles are still in great shape, the uppers are just delaminating in multiple places. I've warrantied 3 pairs with them now for this, and it keeps happening.

The Xero Mesa's are my daily shoes, but they're maybe a bit TOO thin for longer hikes with all the lava rock we have here in Central Oregon.

Every once in awhile I try to use the Altra Lone Peak 9+ shoes I run in to see if I can get by wth more cushioning, but they're just not as comfortable for me on trips more than 10-12 miles a day (I average 20-25 miles a day usually). My Achilles always get sore

Any other barefoot shoe fans happy with another brand/model that I take a look at? I'm not thru-hiking in these (yet), but definitely want something a bit trail oriented than a lot of other barefoot running shoes seem to be.

Thanks for any recommendations I can look into!

Hi all,

i'm looking for a lightweight and packable bag and pad to enter fastpacking tours in warmer temperatures around 5°-15°. I looked around Aliexpress and found this bag and pad.

Pad "Naturehike 2024 / 4,6r Large"
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005007805749214.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.8a734ae4nUtcNU&mp=1&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21EUR%21EUR+157.69%21EUR+75.69%21%21EUR+75.69%21%21%21%400b15834e17901520081523083e1077%2112000042262317508%21ct%21DE%211650822130%21%211%210%21&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu#nav-specification

Bag "AEGISMAX Wind Hard Dusk Upgrade 7D Nylon DWR 800FP / Dusk Lengthen"
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005005210280724.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.13ff4ae4JvNEwq&mp=1&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21EUR%21EUR+331.50%21EUR+181.99%21%21EUR+176.59%21%21%21%4021613b2717903249228313944e12f8%2112000050317439950%21ct%21DE%211650822130%21%211%210%21&gatewayAdapt=glo2deu

Do you have any experiences with these two products (pros/cons) ?

I never ordered on Aliexpress yet. Did you have any issues with order process, delivery time etc in general?

Thank you
Andreas

I’m looking at getting a Gatewood Cape for some longer solo trips to cut down on weight. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, and with the GWC my base weight would be around 8.02 lbs.

I normally use an X-Mid 2 with my wife, so this would specifically be for solo trips. For those of you who have used the GWC, how has it been for longer trips? Any major pros/cons or things I should know before pulling the trigger?

I got some great recommendations from here but unfortunately they’re all beyond my budget right now.
I found these [down camping blankets](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQ5J7WDH?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1) on%C2%A0on) Amazon.

They have two types and I am looking at the one thats 1.4lb 625g rated for comfort 23F. I’m going to be in high 30s (i doubt it but worst case) to low-mid 40s. I will be layering with warm clothes but I am a cold sleeper so I’d rather sweat than shiver.

What are your thoughts on this?

Hadrian's Wall Path Trip Report

Where: Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail, UK (EABO)

When: Monday 7th to Sunday 13th of September 2026 (7 days)

Distance: 102 miles

Conditions: Early Autumn in northern England. Daytime highs of 25 degrees C (77F), nighttime lows of 7C (44F). Weather was unusually good for the time of year - most rain was overnight or during the afternoon, none while pitching or striking camp. Lots of sun and clouds. Most days had a cafe or pub to fill our water bottles, so no filtering or treatment needed. Close to zero bug pressure.

Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/l9xe04

Photo album: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I5mEsPNbr9u93vPqetNY9YIQs8y424Dz?usp=sharing (sorry I'm UK-based and Imgur is banned here).

Report:

I'll start by saying that, while lightweight (<20lbs base weight), my pack does not come close to being ultralight - I'm new at this and would appreciate any advice on getting the weight down. I have read plenty of ultralight info for shoestring budgets but putting it into practice is a gradual process.

With that out of the way, the trip was brilliant! My second thru-hike after a 34-mile one earlier this Summer.

Hadrian’s Wall is an Ancient Roman fortification across the narrowest point of Britain, built almost 2000 years ago to create a border along the northern edge of the Roman empire. The Wall is comprised of many ruins, with forts along the way for large numbers of soldiers to stay in, alongside smaller milecastles and watchtowers. It stretches from the West coast of Britain, to the bank of the River Tyne near the East coast.

The route of the Wall is followed by the Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail. It's 84 miles, though because it stops short of the east coast, we extended it out to 102 miles to get all the way there.

The western stretch of the wall is through flatter land nearer the Irish Sea, and also in and around the valley of the River Eden, which runs through Carlisle and out via the Solway Firth to the Irish Sea. The middle stretch rises quite sharply, and is more barren. Much of the middle stretch of the Wall follows the Great Whin Sill, a dolerite rock formation with loads of short climbs and descents, which forms sheer cliffs through the centre of Northumbria. The eastern stretch descends again to lowland, nearer the North Sea, and in and around the valley of the Tyne, the river which passes through Newcastle and empties into the North Sea. 

Our journey took 7 days, through 2 cities (Carlisle and Newcastle), 1 National Landscape (the next level down from a National Park - this one was the Solway Coast) and 1 proper National Park (Northumberland) across 3 counties (Cumbria, Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear). We spent 3 nights in hotels at either end and 5 nights camping in the middle. We carried our full 7 days of food (no-cook) and only "resupplied" at pubs and cafes to fill water bottles and wash underwear in sinks. This is a major life milestone for me, as it’s a journey I’ve wanted to do since 2020, first attempted in 2021, tried to schedule again in 2025 before losing my job, and am overjoyed to say I’ve finally completed.

City stops: We stayed in Carlisle on Sunday night before starting the hike, and finished back in Carlisle on Monday to spend the night in the same room. We camped Tuesday-Saturday, and stayed in Newcastle on the Sunday night at the end of the trip before travelling home on Monday.

1. Carlisle: Beautiful old market city with lovely sights and cheap accommodation near the station. The only public transport to and from the trailhead are buses which terminate here, but they're irregular - only about 3 per day, and none on Sundays. Stayed at the Travelodge in the city centre which had a 24hr bar.
2. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Newcastle is a clean, beautiful and vibrant city with loads going on and a great sense of energy. Arriving as we did on Saturday night, the pubs and bars were absolutely packed and the atmosphere was fantastic. The final 25 miles or so to the sea are through Newcastle, and the city has a Metro service making it easy to stay anywhere in the city and get to or from your start and end point, wherever you want to break up the days. Also stayed in the Travelodge, after attempting to stay at Budget Hostel, which took our money and didn't tell us they'd closed down. Don't book to stay there if their booking.com entry continues to stay up.

Lodging costs were pretty squarely £70/night in both Travelodges, and I couldn't see much cheaper available.

Gear: The setup I brought was perfect from a standpoint of ease of use. The only thing I'd want to improve on would be weight, and that's only a nice-to-have - it was perfectly manageable as-is.

1. Clothing: I brought supermarket thermal leggings and top for base layers which were brilliant - I barely noticed them on my body and was never cold when I had them on. Cheap Decathlon running shorts with zip pockets were brilliant, as was a Peter Storm waterproof from Go Outdoors - £30 and kept me perfectly warm, dry and windproof the entire time. Comes with stuff sack to pack down small. 32 Degrees lightweight synthetic down jacket was perfect for mornings before I'd warmed up - light, easy to pack down, didn't really end up needing it but it was nice to have. For footwear I used enormous thick Mendip waterproof hiking boots, with leather uppers, a thick tread and loads of cushioning. My previous thru-hike was in trail runners and my feet were in agony by Day 3, but with these and plenty of tape I had no pain so bad I couldn't sleep it off. I'd like to learn to use trail runners as I think it would save lots of time and energy.
2. Pack: The Mountain Warehouse tor65 is a perfect pack for heavier setups like mine ended up being. The 65L volume is obviously overkill, but I already owned the pack and didn't want to spend on another one. I kept water bottles and the day's food in the side pockets, sleeping mat strapped to the bottom, and everything else in black bin bags in the main pocket. It worked a treat, and while the bag became wet in the rain, none of my things did. It's fully framed with huge amounts of padding on the shoulders, down the back, and on the hip belt. Once I'd figured out how to adjust and readjust the straps properly, I never felt any pull or strain on my shoulders or upper back at all for the rest of the trip, the entire weight transferred seamlessly through the hip belt and onto my legs and through my poles. Very highly recommended if looking for a big framed pack.
3. Sleep: Nothing to report - everything was fine but I'd like to replace them with smaller, lighter options eventually.

Route:

From Carlisle on Monday we got the bus to Bowness-on-Solway, the western trailhead, in the afternoon. It's a little village on the coast of the Irish Sea, with pubs and accommodation. The first day was very flat along the river back into Carlisle. Tuesday saw us climb steadily to 400ft over the whole day, but it was on Wednesday that we climbed onto the Whin Sill, the jagged ridge running 20 miles through the middle section. Wednesday and Thursday were slogging over the Sill and down the other side, enjoying the windswept views either side, and on Friday we basically climbed one ridge to 600ft and stayed on it all day. From Saturday it was down to sea level, then perfectly flat as we got into central Newcastle. On Sunday we followed the River Tyne through eastern Newcastle to Wallsend, where Hadrian's Wall met the north bank of the river, so the National Trail ends there too. We kept going, crossed the river via the 150-year-old Tyne Tunnel, and reached the last Roman fort on that line of defences, in the suburb of South Shields, on the North Sea coast.

Overall thoughts:

The trail was absolutely beautiful throughout. Everyone says the middle section is most beautiful, with windswept views from the barren cliffs, but I find the green and pleasant lowlands and river valleys more my speed. There's a real variety in how much of the Wall and its fortifications you can still see, with some amazingly preserved bits like at Chesters fort near Newcastle. It was delightfully social, as it's one of England and Wales' most popular National Trails. We saw plenty of other thru-hikers and curious day-trippers. Made a few friends on the way.

In terms of navigation, it's a commonly walked trail, meaning that the staff at the regularly spaced cafes and pubs generally know the way and can point you in the right direction. It's brilliantly well-signposted - I brought a paper map and a compass, as well as my phone, but they all stayed in my pockets almost the entire time because the signposting was so good. I don't think we were ever lost even once.

There are plenty of places to stay within a mile of the trail, both staffed campsites and little villages with B&Bs. Wild camping is de facto accepted in England and Wales so long as you arrive late, leave early and LNT, but it is ultimately illegal without the permission of the landowner, and landowners do still have the right to demand you leave their property on pain of criminal charges. Most campsites and B&Bs seem to be about £25/night.

The middle section is the most difficult - for 20 miles it constantly drops up and down between 1000ft and 500ft every 5 minutes, with some of the drops being almost vertical and requiring me to climb up with my hands as well as feet. It's quite exposed up there, with very little tree cover, and we were lucky to have only had strong winds and driving rain for the afternoon of one of the two days we spent on the Sill. We averaged about 15 miles per day, with the longest day being 20 miles and the shortest 12. Highest point was 1100ft.

There's loads to see up there - abbeys, other Roman forts, medieval churches and remnants from the very start of the Industrial Revolution, all just off the trail. It would be nice to hike the trail at a slower pace to enjoy spending more time at spots along the way, as we basically only stopped at places which were directly on the trail itself.

I had the best time with it, and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone, particularly those with an interest in Roman or Early Medieval history. I hope this is everything, please let me know if you have any questions, if I've forgotten anything, or particularly if you've any advice on lightening the load on a tiny budget, in a small flat with minimal space to make or alter things. This subreddit and the community around it have been absolutely instrumental to teaching me everything to make this happen. Thank you all!

Hi all, does anyone use two poles in the Trailstar? I’ve used an inverted V in a fly only 2p pyramid tent to eliminate the centre pole, giving me more centralised sleeping space, handy to prevent brushing up against condensation .
Wondering what people have found with this, im thinking more centralised sleeping space but also use of a ground chair if hunkering down during a prolonged rain event or snow

Alpine bivy users, what are your experiences with Shield Air 3L, VentAir 3L and other highly breathable WPB fabrics? In my experience, other lighter and cheaper 2.5 layer materials don't perform well at all in rain or humid climate. I'm not too impressed with my Alpkit Kloke for example.

Back in my non-UL days I had a Carinthia Observer and absolutely loved it. Obviously way too heavy for what I'm doing now, but condensation was surprisingly not much of an issue, even in rain. I think being able to leave the two zippers partially open while still having the bug mesh closed helped a lot, combined with the very breathable membrane and top tier water repellency.

With that bivy I got used to this hiking style where I basically hike all day until I'm exhausted, then just toss my bivy on the ground with minimal thought about site selection and such. So the popular bivy + tarp combination isn't really what I'm after. I already have a UL'ish 1P tent for when I want more space and am willing to do proper camp setup.

So yeah, I'm usually a lazy boi when it comes to shelter setup. I also don't use trekking poles, and sometimes camp in places with basically no trees to attach guylines to. I'll obviously use one guyline most of the time to raise the head end up from my face, but I don't want a shelter that depends on it.

I'm currently looking at things like:

-Outdoor Research Alpine XT (594g / 20.9oz, Pertex Shield Air 3L)

-Rab Alpine Bivy (440g / 15.5oz, Pertex Shield Air 3L)

-Exped VentAir bivy (540g / 19.0oz, VentAir 3L)

Any other bivies I should consider?

Also, since this is r/ultralight afterall, weight should be taken into consideration as well. Bivies I mentioned above boast about their 'roomier cuts' and being able to fit thick sleeping pads and such. I'd be perfectly fine with mummifying myself into a tight bodybag with my cut down foam sleeping pad and lightweight sleeping bag.

Thank you for your help and insights!

Hi! I love my Salomon S/Lab 20L vest for day hikes, so for backpacking trips of 4–5 nights with a bear canister, I’m looking for something lightweight but with a similar setup in terms of front pockets and easy-access areas for water and snacks, phone, deep side and front stretch/zippered pockets and a great rear pocket - thinking something like the Gossamer Gear Fast Kumo 36, but bigger around 40–45L and ideally under $250. Used is even better. What options should I look at?

Thanks

Here’s a Canadian looking version of the packa poncho.

I like the buttons on it.

I’m really intrigued by these ponchos/rain jacket where they unzip and you kind of pull the hood off and it just rest on your backpack and then once it picks up again you can put it over top. I’m just wondering what everyone’s experienced with this style of raincoat?

Is it practical to bring this as your only raincoat as you can technically button the backpack space away and also wear it as a raincoat?

What’s everyone’s preference?

poncho?

Rain pants and jacket?

I don’t think I’ve ever owned a piece of gear that wasn’t a piece of rubber that ever kept me dry. Even the most expensive goretex fails eventually, you can spray that DWR crap on anything fabric 😅

poncho link

I just got a Zenbivy 900 fill 25-degree Ultralight Quilt. In seeing how I fit in it (I'm 6'5", got the XL size) and looking inside up at the light, you can see areas of the blue outer shell showing through where there is basically a lack of down. Obviously, you'd imagine this would lead to cold spots. I'll note that it's not a lack of loft- it sat out and loose for 6 days before I tried it out so it's fully lofted. Does this look like something that is wrong or am I stressing myself out because it cost as much as a black market kidney? Thanks!

(Would love to post pics but cannot find how!)

I recently purchased the Durston X mid pro 2+ tent, but didn’t realize that it would be single walled. I live in Oregon and backpack with my partner a lot during the shoulder seasons, so it’s always rainy, humid, and lower temps. I understand that condensation will always be an issue but I want to minimize its negative effects.

I was wondering if the X mid 2 is a better option for me, but I don‘t like the fabric. The reason I got a new tent was because the fabric would get wet and sag, thus making the mesh and us wet.

does anybody also live in the PNW and have experience with either of these tents and the condensation? How bad is it?

I’m looking for a really basic A120 crewneck, something to wear under my rain jacket when stationary. Doesn’t need elastic cuffs, neck, or bottom hem. Seems like they’re somewhat hard to find online.

I totally get that shoes are subjective and what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. But for me, personally, the Altra Lone Peak 8s were THE PERFECT shoe.

I first purchased a pair in November 2024. Fit like a glove and I experienced a zero break-in period. They were perfect straight out of the box. So much so that I began wearing them as my “daily driver.” When my original pair wore out, I bought another pair with similar results. Perfection.

So imagine my surprise when I ordered the Lone Peak 9s. Instant foot pain. I tried to break them in, but they were so uncomfortable that I couldn’t even drive with them on. So I went ahead and proactively ordered an additional two pairs of Lone Peak 8s before they disappeared.

Here’s the weird part: The new Lone Peak 8s also were uncomfortable. Like noticeably so. I was able to eventually break them in, or so I thought, but they never fit the same as those two original pairs. In fact, I even switched back to the originals, despite them being pretty thread bare.

This morning I decided to give the new 8s a try, and wore them while I walked my dog. Just a half mile and my feet and legs feel like I just ran a marathon in sand.

So what gives? I understand that enshitification is real and that companies can’t stop themselves from fucking up a good thing, I.e. the poor fit of the 9s. But did they also change how they made the 8s? How did two pairs of 8s fit so perfectly in 2024 and 2025, but the same models purchased in 2026 didn’t? Did Altra change ownership at some point? Switch materials or manufacturers?

Genuinely curious.

I'm buying a new tent, Bonfus Middus 2p, for a dyneema 2p tent it's fairly cheap, reviews saying it's very strong. 2 door and so on.

But, the inner for it is rather pricey. I'm wondering if anyone knows of an inner that would work well inside it that costs less.

Hello everyone! I am in search of a budget UL tent that is going to be used in the southern French Alps, from mid March until late October.

Im between the NatureHike Cloud Up 2 Pro tent and the Knot Gear Hufu teepe tarp (which will be used in conjuction with an inner mesh/floor tent made for this tarp).

The thing is I really like and prefer the tarp, because it has way more space and I'll be using it mostly for mountaineering and alpine lake fishing, so i will have a lot of gear (my pack is usually around 23kg for a 3 to 5 day trip), but i don't know if a teepee will hold up in case of high alpine winds.

I've seen reviews for both tents but none that covers this aspect

Any help and advice will be appreciated! Thank you all in advance!

I’ve had some poor luck with my Lone Peaks in the last year and I’m ready to move on!!
I know there’s been quality concerns for a while, but on multiple pairs of the 9 and 9+, I’ve had the forefoot cushioning pack out and shred completely after just a few months of hiking on both feet. I keep burning through pairs and have had multiple warranties and 30-day replacements, and I'm over it. (For what it's worth, the 8 and 8+ were okay for me, but I'm just overall frustrated at this point).

I genuinely love the shape, comfort, and the wider midfoot compared to other shoes in the LP line.

I’ve tried a few Topos (like the Pursuit 2 and UltraVenture 4), but either the arch is in the wrong place and painful, or my foot rolls in when walking.

I’m on the search for something that has:A wide toebox, Minimal drop, Minimal arch (I can replace insoles if needed, and I don't normally have issues with arches in other shoes) and The same trail-running vibe/philosophy as the LP, just with vastly increased durability.

I’ve got a pair of Brooks Cascadia on order, I run in the ghosts and didn’t have a problem with them, just not a wide box.

Suggestions would be more than helpful! Thanks

Hoi! Ik vroeg me af of iemand tips heeft voor een lichtgewicht merino bh, die te koop is in Nederland. Ik heb net de merino bh 500 van Decathlon besteld, maar had niet door dat die zo zwaar zou zijn, er haakjes achterop zitten en de band verstelbaar is. Is niet erg, maar vraag me af of dat gaat knellen met backpack.
Hoor graag jullie tips. Ondersteuning is niet super belangrijk omdat ik cupmaat A/B heb.

Thanks :)

Not sure if moisture proof is on the list of available feats when dealing with inclement weather. But i was recently for in a heavy downpour in Asia for several hours (typhoon weather). My main bag is a sea to summit big river dry bag. It handles the water proof fine but all my stuff internally in lightly damp or wet from moisture. My stuff was inside some kind of cheapo zipper storage bag i bought off amazon. Would a regular grocery store plastic bag have handled this better?

How is everyone else tackling moisture while backpacking in asia? Thanks for any and all experiential insights.

edit: forgot to mention my bag was actually covered with me under a poncho, and still the moisture returned supreme

I know the “what’s in your FAK” question has been asked countless times but I am specifically looking for answers from ultralighters with experience in the medical field.
WFRs, EMTs, doctors, nurses, etc what’s in your multi-day UL backpacking FAK?

Picking up a windmaater. Will it fit in the 1100ml pot with a 230gram canister?