Lighter Faster: An Essential Guide to Ultralight Backpacking and Fastpacking

Fastpacking sits at the intersection of trail running and backpacking-moving through the wilderness with everything you need and nothing you don't. Lighter Faster is the practical guide to doing it well.

Whether you're a backpacker ready to shed weight and move faster, a trail runner looking to extend your range into multi-day terrain, or a hiker stepping into the backcountry for the first time, this book gives you the tools to get there.

The book is built in three parts.

Part One is a buying guide. Cut through the noise of the gear market and build a lightweight, capable kit around the Big Three-pack, shelter, and sleeping system-plus clothing, nutrition, and safety essentials. Know what to buy, what to skip, and why every ounce matters.

Part Two is a planning guide. Choose routes that match your fitness and experience. Navigate with maps, compasses, and GPS. Fuel multi-day efforts with calorie-dense nutrition and hydration strategies designed for sustained output. Understand the logistics that turn a good idea into a trip you actually complete.

Part Three is about getting trail ready. Develop the backcountry skills-campsite selection, weather awareness, wildlife protocols, emergency preparedness-that keep hard days from becoming dangerous ones. Train your body and mind for the demands of multi-day movement in remote terrain.

Actionable throughout. Built for the trail, not the coffee table.

The backcountry is waiting. This is how you go.