Best New Ultralight Gear of 2024 Thus Far
We love testing out new ultralight gear, and here we’ll catalog our favorite new releases to help keep you in the know on prominent industry developments. This list will never be complete, but we’ll strive to update it frequently. Styles that were released more than a year ago will be removed as they age out. If you have a suggestion, please drop us a line in the comments.
We’ve handpicked this assortment of high-performance new ultralight gear to highlight major releases in the year thus far, based largely on our own preferences and perception of marketplace significance. Please note that the emphasis is on prominent releases. This is not a catalog of every new piece of ultralight gear from every brand. Nor is it claiming to highlight strictly best-in-class equipment. For that, please refer to our buyer’s guides and gear lists.
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End Q1 Editor’s Notes, March 28, 2024
Some big line-wide redesigns hit the the market in late March, including all of Gossamer Gear’s ultralight backpacks, such as their flagship Mariposa 60 (new frame, new hip belt, recycled materials), and all of Sea to Summit’s lightweight Spark, Spark W’s, Spark Pro, and Ember Quilt sleep systems. In addition to that, we also spotted the Zpacks Plex Solo Lite, the new lightest fully enclosed tent on the market at just 11.8 oz, Challenge ULTRA making it on the big stage via Black Diamond’s Betalight pack.
Mid Q1 Editor’s Notes, February 4, 2024
The first tranche of new ultralight gear has dropped, and it’s comprised mostly of styles from big name brands like REI Co-op, Altra, MSR, and NEMO. We expect to see lots more exciting gear from the Cottage Industry coming soon, which usually tends to release products in late winter/early spring to coincide with the gear-up phase of hiking season. But in summary, the biggest news is the 14.9 oz Zpacks Duplex Lite (lightest 2p fully enclosed tent), REI Co-op Flash Air 50 (a sub-two-pound ultralight backpack), and NEMO’s Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated sleeping pad (statistically superior to the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir NXT). Lastly, we’ve kept a couple of late Q4 2023 styles in the mix, just in case you missed them.
The New Ultralight Gear
Zpacks Free Zip 2P
31.3 oz | $899
The Zpacks Free Zip 2p is 25-50% lighter than its freestanding peers, has an exceptional wind-resistance-to-weight ratio, is made with best in-class-materials, and offers above average headroom. However, it’s also very expensive, has a smaller-than-average interior, and the smallest vestibules in its category. Nonetheless, this is likely one of the best, and virtually only, true ultralight freestanding tents on the market. It is an exceptionally useful and versatile shelter to add to your quiver for use in wind, and when unable to pitch non-freestanding tents. Read more in our Zpacks Free Zip review.
Firemaple Petrel Pot
5.7 oz | $24
The new Firemaple Petrel Pot is exciting because it is one of, if not the first, standalone heat exchanger pots with built-in stove arm notches that definitely increase stability and hypothetically increase efficacy. Its heat exchanger improves stove boil time and fuel economy by trapping heat and blocking wind. It features a superb Tritan plastic lid, with a flip up lid-locking handle. Petrel is one of the very best pots on the market for solo use, and likely the single most compact, held back only by its slightly-too-narrow-to-be-optimal diameter. Oh yeah, and did we mention it’s also 800 ml, not 600 ml? Read more in our Firemaple Petrel Pot review.
Sea to Summit Spark 15
25.7 oz | $549
Redesigned and rereleased for 2024, the Sea to Summit Spark 15 Sleeping Bag is as good as ever. This is a classic ultralight bag made with a 10d shell/liner fabric and 850 fill power down for a high warmth-to-weight ratio. It’s simple, effective, top tier, and ready to keep you toasty warm.
Sea to Summit Spark Pro 15
27.7 oz | $649
The new Sea to Summit Spark Pro 15 Down Sleeping Bag is the performance optimized version of the brand’s flagship Spark sleep system. It is generously filled with top tier 950 fill power down and can even be converted into quilt-mode. The key takeaways are that this is an overall great lightweight sleeping bag, made with excellent materials, and conservatively temperature rated, despite the fact that it would have had a higher warmth-to-weight ratio, lower price, and superior performance without all of the quilt conversion/venting zippers.
Sea to Summit Spark Women’s 15
32.8 oz | $549
For a lightweight sleeping bag designed to accommodate cold sleepers and curvier bodies, choose the Sea to Summit Spark Women’s edition, updated for 2024 and previously referred to as “Flame.” This 15F version of this bag is ~40% warmer (and bulkier) than S2S’s unisex model of the same temperature rating, and in unisex rating terms, could have been called a 5F. It’s a great lightweight sleep system with high quality down fill and shell fabric, an exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio, and is the overall best women’s specific model on the market.
Sea to Summit Spark 0
39.7 oz | $649
While the 15F, 30F, and 45F of the new Sea to Summit Spark Sleeping Bag range from pretty good to dead average, the 0 degree version is truly best-in-class, and immediately jumped to the top of our winter bag power rankings due to its exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio. It even rivals some of the best 0 degree quilts! This is due to the combination of lightweight shell fabric (10d nylon) and copious amounts of 850 fill power down. The total weight of this sleeping bag is 75% down weight, 25% shell weight, which is an exceptionally high ratio.
Sea to Summit Ember Quilt 30
19.2 oz | $399
The Sea to Summit Ember Quilt 30, 2024 edition, is a good convertible quilt blanket that’s generously filled with 850 fp down encased in ultralight shell fabrics. The quality is really high. That said, there are better options out there in the UL quilt market, and Ember is held back from true greatness by a missing snap closure at the top corners to reduce neck/shoulder drafts, and a performance-diminishing strap system that easily can and should be removed.
Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60, 2024 Update
34.7 oz | $315
We’re stoked on the updated Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60, an exceptional and iconic full-size, fully featured, internal frame ultralight backpack. You still get the same best-in-class external storage suite, but now with an improved frame-hip-belt-combo that moves with you. And the entire pack is made with recycled Robic Nylon. Mariposa’s smaller sibling, the Gorilla 50, got the same overhaul, and all of GG’s pack are now made with recycled Robic. Read more in our full length Gossamer Gear Mariposa Review.
Nashville Packs The Cutaway 40L
16.5 oz | $326
Our top pick fastpack is now available in a 40L volume capacity, in addition to the original 30L size (and now also a 20L daypack size). This scaled up Cutaway is perfect for spring and fall adventures when a warmer, bulkier sleep system and higher volume puffy jacket/pants are necessary. The Cutaway pack is famous for its ultralight weight, continuous exterior pocket with bonus shelf, as well as a fully tricked out and customizable running vest harness shoulder straps system with pockets galore. Trust us, it’s a really sweet fastpack. Read more in our Nashville Packs Cutaway Review (which covers the original 30L version). We look forward to testing the 40L Cutaway this spring.
Zpacks Plex Solo Lite
11.8 oz | $599
Zpacks Plex Solo Lite is the lightest full enclosed 1P tent we’ve seen without sacrificing spaciousness. This model shaves grams from the original Plex Solo by utilizing a thinner floor (DCF .75 vs DCF 1.0) , thinner guy lines (1.3mm vs 2mm), and skipping an interior pocket. We prefer this design for short-to-medium-length fastpacking missions where weight savings are priority number one, while the original Plex Solo is better for thru hiking, or for use as your 1p daily driver due to its longer lasting floor.
Black Diamond Beta Light Backpack
31.5 oz | $400
The BD Beta Light is a running-vest style fastpack available in a 30L and 45L capacity. But the real story here is that this is one of the first instances of a major outdoor gear brand designing with Challenge ULTRA fabric. As such, Beta Light is ultralight, ultra durable, and fully waterproof thanks to its taped seams. You also get a full suite of external storage pockets, foam back panel, and the 45L edition even has an aluminum frame. The biggest downside are that its vest pockets are too small. Read more in our Black Diamond Betalight Backpack Review.
Durston Wapta 30
16.9 oz | $280
Durston delivers again! The fully featured Wapta 30 frameless ultralight pack is first-to-market with an exciting new Challenge Ultra competitor called ALUULA Grayflyte. This composite fabric combines a 100% UHMWPE woven face with a glue-free waterproof film laminate. It’s also fully recyclable, low water absorption, edge stable (meaning it doesn’t fray), and heat bondable. While these improvements on Ultra feel more like an optimization than a true innovation, we’re still excited to see any advances in pack technology. And did we mention the features? For a 16.9 oz pack, Wapta is fully tricked out with storage, including a full size suite of front, side, hip belt, built-in shoulder strap, and under-side pockets. And the heat bond-ability allows for padded air mesh panels on the back for comfort and sweat reduction. Wapta 30 is viable as both a daypack or multi-day fastpack, and ships in Mar/Apr 2024. We can’t wait to test this one out! Keep up the good work, Dan!
Zpacks Duplex Lite
14.9 oz | $669
The brand new Zpacks Duplex Lite claims the title of lightest 2P fully enclosed tent, weighing in at a scant 14.9 oz! It achieves this miracle by starting with the base Duplex chassis, narrowing it slightly, and utilizing a slightly thinner floor fabric and guy line cordage. While this is technically a 2P tent, there is zero width to spare, so it’s more like a 1.8P tent, and probably designed with thru-hikers in mind who are unlikely to ever use it at full capacity. The 25 sq ft interior floor is definitely cramped for two, but appropriate for fastpackers or a pair of smaller people who wish to prioritize weight savings over camp comfort. This is definitely an optimization, not an innovation, but well-worth considering for soloists. We wouldn’t actually recommend it for most 2p use.
REI Co-op Flash Air 50
30 oz | $299
We’re thrilled to see REI continue pumping out Co-op brand ultralight gear, and the Flash Air 50 has potential to be their crown jewel. Weighing in at just under two pounds, it hits the bullseye and is competitive with most other ultralight packs, albeit not pushing any limits. The design is like a streamlined version of the popular Flash 55 Pack. They have a similar chassis and pocket configuration, with similar accessories, only Flash Air 50 has no brain, uses lighter weight materials across the board, and costs $100 more.
REI Co-op Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt
20.3 oz | $329
The REI Co-op Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt is a versatile, fully-featured quilt capable of shifting between blanket mode and hood-less sleeping bag by way of a zippered footbox. Its 850 fill power down, warmth-to-weight, and overall backcountry performance seems to be appropriate for the $329 price point, and with lots of inclusive sizing options. All that said, it’s not the huge value pickup that it used to be, and lighter weight minimalist options are available on the market for a similar price. But for a lightweight trail quilt, this seems like a pretty dang good, readily available option.
NEMO Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad
14.1 oz | $200
Wow, the NEMO Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated is a dang impressive sleeping pad and our new preferred model. With an R-Value of 5.4, and weighing only 14.1 oz, it clocks the highest R-Value-to-weight-ratio among 3-season pads, besting the esteemed Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, despite being an ounce heavier in total. This is achieved with two suspended layers of thermal mirror film – ultralight insulation, but ultra efficient. You also get the industry standard, ultra comfy 3.5″ thick NEMO Spaceframe baffles and overall quiet sleep experience. What’s more, Tensor’s predecessors had been known for durability issues, but this is solved with the increase to 40d ripstop nylon underside, up from 20d. Great work, NEMO!
NEMO Tensor Trail Ultralight Insulated
13 oz | $180
The updated-for-2024 NEMO Tensor Trail Ultralight Insulated sleeping pad appears to be a merger between the previous ultralight insulated and non-insulated Tensors, and now includes the word “Trail” in its name. Weighing just 13 oz yet still featuring the quiet, weight-dispersing Spaceframe baffles, we think most people will find this pad to be comfier than average. And while its predecessors were plagued by durability issues, they’ve now reinforced the underside with 40d ripstop nylon, up from 20d; a big win. The industry standard 3.5″ thick chassis easily blocks roots and lumps, but the 2.8 R-value isn’t very impressive. As such, we thick this will be a killer summer pad capable of flexing into spring or fall conditions.
Altra Lone Peak 8
10.7 oz | $140
We’re excited to hike in the Altra Lone Peak 8, the latest iteration of the trail shoe that popularized zero drop. V8 appears to be a minor upgrade over the 7 series. This season, the mesh upper has been swapped back to a more traditional woven ripstop grid fabric for enhanced durability and old-school Altra chic. You still get the comfy wide toe box, the rock plate, the 25mm stack height, and the wannabe-Vibram MaxTrac outsoles. Perhaps the biggest and best surprise is that Altra cranked the price downward by $10, inflation be damned.
MSR Titan Cup 450
2.4 oz | $50
The MSR Titan 450 compares favorably to just about any other ultralight backpacking cup. The titanium chassis is durable and lightweight, while the silicon grip handles and lip saver help prevent burns and increase functionality. You can pretty much have your cake and eat it too. The only downside here is that double wall models from other brands exist at the same price point.
MSR Titan Double Wall Mug
4.1 oz | $50
The new for 2024 MSR Titan Double Wall backpacking mug is durable, well-made, and highly functional. This model comes with its own 0.9 oz lid (counted in the list weight), which drastically increases the insulative capabilities. Used with the lid, it’s one of the most thermally effective mugs. Used without the lid, it’s actually one of the lightest double wall options on the market at 3.2 oz. No handles for this one, but that’s not a problem as long as you don’t mind giving it a few minutes to cool after pouring boiling water. Our biggest knock, aside from the premium price tag, is that it’s a bit smaller than average, coming in at 375ml, instead of our preferred 450. But not a big deal. Still within the lower range of the size bullseye.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35
23.5 oz | $359
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35 is an ultralight fastpack made with waterproof Dyneema and an internal frame for load transfer and enticing shoulder strap pockets. The entire package weighs just 23.5 oz and comes with all of the right features. It’s perfect for short backpacking trips or carrying a fully dialed-in UL kit. We’re thrilled to see HMG return to the cutting edge of UL gear.
Zpacks Offset Solo
18.8 oz | $749
If you’ve ever felt cramped in a 1P tent, Zpacks Offset Solo is your ticket to spreading out comfortably. This two-door, two-vestibule ultralight DCF trekking pole shelter offers truly exceptional interior volume and floor area, easily accommodating wide pads, tall hikers, and plenty of gear. Enjoy best-in-class headroom with the offset ridgeline directly above where you actually sit up, and signature foot-end-strut to lift the ceiling away from your sleeping bag footbox. It is a top tier comfort and performance option for solo hikers, thru-hikers, and fastpackers.
New Ultralight Gear Conclusion
We hope you’ve discovered your next new ultralight gear purchase on this list. Many of these styles are at the cutting edge of performance and design trends and we know you’ll love them. Have you tested a new release that you’d like to see us feature? Please drop us a line in the comments Happy hiking!
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