6 Lightweight Items For Fastpacking, Hiking And Backpacking
It's nearly summer, which means it's time to dust off the hiking boots, pull out the tent, locate your hiking poles, and determine what essential items you might need or want for upcoming outdoor trips. Whether you're planning on an easy day hike, a challenging multi-night backpacking adventure, or a fun hut to hut fastpacking journey, here are some smart items worth their weight to bring along on your next romp in nature.
If you're going to be out on the trail, it's important to bring along a lightweight headlamp, even if you aren't planning on hiking in the dark. Just as essential as a First Aid kit, a headlamp is an important safety gear item. Unplanned night hiking without anything to light the way, or keep you safely on the trail, can be very dangerous.
For an ultralight option, bring along the Knog Bilby 400 Headlamp. It's not only lightweight, it's also powerful and perfect for all backpacking adventures.
There are only so many days you can sit in the dirt while at your campsite. Bringing along a lightweight chair, which folds in a tiny package and can easily be carried, is a luxury item to be sure, but one you'll be happy to have.
The smallest and most compact chair in the Helinox lineup is the Chair Zero. Weighing in at only one pound, this small but mighty comfort item has an award-winning design and can support up to 265 pounds. Your back will thank you.
Choosing lightweight gear items is important when backpacking for multiple days.
When hiking and backpacking, it can be cumbersome to slather on sunscreen to every inch of exposed skin throughout the day, every day. A smarter solution is a sun hoodie that can be pulled up and over your ball cap, shielding your face, neck, shoulders, and arms from harmful rays.
The Nuyarn Ultralight Merino is the high-performance material that can really go the distance. Ultralight, durable, and breathable, a long-sleeved shirt is super comfortable and can be worn multiple days in a row, especially with quick drying material. Choose from the Feathertop Ultralight Hooded Long Sleeve Tee from Le Bent, or the Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie from Outdoor Vitals.
Binoculars add enjoyment to wildlife viewing, especially for kids and families.
For wildlife viewing, it's nice to have a pair of binoculars or a monocular to spot birds, deer, and other woodland creatures. The Nocs Provisions Zero Tube is compact, lightweight, and hard-wearing, making it easy to bring along on outdoor adventures—it's slim enough to fit in your pack without being bulky or weighty. Waterproof, fog proof, and impact resistant, Nocs has designed a perfect solution for backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts.
We've all heard that cotton may be problematic for hiking and backpacking. It's important to wear a moisture wicking fabric that dries quickly and can keep your body temperature regulated.
The ARTILECT Nuyarn Sprint Tee is not only lightweight, it's made from merino fabric, a fast drying, breathable, and durable material that feels soft to the skin. This is the go-to hiking shirt for summer, whether you're on a multi-day backpacking adventure or a gentle day hike. Adding color to your outdoor wardrobe can also brighten up your experience.
From backpacks to hiking boots to the perfect sun shirt, each item has an essential role.
For women, going to the bathroom in the woods can be a challenge. Who wants to be fully exposed every time they feel the urge to relieve themselves? Enter: Gnara. This company makes smart pants, leggings, and shorts with a built in zipper that opens wide enough to do your business when nature calls. The perfect adventure pants, from the perfect women owned and operated company, choose from the Go There Pants, Go There Shorts, or the Go Free 7/8 Leggings.
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13 minutes ago
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Forbes
37 minutes ago
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Vogue
an hour ago
- Vogue
This Is the Summer of Celebrity It-Bag Revivals
In fashion, what goes around comes around—meaning, if something goes out of style, it is bound to come back in style at some point. In other words: Hang onto those investment pieces, folks! Sure, in a time where there are so many conversations around spring cleaning and decluttering (paging Marie Kondo!), one can easily be ruthless about parting ways with our relics of the past. But if today's trendsetters like Rihanna and Bella Hadid have taught us anything, it's that a little bit of strategic hoarding can come in handy. Because the only thing better than designer, is rare, vintage designer. Case in point: This summer, luxury bags from the 2000s (and even further back) are being revived and given a brand new life. A-listers like Tyla, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, and Dakota Johnson have all been spotted stepping out and carrying handbags that were once hot. Just this week, Tyla carried a Lous Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse Speedy bag. Y2K, much? The bright, bold graffiti-style bag was all of the rage in the 2000s, yet Tyla made the case for it in 2025 by pairing it with a nonchalant tank and cargo pants. The South African singer is not the only star on the board with reviving a past It-bag. Be it Dakota Johnson and her beloved Gucci Jackie bag (which harks back to the 1960s), to Bella Hadid and her trustee Balenciaga City bag (another 2000s favorite), it's clear that the summer bag approach is the older it is, the better it is. So, start scouring eBay—and try predicting what will be the next past handbag to have a comeback. (Given Céline just revived the 2010s-favorite Phantom bag on the runway, you better start hoarding those secondhand ones—while they are still cheap.) Below, five past It-bags that are having a revival. Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse When Marc Jacobs was at the creative helm of Louis Vuitton, one of his most famous releases was his collaboration handbags with American artist and designer, the late Stephen Sprouse. First released in the spring 2001 collection, Spouse applied neon graffiti-style lettering overtop Vuitton's signature leather monogram print. The splashy bags were heavily coveted and signalled a new era for daring to innovate beyond storied luxury house codes, and were worn by stars like Paris Hilton. Today, Tyla and Rihanna have proven they are still fans of the Y2K style. Photo: Backgrid Photo: Backgrid Chloé Paddington Chloé will forever be known for its romantic, boho-chic aesthetic, and one of its signature bags to date is the Paddington—a slouchy leather shoulder bag, punctuated with a big heavy padlock. The style was first debuted in 2005 while Phoebe Philo was creative director. Given the boho revival is all of the rage in fashion currently, it was only a matter of time before the Paddington had a comeback, too: Stars like Rachel Sennott and Daisy Edgar-Jones have worn the new interpretations, brought back to life thanks to current Chloé designer Chemena Kamali. Fendi Spy Bag I spy, you spy—we all spy the Fendi Spy bag! Originally debuted in 2005, the Italian label released a mini top-handle boho bag that was worn by loads of celebrities at the time—everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to the Olsen twins. Today, it feels just as fresh, now designed in contemporary shades like butter yellow and rich chocolate brown. Stars like PinkPantheress (a noted handbag lover, toting it on stages from Coachella to Glastonbury) and Aubrey Plaza are diehard fans. Photo: Backgrid Balenciaga City Bag Did the Balenciaga City bag ever go out of style? Debatable, but the enduring fashion favorite—first released in 2001, thanks to Nicolas Ghesquière—is certainly the hottest bag in fashion at the moment. Everyone from Dua Lipa to Tate McRae has worn the edgy, slouchy bag with big silver hardware. It will forever be the perfect on-the-go bag that instantly makes an outfit. Photo: Backgrid Gucci Jackie bag A more retro offering, the Gucci Jackie bag was debuted back in 1961, and was popularized by Jackie Kennedy Onassis (hence the name). More than six decades later, the curved silhouette and golden lock clasp feels fresher than ever—though, the modern styling approaches that stars like Dakota Johnson and Yara Shahidi have taken certainly help make the case for it as a 2025 It bag.
