Cut Down on Gear, Maximize the Fun! Discover the Appeal of UL Camping, How to Choose Gear, and Recommended Items

What is UL (Ultralight) Camping Gear?

UL (Ultra-Light) camping has been gaining attention in recent years.

As the name suggests, "UL" stands for "ultralight." UL camping is a new type of camping based on the concept of enjoying the outdoors with only the bare essentials, and it is said to have originated from American hiking culture.

"UL camping gear," used in this style of camping, refers to gear that is ultra-lightweight and compact yet offers high-level functionality.

In traditional camping, gear like tents, sleeping bags, fire pits, and cooking equipment tends to add up, resulting in a lot of gear and increased weight.

In UL camping, the basic approach is to first list the bare minimum items suited to your camping style and then equip yourself with "ultra-lightweight, high-performance UL camping gear."

This allows you to travel light and enjoy camping while freely immersing yourself in the great outdoors.

However, even if you’re thinking, “I want to start UL camping,” it can be confusing to know what gear to choose as a beginner.

In this article, we’ll introduce the benefits of UL camping gear, how to choose it, important considerations, and recommended gear for those who want to start UL camping but are unsure about what to pick.

Benefit #1: Lightweight and Easy to Carry

UL camping gear sold by various manufacturers is generally lightweight and packs down to a compact size. 

For example, even products that are typically large, like tents and sleeping bags, are designed with UL camping in mind to pack down small for easy transport, making them perfect for traveling on foot, by bicycle, or by motorcycle.

Benefit #2: Quick Setup and Takedown

The basic principle of UL camping is to carry as little as possible and avoid unnecessary items. Therefore, the fact that moving, setting up, and breaking down are all easy is another major appeal.

Furthermore, much of the UL camping gear released by various manufacturers features simple designs to reduce weight, making it quick and easy to handle, set up, and take down.

Attraction #3: Useful in Disasters

UL camping gear isn’t just for outdoor use.

Because it is lightweight, high-performance gear that covers clothing, food, and shelter, it is also useful as disaster preparedness gear. When struck by earthquakes, typhoons, or other natural disasters, it will likely prove more useful than a standard emergency evacuation kit.

Even though it’s usually just gear for your outdoor hobby, it becomes reliable equipment that protects your body and life when the time comes. Additionally, since UL camping gear consists mainly of lightweight, space-saving items, it’s easy to repurpose for car camping essentials like mats, sleeping bags, and lanterns, making it useful in situations beyond the outdoors.

How to Choose UL Camping Gear

The first step to starting UL (ultralight) camping is to gather the right gear.

In UL camping, the basic rule is to carry gear where the “base weight” (the weight of the gear excluding consumables such as water, food, and fuel) is 4.5 kg or less.

First, eliminate gear you rarely use, and be sure to choose lightweight versions of essential items like tents and sleeping bags.

Here, we’ll introduce key points to consider when selecting UL camping gear.

Tip #1: Lightweight Alone Isn’t Enough! Consider Durability Too

When it comes to essential UL camping gear, you naturally want to choose the lightest products possible. However, you shouldn’t base your choice solely on “lightness.” Lightweight gear can sometimes lack durability.

Carefully select the right gear by considering various factors, such as durability, strength, functionality, and whether it suits your camping style.

Tip 2: Carefully Select Only What You Really Need

When selecting UL camping gear, keep in mind that you should “carefully select only the equipment you truly need.”

• "I’d feel uneasy if I didn’t bring this..."
• "This might be handy to bring..."

Try not to end up adding more and more items like this.

If you’ve camped before and own your own gear, try laying everything out on the floor. If there’s anything in there that you “only use once or twice a year,” you don’t need it for UL camping.

Basically, the bare essentials are a backpack to carry your gear, a tent or shelter, a sleeping bag, a mat, a lantern, cooking gear like a stove, and food.

On top of that, choose items that are “essential for you” (for example, “I can’t go without my DSLR because I take photos of the mountains”).

Even if you think a piece of gear would be “nice to have,” if it’s slightly inconvenient but you can manage without it, eliminate it entirely.

Selection Tip #3: Choose Items Based on Your Camping Style

UL camping gear varies depending on your camping style—specifically, “what kind of camping you do.”

Camping where you set up your own base in nature and enjoy a relaxed time drinking coffee, reading a book, or gazing at a campfire.

Hiking camping, where you carry a backpack, walk long trails, and enjoy the scenery. Day camping, where you don’t stay overnight and just enjoy fishing. UL camping styles vary from person to person.

If your day camp is focused on fishing, you won’t need a sleeping bag or mat, but fishing gear is essential. If you’re enjoying a long trail hike, you won’t need to cook elaborate meals—a small pot for preparing basic meals will suffice… and so on; the necessary gear will differ.

First, decide on your camping style, and then make a list of “what you absolutely need.”

Tip 4: Multi-functional gear is invaluable

Since UL camping aims to minimize the number of items, multi-functional gear that serves multiple purposes is invaluable.

For example, we recommend gear that can be used in various ways: a compact, lightweight fire pit that doubles as a cooking setup when you place a grate on top; a folding chair that also serves as a storage box; or an LED lantern that can double as a mobile battery or an air pump for air mattresses.

Points to Consider for UL Camping Gear

As mentioned earlier, to enjoy UL (ultralight) camping, it’s important to limit yourself to only the bare essentials and reduce your base weight as much as possible.

However, please keep in mind that reducing your gear too much can not only lead to discomfort and inconvenience but can also pose safety risks in some cases.

Here are some points to consider when selecting UL camping gear.

Point 1: Risk of Inadequate Equipment

When selecting UL camping gear, an excessive focus on “as light and minimal as possible” can sometimes lead to insufficient equipment.

For example, there have been cases where campers staying overnight in the mountains in cold temperatures brought only a lightweight sleeping bag and skipped the mat, resulting in being unable to sleep due to the cold seeping up from the ground.

Be sure to thoroughly research the environment and weather conditions of the UL camping sites you plan to visit or stay at beforehand. Determine your essential items with your physical safety in mind, and take care to avoid being under-equipped.

Point 2: Ensure Adequate Protection Against Cold and Wind

While simple, lightweight tents and tarps that are easy to set up are well-suited for UL camping, it’s also important to verify that they offer adequate protection against cold and wind.

When purchasing a tent, check whether it is designed to withstand strong winds (such as having a shape that deflects wind) and whether it has a skirt (*) at the bottom.

While lightweight single-wall tents are appealing, double-wall tents are recommended if you need protection from cold and wind.

*Skirt: A curtain-like piece of fabric attached to all four sides of the tent’s flysheet that prevents cold drafts from entering the tent in winter and keeps insects out in summer.

Point 3: Choose high-strength materials for essential gear like tents and tarps

When camping outdoors, choosing gear that serves as your “living space”—such as tents, shelters, and tarps—is crucial.

If you choose gear based solely on "lightness," there is a risk that it could be blown away by the wind or tear easily.

Choose gear made from high-strength materials that can withstand rain, wind, and strong sunlight.

TOKYO CRAFTS’ Lightweight Gear

TOKYO CRAFTS is a Japanese original camping gear brand with the concept of “a sense of satisfaction that defies words.”

It is renowned not only for its high practicality and functionality but also for its stylish, one-of-a-kind designs.

Here, we introduce lightweight gear from TOKYO CRAFTS that’s perfect for UL (ultralight) camping.

Night Rover 2P

The "Night Rover 2P" is a compact dome tent featuring a lightweight and easy-to-set-up design. It comes standard with an inner tent and is characterized by its generous interior height and wide opening, which help prevent a feeling of confinement.

Its self-supporting three-cross-frame structure allows for quick setup and takedown. Once attached, the inner tent and groundsheet can be packed away as is.

Weighing approximately 3.6 kg and packing down to a compact size, it offers excellent portability.

▼ Customer Reviews

I love it because it’s as easy to set up as a mountaineering tent yet offers plenty of living space, can be used as a shelter, and—above all—has a beautiful silhouette.

MacLight Titanium

The MacLight Titanium is a lightweight, titanium-made, modular fire pit with a spacious firebox. It’s easy to assemble, and the grate height can be adjusted to three levels, allowing you to control your distance from the fire.

You can use it for a variety of cooking methods, including grilling, boiling, frying, stir-frying, and simmering.

When packed up, it becomes a slim, compact shape with a narrow width, making it easy to fit inside a backpack—another appealing feature.

▼ Customer Reviews

MacLight Titanium: It’s big but light. It’s resistant to warping and rust. It’s wind-resistant, so no windscreen is needed. The grate has two height settings. Assembly is easy. I think it’s the best fire pit out there. It’s perfectly suitable even for backpacking trips! Thank you!

Zika Table 2

This is a compact folding table that is 10 cm narrower than A4 size.

The tabletop is made of black anodized aluminum with a full-surface round perforated pattern, and the resin legs minimize weight to the absolute limit.

It’s a snap to set up—just unfold the legs and open the tabletop. When packed away, both the legs and tabletop fold flat into a compact rectangle, making it easy to carry.

▼ Customer Reviews

I’m extremely satisfied. It’s easy to set up and take down. It’s stable and easy to use. I also use it in combination with a side table.

Experience the ultimate balance of lightness and comfort in your UL camping life...!

The appeal of UL (ultralight) camping lies in the fact that your gear is compact and lightweight, allowing you to move about with ease.

You can pack all the necessary gear into your backpack, carry it on your back, and move freely to any spot you like.

However, as mentioned earlier, if you choose gear based solely on “lightweight,” you might run into trouble once you arrive at your destination.

While keeping the “number” of items to an absolute minimum, be sure to choose high-performance products that ensure comfort and protect your body.