As an outdoor enthusiast, I love almost any type of
outdoor exercise that connects me with nature, such as trail running, hiking, or backpacking.
Fastpacking is a growing trend in the outdoor fitness space that combines ultrarunning, power hiking, backpacking, and trail running in one, so it is a perfect activity for anyone who enjoys any or all of these activities and being in nature.
However, the unique endurance sport of fastpacking requires not only physical training to prepare for long days on the trail, but also strategic packing with the best fastpacking gear and nutrition.
If you are ready to try an unforgettable outdoor adventure and a challenging workout, keep reading to learn tips for how to get started fastpacking for beginners.
What is fastpacking?
Fastpacking can be considered an outdoor endurance sport or adventure sport, as it is a hybrid of backpacking, trail running, ultrarunning, and power hiking in the backcountry or mountain setting.
The goal of a fastpacking trek is to cover ground as quickly as possible by combining running and power hiking based on the terrain. Most experienced fastpackers run the flats, power hike the inclines, and do a combination of trail running or fast power hiking on the downhills.
Although beginners often start with a fastpacking day trip adventure, as you improve your fitness level and acquire the right fastpacking gear, fastpacking trips are often multi-day excursions with camping overnight.
As with a backpacking trip, fastpackers carry everything they need for their journey in a pack.
However, because
fastpacking involves trail running as much as possible rather than hiking, it’s crucial to be a minimalist when it comes to what to pack fastpacking as well as the size and weight of the backpack itself.
A heavy pack will throw off your center of balance and make running difficult, but you also need to have enough gear and food to support your fastpacking trip.
What do you need for fastpacking?
Knowing what to pack fastpacking and how to stuff it in your pack can make or break your fastpacking adventures.
Here are the important considerations for fastpacking gear and tips for what you need for fastpacking:
What is the best fastpacking pack?
As the sport of fastpacking continues to grow, an increasing number of outdoor manufacturers are designing high-quality packs for fastpacking.
Fastpacking packs are much smaller than backpacking backpacks.
Depending on the length of your fastpacking trip, a pack for fastpacking might be the size of a day pack or even a large running hydration pack.
I recommend choosing a pack that has a built-in compartment for a hydration bladder so that you can have easy access to water through a hose and bite valve, similar to an
ultramarathon running pack.
You also want the base weight of the fastpacking pack to be as light as possible. Every ounce adds up when you are trying to run with a backpack.
I recommend the Nathan TrailMix 12L 2.0 Hydration Pack for shorter fastpacking trips or if you aren’t planning to use a tent,
Although there isn’t a ton of storage, there are many pockets and bungees so that you can store energy gels, trekking poles, or other fastpacking gear.
There is a 1.5 L bladder that comes with the trail running pack so that you don’t have to carry a water bottle while still having easy access to your hydration.
For longer fastpacking distances, I recommend the
Black Diamond Distance Pack.
Sleep system
You will need a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, or some sort of sleep system that combines the two. Then, unless you plan to sleep under the stars, you will also need to carry an ultralight tent or fastpack shelter.
Sea to Summit has some of the lightest sleeping bags (I like the new Spark Down Sleeping Bag) and the best fastpacking tent systems.
I like the Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp, but if you prefer a little more protection from the elements, I find the best ultralight tents for fastpacking are the Outdoor Vitals 1-Person Trekking Pole Tent or the Black Diamond Distance Tent.
Hydration
Staying well hydrated is key for any type of ultrarunning, backpacking, or hiking trip.
In addition to water storage, you also need to think about water purification.
I also highly recommend considering
electrolyte tablets or powders. You will be sweating a lot and burning a ton of calories, so using your fluid intake as a way to supplement your hiking foods will make it that much easier to stay on top of your nutritional needs.
Flavored electrolyte powders can also offset the taste of water that has been purified with tablets.
Trail running shoes and clothes
I recommend trail running shoes over hiking boots so that you can run comfortably. Make sure to bring plenty of moisture-wicking socks to prevent blisters.
It is important to look at the weather forecast before leaving on your fastpacking adventure so that you have appropriate layers including rain protection if necessary.
You also don’t want to carry extra clothes that you aren’t going to need, so looking at the temperatures ahead of time can help you on both ends.
Keep in mind that if you are going to be fastpacking at altitude or climbing up and down mountains, the weather conditions can be significantly different at the summit, so you will need to plan accordingly.
Food
Covering long distances on the trails burns a ton of calories, so you will need to have plenty of food.
If you don’t want to carry a stove and cooking system, you can get freeze-dried ready-made meals that only require boiling water which you can make over a fire.
Just make sure you have some type of lightweight kettle.
While on the trail during the day, you want to choose foods that are easy to eat but high in calories but still relatively lightweight so that your pack isn’t too heavy.
Great options include
trail mix,
energy bars,
vegan jerky, organic energy balls,
dried fruit, nut butter and
honey on wraps, and
fig bars.
Safety gear
You will also need a
first aid kit that contains the essentials such as Band-Aids, sunscreen, insect repellent, medications you take, antibacterial ointment, and a small amount of Vaseline or anti-chafing balm.
I also recommend a bear whistle, an ultralight running headlamp to see around your “campsite,” and some type of GPS device for navigation.
Aside from having the right gear for fastpacking, you also need to be prepared for your trek.
This includes physical training for fastpacking as well as working through the logistics so that you have a smooth adventure in the backcountry.
Fastpacking tips for beginners
Here are a few important tips for how to get started fastpacking:
- Start trail running: If you usually train on the roads or run on a treadmill, you will need to start incorporating trail running into your routine. Trail running requires more balance, agility, and ankle and hip control due to the uneven terrain.
- Learn to use trekking poles: Although trekking poles are optional with trail running or fastpacking, running with poles can aid balance and can help you with the uphills and steep downhills. Using your poles properly takes practice but can help offset some of the workload on your legs. This will allow you to cover distance on the trails faster and more economically.
- Train with a pack: One of the best fastpacking tips for beginners is to practice running with a backpack. Even an ultralight fastpacking pack will alter your center of balance. I recommend training with a hydration pack or a weighted rucking bag. I love the GORUCK Running Packs for training.
- Start small: Start with short fastpacking workouts where you head to the trails and combine trail running with power hiking while wearing a pack. Gradually build up the distance or duration of your excursions before tackling an overnight or multi-day trip.
- Use your skills: If you are currently a hiker or backpacker, start by mostly hiking and interspersing some jogging on flat sections of the trail. If you are an avid ultra runner or trail runner, start by working on running with your fastpacking gear for shorter workouts and incorporating power hiking to save energy on steep ascents.
Have fun! Fastpacking is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while getting a fantastic workout.
