Lightweight Hiking: Inventing a Better Mousetrap

Credit for the "I-can-do-it-better-myself" approach has to go to long-distance hiker, inventor, and writer Ray Jardine, whose books (most recently Beyond Backpacking) have inspired a new generation of thru-hikers to whittle down their gear to the barest possible minimum. Jardine questions everything. Why sleep in a mummy-style down bag in the summertime when a modified sleeping quilt is lighter and adequately warm? Why settle for a tent that doesn't have adequate ventilation when a tarp and some mosquito netting provide both protection and air? When Jardine couldn't find products from mainstream manufacturers that met his specs, he designed his own—and he taught other hikers that with the aid of a sewing machine and a little bit of creativity, they could, too. All of a sudden, homemade packs and stoves started appearing on long-distance trails.

But not all of us have the time (or, let's face it, the inclination or the talent) to design our own backpacking gear. Not to worry: Some long-distance hikers have been so pleased with what they've come up with that they've started their own companies. Here are a few whose cool new gear is worth a look.