Exped Summer Kit List
Posted by Andy Neil on Mar 20, 2023
EXPED are a leading Swiss manufacturer that strives for innovation, putting sustainability front and centre at the heart of their brand. They make everything, from stuff sacks and dry bags to high-quality sleeping bags and some of the highest-rated R-value mats on the market. Our customer service department loves them because of their reliability, fantastic warranty service and brilliant aftercare, and they keep their prices competitive and affordable. We love working with Exped, so we compiled a summer backpacking kit list, an all-encompassing kit list perfect for one-night adventures and week-long trips.
Exped’s new Mira II HL Tent is a robust and roomy two-person tent that isn’t just a place to bed down but is a nice place to hang out; the tent has a lot of headroom, so if you are confined to it for any length of time, you can still sit up and cook, and you have room to stretch out. The tent has internal storage pockets, which make organising your gear easy and makes the tent feel more homely.
The Mira II is incredibly easy to erect; all the poles and clips are colour coded and can be done by one person in a few minutes without much practice. It’s a perfect trekking tent, not something I would sleep on top of a mountain in, but it’s a fantastic choice for low-level camps, sheltered spots and campsite hopping. It can easily accommodate two, but it’s a palace if you are using this solo.
If you are cohabiting with a tent buddy, you each have a large D-shaped door and vestibule, so there is no need to clamber over each other should one of you need to get out of the tent during the night. The vestibules are good-sized, easily large enough to cook in, while the other can be used to store gear.
The Lightning 45 is a minimalistic, classic roll-top-rucksack that keeps features to a minimum; the result is a slick, streamlined pack, perfect for fast-paced hikes. Fully compressible, thanks to the many zig–zig compression straps, the Lightning 45 carries its load well.
Two daisy chain loops extend the bags carrying capabilities, which are fantastic for quickly attaching a wind jacket or securing wet weather gear. A brilliant bag that can be used for a quick night away, a day in the hills or a week-long adventure.
The key to a good day in the hills or on the trail is a good night’s sleep; the Ultra 3R is a comfortable, 7cm thick mat, so even side sleepers are well supported, and both outer baffles are oversized which helps you stay on the mat if you are a restless sleeper. The mat has an ASTM R-Value of 2.9, so it’s warm enough for three-season use.
It’s an incredibly light mat (362 grams) made using an ultra-light 20D face fabric, robust enough to survive weeks on the trail but so light it won’t weigh you down. The mat has polyester insulation “welded” to the top and bottom of the air chambers, ensuring maximum warmth.
Exped mats come with the superb Schnozzel Pumpsack (which can double as a stuff sack to help keep your gear organised); you can expect the mat to go up in four to five sackfuls of air, saving your lungs after a long day hiking.
Even in the height of summer, it’s a good idea to take a bag that can cope if the temperature seriously drops; after all, if you are sleeping at elevation, the temperature can be much cooler up in the hills than it is at ground level, so we recommend the Ultra 0° M Down Sleeping Bag. The bag uses high-grade down and ultra-light ripstop nylon; these high-quality materials are how the bag can provide such high levels of warmth at such a low weight.
The bag’s loft is impressive; it feels luxurious. It’s incredibly cosy being swaddled in all that down, especially listening to the rain fall on the fly sheet. The down is held with box-shaped baffles, effectively eliminating cold spots. The bag has a generous foot box, so your feet can move about and do not feel constricted, but in warm weather, the zip extends all the way to the foot box so that you can open the bag up almost like a quilt. It’s an incredibly versatile bag that will get used from March till October.
Water filtration out on the trail is important; you won’t always have the luxury of fresh tap water when you want it, so being able to drink water straight from the source safely, eliminates the need to carry litres and litres of water (one litre of water weighs 1kg) which saves you carrying a lot more weight. The large mouth of the Flux bottle makes gathering water very easy, then simply attach the Filter Cap and away you go, filter the water back at camp or drink straight from the filter, saving you time, not just weight.
You’ve been hiking all day, and you’ve finally got to camp; the Mira II HL Tent is up, and your thoughts turn to filling your belly, whether you are planning on cooking up a storm or simply rehydrating a meal, the Crux gas stove is a seriously impressive bit of kit that will soon have hot food in your tummy. Its pack size is tiny, easily fitting into the palm of your hand. The ergonomic design means the small, powerful stove folds down incredibly small, easily fitting into most camping pans, usually with room also to stash a gas canister.
The wide burner and pan support make for a stable base for any pan, and the powerful stove can boil a litre of water in under 3 minutes (depending on climate altitude etc.). It weighs less than 100g, so even if you are not planning on camping, you can stash this in your day pack to heat up soup or make fresh coffee on your day hikes; it’s a brilliant bit of kit that will get a lot of use.
In Summary
Of course, this isn’t everything you will need, but this is a good idea of the base weight you will be carrying, including a 110g gas canister (which, of course, weighs 220g). The total weight of this kit list is 3667 grams, add a litre of water and food for the day, and you have an incredibly comfortable pack weight for any adventure.
About EXPED
In 1983, Heidi and Andi founded Exped AG as a distributor that represented many iconic brands in the outdoor industry. In 1997, motivated by friends and countless new ideas for outdoor products, EXPED launched its own products for the first time and transitioned from distributor to manufacturer.
Discover more about EXPED's history, sustainability and warranty in our article below.
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Andy Neil |
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Andy has been a keen long-distance hiker and wild camping enthusiast since he completed the Cleveland Way in 2015. Since then, he has walked thousands of trail miles all over the UK and is an active member of the Wild Camping UK community, being an admin of the largest wild camping community on Facebook. He strongly advocates for responsible wild camping and believes it is important to leave no trace when camping in the wilderness. He joined the UOG team in 2021 and works as a website developer and content creator. |
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We love working with, Exped, so we compiled a summer backpacking kit list, an all-encompassing kit list perfect for one-night adventures and week-long trips.
Exped’s new Mira II HL Tent – is a robust and roomy two-person tent that isn’t just a place to bed down but is a nice place to hang out; the tent has a lot of headroom, so if you are confined to it for any length of time, you can still sit up and cook, and you have room to stretch out. The tent has internal storage pockets, which make organising your gear easy and makes the tent feel more homely.