This article was originally published in the July/August 2024 issue of UltraRunning Magazine. Subscribe today for similar features on ultra training, racing and more.
Do you like trails? Do you enjoy expansive views and tunnels of green? Then, you are, most likely, a trail runner. And there’s a good chance you are an ultrarunner or, at least, ultra-curious. Whether you run fast or slow, chances are, you are focused on the ground ahead of you. Maybe you take time to stop and look around on occasion, but the expansive views and surroundings are mostly taken in via your peripheral vision. What if I told you there is a way to slow down and to see it all, but still go far and challenge yourself. Maybe it’s time to consider the concept of fastpacking.
Fastpacking can be defined as a running and backpacking adventure rolled into one. In many ways, I consider fastpacking to be the gateway to backpacking and vice versa. Who doesn’t want to do a multi-day adventure in the backcountry or your local forest with minimal logistics involved? As ultrarunners, we are used to carrying a pack. But the packs we use don’t weigh much aside from the extra liquids. When all we’re used to are some snacks, maybe a windbreaker and 2 liters of water, backpacking can be a rude awakening for our runner legs and shoulders (not to mention our backs).
My first experience with backpacking was before I had ever considered fastpacking. My pack was heavy, and I hadn’t used it on any hikes beforehand. I filled that 54-liter pack full of everything I thought I needed, and off I went. It was grueling. Although the views were breathtaking, I was miserable. After sitting down, I needed help getting back up on two feet with the pack on my back. Try squatting to pee in the woods with 45 lbs pulling you backward onto your bum.
The author attempts to stand up with a full pack on her first backpacking trip. Photo courtesy author
When I returned from this backpacking adventure, I weighed everything I didn’t need or use, and it all added up to over 17 lbs. Had I been in the fastpacking mindset when I initially returned from that trip, I am sure I would have discovered at least 44 lbs of unnecessary gear.
I will say that I am not the most experienced fastpacker, but I have whittled down my kit over the years and made many mistakes. That is how I learn. Here are the top five misconceptions about fastpacking straight from my own brain:
Misconception: Fastpacking still has a lot of running.
This is false. I really didn’t figure this one out until I set foot on Colorado’s 166.9-mile Collegiate Loop to attempt an unsupported FKT in July of 2023. The time I spent running consisted of starting from the Twin Lakes junction and running through the valley to the base of the trail that leads up to Hope Pass, and that was about it. I did jog down some of the non-technical high alpine passes, but it was uber slow and very minimal. Be prepared to go slower than you are used to, and take in your surroundings through a whole new lens.
On an FKT attempt of the Collegiate Loop, the author fastpacked over 166 miles. Photo courtesy author
Misconception: Extra room in your pack is good.
This is false. Okay, this one isn’t entirely false. Sure, extra room is good, but the fallacy here is that you won’t actually fill your pack with every last ounce of volume available. Get the smallest appropriate pack you can find. The more room you have, the more you will negotiate extra items going into that pack. I like to have my base kit with all my essentials weigh around 8–10 lbs. It really depends on the conditions and the terrain where you will be fastpacking, but the rest of that room should be for food. So, if you are doing something where you need five days of food, you will need a larger pack than a route that might only take two days.
Poles are a useful tool throughout both fastpacking and trail running in the mountains. Photo: Sven Brunso
Misconception: Fastpacking is boring.
Okay, this is very subjective, as we have already established fastpacking is mostly hiking. As ultrarunners, we may hike during our runs, but we tend to think actual hiking is boring. This is why I am planting this seed. I want more folks to experience the thrill and serenity of a fastpacking adventure—a super fun version of hiking. How can you be bored when you are challenging yourself? And trust me, if you pick the right adventure, it should challenge you. That is why we love ultrarunning, after all. I have fastpacked with friends, and I have fastpacked alone—zero percent of it was boring.
Misconception: Fastpacking is not as hard as ultrarunning.
False. Fastpacking is another form of ultrarunning. Are we even running that much in some ultras? I checked my profile on Ultrasignup.com and I have 95 races listed. My point is, I have run a lot of races and none of them were easy. Fastpacking the Collegiate Loop in 2023 is the hardest thing I have ever completed. And I have run farther than 166 miles in a few races.
The author makes her way along the Hardrock 100 course. Photo: Sven Brunso
Misconception: Fastpacking is really hard.
True, but also false. You don’t have to do FKT-style fastpacking. On the Collegiate Loop, I was aiming for a time goal. I didn’t have time for a lot of sleeping and I had to keep moving. By the third night, I was delirious and found it increasingly impossible to keep my eyes open while I hiked. I eventually collapsed on the final morning at sunrise in an alpine meadow at 12,000 feet above sea level and napped. That night had been an internal mental battle and I questioned all of my “whys” for being out there. My feet were destroyed beginning at mile 20, and they never got any better. However, you don’t need to inflict mental and physical pain on yourself each time you go on an adventure. The effort can still be challenging, but way more fun. One of my first fastpacking adventures was with two friends who were more experienced. We set out on a four-day adventure on a high route in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Those were some of the most memorable days of my life. It still required the most of my physical abilities, but without all the mental battles that come with a grueling solo adventure or race.
I hope that I’ve piqued your interest in fastpacking enough that you’re ready to dive down the YouTube rabbit hole of fastpacking gear, because that’s half the fun. It’s like a puzzle to fit it all in while keeping it minimal. If you get really into it, you will notice that a lot of fastpackers pride themselves on the lightest set-up possible. So, future fastpacker, I encourage you to take the plunge down a rabbit hole. See you on the other side!