Fast packing or Speed hiking have become popular these days. Most of the people prefer backpacking where the speed and distance traveled per day are sacrificed and the amount of supplies are increased. A backpacker carries more food, clothes, stove, a multi- layer tent and extra gears and try to settle down near a basecamp where one could have their daily runs from a single spot. Fast packing/ Speed hiking have two unique characteristics where quick, ultra-distance mountain travel on foot over multiple days, involving camps or bivy and minimal equipment choices that enable rapid movement and self-sufficiency in a remote place. Speed is essential in this case and supplies are rationed or replenished depending upon the hamlets they cross. Normally in the Alps, refugee or hut like systems are utilized where rooms are provided each night. After the advent of trail races, people try to take shorter naps with their own bivy and prefer this in order to experience freedom. In order to maximize the alpine kms, some trail runners carry a bit more and are prepared to be self-sufficient, turn trail running into “fastpacking”.
Fastpacking/ Speedhiking is the intersection of ultralight backpacking and ultra-distance trail running. You should feel comfortable with your pack while running flats, descents, and ascents. Consider a pack of 25 to 30l, sturdy and lightweight pack which fits well, water resistant, ventilated between back equipped with rain cover. My pack is shown here. You can get comfortable with a pack only when you load it up and actually run with it. So, before venturing into high altitude mountains, its better to have it in your daily running routine. The gear shown below has rigid sole, breathable mesh lightweight trail shows, lightweight fleece, tribord rain jacket, arm sleeves, compact sleeping bag, light sleeping mat to protect from cold underground with a thickness of 6mm minimum. A lightweight tent/ bivy (around 600 gms) would suffice for rapid fastpacking. A compact headtorch, water packs(instead of big bottles), 10k mAh powerbank, ziplock bags and hiking poles. A dry-fit shorts and tee that you use for regular long distance running
Route planning can be fun and exciting if you are a map lover. You can draw or create your own trails in Google maps, export it to OsmAnd/ Orux maps and overlay the topo maps from Opentopomaps. It is better to identify the trails , nearby hamlets and possible camping spots in advance to have an enjoyable experience. Key considerations are weather and water sources (potential hydration points). Average distance covered per day vary upon fitness, terrain and other factors.
Fastpacking missions have two schools of thought about food supplies either to carry a stove vs no stove. Ultralight stove/ butane combos can save weight and provide you with instant foods or if you are lucky enough, you could end up with herd of sheeps and local tribes , camping with them.
A good night’s sleep is always essential to start off your next day’s run with a peace of mind. If its a group based journey, a tent would help by saving from rainy or buggy weather along with your sleeping bags. Solo explorations can be done with ultra-light and compact bivys.
Practice before you venture out. It is important to try out power-hiking with your pack navigating through the wilderness. Assemble the right kit for your fastpacking journeys and build up slowly to master the art of it.
Once mastered, you can fly in your gear.
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