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Weight—or a lack of weight—could be the most important gear innovation I’ve seen in the past decade. The gear I use today works just as well as it did in the 1990s. The difference is that it weighs a lot less.

MSR Hubba Hubba

MSR Hubba Hubba

REI Quarterdome T2

REI Quarterdome T2

Theoretically, you could bring dozens of items on a weekend backpacking trip, so I’ll stick to areas where I think you’ll find the biggest weight savings. First up, tents.

It wasn’t that long ago that a 2-person, 3-season tent tipped the scales at 6 or 7 pounds. Today, a two-person tent tent like ($329) weighs 4 pounds 3 ounces and offers 29 square feet of floor space, 2 doors, and an excellent full-coverage fly. Along the same lines, ($300) weighs even less, at 3 pounds 5 ounces. The Vapor Light isn’t quite as roomy, but it provides enough space for two people and would make a beautiful solo tent.

I’ve also enjoyed ($299), which is 3 pounds 14 ounces and comes with more ripstop nylon in the canopy than the tents from MSR or Sierra Designs, making it slightly warmer. And with 30 square feet, it’s bigger than both, too.

Mountain Hardwear Lamina

Mountain Hardwear Lamina

There’s plenty of weight to shed in sleeping bags, especially when it comes to down-filled bags. ($349), for instance, is rated to 30 degrees and weighs a mere 1 pound 8 ounces. Mont-Bell’s stretchy, comfortable ($339) has a similar temp rating and weighs in at 1 pounds 6 ounces. And if the lower cost of a synthetic-fill bag appeals to you, take a look at ($220). It’s rated to 32 degrees and weighs 2 pounds.

Arc'teryx Beta SL jacket

Arc’teryx Beta SL jacket

It wasn’t that long ago a good rain jacket weighed between 20-22 ounces. No more. Westcomb’s new ($300) weighshalf that, at 11 ounces. And it’s made from eVent, one of new-generation waterproof-breathable fabrics. Or take a look at ($279), which uses Gore’s tried and tested PacLite. It’s an excellent light rain piece, although it not great for grubbing around on rock climbs.

MSR Reactor Stove

MSR Reactor Stove

Weight savings in stoves come from super-efficient designs that reduce the amount of fuel you need to pack. Leading the way is the ($100), which consists of a burner and an integrated cookpot. It’s so efficient it can boil 11 liters of water with a single 100-gram butane canister. ($159) boils less water per fuel canister, but its larger pot size is more practical for two or three people.

When the rest of your gear is light, you won’t need to carry a behemoth 6,000-cubic-inch pack to haul 60-pound loads. Instead, for trips between one and five nights, look for a pack like ($250), which has comfortable suspension and just under 4,000 cubic inches of capacity. Or go superlight with ($179), a 3,000-cubic-inch pack that weighs only 2 pounds 5 ounces.

Scarpa Cyclone

Scarpa Cyclone

And, of course, with a lighter load on your back, you can wear lighter boots. Which is great—shedding an extra ounce on your feet feels like shedding a pound more up top. boots ($150) are light, offer good support, and keep you on the trail with grippy soles. I’m also fan of Scarpa boots, like the lightweight ($150). They’re made with leather and nylon uppers, a Gore-Tex booty, and an excellent Vibram sole. You won’t find a better weekend boot around.