Harmlessly, the painkiller ibuprofen is called vitamin “I”. The danger of taking it the wrong way is thus downplayed. Too many thru-hikers use it while hiking to fight through the pain instead of listening to the body’s alarm signs and shifting down a gear. It is good to have ibuprofen or similar painkillers in your pack as a backup for emergencies. It can be useful to take this overnight to reduce any inflammation. Also in exceptional situations where pausing the hike is not…

More and more ultralight hikers rely on ponchos. The point is that the poncho also serves as protection for the backpack. Thus, there is no need for an additional raincover. The ventilation is extremely good depending on the model because they are open at the bottom and often have very wide openings at the sleeves. Therefore, the poncho can also be made of 100% waterproof material and does not need a waterproof and expensive membrane like Gore-Tex. See also: Shoes, Gore-Tex and Gaiters.

In remote places, cell phone reception is often non-existent. In an emergency situation, you are on your own without an SOS device. For longer tours it is therefore advisable to purchase one. Apart from the fact that you only have to press one button in an emergency worldwide (where GPS reception is available), some models also allow you to send SMS/emails to contact family and friends. This way, you can turn off the head rush and don’t have to constantly have an uneasy feeling about…

A sleeping pad provides protection from cold ground. It also massively increases comfort. The “R-Value” indicates how high the degree of insulation is. The higher the R-Value the better the insulation. For snow, an R-Value of 5+ makes sense. In warmer weather, 2+ is perfectly adequate.