Buy Once Cry Once

Ultralight gear can quickly break the bank if you aren't careful. There's a longer conversation to be had (hopefully sitting next to an alpine lake) about the merits of supporting the UL "cottage" industry that makes gear in the U.S. vs shelling out a little less money to a big company for a lower quality product. Ultimately it comes down to doing research before you make the plunge to create the best kit for your needs. Buying used is the way to go (IMO) unless you can't find what you're looking for. The resources in the dropdown menu or on this page will quickly get you on your way. As always, feel free to start a discussion in the Group Forum if you need a pro tip!

BackpackingLight Gear Swap - The gear trade portion of the BPL community.

Geartrade Subreddit - r/GearTrade is a subreddit for redditors to trade their outdoor gear. Generally, this includes things related to hiking, camping, backpacking, skiing, hunting, and other "backcountry" uses.

Litesmith - Designs, builds and curates ultralight adventure gear.

ULgeartrade Subreddit - r/ULgeartrade community for members of r/Ultralight who are looking to buy, sell, or trade ultralight backpacking gear.