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Some of the best ultralight backpacking gear on the market is not made by the big gear companies (and it isn’t even available in most stores).

It comes from small, hiker-owned businesses who design, manufacture and sell their own gear on the internet and at small shows and hiker gatherings.

These “cottage industry” gear smiths are responsible for most of the innovative new ideas that have fueled the ultralight backpacking revolution (from tarp-tents to one-pound packs and more).

AntiGravityGear

www.antigravitygear.com – Lightweight shelters, cook systems, accessories and more.

Appalachian Ultralight

www.appalachianultralight.com – Ultralight backpacks.

Bear Paw Wilderness Designs

www.bearpawwd.com – Lightweight shelters and accessories.

Big Sky International

www.bigskyinternational.com – Ultralight freestanding shelters.

Black Rock Gear

www.blackrockgear.com – Ultralight down hats, vests, gloves and apparel.

Brasslite Backpacking Stoves

www.brasslite.com – Lightweight alcohol stoves.

Bushbuddy

www.bushbuddy.ca – Ultralight wood burning stoves.

Cooke Custom Sewing

www.cookecustomsewing.com – Silnylon tarps, packs and other gear.

Dirty Girl Gaiters

www.dirtygirlgaiters.com – Colorful lightweight gaiters.

DIY Gear Supply

www.diygearsupply.com – Materials and fabrics for building your own lightweight gear.

Elemental Horizons

www.elementalhorizons.com – Lightweight backpacks and accessories.

Enlightened Equipment

www.enlightenedequipment.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts.

Equinox LTD

www.equinoxltd.com – Ultralight packs, shelters, accessories and more.

Feathered Friends

www.featheredfriends.com – Ultralight down sleeping bags and clothing.

Flat Cat Gear

www.flatcatgear.com – Ultralight stoves and baking systems.

Four Dog Stoves

www.fourdog.com – Ultralight multi-fuel stoves and cookware.

Gossamer Gear

www.gossamergear.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters, sleep systems & more.

Goosefeet Gear

www.goosefeetgear.com – Down booties and apparel.

Hammock Gear

www.hammockgear.com – Lightweight hammock tarps, quilts and accessories.

Hennessy Hammock

www.hennessyhammock.com – Lightweight hammock shelters.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear

www.hyperlitemountaingear.com – Ultralight cuben fiber backpacks, shelters and accessories.

Integral Designs

www.integraldesigns.com – Lightweight shelters, bivys and accessories.

Jacks R Better

www.jacksrbetter.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts, shelters and accessories.

Katabatic Gear

www.katabaticgear.com – Ultralight sleeping quits and bivys.

Lawson Outdoor Equipment

www.lawsonequipment.com – Lightweight shelter kits, fabrics and accessories.

LightHeart Gear

www.lightheartgear.com – Ultralight double-wall shelters, fabrics and accessories.

LW Gear

www.lwgear.com – Lightweight backpacks, DVDs, books and videos.

McHale Alpine Packs

www.mchalepacks.com – Custom fitted ultralight backpacks.

Moonbow Gear

www.moonbowgear.com – Modular pack systems, shelters and other unique gear.

Nunatak

www.nunatakusa.com – Ultralight sleeping quilts and down apparel.

Mountain Laurel Designs

www.mountainlaureldesigns.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters, sleep systems and more.

Outdoor Equipment Supplier LLC

www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com – Lightweight tarps, shelters and accessories.

Out Gear Recreation

www.outgearrec.com – Lightweight hammocks.

Oware

www.owareusa.com – Ultralight shelters, sleep systems and accessories.

Packafeather

http://packafeather.com – Lightweight alcohol stoves and accessories.

Purcell Trench Grills

www.purcelltrench.com – Lightweight grills for campfire cooking.

Purple Rain Adventure Skirts

www.purplerainskirts.com – Lightweight backpacking skirts and kilts.

Ray Jardine

www.rayjardine.com – The godfather of UL backpacking’s books and sew-your-own gear kits.

Ruta Locura

www.rutalocura.com – Trekking poles, tent poles, cookware and accessories.

Simblissity

www.simblissity.net – Lightweight gaiters, storage sacks and accessories.

Six Moon Designs

www.sixmoondesigns.com – Ultralight backpacks, shelters and accessories.

Solo Stove

www.solostove.com – Lightweight wood-burning stoves.

Suluk 46

www.suluk46.com – Ultralight backpacking tools and accessories.

Tarptent

www.tarptent.com – The original lightweight single-wall shelters (and now double wall shelters)

Titanium Goat

www.titaniumgoat.com – Lightweight conical shelters, cook systems and more.

Trail Designs

www.traildesigns.com – Lightweight stoves, cookware and accessories.

Ultralight Adventure Equipment

www.ula-equipment.com – The best lightweight backpacks in the biz.

Warbonnet Outdoors

www.warbonnetoutdoors.com – Lightweight hammock tarps, quilts and accessories.

Water Road Outfitters

www.wrogear.com – Lightweight wood burning stoves.

Western Mountaineering

www.westernmountaineering.com – Ultralight down sleeping bags and apparel.

White Box Stoves

www.whiteboxstoves.com – Ultralight alcohol stoves.

ZPacks

www.zpacks.com – Ultralight cuben fiber shelters, backpacks and accessories.

This list is still a work in progress. If you have a question or would like to suggest a company that is not mentioned here, please post your comments below…