LighterPack deserves credit. It popularized digital gear lists and gave the ultralight community a common language. When someone posts a "lighterpack link," everyone knows what to expect.
But LighterPack was built in the mid-2010s and hasn't changed much since. Is it still worth using in 2026?
What LighterPack Still Does Well
Simple and Fast
Add items, enter weights, done. No learning curve. You can build a basic list in minutes.
Free Forever
No subscriptions, no paywalls, no premium tiers. Everything is free.
Universally Recognized
Post a LighterPack link anywhere and hikers know exactly what it is.
Good Visualizations
The pie chart weight breakdown by category is genuinely useful for seeing where weight hides.
Where LighterPack Shows Its Age
No Updates in Years
The interface looks exactly like it did in 2016. That's not necessarily bad, but competitors have evolved.
No Community Features
LighterPack is a tool, not a platform. You can't discover other hikers' lists within the app. Sharing requires copying URLs to external sites.
Category-Only Organization
You get categories (shelter, sleep, cook), but no compartment organization. In 2026, that feels limiting.
No Trip Integration
Your gear list exists in isolation. No connection to actual trips, no tracking of what worked.
No Images
Your gear is a wall of text. No photos, no visual browsing.
Basic Mobile Experience
Functional but not optimized. Using LighterPack on phone feels like using a desktop site shrunk down.
The Competition Has Evolved
When LighterPack launched, it was revolutionary. But modern alternatives offer more:
MyPacks provides:
- Compartment-based organization
- Full community features
- Trip logging and integration
- Interactive maps
- Visual gear libraries
- Modern responsive design
The feature gap is significant.
When LighterPack Is Still Fine
Use LighterPack if:
- You want maximum simplicity
- You never share lists publicly
- You don't care about community
- You're happy with category-only organization
- Free is the only priority
When to Upgrade
Consider alternatives like MyPacks if:
- You want better organization (compartments)
- You want to discover community lists
- You want to track trips and gear together
- You want a modern, visual experience
- You want to connect with other hikers
The Verdict
LighterPack isn't bad. It's just frozen in time while the category has evolved.
For quick, simple, free gear lists, it works. But if you want organization, community, and trip integration, modern platforms like MyPacks deliver more value.
The ultralight community has outgrown its original tool. It might be time for you to do the same.