July 26, 2025
Light to Light Packing List
The Light to Light packing list for this stunning 2 night 3 day coastal trek on the Far South Coast of NSW is here. But what does “light” really mean when you’re also carrying an 11-month-old baby? My recent adventure with a friend and my little one taught me that “light” is a relative term! This isn’t a post about the ultimate ultralight gear; it’s a realistic look at the gear we had on hand and used for our trip.
Our goal was to make this a manageable and enjoyable trip for everyone, including the baby. This meant a few luxuries and some baby-specific essentials. So, while you’ll find some standard hiking items, you’ll also see things you wouldn’t normally expect on a typical packing list. This was a winter hike, so our clothing choices reflect the need for warmth.
You can, of course, choose to do the Light to Light pack-free. We can also arrange private group transfers to break the walk into day hikes, so you don’t have to carry everything. I wanted the challenge. My family is planning a big hike this spring, so this was great practice for me.
Storage Packing List
- Hiking pack: One Planet, 40L (I wish it was bigger!)
- Packing Cubes: 2x Patagonia 6L Packing Cubes (one for Kiah, one for me)
- Dry Bag: 1x, Sea to Summit 5L Dry Bag (for Kiah’s dirty nappies)
- Double Ended Dry Bag: Revelate Designs, Saltyroll strapped and clipped onto my hiking pack for additional space for food (normally used bike packing)
- Packing Cell: 1x Mont packing cell (for Kiah’s reusable nappies)
- Hip Pack: Patagonia Hip Pack (aka bum bag)
- Baby Carrier: Baby Bjorn Carrier One Air Mesh, (although I would have loved to have used my Osprey poco SLT I just couldn’t fit everything into it!)
Sleep System
- Tent: Macpac Bush Cocoon Bivvy Bag (leave tent pegs behind & bring additional tie down rope for hardwood sleeping platform)
- Sleeping Mat: Sea to Summit UltraLight Air Sleeping Mat
- Sleeping Bag: Mont Zodiac 360
- Sleeping Suit: Macpac Baby Fleece Onesie & Wool Nappy Cover
- 1/3 Foam Mat: For Kiah
Clothing Packing List
- Kiah Clothes: Macpac Thermal top, wool pants, 2x pants, 3x long sleeve top, 1x fleece jacket, 3x Singlets (rain suit)
- Jess Clothes:
- 2x t-shirts: Marino wool First Layer Icebreaker
- Long Sleeve Shirt: Patagonia
- Zipped Hoodie: Marino wool Icebreaker Mid layer
- Vest: Marino wool Icebreaker
- Down jacket: Macpac
- 1x Pant: Prana
- Thermals top/bottom: Merino wool Base Layer Icebreaker
- 2x Hiking socks / 1x bed socks (wool): Icebreaker
- Undies / Bra
- Hat & Beanie
- Rain Pants & Coat: Arcteryx
- Disclosure: I was once sponsored by Icebreaker when I sailed through the Northwest Passage a lifetime ago. I am also aware of the privilege I have in owning very good outdoor gear. This doesn’t go unnoticed. I’ve lived a life in the outdoors since I was a teenager and appreciate the value of investing in high-quality outdoor gear that lasts a lifetime, with the added bonus of some sponsorship deals along the way.
Navigation & Electronics
- Power Bank + chargers: Biolite
- InReach: Mini 2
- Phone + selfie stick
- Go Pro Max + Tripod
- Olympus Camera + Gorilla Tripod
Miscellaneous
- First Aid Kit
- Toothpaste & Toothbrush
- Soap
- Hiking Shoes
- Opinel Knife
- Head Torch: Rechargeable black diamond
- Sunglasses
- Lighter
- Nappies: 5 outer layers and 10 inners
Food & Cooking List
- Camp Stove: We used a jet boil
- Breakfast: Chia pudding (chia seeds and coconut milk powder
- Lunch: wraps, tomato, cheese, avocado, cucumber, capsicum, tinned tuna
- Snacks: Nuts, Hummus, Tilba cheese, crackers, apple, banana
- Dinner: 2x back country beef and vegetables, Miso soup mix, 2x bolognese pre-made for 1st night
Final Thoughts
This packing list was for a winter hike, so the extra warm clothing was essential. In the summer, I would have packed fewer layers and instead brought sunscreen, swimmers, and a travel towel (though a sunny winter day didn’t stop me from taking a quick dip!).
My friend and I prioritise good food, so we were happy to carry a bit more weight to eat well on the trail. You could definitely pack lighter, less bulky meals to reduce weight. For example, I could have left the separate bowl and container behind and used my cooking pot as a bowl instead.
Our packs weighed about 15 – 20 kg each, and I had an additional 10 kg with my 11-month-old, Kiah, in a front carrier. While I would have preferred to use an Osprey hiking baby backpack, I couldn’t fit all my gear inside, so the front carrier and a larger hiking pack were the solution.
I am a photographer, and taking photos is one of the joys I get from hiking and being in nature. However, I probably wouldn’t bring this much camera gear again. I did use the GoPro and iPhone, but I only used my mirrorless camera a few times and never used the selfie stick.
We opted not to bring a paper map, compass, and map case. I have done this walk many times and know it very well. For navigation, I use the MapOut app on my iphone.
