Published July 22, 2026 03:27 pm
Every summer, our gear editors head to OMA’s Media Show to take a look at the future of gear. For 2027, big-name brands are pushing the limits of what’s possible in ultralight, from quilts to rain jackets. We also looked at smart updates to existing favorites and new, affordable inventions from some of our most beloved backpacking and hiking brands. Stay tuned next spring to see how many of OMA’s newest pieces pass the testing process gear guide finalists.
Hydrapak 42-mm Filter Cap ($28)
Our Favorite Water Filter for BackpackingThe Hydrapack 42-mm is about to get a major update. The current filter is already one of the lightest, fastest, and easiest to clean squeeze filters on the market, but we do have a few quibbles. Every single one of those complaints has been addressed in the 2027 edition.
It’s slightly lighter (1.4 ounces), $10 cheaper, and comes with a lightweight backflush adapter that screws onto a clean water bottle so you don’t need to bring a syringe into the backcountry. But the biggest change? It comes with a simple, clip-on prefilter that takes the brunt of sediment and mud, allowing the hollow fiber internal filter to last longer. It’s an easy-to-clean trap, unlike your internal filter, which requires a more involved backflush. As a bonus, Hydrapack will sell filter-only replacements, meaning less plastic in landfills and less expenses for backpackers. The new filter will launch in Spring 2027 as a kit with soft flasks from brands like Seeker. Stand-alone filters will be available in 2028.
Kelty Early Start 2 ($280)
Kelty is known for its budget, beginner-friendly (but heavy) gear, so we were surprised to see the brand releasing a really lightweight backpacking tent. The Early Start 2 will come in at $280, which is already cheaper than our favorite budget tent. The real kicker? It weighs 2 pounds 10 ounces. For reference, high-end two-person tents such as Big Agnes Copper Spur And nemo dragonfly They weigh almost the same but cost twice as much.
And based on our first look, the Early Start doesn’t skimp on features: The pole segments are small enough to fit in your bikepacking rig; There are four mesh pockets on the bottom and another on the upper surface; And the rain fly swings over half of the tent for stargazing and can be opened from the inside. Overall, this is a strong contender best value backpacking tent.
Rab Mythic Comforter 32F ($475)
has practical limits ultralight quilt. Once you reach a certain down fill and fabric denier, there’s not much you can do to reduce weight. Somehow, Rab is bending those boundaries. Brand’s 32-Degree Quilt (Based on) legendary bag which came out this year) is a mind-boggling 13.8 ounces. It’s lighter than any quilt on the market at that temperature rating, full stop. Only a warm-weather quilt, like the Zapax Summer Quilt, can withstand that weight, and it’s only comfortable up to about 50 degrees.
In addition to the 900-fill goose down, Rab says its use of reflective lining and twisted helix baffle design allows for a higher warmth-to-weight ratio than competitors. The Mythic quilt comes with a stitched, 3D-footbox and strap attachment system. This is the time when we will have to spend some cold nights before passing the verdict.
ion line from sea to summit
Sea to Summit has been a long time coming Most Comfortable Lightweight Sleeping Pad on the market due to the brand’s patented quilted design (rather than horizontal or vertical baffles), but it could never compete with top players like Exped, NEMO, and Therm-a-Rest for weight-to-R-value ratio.
The new Ion line, the successor to the XR insulated line, brings Sea to Summit into the race. The ultralight Ion 5 has an R-value of 5 and weighs just 11.5 ounces. (The Ether Light Ion 6 and 8 are R-6 and -8 with a slightly heavier weight.) This makes the Ion line the lightest sleeping pad series on the market after summer. Exped Ultra 6.5. Sea to Summit says it achieved less weight by creating a TPU “skeleton” with dot welds (the uninsulated parts of the quilted baffles) instead of using a full sheet of TPU. The pad uses 20-denier fabric, which is slightly thinner than the existing Ether Lite XR sleeping pad sold by the brand. We’ll know more about the line’s actual warmth, durability, and comfort after a season of testing.
Norona Senza Driflex 3 Lightweight Jacket ($499)
In the post-Shakedry era, buying a breathable ultralight rain jacket This is no easy feat. Despite the best efforts of outdoor brands and Gore-Tex, there hasn’t really been a superlight, breathable, completely waterproof replacement for the magic of ShakeDry, which was Discontinued in 2023 due to concerns about PFAS.
We’re the first to see Norona’s new Senza Driflex 3 lightweight jacket that mimics the ShakeDry in look, feel and weight. The Driflex 3 is geared toward trail runners, but this is likely the first iteration of this new technology for Norona. This is a true three-layer jacket that boasts a 20k/50k waterproof/breathability rating. Those are impressive numbers – especially in the breathability department. Driflex is sandwiching a 15-denier polyester face fabric and 7-denier nylon backer for a total weight of 5.6 ounces. And yes, it has pit zips.
Lowa PacTerra Pro ($210)
Lowa had a lot of interesting new shoes to show off, but it was the Pacterra Pro that really caught our attention. At 7.3 ounces per shoe, this 6-millimeter-drop sneaker is the lightest path runner Available in the market. It’s surprisingly gossamer thanks to a strobel-free design (the midsole is attached directly to the upper), Matrix mesh upper, Vibram MegaGrip Litebase outsole with cutaways, perforated sock liner and a supercritical TEPE midsole.
Make no mistake: This is a race day shoe — Lowa estimates it has about 180 miles of trail life, so leave your fantasies about using the Pacetra Pro for ultralight hiking at home.
