Paracamping: My Complete Gear List for the Ultimate Adventure!
Paracamping / Fly Camping
Paracamping or Fly Camping, is the combination of Paramotoring and Camping to create the ultimate adventure! Paracamping is a lightweight camping style that utilizes paramotors to fly into unique or remote camping locations. With advancements in ultralight backpacking gear, backcountry trips and overnight says in such locations by way of a Paramotor are increasingly more achievable. Paracamping is increasing in popularity among paramotor pilots for short over night stays or weekend getaways. Among XC paramotor pilots where journeys often takes several days, fly camping along the route unsupported simplifies the adventures and increase the possibilities.
Paracamping Gear list
For paracamping, you'll need gear that is lightweight, compact, and durable. This list is my full gear setup. It is broken into two categories; Essential Gear that goes on every flight, and the Overnight Gear for Paracamping adventures.
Essential Gear (goes on every flight)
Paramotor First Aid Kit
I carry a small first aid kit equipped for common hiking injuries and ailments. It Includes minor medical essentials like bandages, gauze, tweezers, antiseptic, pain relievers, etc. I keep this first aid kit on left side pouch of my harness (My reserve chute is on the right side).
Tool Kit
I currently fly a Parajet Maverick with the Vittorazi Moster 185 so I keep the Vittorazi Motors compact tool kit with me. I store it in the left side pouch of my harness as well.
Parasock
The Paraject Parasock is a lightweight cover for covering and protecting the Paramotor when not in use. The Parasock packs down nice and small so I keep it stored in the pouch underneath the seat. It’s nice to have with me if I feel the need to cover the paramotor and frame. I admittedly don’t use it very often, but it is nice to have for covering up the paramotor for overnight stays where I may not be able to cover it by other means.
Lightweight Stuff Sack
I like to keep this lightweight stuff sack under my seat. It packs down very small but offers a way to pack up my wing and get it out of the elements. This is huge if I am forced to land somewhere unexpectedly and have to be picked up. Mostly of course, its a way to pack the wing away when paracamping!
Spark Plug
I keep some spare spark plugs with my Paramotor tote, but also an extra with my Vittorazi tool kit in the left side pouch of my harness. Its obviously very small, and easy to keep at the ready. You just never know when it may be needed. I would hate to go Paracamping and then not be able to start the paramotor the next morning.
Water
I think this is kind of an overlooked item, but I like to keep water handy. I don’t have it for short local flights, but anything where i am planning a longer route, remote or more scenic, or destination type flight paths I keep some method of hydration available in my left side pouch. For paracamping over night, water is an essential item. My two preferred methods are bringing a collapsible water bottle, and a LifeStraw.
[My Paracamping overnight gear fits conveniently inside a duffel bag that clips to my Paramotor swing arms]
Overnight Paracamping Gear
Following the ultralight principles of Paracamping means carefully choosing versatile, compact gear. Focus on necessities that align with your personal needs and style of adventure. After evaluating this a bit, I determined that my lightweight backpacking setup is essentially the same as my Paracamping needs. Instead of doubling up all my gear, or moving my gear between bags, I ended up finding a duffel bag that my backpacking bag can fit inside and be secured for transport in a tidy and easy to manage way. This keeps my gear nice and organized when in camp and allows for some adventuring out from camp if desired, or even if needed for an emergency.
Paracamping Gear Duffel Bag
I use this duffel bag to carry my lightweight camping gear with me on my Paramotor. Its big enough to carry everything i need, but not to big that its unbearable to launch and land with. I secure it to my swing arms with carabiners and let it rest on my lap during the flight. This works pretty well. A surprising amount of gear can fit in this bag.
Hammock Tent
A lightweight tent or tarp shelter is a must-have for paracamping. Look for a tent that packs down small, sets up quickly, and can withstand wind and rain (hopefully not needed of course!). Freestanding tents are easier to pitch on varied terrain. For ultralight options, some paracampers use just a tarp. I like this Hammock Tent from Night Cat. It takes up more space than some other options, but it does fit in my setup and can be used suspended, or as a ground tent. The versatility of this outweighs the extra space consumption for me. (Paracamping locations are usually in more open areas with less trees so this tradeoff may not be as impactful to you, but as I stated earlier, my full kit is also my backpacking gear and trees are prominent in many of my desired flying locations so this option made the most sense)
Mattress Pad
This might sound soft, but comfort is actually a big deal. Camping adventures are great fun, but you don’t want to wake up the next morning with back pain and not be able to fly home. A mattress pad can make a big difference. They also create a bit of a thermal barrier from the ground. There are a few different options here that are all pretty nice.
Sleepingo - The sleepingo mattress pad inflates fast and easy, disperses evenly, and packs down extremely small. If space is of concern, this is the one for you. This isn’t in my kit, but I do have one and have used it several times. It is great for what it is!
Powerlix Ultralight Sleeping Pad - The Powerlix Ultralight Sleeping Pad is a a little bit bigger and more comfortable than the Sleepingo. It also takes up a little more space when packed. The carry bag doubles as a pump to inflate it by connecting it to the port and rolling it up to force trapped air into the mattress. It is a very clever design and works well. I keep this one pretty close to my kit and will swap it in for the Night Cat if I need to conserve space.
Night Cat Sleeping Pad - The Night Cat Sleeping Pad is the largest of these options when packed down. If space allows though, this one is more robust and comfortable yet. It is also designed to slide into a built in pouch of the Night Cat Hammock Tent above making these a really nice combo. It has a built in foot pump to make inflating extremely easy.
Pillow
Keeping with the theme of comfort, if you have the room a pillow is a welcome addition. This Travel pillow from Wise Owl packs down really small and works great for lightweight camping.
Mess Kit
Some Paracamping adventures may not require much in the lines of food or cooking but its still nice to have options. This mess kit from GSI is well made, durable, compact and designed to be used over small camp stoves.
Compact Sleeping Bag
Your sleeping bag needs to be warm, compressible, and moisture-resistant. Down bags provide the most warmth for their weight. Synthetic bags tend to be more affordable and still relatively lightweight. Look for a mummy-style bag rated for the expected temperatures. Use a sleeping pad for insulation from the ground. For summer camping or when lower temperatures are not of concern, I like this compact sleeping bag. It packs very small, and offers enough comfort at night for Paracamping.
Multitool
Camping and Multitools just go together, and the long time leader of the game is Victorinox. I keep the Victorinox Hiker with my kit. It has just enough offerings to cover most needs, but retains a small and compact form.
Folding Knife
A multitool is great, but we all know a dedicated knife is better. I have had a Benchmade Griptilian in my backpacking setup for about 10 years and its still going strong.
Headlamp
Headlamps and flashlight are key for nighttime visibility. Consider battery type, brightness, light modes, and weather resistance. I have had great success with this Energizer Rechargeable Headlamp. I actually have several of these but keep one specifically staged with my Backpacking/ Paracamping gear. This headlamp offers different brightness settings as well as red and green illumination and has a respectable battery life.
Flashlight
I find headlamps to often be more convenient, but handheld flashlights still have a place. I also like having at least two forms of illumination for redundancy.
Stove
An ultralight backpacking stove allows you to cook meals without the weight of lugging extra food. Canister stoves are common for their portability and ease of use. Consider the type of fuel needed and how to safely pack it. I am currently using this folding stove. It is lightweight, folds down flat when not in use, and does not require me to carry any additional fuel.
Final Thoughts
That is my current full list of gear. All of it packs very neatly inside my backpacking backpack which I place inside the duffel bag in its entirety and secure to my risers for transport during flight. The setup works very well and leaves enough extra room in the duffel bag to tuck in some bottled water or food items.
With a little forethought, and testing, the essential gear needed for overnight stays and longer XC paramotor adventures can be easily packed along for the journey opening up a whole new world of amazing experiences and opportunities!
(If there is any gear I missed, or ideas you have, I would love to hear from you and compare lists and share experience! Feel free to hit me up on email or social media!)
[My complete overnight Paracamping gear tethered to my swing arms and resting on my lap during a flight in Montana.]
