# Packstack: Backpacking Gear — List builder & base weight

> Backpacking gear and trip planning app for weight tracking and calorie calculation. (iPhone/iPad app by Jerad Maplethorpe.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packstack-backpacking-gear/id6760873801 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jerad Maplethorpe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886603203)
- Category: Travel, Health & Fitness
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.1 · 45 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-03-25
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packstack-backpacking-gear/id6760873801/reviews.md

## What is Packstack?

PACKSTACK: GEAR LISTS & PACK WEIGHT TRACKING FOR BACKPACKERS

Packstack is the gear list and pack weight app built for backpackers, hikers, and ultralight gram-counters. Build your gear closet once, spin up a packing list for any trip in minutes, and know your base weight before you hit the trail. Looking for a LighterPack alternative with a real mobile app? This is it.

GEAR CLOSET
All your gear in one searchable place. Log brand, product, weight, price, and category for every item — or skip the typing and pull verified specs from the gear catalog. Wishlist the gear you want but don't own yet.

GEAR RESEARCH
Browse thousands of outdoor products by category, sorted lightest to heaviest. Compare any product against the category median, dig into full specs, and add it to your gear closet in one tap.

PACKING LISTS
Build a list for each trip by pulling from your gear closet. Everything stays organized by category — shelter, sleep system, cookware, clothing — with total, base, and worn weight at a glance. Build multiple packs per trip to compare loadouts.

CHECKLIST MODE
When it's time to pack, flip any list into a checklist and tick items off as they go into the pack. Nothing gets left behind.

WEIGHT TRACKING
Automatic totals for pack weight, base weight (everything minus consumables), and worn weight. Switch between imperial (oz/lb) and metric (g/kg) anytime — every number updates instantly.

SMART TRIP DETAILS
Type a trail name and Packstack researches the rest: distance, elevation gain, terrain, and expected temperatures for your dates. It only fills in what you haven't set yourself — your local knowledge always wins.

CALORIE CALCULATOR (PACKSTACK PRO)
Estimate daily calories from your trip's distance, elevation, terrain, pace, and temperature — combined with your hiker profile. Take the guesswork out of food planning and know exactly how much to carry.

HIKER PROFILES
Set up profiles with height, weight, age, sex, and body type. Assign a profile to any pack for personalized calorie estimates — perfect for couples, families, or group trips.

REUSABLE KITS
Group the gear you always pack together — cook kit, first aid, camera setup — and drop the whole bundle into any list in one tap. Your first kit is free; Packstack Pro unlocks unlimited kits.

SHARE YOUR SETUP
Every packing list gets a public link anyone can view on the web, no account required — perfect for shakedown feedback. Or export a trip summary card with your weight breakdown, sized for Instagram Stories.

IMPORT & EXPORT
Switching tools? Import from LighterPack or any CSV in seconds. Export your gear back out anytime. Your data is never locked in.

CROSS-PLATFORM SYNC
Plan on your laptop, pack from your phone. Your gear closet, packing lists, and trips stay in sync across web and iOS.

FREE TO START
An unlimited gear closet, three packing lists, your first kit, imports, and sharing — free, with no credit card and no ads, ever. Packstack Pro unlocks unlimited packing lists, unlimited kits, and the calorie calculator. Sign up with email, Google, or Apple and start in minutes.

Whether you're an ultralight gram-counter or a weekend camper, Packstack is the modern LighterPack alternative.

Questions or feedback? Reach me at jerad@packstack.io — I'd love to hear from you.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Privacy Policy: https://www.packstack.io/privacy

## Key features

- Gear inventory management
- Trip-specific packing lists
- Reusable gear kits
- Base weight and calorie calculation
- Hiker profile creation
- Trip planning tools
- Gear catalog search

## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packstack-backpacking-gear/id6760873801/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Excellent app. Great support.

*2026-07-03*

I recently switched over my backpacking planning from Lighterpack and haven’t been disappointed. It’s easy to use and has a number of convenient features. 

I also was pleasantly surprised by the support provided — I contacted the developer about a bug (and a related missing feature) and he had a new version with fixes for both within a day. 

Highly recommend.

### 5/5 — Exceptional attention to detail

*2026-03-26*

Most backpacking apps are simple to-do lists with a weight slapped on.

Packstack has raised the bar.

This app was built for meticulous planners who want to track every detail down to the last gram.

## Frequently asked questions about Packstack

### Does Packstack have ads?

Yes, Packstack contains advertisements. While core features are free, users may encounter ads within the application.

### What devices is Packstack available on?

Packstack is available on iOS devices, specifically iPhones and iPods. It also has a web version accessible at app.packstack.io.

### How often is Packstack updated?

The latest version of Packstack is 2.0.6, and it was last updated on May 13, 2026. This indicates a relatively active development cycle.

### Can I import my gear from other apps into Packstack?

Yes, Packstack allows you to import your existing gear list from Lighterpack CSV exports or any generic CSV file, making the transition seamless.

### What is the age rating for Packstack?

Packstack has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users.

### How does Packstack calculate calorie needs?

Packstack estimates daily calorie needs based on trip distance, elevation gain, terrain, pace, temperature, and your personalized hiker profile.

### Can I share my packing lists with others using Packstack?

Yes, each trip in Packstack has a shareable link that anyone can view without needing an account, allowing you to easily share your setup.

### What is the user sentiment for Packstack based on ratings?

Packstack has a perfect rating of 5.0 stars from 1 rating, suggesting very positive initial user feedback.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.1.5 — 2026-08-18

* Major UX & design improvements
* Added an onboarding flow for faster setup
* Gear Research + add gear to your gear closet while researching
* Wishlist: Save gear you plan to purchase 
* Offline mode: Access packing lists without an internet connection
* Shareable trip summary card for social media
* Fixes an issue with the default weight unit when adding new gear
* Enhance gear input with category creation option
* Option to delete a category from Category Management
* Refactors swipe actions for kits and items to improve usability
* Adds packed calories progress tracking in calorie tab

### 2.0.6 — 2026-05-13

Minor unit system updates & various bug fixes

### 2.0.5 — 2026-04-09

This update brings three features we've been working on:

Calorie Calculator — Packstack now estimates how many calories you'll need per day based on your trip details — distance, elevation gain, terrain, pace, and temperature — combined with your hiker profile. Plan your food carry with confidence instead of guesswork.

Hiker Profiles — Create profiles with your height, weight, age, sex, and body type, then assign them to individual packs. Your stats feed into the calorie calculator and keep your loadouts personalized.

Trip Details — Trips now capture distance, daily elevation gain, terrain type, pace, and expected temperature range — giving you a complete picture of what you're heading into and powering smarter calorie estimates.

Plus, bug fixes.

### 1.1.1 — 2026-04-04

- Fixes a bug that was causing duplicate sub-packs to be created

### 1.1.0 — 2026-04-01

- Smarter weight display: a 960g item now shows as "960 g" instead of "0.96 kg," and weights automatically switch to lb/kg once they cross the 1 lb/1 kg mark
- Fixed a bug where the Notes field on the gear form was hard to reach when the keyboard was open

## Related topics

[packstack](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/packstack) · [packstack app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/packstack-app)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*
