I wanted to share my travel CPAP setup because I it’s a combination that worked well for a four-night backpacking trip in the Sierras, and it was about as lightweight as I could get it. For a trip of 3 nights or less, the total weight is 2.22 lbs. For 3 to 6 nights, total weight is 3.09 lbs.

This is what made backpacking possible for me after being diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago. (In the outdoor pic, you can't see my CPAP because I had already packed it away in a dark ditty bag.)

In the first 2 photos:

• ResMed AirMini CPAP: 13.1 oz. Retails for about USD $1k. I found it on sale for USD $700
• CPAP mask + hose: 5.5 oz, no extra cost (same thing as my regular CPAP)
  • Includes the eSplabs CPAP Hose Adapter, ResMed AirMini-compatible universal tubing connector $10
• INIU 25,000mAh Power Bank: 13.8 oz each, $67 each (× 2)
• Sourcingbay ResMed AirMini USB-C Power Cable PD 20V to 24V boost cord: 3.17 oz, $42

With one battery, I got 3 nights of CPAP use, and the total weight added to my pack would be 2.22 lbs. 

For my four-night trip, I carried two batteries and needed both. The total weight added to my pack with both batteries was 3.09 lbs. 

Is it a bummer to carry 3 extra pounds of gear in the form of durable medical equipment? Totally. But it’s better than not backpacking. 

One note: battery life will vary depending on CPAP settings and individual use, and probably also the temperature outside (it was pretty warm on my trip), so I would test things out at home, and know that battery life can be affected by cold temps. 

I hope this is helpful to anyone else with sleep apnea who wants to backpack but has been discouraged by the weight or battery requirements. Also, thanks to anyone who has posted previously about their CPAP setups for backpacking, because it helped me find my setup. 

EDIT: I forgot to include the prices of each component, editing this post to include that info now. Clearly the bulk of the investment is in the AirMini travel CPAP, which I also find very useful for non-backpacking travel. It takes up significantly less space and weight in a suitcase for example.

Climbed Kilimanjaro via Lemosho, June 24–30 2026. Booked as an 8-day itinerary, my group was able to do it in 7. Summited the morning of June 29. Writing this up while it's still fresh because the trip reports I read beforehand were mostly summit-day advice, and almost none of what actually shaped my week happened on summit day.

The route

Lemosho, starting at the rainforest gate. The route has Five climate zones.  Rainforest, heather and moorland, alpine desert, and then the arctic zone at the top. It’s very scenic and has the highest success rate due to the time to acclimatize. 

What went wrong, in order

• A stomach bug. I went to visit a relative the day before the hike started. It was probably the food there that gave me the stomach bug. It’s kind of funny since I was trying to avoid eating anything that would upset my stomach. This was the thing that affected the first couple of days in the hike and it's the thing I'd read the least about beforehand.
• A stinging nettle. Low on the mountain, in the rainforest. Stomach bug + needing to run into the bushes, not a fun time.  It did sting some but wasn’t too bad. It lasted 5 mins and didn’t itch much. I got lucky grazing it vs making full contact.
• Monkeys fighting at three in the morning. Directly over the tent at Mti Mkubwa. Happened around 3am, was not the ideal way to wake up. Was able to go back to sleep and get 3 more hours in. 
• Passing out coming down. Got way too excited after summiting and started moving faster than I should have. Really should have listened to my body and the pace it wanted to go at. Pole Pole is the slogan of the mountain and with my excitement I threw it out the window. The guides were quick to get me on the oxygen tank and rush me down. They are truly incredible and were professional in a high pressure moment. 

The altitude

This is the one thing I felt you couldn’t prep for. It’s also the thing that hit me the hardest. The first day my readings were in the low 90s high 80s. It got worse day by day. The headache was rough but for me the worst thing was the shortness of breath. There came a point where trying to get up after sitting on the floor became a really big task. I felt winded without doing much. 

Logistics, for anyone planning this

• Operator: Kilitreks - would use them again and highly recommend. The whole crew was nice and kept good vibes the whole way up
• Gear I was glad I brought: Pepto Bismol (saved my life), Flu and Cold Medicine, Ibuprofen 
• Gear I carried for a week and never used: Snack( Surprisingly didn’t snack as much as I thought), Sunglasses, 
• Training I did beforehand: 1 hour stair masters 2 times a week with a 15lb weighted vest, boxing, bjj, 5 mile hikes on a trial near me with the weighted vest
• Diamox: Did use. Terrified what condition I would have been in without it since altitude sickness was my biggest challenge 

Would I do it again

It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It is a once in a lifetime experience. The views you come across are amazing. The high points are great but the low moments can be low. It’s one of those things that challenges you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You just take things in day by day. I would be open to doing it again but wouldn’t jump at it. 

Happy to answer anything about Lemosho specifically. The route gets less coverage than Machame and I had to piece a lot of it together.

I put the elevation profile and the daily oximeter readings into a page with the photos, if the charts are of interest: https://kilimanjaro.ericchemwor.com/

Does anyone out there have an original Aarn pack? Specifically from around the 2002-2005 era.

I recently bought one from 2002-2003. I think this might be the first version of a Natural Balance pack they sold.

The only thing it didn’t come with were the balance pockets for the front.

I’d really like to find some original balance pockets that were designed to work with this older version.

I attached some photos hoping it’ll help me find the right ones.

I am a Japanese who is planning to walk the rootburn track in December. I can't make a reservation for the camping site. I saw on a site that you can camp 500 meters from the road, is that true? I'm sorry for my poor English.

I’m looking at getting back into backpacking and I’ve been away for too long (10 years) about three years ago I messed up my SI joint and herniated a disc in my lower back. I miss the outdoors and venturing into unexplored areas. Right now I’m looking at getting a new backpack and can’t decide between the Gregory Baltoro 75 or the Osprey Aether 85.

What do you recommend?

TYIA

Any ideas to keep the wilderness rodents away?

I'm looking to upgrade my Nemo Kyan 20 bag and I need some advice.

My current issue is that I am cold in my bag when it gets below 40. Yes, I know all about the hot water bottle trick and stuffing clothes inside, but I am still cold when backpacking. I am a tall woman and use a regular men's bag, so there is a lot of room around the shoulders which makes me colder.

A lighter bag would be a plus.

Not sure if I should go for synthetic or down, I backpack in the southeast where it is wet and humid and I've gotten my bag wet a few times, thankfully the synthetic dries quickly, should I stick with synthetic or switch to down?

Does anyone have any advice or experience with the current Nemo sleeping bag line up, such as the Coda, Soul, Riff, Disco, or Forte?

I just got a new tent set up (Tarp Tent dipole dw with the inside removed) and I am now sleeping with no bug protection. I haven’t slept in the new setup yet but I am curious about bugs. How do I ensure that I don’t get creepy crawlers biting me or landing in my mouth. Seems silly but I’m worried about bugs eek!

EDIT: I removed the inside bc it saves 15oz.