Sote nan kontni prensipal
International Header

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Ultralight, homemade, and customizable—these gizmos solve all kinds of backpacking problems.

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Last updated:
October 20, 2025
|  5 min read

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

YouTube video highlight

Ultralight, homemade, and customizable—these gizmos solve all kinds of backpacking problems.

Read more about the project

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Pa gen atik yo te jwenn.

The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Backpackers are good at improvising creative solutions to problems, especially when it comes to gear. When you’re carrying your life on your back, relying on quick fixes and DIY systems is the name of the game. We also love gadgets and any piece of gear that simplifies time spent on the trail or in camp. So it’s no surprise that the internet abounds with 3D-printed models, designed by hikers, aiming to solve all kinds of backpacking dilemmas. While we haven’t yet tested any of the following, here are 10 designs we think deserve a place in our backpacks.

Don’t have a 3D printer at home? Many libraries, makers workshops, and other creative spaces have printers available for use by the public.

Continue reading to learn more about how to use a 3-D printer to create backpacking gadgets, written by Zoe Gates.

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Backpackers are good at improvising creative solutions to problems, especially when it comes to gear. When you’re carrying your life on your back, relying on quick fixes and DIY systems is the name of the game. We also love gadgets and any piece of gear that simplifies time spent on the trail or in camp. So it’s no surprise that the internet abounds with 3D-printed models, designed by hikers, aiming to solve all kinds of backpacking dilemmas. While we haven’t yet tested any of the following, here are 10 designs we think deserve a place in our backpacks.

Don’t have a 3D printer at home? Many libraries, makers workshops, and other creative spaces have printers available for use by the public.

Continue reading to learn more about how to use a 3-D printer to create backpacking gadgets, written by Zoe Gates.

Foto thumbnail Blog Otè
Editor at Backpacker
Zooe Pòtay
Zoe Gates is a senior editor at Backpacker where she specializes in skills and survival stories.
Medya Mansyone

Backpacker: The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

The 3D-Printed Backpacking Gadgets We Didn't Know We Needed

Backpackers are good at improvising creative solutions to problems, especially when it comes to gear. When you’re carrying your life on your back, relying on quick fixes and DIY systems is the name of the game. We also love gadgets and any piece of gear that simplifies time spent on the trail or in camp. So it’s no surprise that the internet abounds with 3D-printed models, designed by hikers, aiming to solve all kinds of backpacking dilemmas. While we haven’t yet tested any of the following, here are 10 designs we think deserve a place in our backpacks.

Don’t have a 3D printer at home? Many libraries, makers workshops, and other creative spaces have printers available for use by the public.

Continue reading to learn more about how to use a 3-D printer to create backpacking gadgets, written by Zoe Gates.

Foto thumbnail Blog Otè
Editor at Backpacker
Zooe Pòtay
Zoe Gates is a senior editor at Backpacker where she specializes in skills and survival stories.
Medya Mansyone
browse all articles
Isit la nan Sawyer
February 3, 2026
6 Min
Treeline Review: PCT Southbound Gear List & Strategy 2026
Read More
Explore more content

Medya Mansyone

43.2% of hikers used the Sawyer Squeeze, the most common hollow membrane squeeze filter (and the most common water treatment overall).

Mac
Kontribye ekriven

Medya Mansyone

Randy Patton’s late father, Biff Patton, launched the water filter program in 2010.

Conner Beene
Ekriven

Medya Mansyone

The most significant being its positive impact on our health after using it, its capacity to reduce our expenses on water treatment and access to safe water, and the time it saves by eliminating the need for boiling or treating water.

Teburenga Geraldine Tabwebweiti
Communications and Engagement
<<  Previous Post
No previous post!
Check out our Directory
Next Post  >>
No next post!
Check out our Directory
Explore All Sawyer has to Offer

Built for the Outdoors

see ALL PRODUCTS