What non-essential item do you continue to carry ?

[Thinspace]

It's a toss up between my gas mask and my blow gun.

Hitch

Hilarious!

[Sarcasm the elf]

It's a toss up between my gas mask and my blow gun.

Hitch

I imagine those are a bit difficult to use at the same time.

[gbolt]

I would say Electronics - Technically a phone and an External Battery are non essential item if you take a guidebook and a compass. If you use the phone then the Guidebook and compass become non essential. Same idea would work with a Bic Lighter vs. a Fire Striker. It really comes down to personal choices as to what weight one wants to carry. Some would even say that a Tarp, Shelter or any type of ground cloth is not needed; throw in a pillow with that one. I really think it comes down to personal choice. Some carry less than 10lbs and would say they carry nothing that isn't essential. Some (like myself) keep it under 15 and maybe have one or two items. Others carry 55lbs and would say that everything they carry is essential for them. In the end, I would say the best judge of non essentials is the gear list at the end of a Thru Hike. Everything left in the gear list would be essential to that hiker. Grandma Gatewood would say that all we carry this day's is non essentials!