Best Lightweight Somethin, Somethin?

[wwbriggs]

During my last trip a funny, yet interesting topic occurred. I am sure the topic of gear has never happened on the trail before.

What is your one favorite piece of lightweight gear you bring?

What do you plan on buying next and why?

[Tinker]

The strange thing is that I've begun to move away from gear which is merely ultralight and use gear which is more multi-purpose.
The best example is my stainless water bottle. Folks give me funny looks when I pull it from its holster on my 14 oz. pack. Then they understand when I boil water in it (plastic top removed, of course) over a campfire for use as a hot water bottle at night or as a cookpot alternative when I'm merely rehydrating food.
Owning a bunch of fragile equipment that you trust your life to is not my idea of smart hiking. Ultra-heavy, everything but the kitchen sink isn't exactly my idea of a good time, either (been there, done that, got the sweat-stained t-shirt ).
Ok. That said, I often cook with Esbit tabs in summer when I don't cook so much, and use a Supercat almost exclusively otherwise except in the dead of winter, and, yes, I alluded to my 14 oz. pack, an old, discontinued silnylon (1.7 oz.) Golite Dawn which is probably my most consistently used piece of gear with the exception of my headlamp, knife, and toilet paper .
Oh, and inside that pack, used to give it rigidity, is a piece of closed cell foam just the height and circumference of the inside of the pack. I use it as a windscreen for my stoves, a sit pad, and a doormat for my hammock (I keep my shoes on it to keep it from blowing away). There's lots of stuff I've learned from others on more efficient hiking, which is invaluable as I continue to age and my favorite activity becomes more difficult with each passing year. I dread the day coming when I have to settle for dayhikes............but as long as I get up every morning, I'm doing ok.

[Lyle]

My most effective move toward a lighter pack was either my alcohol cook kit to replace my Svea kit, or my Wild Oasis to replace my Sierra Design Flashlight. Love both of these changes. The Gossamer Gear "The One" is also ideal when a bit more protection is wanted.

[skinewmexico]

Next purchase will probably be an Exped Synmat UL7. I think that's it. I want a square pad, and I refuse to worship at the alter of Neoair.

[sbhikes]

My next definite purchase is going to be a pair of Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes. I've been waiting for them to go into production for two years. They're supposed to be available November 1. I'm thinking they will be the first shoes ever to actually fit my feet and they'll have all the good things I like about minimalist shoes (flat, no arch support, truly big toe box) and none of the bad things (thin soles, smooth soles without traction, stupid toe pockets.)

I've thought about getting a caldera cone set-up but I always forget. I kinda want a Rik Sack from Gossamer Gear. It's a silnylon stuffsack with straps you can use as a day pack. I might make one instead of buy one though. I also kinda wish I had a cuben fiber tarp for two people but I'll probably never get one.

[1azarus]

I really like my Jacks r Better down removable arms which are meant to go with their underquilts as a part of a conversion to being wearable. I never use them for that... rather I use them as leggings when I sleep or while in camp. I use them as arm warmers when I'm hiking or in camp and want to be a bit warmer, or in combination with my sleeping bag, which I wear hood part on my head, wrap around under my butt and pull up on my stomach, with a rain jacket over Jacks r Better arms, sleeping bag and all. I use them as lower arm/hand warmers over gloves when I need a little more hand warmth. No zippers, just long skinny down tubes!

[bigcranky]

My sleeping bag is my favorite piece of lightweight gear. Paid full price for a Western Mountaineering Megalite 30F bag almost ten years ago. It's still in great shape after hundreds of nights on the trail. It keeps me warm, doesn't weigh much, and is very well made in the US of A.

After trying one to many times to boil water on a canister stove in windy conditions, I might just suck it up and spend the $150 on a Jetboil Ti. Not sure yet.

[Cookerhiker]

My Coleman Exponent Ultralight canister stove - not just light but occupies virtually no space.

Also my 45 degree down sleeping bag (Kelty brand) which compresses nicely and is useful for overnight bicycle camping trips as well as backpacking. I brought it on my Superior Trail hike last month (along with my Sea-to-Summit liner) and was sufficiently warm every night.

[Feral Bill]

Biggest move? Boots to trail runners.

[Cookerhiker]

Biggest move? Boots to trail runners.

Just made that move on my CT hike this year - wish I had done it years ago.

[Kerosene]

I've pretty much purchased everything that I need (more than I need, if you ask my wife). I did just pick up a pair of 900-fill, 3-oz down booties that I have to say are a real luxury items as I suffer from cold feet and these kept me nice in toasty in my bag. I will probably replace my Merrell boots with stickier Inov8 boots before I start on my Maine sections.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

My next definite purchase is going to be a pair of Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes. I've been waiting for them to go into production for two years. They're supposed to be available November 1. I'm thinking they will be the first shoes ever to actually fit my feet and they'll have all the good things I like about minimalist shoes (flat, no arch support, truly big toe box) and none of the bad things (thin soles, smooth soles without traction, stupid toe pockets.)I've thought about getting a caldera cone set-up but I always forget. I kinda want a Rik Sack from Gossamer Gear. It's a silnylon stuffsack with straps you can use as a day pack. I might make one instead of buy one though. I also kinda wish I had a cuben fiber tarp for two people but I'll probably never get one.

Ooh those look nice.

[pafarmboy]

Switching from a sil-nylon to a cuben tent. Originally did it for weight, but would do it again now just for water repellency and tautness. Worth every penny and more.

[Leanthree]

Moving from a 20 deg synthetic bag to a ~40 deg down marmot atom. Saved from synthetic to down, saved by having a more reasonable bag for nearly all my trips and saved because it compresses so well that I could get a smaller/lighter pack. Opened many doors.

Next purchase is either a nano puff or a down sweater, been waffling on that for 3 months and need to pull the trigger.

[Smooth & Wasabi]

Currently my favorite lightweight gear and my only non dirtbagged piece of gear is my Montbell SS #3. Replaced my old 40 degree golite quilt(weighs less) and my 25 degree bag. I love this bag, so light,warm, and so comfortable.

I want lots of things:

lighter puffy and hardshell tops and bottoms
Caldera ti-tri
Jetboil ti
0 or -20 montbell ss
Steripen
winter inverted cannister stove
microspikes
BD whippet
etc......

[hambone5126]

Next purchase will probably be an Exped Synmat UL7. I think that's it. I want a square pad, and I refuse to worship at the alter of Neoair.

i want the exped!

funny story about the neoair.
i was in camp one night with a few others tented around me and around 2am i woke up to what sounded like a bear. it sounded like it was rummaging through a rock pile looking for goodies to eat. it kept going for a few seconds (that felt like forever) and then i heard a zipper, and a dude get out of his tent to take a leak. that crinkle noise turned me off of the neoair

[ScottS]

Next purchase is a Gossamer Gear g4. That will save me 20oz from my current Osprey Exos 46.

Favorite? Probably my Kindle. 6oz and can hold books and guides that all weigh more than that individually. It even has the same charger as my phone so they are 12oz combined for everything. Actually 11.9oz, to be exact.

[amac]

My favrite piece of lightweight gear is my DIY supercat stove. Next purchase will likely be a cuben tarp.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Best move I ever made was from a tent to a hammock. This may not be significant to everyone (including other hammockers), but for me it was game changing. First moving out of my tent (and off pads) was a substantial weight savings, however the real change for me was the comfort. I never want to go back to the ground again, if I can avoid it.

Just as importantly, it got me in the mindset of lightweight backpacking. I went from a 40 lb load down to under 30 a year later (switching to a hammock and dropping some unneeded gear) and now, with a new apporach to gear, I generally hike with less than 20 lbs total, depending upon the season and length of trip.

But it was the idea and experience of hammock camping that got me onto thinking about how to lighten my load. This had changed my entire hiking experience.

[skinewmexico]

Next purchase is a Gossamer Gear g4. That will save me 20oz from my current Osprey Exos 46.

G4 is gigantic for a frameless pack.