View Full Version : Luxury Items...What?
I have spent years trying to lighten my pack, by recommendations on this site and trials on each hike, of what I could do without, or take that would be lighter to serve the same purpose...I am pleased with my pack weight; but these luxury items always go with me!!
AM/FM Radio...great for long nights in bag
1 litre platty... with appropriate amount of single malt scotch, wine or brandy
Extra condiments...cooking is my hobby
Pee bottle...to keep me in my bag at night
Couple of cigars...for two of those sunset viewings
What luxury items do you carry for enjoyment???
Once I was satisfied with my rock bottom pack weight, I started putting things back in too. I forgot who said it (maybe sgt rock) but the quote, "The more I pack the more I enjoy camp, the less I pack the more I enjoy the hike" has become the rule by which I plan everything. I've got one friend that enjoys going fast and light as well. If it's just me and him, I'll pack no luxury items and keep it well under 5lbs. If I'm going with a group that just wants to do 10 mi or so a day and spend most of the time in camp, then I'll take more dead weight like maybe a book or mp3 player or something.
I am currently working on a giant 11'x10' hex pancho tarp for my hammock. it's roughly 6.7 sq yrds after cat cuts so with silnyl it'll be just under 10oz. (it's currently 2oz wally world $1 bin dwr nylon) I'd definitely consider that a luxury item unless I rob a bank and make it out of cuben. I did just switch to a pocketrocket instead of alky stoves, but with hikes longer than a couple of days and most of mine being in cold weather, the weight difference is negligible. I guess my only other luxury item that I consistently take is my HH bkpkr ul. It really does make me hate going to ground in winter. As soon as I save up and lose a few lbs I'm swapping that out for an HH adventure racer.
All that and on most trips I still lug around my cannon d60 with 2 lenses at just under 4 lbs. I really don't consider that a luxury item though since it doesn't do me any good while on the trail.
:D speedy
Just Jeff
08-31-2006, 16:32
I carry fresh fruit pretty often - I know there's lighter food but there's nothing like a fresh orange on a hot day to pick me up.
And I guess the JetBoil since there are lighter stoves and I usually only boil water.
And a bigger tarp than I need b/c I like the space.
And a journal and pencil, and sometimes a book.
That's about it for me.
Just Jeff
08-31-2006, 16:34
...my HH bkpkr ul...
NOT a luxury. Requirement. :D
Frolicking Dinosaurs
08-31-2006, 16:41
The dinos luxury items: two 24 ozs warm & comfortable pads, a 10' x 12' sil-nylon tarp and a 5 qt aluminum pot. A good night's sleep, having plenty of dry space and being able to cook enough to satify the hungry dinos makes these items worth carrying.
I'm with you Just Jeff - fresh fruit! definately a few veggies and raw nuts, and my pocketmail.
All other luxury items are in my bounce box.
DawnTreader
08-31-2006, 20:15
The HH Ul BP is the luxury to end all luxuries.. I lent it to a friend tonight, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life...hehe
oversized tarp (mccat standard), mp3 w/fm, crocs, lots' o extra food, rolling papers, tobacco.. i love luxuries :)
Skidsteer
08-31-2006, 20:24
I
What luxury items do you carry for enjoyment???
Booze, a book, and occasionally real coffee (http://www.smartcafe.co.uk/products/hot_cafetiere_travel_cup.asp).
Booze, a book, and occasionally real coffee (http://www.smartcafe.co.uk/products/hot_cafetiere_travel_cup.asp).Very nice Skids.:)
Gray Blazer
08-31-2006, 20:34
I have to sleep comfortably, so I carry my self-inflating Everest air mattress and a foam rubber pillow. I lash the mattress under my pack (It's like carrying a bed. I know I sleep more comfortably than a lot of other hikers). Air pillows just don't work for me. They're not that heavy, really.
DawnTreader
08-31-2006, 20:38
forgot about the booze.. jack daniels in a plastic canteen.. mouth sanatization is very important on the trail...
Booze, a book, and occasionally real coffee (http://www.smartcafe.co.uk/products/hot_cafetiere_travel_cup.asp).My buddy likes to take Southern Comfort along. Somehow he started calling it Southern Comfort on the Skids and then shortened it to just "Skids". All that because of the band Southern Culture on the Skids. Thought about your name so I had to bring it up. Sorry for the thread skid(instead of drift).:D
Skidsteer
08-31-2006, 20:58
My buddy likes to take Southern Comfort along. Somehow he started calling it Southern Comfort on the Skids and then shortened it to just "Skids". All that because of the band Southern Culture on the Skids. Thought about your name so I had to bring it up. Sorry for the thread skid(instead of drift).:D
Yayyy... I'm famous!
I prefer Tequila(which can make me drift and skid a bit as well). :D
'Drifting Skids' Great band name!
hikerjohnd
08-31-2006, 21:19
Right now I have to say my water filter set-up. Water filter, hoses, connections, and water bag coming in at a whopping 15 ounces. I just can not seem to head out without this item. A close second is my MP3 player - with audible.com (http://www.audible.com) books loaded I can carry about 40-50 different books for any hike.
Tin of dip.
MP3 CD player.
Book
Journal with Pen
This probably places me outside the ultralight forum. But in the future, no more CD player with CD's. Switch to journal pages, not the journal. And cut up the book.
flyrod (and case), reel (and pouch), fly dressing & flies
paperback book
AM/FM radio with headphones
reading glasses
horseshoe (picked up on day 3 of a 15 day JMT hike - and carried all the way!)
teva sandals
Mowgli - horrifying liteweight backpackers since 2000. :eek:
Just Jeff
08-31-2006, 23:07
A horseshoe?! THAT's dedication to LNT. Now I'll feel guilty for passing up ANY garbage on the trail!
(I always pack out more garbage than I make, but sometimes I can't bring myself to carry everything out of a fire ring.)
greentick
08-31-2006, 23:19
Bourbon - for medicinal purposes of course. Currently carrying Booker's, at 127proof has more bang for the volume and is real smooth.
Insulated coffee mug with lid. Don't have to rush and I can carry it and sip while hiking. Gonna try one of those Press-bot coffee makers. Read some good word on it here. Just got it. My Bro-in-law likes to carry the nalgene so we got a bottle for it. I use a bladder.
bartender
09-01-2006, 04:11
Some Jameson in a soda bottle(I justify the radio by saying I listen to the weather band), smokes,(I know, I know)but my real, and strange luxury items are a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and a travel size baby powder. After a long hot sweaty or wet day(and by that I mean every day hiking)pour a bit of the rubbing alcohol on a bandanna, wipe/rub your feet with it and then massage em with the baby powder, I'm sure that it is at least partially if not mostly more mentally rather than physically bennificial but I swear it feels great. Even better if you have someone else to take care of the massaging but my girlfriend thinks we are roughing it if we aren't staying in at least a 3 star hotel(she's a corporate flight attendant, what can ya do?)
fiddlehead
09-01-2006, 04:28
guitar (Martin Backpacker)
since mp3 players got so lightweight, i would probably carry one also so i could work on some new music while i'm out there too.
Hmmmm,
(since I never used to carry one until the last 10 yrs or so) my thermarest
a book
a section of a notebook for journal
2 airplane bottles of yukon jack
camera
an old (in very good shape) WWII poncho that I take its weight (14oz) because its worth it to me. besides being a poncho, on spring bunks-it keeps the draft from my underside; on the floor or solid bunk by just putting it over my bag it keeps the dew or the early morning frosty stuff off me directly.
a ground tarp (10X10) 9oz
sometimes a hand scanner specifically for weather reports (10oz)
the guidebook or wingfoot (sometimes)
20ft of 1/4" rope, survival stuff and my action figure (a star wars guy I take with me all the time-he gets in the pictures too)
A horseshoe?! THAT's dedication to LNT. Now I'll feel guilty for passing up ANY garbage on the trail!
I wanted it as a souvineer from my hike. Mission accomplished.
My luxury item is a Insulmat Max Thermo 3/4, a insulation filled air mattress; worth every gram! Everything else, very lightweight .... except ....not exactly "luxury item" but better described as "trail toys". I carry a Garmin 60CSx GPS and a Kesler 3000 weather instrument. Do I really need a GPS with contour maps loaded in it; no, but it sure is cool and do I know whether or not I am cold; yes, but loggin wind chill, dew point etc. in my journal and comparing that to comfort level of clothes, sleep gear and tent condensation is not only fun but useful for packing the right gear.
I know I'm not ultra light if people are calling sleeping pads "luxury items". So maybe I shoulda read the forum topic.:)
AM/FM/Weather/TV Pocket Radio
Built in speaker w/ headphone jack
40$ from Radio Shack
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103047&cp=&origkw=pocket+radio&kw=pocket+radio&parentPage=search
Wolf - 23000
09-13-2006, 17:04
On a few trips I carried a sleeping bag but then I gave it up. I'm out to hike not spend in a bag.
Wolf
Everything in my pack right now is just gear. If I actually listed them all, others might consider some of it "lux" but for now, its just gear.
My Lux item is my digital camera, Canon PowerShot Pro 1. I have put off weighing the thing for months, fearing I'll learn just how much that silly thing weighs!!:eek:
hopefulhiker
09-13-2006, 17:47
Last year I carried the Jet Boil to Damascus, extra warm sleeping bag, bi agnes air core and a ridge rest... After Damascus I switched sleeping bags to a blanket, dropped the Jet Boil for an alcohol, I added a Pocket Mail, and a MP3 player(listened to audio books) I carried a 6 oz no name digital camera the whole way. I carried the air mattress, the cut down ridgerest and a small piece of foam pad the whole way..
vipahman
09-14-2006, 10:32
What luxury items do you carry for enjoyment???
Silnylon! Lots of it. My luxury is being ultralight. Core weight = 4 lbs.
vipahman
09-14-2006, 10:34
What luxury items do you carry for enjoyment???
Silnylon! Lots of it. My luxury is being ultralight. Core weight = 4 lbs. Total weight < 13 lbs with food and water for 2 days.
MP3 CD player.
I also use one of those MP3 CD players...Its a poor mans iPod...but only better!! Mine plays CDs, MP3s, FM and AM radio, Weather Band, TV band, and takes normal batteries...Plus, I have droped the thing a million times and it still works like a charm.
Here is a pic http://www.sonystyle.ca/common/images/products/DNE300S_lg.jpg
:)
Depends on how much time I plan on spending in camp. On a 6 day hike a couple weeks ago where I covered between 30 and 45 miles a day, my luxury item was golf pencil and two bits of paper.
If the weather is colder and the days are shorter I'd bring some crossword puzzles, Mad-Libs (fun with other hikers) a paperback book, maybe a magazine or two from town which I'd read and then draw mustaches and speech bubbles in. I don't like anything electronic on the trail besides my camera.
Tinkergnome
09-19-2006, 17:50
my luxurie item is a horrible waste of space and weight, a .8L tea kettle that weighs 6.3 oz but fits nicely inside of my Ti pot;)
Jack Tarlin
09-19-2006, 19:04
*A spice bag that weighs the better part of a pound.
*Camels. And lots of them, as hikers are terrible beggars.
*A Zippo. They always work.
*At least one book, and sometimes more.
*A suitable quantity of Jim Beam. The most recent flask, the one with
Little Debbie on it, now has several thousand miles on it. Other hikers are
very happy when Deborah appears at the campfire.