This post is one of “those”.

A post about gear.

If the thought of slogging through a page of brand names and ounces makes your eyes glaze over then perhaps you should get out while the gettin’ is good.

For those of you that like to compare and contrast other’s gear lists with your own, welcome. Being that I haven’t been backpacking since I was a Girl Scout, I had to start from scratch. I scoured the interwebs for the lightest and cheapest of gear all while mentally checking off all the things I could live without. Soap, I can leave behind. But hand sanitizer, naw bruh. I’m a nurse, that’s like asking me to leave behind my legs.

 

THE LIST

Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Backpack – 32.7 oz

Six Moons Lunar Solo Tent – 24 oz

REI Joule 21 Sleeping bag – 35 oz

Sea to Summit Comfort Light Sleeping Pad Short – 20.1 oz

Sea to Summit Aero Ultralight Pillow – 2 oz

Snow Peak Litemax – 1.9 oz

Snow Peak Mini Solo Cookset – 5.5 oz

Sea to Summit Alpha Light Spork Long – 0.4 oz

Fuel – 16 oz

Marmot Precip Rain Jacket – 11.4 oz

Bedrock Sandals – 9 oz

Petzl Tikka Headlamp – 3 oz

REI boys midweight long underwear (fit just fine, but was 50$ cheaper!!)

Darn Tough Socks

Ex-Officio Underwear

Hygeine (toothpaste, toothbrush, tweezers, nail clippers, foldable brush)

First Aid (Ibuprofen, bandaids, cortizone, neosporin, alcohol swabs, mole skin)

Aqua Mira Water treatment

Camp towel

2 bandanas

Sulu46 Tark Trowel

Cell phone (With Guthook’s App) and Cell phone battery

AT Guide (we’ll see how long I keep it)

Wallet

Small Journal and pen

 

Wearing:

Smartwool  Baselayer crew

Some Target exercise tights

Kuhl Shorts

Patagonia R2 Fleece

Patagonia Down Sweater

Hat and mittens

Buff

Darn Tough Socks

Ex-Officio Underwear

Salomon X Mission 3 Shoes

Black Diamond Hiking poles

Overall my pack weighs just under 12 lbs without food and water. My goal was 10 lbs, but even after paring all the stuff I thought “I might need”, still left me with things I KNOW I can’t live without.

For instance, the pillow. For some, that is a luxury, but I’ve tried to sleep with my jacket balled up in a sack, and I just can’t do it. To me, a good nights sleep is worth the extra 2 ounces.  I figure if that is what will keep me on the trail, then I’ll carry it.

When the weather warms up, I’ll be sending for my sleeping quilt which is considerably lighter (16.5oz). But the downside is that even thought it is rated to 30 degrees, a few sleepless nights in the 20s at Death Valley NP convinced me that a warmer sleeping bag is in order.

Well, that’s it for the gear talk. I’ll post back later with what worked for me and what doesn’t.