What’s In My Pack?
“As far as I am concerned the modern world’s obsession with comfort and safety is a form of living death.”
Let’s do this!
It’s been a very long time since I’ve done a gear post, so let’s do this!
For me, every hike requires another round of gear tweaks. Sometimes nothing changes. Sometimes everything changes.
Sometimes, though not often, I make big decisions just a few days before I start even after weeks of deliberation and cogitating.
This is one of those times.
A last minute change
This is the time I leave my stove and cook pot at home. I went down a Youtube rabbit hole and decided to revisit cold soaking.
It’s not the first time I’ve tried cold soaking. I was worried about not getting my morning cup of coffee, but that’s not what sucked. Drinking cold coffee for a few days only makes fresh coffee in town that much more scrumptious. Turns out dinner time is where the real misery lurks when you only have one recipe.
So Jupiter’s stoveless recipe video and Campology’s formula for creating tasty stoveless meals. I also learned from Campology that many prepared backpacking meals (think Mountain House, Backpacker’s Pantry, etc) can be cold soaked and Packit Gourmet even makes meals specifically for cold soaking. I’m looking forward to trying some meals from Packit Gourmet next time I find then on trail. Stay tuned for reviews.
We’ll see how it goes. I can do anything for a few weeks, right? I know I can start the day with cold coffee. At least in the warm months.
Here is everything I’ll need for the next 6 weeks, weighing in at a base weight of 13.8 pounds.
Big Two out of Three: Tent + Sleep System
Tent: Durston X Mid Pro + 6 stakes
Sleeping Pad: Thermarest Neoair XLite Women’s, R value 5.4. TOASTY, but sadly no longer available. I carry the inflating sack, haven’t tried the Flextail pump that’s all the rage on trail these days. It’s tempting, but I use the sack to store wet things at night, and if a thing does double duty, and doesn’t need recharging, it usually stays.
Quilt: Z Packs 10 degree solo quilt. Love my Fluffy!
UPDATE: A couple of weeks in, I switched out the Durston tent for my beloved Gossamer Gear Two in Dyneema (which they only made for a hot minute, but which is my personal Taj Mahal). The Durston leaked and the condensation was off the charts and I have regrets about the investment.
Also, Fluffy was overkill during the second half of the hike, but I wasn’t going far enough to switch her out for my 30 degree quilt, so I stewed in my own sweat for several nights at the end.
Cook Kit
Titanium spoon (custom bent by a bear, BMT 2021), cold soak jar, bandana.
UPDATE: I discovered Idahoan Mashed Potatoes and elevated my cold soak experience! Cold soaking is Totally Doable as a long term strategy. One day, I’ll share recipes, but I’m officially a big fan. It makes dry camping a delight!
Electronics
Headlamp. Anker charger thingy. Anker plug into the wall thingy. Garmin InReach mini. Rat’s nest of cables. Wired ear buds (not pictured).
Sundries
Clockwise from top left:
Toiletries
Toilet ditty bag (toilet paper, trowel)
First aid: advil, immodium, leukotape, neosporin, bandaids, tick twister, tent repair, kinesiotape.
Clothes
Enlightened Equipment Torrid pullover.
Beanie + glove liners.
Buff.
Extra hiking socks, undies, bralet.
Jammies: sleeping socks, tights, long sleeve shirt.
Luxurious Necessities
Kindle
Sketchbook, pencil, watercolors, pens.
And the rest…
Ditty bag with sawyer squeeze water filter and Evernew 2L water bag.
Cute AF Axolotyl themed bandana I bought at the Museo de Arte Popular in Mexico City.
Last but not least…
Women's Arc Haul Ultra 60L Backpack, though I’ll probably use my old Arc Scout, a smaller, 50L pack more appropriate for warm weather hiking. Both include one hip pack and a shoulder pack.
The only thing not pictured is my food bag and my bear bag hanging kit and a pair of Patagonia Helium pants.
Not exactly ultra light, but hopefully light enough to ward off injury and offer a little comfort and a little discomfort, because being too comfortable is, IMHO, overrated.
