I usually do energy bars and fruit for day hikes.

Overnights, I'll usually do oatmeal with raisins for breakfast; beans, rice, noodles with various spices for dinner; and energy bars, trail mix, and jerky for during the day.

The key is that I will cook at camp at night, and I will cook at camp for breakfast (assuming I'm not pushing to get started right away), but not during the day. I just got a dehydrator, though, so I'm going to try to experiment with various foods. I already have the gourmet stove (MSR Dragonfly), but I haven't yet figured out how to make dehydrated carrot cake in a way that tastes excellent - seriously, I've heard of someone doing this and I totally believe it since this is a guy that eats fancier on the trail than I usually eat at home.

I'm doing a 6-day hike in Nov., and starting right now to experiment with my dehydrator. For now, just red beans and rice (so I can make my own that cook fast rather than buying the expensive hiker pantry stuff).

I never go without my Kindle. Or my inflatable pillow. Both are in my pack right now as I head up to the Sierra for the weekend.

Nothing right now. I have 2 25 milers (one overnight and one 3 day) in the next two months I will try to post pics of.

The overall answer is less and less. I used to carry a whole bunch of stuff in a 65l pack strapped up with gear like the Beverly Hillbillys truck. ANymore it's like a fresh baselayer to sleep in, socks, underwear and dehyudrated food/water. Typically oats and dehyudrated coffee for breakfast, some kinda quick boiling starch like noodles, stovetop stuffing, instant mashed potatoes etc for dinner. Little jet boil knock off and fuel. 1 aluminum pot and plastic cup, plastic spork.

usually it's MINI bic, my Morakniv, a couple of 750ml bottles of water, 300 mL water bottle refilled with Wild Turkey, alcohol gel.

To sleep it my down sleeping bag, cheap closed cell foam pad and a sheet of 3.5 mil plastic I have taped and grommeted into a 2 man steep pitched shelter to set up on trek poles.

-Coleman F1 mini stove with butane canister
-MSR sweet water filter
- small, "flat" tea kettle for boiling water, I forget the brand. (Stove, lighter, and spices fit inside)
- Dehydrated freezer-bag cooking meals
- Down bag, insulated air pad
- Several bandanas, use them for hundreds of things (covering sweatshirt for a pillow, straining water, sleeves to prevent sunburn, etc)
- Map, compass, emergency whistle, bear bell if needed
- Paracord, small pulley for hanging bear bag, caribeaners (sp?)
- Emergency kit of a silver mummy bag, sewing kit, zip ties (for snowshoe repairs mostly), chlorine tablets, small flashlight, small whistle. Throw this in my pocket when I go away from camp.
- First aid kit
- Floss. It can fix anything that duct tape can't.
- Cash and a credit card.

My "splurges" based on weight:
-Coffee
-a card game and/or dice game
-a small book
-extra socks (I cannot tolerate cold feet!)
-extra winter hat regardless of season (for if my feet get cold!)

My load-out for a 2+ night trip. Food, water filter, shelter, liquor, cigars, cookpot, headlamp, camera, extra socks, rain jacket/pants, and a few survival tools that I keep on my person just in case I lose my pack for some improbable reason.

stang02 wrote: »

Looks like you've got some Oliva's in that pack. Maybe a couple Melanio Torpedos and a Serie G??

Impressively well-spotted