I often carry a tent instead of tarp, due to black flies, mosquitoes and unpredictable Northeast weather. You can travel lighter with a tarp instead of a tent, but if it’s a rainy, buggy week, the additional comfort of a lightweight tent goes a long way. I found that the load that I carried for this trip was a perfect balance between comfort, safety and weight. You’ll notice that I bring Crocs, which may be a place some of you can cut pack weight. I like to get out of my sweaty trail shoes and still protect my feet around camp, especially if there is a place to swim or wade.

Multi-purpose gear is one way that you can save a lot of weight. Instead of a rain jacket and a windbreaker, I bring my DriDucks rain suit. The whole suit weighs only 9 ounces, is waterproof, breathable and wind resistant. So, I can wear the jacket when it rains, wear it in camp for extra warmth and I can wear it as bug protection when the no-see-ums or mosquitoes are relentless. I’ve found the pants to be much less durable, so I rarely wear them on the trail, but bring them to use around camp for rain and bug protection and to keep me warm on chilly nights. The more uses you can find for a single piece of equipment, the lighter your pack is likely to be.

With food, fuel and water, this pack weighs just under 25 pounds!

Create your own spreadsheet, weigh your gear on a postal scale and see how you can add and subtract gear to give you the best balance between a light load and a comfortable trip. Remember, no amount of gear replaces common sense and experience. Have fun and be safe out there!