This is my updated gear list, still a work in progress but getting more refined. My base weight is 3.9 pounds and with 1 liter of water and 5 pounds of food (2.5 days worth) it brings it up to 11.1 pounds.

Big Four:

Pack: Salomon 10+3 (15oz)

I tried the 14+3 first and simply couldn’t fill it. Even with the most food I plan to carry, the expandable compartment was unnecessary and with the minimum amount, the pack was soft and flimsy. Everything fits comfortably in the 10+3. The pack feels incredibly comfortable and I am excited to try it out. I’ll likely have some modifications to fix the shoulder strap in place (they are adjustable) and remove some extra inessentials to drop another ounce or two.

Sleeping bag: Enlightened Equipment Enigma 50 degree Slim/Short Quilt (9oz)

For a summer trip, this should be enough insulation for me and it comes in at less than 9 ounces, pretty far and away the lightest of its kind on the market. I’ll likely have to use a 4oz liner for a couple weeks.

Sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite (8oz)

The 3/4 length pad weighs eight ounces and has an R-value of 3.2, significantly warmer than their closed cell foam pads. Apparently these are incredibly easy to shorten so I may be knocking another ounce or two off the end to make it a true shorty pad.

Shelter: .34oz/sqyd cuben fiber tarp (3.1oz)

With guylines and 2 stakes, it weighs 3.1 ounces, sets up with trekking poles or in lean to style with trees, and is big enough to keep me comfortably dry even in the worst weather.

Clothing:

Cuben fiber rain jacket (2oz): Homemade, also acts as a pack cover (perks of having a 13 liter pack), wind shell, and vapor barrier

Buff (1.27oz): Acts in place of a bandanna and stocking cap. Will cut in half at some point and switch it to a headband to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

Jacket: Ghost Whipserer (6.9oz): Considering carrying a light fleece instead for its ability to insulate even when wet but am struggling to justify the lack of compressibility, weight, and low insulating properties for the off chance I’ll be cold enough while hiking to need a jacket.

Compression sleeves (2.1oz): Still debating on whether to carry these or not. I’ve enjoyed having them in the past and the evidence shows they do help with DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). They could be the little extra I need to hold a hard pace day after day.

Miscellaneous:

Water treatment: Bleach (.5 oz), 4-5 drops to treat a liter of water, 20 drops in one mL of bleach. I’ll carry 10mL in a dropper

Water storage: 2 X Salomon 500mL soft flask (.95oz each), 2L Platypus bottle (1.28oz). At most I’ll only be carrying one liter of water. This worked for me in 2009 with a single 32oz Gatorade bottle but I think it will work even better now that I am using two bottles instead of one. Before, I would walk past springs when my bottle was only half full because I didn’t want to treat it. Now I’ll have a clean bottle at all times while the other bottle is being treated.

Spoon (.35oz): For peanut butter and town food. I will not be cooking on the trail.

Wallet (.7oz): credit cards, cash, health insurance card w/ a rubber band around them

Data pages (1.0oz): Thought I could download the phone app or just take pictures of these to avoid having to carry them but would worry about my phone dying and not knowing where I am.

Matches (.2oz): Was going to carry a lighter. Realized I hardly ever make a fire when I’m backpacking solo, decided to carry matches which are half the weight.

Pack liner: Trash bag (.5oz) Considering making a cuben fiber liner, would be lighter and more durable

Sleeping pad repair kit (.24oz): No getting around this. That balloon of a pad is guaranteed to pop at some point

Toothbrush (.13oz): Can’t decide on whether to carry toothpaste or not. On my five month AT trip in 2009, as disgusting as this is, I hardly used it. I’ve never had a cavity in my life so debating just picking up some toothpaste in town to freshen up every so often and using other treatments in the backcountry.

Storage: 2 X Heavy duty 1-quart ziploc bags (.21oz each)

Electronics:

Lighting: Black Diamond Ion Headlamp (1.7oz w/ batteries)

Headphones: Earbuds (.4oz)

5″ Iphone usb cord w/ port (1.1oz)

IPhone 5 (4.0oz)

Mp3 player: Ipod nano (1.1oz) With 30 hours of runtime, I have some audiobooks downloaded on here that could keep me entertained for hours of hiking. Considering ditching it and just using the phone but think this help me preserve my phone battery life for emergencies and pictures.

Wearing:

Shirt: Rohan T-shirt (2oz)

Shorts: Asics running shorts (3oz)

Shoes: Saucony Peregrine 5 (8.2oz/shoe)

Socks: Darn Tough socks

Trekking poles: Black diamond ultra distance (10.2oz)

First aid: Duct tape wrapped on trekking poles (1oz)