of course.

Edited by DaveT on 07/30/2008 14:27:54 MDT.

An emergency pack of GU.

While I carry food to treat low blood sugar (I'm a diabetic) their was one occasion where I had to use my emergency, oh my god I'm gonna die GU reserve.

Chad, as a Type 1 diabetic I know exactly where you're coming from. My emergency packet of instant, freeze-dried egg soup and one chocolate bar saved me once, too, when I ran out of food five hours before the end of the trail. I was lucky I found out about missing the food before I took my insulin!

Edited by butuki on 04/30/2008 15:13:07 MDT.

Best ounce I ever carried?

Maui-Wowie Kaulau trail circa 1980

It seems I have several favorite ounces. Many of them have been memorialized by George Thoroughgood. A few others are Scottish. ;)

I use a mondo 2" thick thermarest (the new Women's Trail Pro is 66" long, R-value about 1/3 higher than mens, 1 ounce lighter-31oz). Being a side sleeper, I personally find the pad essential, and it kinda puts a smile on my face.

I absolutely adore my Easton tent pegs. I've had the 8" ones for about 12 years now, never broken one, and they go into anything and've never pulled out. I just switched over to the 6".

A mil-spec floppy-brimmed jungle hat has been on every trip the last 17 years and I feel naked without it.

The following items are a bit embarassing in the given company... I've found that a 13oz 8x10 tarp goes with me on every trip now--in addition to the tent! I once carried a (gulp) Gerber pack ax on an early season canoe trip, and it saved us significant discomfort on a very wet cold day.

Perhaps the oddest best few ounces was a Goretex dry top I took on a canoe trip. One particular day was about 36, pouring rain, big winds, big waves. I wore an expedition Capilene under the drytop and was perfectly warm & dry. My friend was soaked to the bone and hypothermic.

Um, right. Posted, THEN realized this thread was a couple months old. Oops.

Edited by 4quietwoods on 07/07/2008 12:07:49 MDT.

Here is where you can have a good laugh at my expense.... a GSI pepper grinder. It's an essential luxury to me.

you speak truth
best ounce:
zaffarancha reposado
best 3 oz:
Zen Arcade on Mp3

An engagement ring.

Sitting on the summit watching the sunset refract through the diamond was fantastic.

Nothing has ever weighed so heavily on my shoulders as that ring in my pack.

Butt/sitting pad made from old Ridge rest. Now I never leave home without it.

Couldn't agree more.

Chartered Trip is an amazing (and appropriate) song...

Small Rite in the Rain journals with all the notes, thoughts, names and memories from the hikes I've carried them on.

Thermarest cushion

my 13 oz. stadium chair. ok, so it's not an ounce and not exactly ultra-light, but sure feels good to sit with a back rest after a long day on the trail...

During my last trip, I was actually noting that my Figure 9 Line Tighteners/Fasteners were the best ounce I carried.

I carry one for each line on my hammock tarp (8), and makes it so that I don't have to tie a single knot. Good stuff. All 8 weigh .9 ounces.

Nano Ipod
BPL blow-up pillow
Mary Jane

1/2 of my bugnet

...back in 2001, I came across some great Northern Lights...

Equinox LiteTripper

If you find yourself rummaging through your pack and pockets for your smaller items or have ever left a small item behind this 1.5 oz is a cool tool:

http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_detail_square.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442586911&emssrcid=GoogleBase

6 pouches, 4 of them see thru netting for easy visual check. Holds my clip-on headlamp, lighter, Victorinox classic, meds bottle, toothbrush, breath film, spoon, salt, red peppers, spare led lamp, needle/thread, matches, lint, vaseline, air-core patch, licenses, cash, credit card, soap, sanitizer, TP, Steripen. Unzip it and hang it from a handy branch. Everything in its place, never misplaced. Especially useful when cooking and bedding down.

Sorry if I sound like a commercial.

An extra Photon II LED at well under 1 oz, because when my other light source unexpectedly failed, this allowed me to setup camp and get through a pitch black night in relative comfort.