I very much enjoy the BPL forums but sometimes get the idea that everyone but me: carries sub 5 pound packs, hikes 30+ miles per day, sleeps on rocks with no pads, etc. I know this isn't true, at least for many of you out there, but I am curious what you carry that you would consider a "luxury" item.

For me, my "luxury" item is a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Mattress with mummy cut. I like it for the following reasons:

>As a side sleeper it allows me go get through the night without my arm falling asleep.

>With one puff of air at sea level (half a puff at 10,000 feet) and a proper series of folds it fits perfectly in my GG Mariposa sleeve and provides super comfortable air suspension.

>It allows me to choose campsites without considering ground conditions.

I look forward to finding out what your "luxury" items are.

Casey

an inflatable bed of nails!!! i finally realized that sleeping on an ultralight rock bed just wasn't austere enough for me. HAHAHA

Apparently Steve prefers 16 penny titanium nails.

A few years ago I was a tarp-sleeping, Mt. Washington pad-carrying zealot. I've backslid a bit since those days. Last night I slept on a InsulMat MaxThermo 3/4 for the first time and I think I've in love. And I've been known to carry a (gasp!)double-walled tent, the Montbell Diamond. Just don't tell anyone.

AM/FM/SW radio, Tecsun R919, about 7 ounces.

Camera, 6oz to 16oz, depending on the camera: Olympus Stylus 35mm point and shoot, or Konica/Minolta z-10 digital

Inflatable surplus MASH pillow, 6oz. (may now be defunct with new UL inflatable pillows)

My luxury item is a really cushy bed. I start with the MSR Zoid 1 tent (only about 5 ounces heavier than the Salathe bivy and Granite Gear White Lightning tarp it replaced - both of which were also somewhat toward the luxury end.) I put my empty Vapor Trail pack (perhaps another luxury in itself?) in the foot end of the tent (hipbelt up and at the very foot), then put my Prolite 3 short pad so it butts up against the pad. (Yep, another luxury.) At the head of the tent, I place my hiking shoes. Then I inflate my MSR Dromlite with air (unless it's already filled with water), and lay it on top of the shoes for a pillow. (If I'm carrying a fleece top, and not wearing it to bed, I'll wrap it around the Dromlite.) I now have an incredibly comfortable bed, even on the rock ledges I frequently choose as campsites.

For what it's worth, my warm-weather base load is about 12 pounds, which means I leave the trailhead for a warm-weather, long-weekend trip carrying about 16 or 17 pounds; a cold-weather, 4-night trip gets me up to about 20 - 22 pounds.

Edited by garkjr on 03/04/2006 19:25:24 MST.

Very Funny Mr. Robert!! I didn't see that one coming.... first names only please when doing impersonations :)

Yes, you are correct. I traded in my ultralight pumice stone RockRest for a bed of titanium nails. Now I finally get to use those bandaids I've been carrying in my 1st aid kit(that is until I make it to high yogi status.)

Edited by happycamper on 03/04/2006 20:04:10 MST.

Ditto for me and the Insul Mat-thermo. I also use it for my pack frame in my Golite Breeze and my Granite Gear Virga.

Different for different seasons. With spring on the way I like to track elk, blackbear etc (not hunting): mini binocs and Canon SD500 are musts, but also a Princeton Tec Apex or a MyoBelt, instead of Tikka. Poncho-tarping makes this more enjoyable in subfreezing temps - I'm still under 9lbs before consumables (the volume reduction is the best thing tho). As to that half pound o' headlamp... trying to see big game by day, then hoping NOT to see them at night, gets a little spooky for a solo hiker sometimes.

[cue horny elk bugle here...] okay so thats fall, guess I'm yella' enough.

One word: hammock.

Water. I used to haul the dehydrated stuff, but decided that it's worth the extra weight.

Bet ya didn't think I'd chime in on this one, eh ;)

Yeah, I got my vices too.

For winter, it's ski gear instead of snowshoes. Being able to hump back deep into the mountains for 3 or 4 days and 25 miles, and then ski the entire distance back to the car in a day is pretty cool.

On my long distance hikes w/o resupply, I've been adding a spare pair of insoles (superfeet or customs). Swapping out the old ones to let them recover, or burning them after 150 miles and replacing them with fresh ones is pure bliss.

Gummi bears and Swedish fish. No nutritional value and poor caloric density, but dang, they're good.

For a lot of my mountain hikes, I've been taking a 20m x 6mm rope for short rappels. Opens up where I'm willing to go safely, especially when ridge scrambling.

Skis a luxury? Nah, it's a lifestyle. I'll never get over the thrill of the last day schuss to civilization.

A tin of smoked oysters---yummy---and the oil is great for Winter calories. Not for the cholesterol weary. And Vahlrona 71% dk. chocolate---yes!

Swedish fish? Then it's not Lutefisk--- now there's an acquired taste.

Edited by kdesign on 03/06/2006 11:42:49 MST.

Dehydrated Water - Scott, that is rich.

I'm one of those fortunate individuals that can sleep heads down on a rock and get a good night's sleep - if I have a comfortable pillow. That's right, I don't usually carry a sleeping pad at all, but you'll seldom find me without something cushy under my head.

Used to carry an 11oz pillow with pretty blue ticking - now I just use a down jacket or pants. Not too unusual except I do get a few stares when I pull a down jacket out of my pack on an August evening in Texas where it may be in the low 90's at bedtime.

I did run into a guy hiking around Beaumont, Texas who carried a stuffed Teddy Bear to use as a pillow. I didn't ask and he didn't tell.

single malt scotch. Hyland that is.

My luxury? About 12 books.

Of course not books in paper form. While I really prefer to read real books, I'm not a masochist, so I subscribe to Audible.com and put them all on my 2 oz Creative Zen Nano Plus mp3 player.

Nothing is sweeter than listening to good literature while relaxing (or even at times when hiking).

Audible Books

Edited by heninger on 03/06/2006 16:32:15 MST.

I don't own it yet... but once I do (buying next week) my luxury item will be the new 3/4 length LuxuryLite EL cot... 12 oz packed plus 5 oz carried (side poles double as hiking sticks).

Edited by davidlewis on 03/06/2006 16:35:30 MST.

"Luxury" (as defined by this group) but really things I would not leave the trail head without.

Music (1.2 ounce MP3 player)
Full length Ridgerest (12.6 ounces of pure bliss) should I choose to float in a lake on a layover day or lay in the sun.
Wild Turkey wiskey.
Clothes line with plastic clips.

I am also getting to the point where sleep without something soft under head is difficult. Must be age...'cause that was never the case in my younger days.

>For a lot of my mountain hikes, I've been taking a 20m x 6mm rope for short rappels.


In Hawaii we normally carried 15m of 1" webbing or a 20m Beal Rando 8mm rope. There just seemed to be a lot of places we were willing to go up but that would be too hairy to get back down (especially if it was wet). What 6mm rope do you trust? (You weigh a lot less than me :)

The small FlexAir pillow has proven to be a useful bit of gear since I don't have much of a clothing bag any more.

My heaviest "luxury" is to stick with my hammock, but a good night's sleep is worth the weight.

Well now, this is a subject to dig into. But I will be brief in the interest of not "blissing out." I have two luxury items. First, I, too, love my BG insulated Air Core. MY 57 year old bones just love streaching out on 78" of pure heaven after a long day. And it makes a great float on high Sierra Lakes. Many are the days that I have lolled away and hour or two dangling my feet in the water as breezes pushed me around a lake.
Second, at 20oz, my Sling Light aluminium hammock chair is the envy of every hiker I have met on the trail. When I have been in group camping situations (Sierra Club trips), I don't dare get up from it for fear that someone else will appropriate it for the rest of the evening. I have cooked from it. I have sat on it at trail breaks while still attached to my pack. I have spent hours in the winter reading in it with my bag around me. And lastly, I have set it up in my tent during a rainy day and enjoyed back support while I read and watched the rain come down. No need to lie down or prop yourself up on your elbow or sit hunched over. Sling Light, a gift from the gods!!

Thought I would add the website to this great invention: http://www.slinglight.com/

Edited by mitchellkeil on 03/10/2006 16:43:56 MST.