When you are a chronic over-packer, putting your life for the next four months into a backpack is quite the task. I have been smashing things and downsizing over and over. With the help of some awesome gear, my pack remains lightweight and I have finally figured out a way to fit everything I need.

Some backpacking essentials:

• Osprey Women’s Aura 50L Pack (3 lb 2 oz)
• REI Dash 2 Lightweight 3 Season Tent (2 lb 15 oz)
• Dash 2 Footprint (8.5 oz)
• Mountain Hardware Women’s Lamina Z Flame Mummy Bag (2 lb 9 oz)
• REI Duck’s Back Rain Cover (3 oz)
• Big Agnes Q-Core SL Sleeping Pad (1 lb 2 oz)

Packing:

• REI packing cubes
• Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Drysack

Shoes:

• Ahnu Montara lightweight hiking boots (1 lb 14 oz)
• Chaco ZX/2 Yampa (1 lb 4 oz)
• La Sportiva Nago climbing shoes (1 lb 1 oz)

Clothing:

• Mont Bell Tachyon Jacket (1.4 oz)
• The North Face Venture Jacket (12 oz)
• … and a whole bunch of other irrelevant clothing items rolled in those packing cubes.

Others:

• ENO Double-nest hammock with straps
• Black Diamond headlamp
• Black Diamond Momentum Harness
• Kavu Rope Bag
• HikePro Day Pack
• Nalgene Water Bottle
• Stanley Thermos
• The Friendly Swede Micro-Fiber towels
• REI Universal Adapter
• NIte Ize S-Biner’s
• New Zealand Guidebook
• The Alchemist – Paulo Coehlo
• Rite in the Rain journal
• Eagle Creek Travel accessories

… and some other essentials that are not pictured including:

• First-Aid Kit
• Matches, tools, etc.
• Kitchen stuff
• Bug Repellent
• Bear Spray
• Maps
• And more.

This whole blogging thing is a lot more time consuming than I realized so cut me some slack.

If you have any questions about the gear I am using feel free to ask. After my trip is completed I will post reviews for each of these items!