[Chief Joseph]

I previously stated that I would no longer use a floorless tent, but trying to carry less weight I am rethinking this. I recently bought a Sierra Designs trekking pole tent that can be pitched with or without the bathtub floor and bug netting. I carried both on my recent trip and pitched just the rain fly on one night. Many have used a piece of Tyvek as a ground cover under your sleeping pad. I found what I think is a better option, that being a folding windshield sun barrier. They are inexpensive, light and about 7' long and also have some padding. Especially a better option when using an inflatable air pad, as they are thicker thus helping to prevent possible puncturing. Please add yours..

[Bowregard]

My daughter uses that windshield sun barrier material to make packets to hold/insulate food bags. Cut two squares, bond 3 sides, slip in a ziplock bag and fold over the edges and you have rigid insulated oatmeal (or whatever) container with a disposable liner. RE: tent. I know people who sewed mesh onto their BD Beta Light tents to keep insects out and BD eventually redesigned it to do the same thing. The original design seemed a bit silly with the Beta Bug inner mesh being almost twice the weight of the floorless original tent.

[InFlight]

The Gossamer Gear 1/8 foam pad folds easily. Can be used folded as a sit pad, or as siesta pad. I’ve used it for cowboy camping to protect my inflated pad. Only 3.3 ounces. I use a full tarp-tent during bug season at 27 ounces.

[Chief Joseph]

That's a good one ^ and only about 25 bucks. This one has been mentioned here...if you have a Curtis raft, the carry bag-inflater can be used as a water bag, just need some tubing and a gravity filter. Also to save the weight of the raft paddles, one can use some cedar bark.

[Chief Joseph]

Not a creative idea, but I have been using a small down pillow mixed with extra clothes inside a stuff sack for a pillow with mixed results...so I am looking for recommendations for a backpacking pillow. I came across a Wise Owl memory foam pillow, it comes in small and large at 7 and 9 oz's. for 25 bucks. I really think a good pillow would be worth the extra weight. A friend had an inflatable type that didn't work out. Thoughts? https://www.amazon.com/Wise-Owl-Outfitters-Camping-Compressible/dp/B07C8B16GZ/ref=asc_df_B07C8B16GZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=242009928898&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1147196715521394&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021387&hvtargid=pla-892984257964&th=1

[InFlight]

I use the Sea to Summit Aeros large inflatable pillow (2.7 ounces with case) and wrap a buff around it. I use a quilt (flicker) so I use the large size. Inside a mummy bag the small size likely could stay in the hood.

[Tom]

Fred Meyer had an decent looking inexpensive lightweight synthetic insulated camp pillow the last time I was there. You might want to check and see if they have one at your store. I have a similar camp pillow that I bought years ago that works pretty well and very comfy. I use my pack to elevate my head rather than a stuff sack which tends to shift. Never been a fan of memory foam pillows but YMMV. At home I sleep with a MyPillow which I really love, and also have a travel version that might also work well on hikes as it's very light, but not sure if it would be warm enough for fall hikes.

[Eric Hansen]

Several folds of a Z rest, cut to about a foot wide, make a sit pad weighing a mere few ounces. Combine that with leaning your pack (a backrest) against a rock or log and you have a reasonable backcountry chair. Also handy for kneeling while emptying the tent. Zip lock baggies are nimble water collectors, handy for thin or shallow desert water sources such as pools and rain pockets only an inch deep, or water in thin cracks. Also handy on alpine ridge tops. Snowfields there often have a lower end that is dripping. Knock off a baseball sized chunk of that denser snow for an in the bag anchor of the zip lock, bracket with rocks to keep it from tipping over. Afternoon warmth will often fill the bag with snowmelt water. Dromedary bags may be seen as a tad heavy these days but their black color makes them viable solar showers. February Grand Canyon trips often feature full sun noonish, fifty to sixty degrees air temperature. Hour, hour and a half and the water is pleasantly warm in a 4 liter Dromedary. Getting the mass of the bag as perpendicular as possible to the sun seems to help.

[the1mitch]

Some uberlite kitchen gear. Gelati jar for cup/bowl with a lid for cold soaking is verra light! Bring a tough turkey roasting bag as a pot liner or to store and cook freeze-dried meals that you split into two meals. Why yes I do have a trimmed toothbrush, why do you ask? Two 7 ounce 3/4 length pads are luxuriously thick and still under a pound.

[InFlight]

“Two 7 ounce 3/4 length pads are luxuriously thick and still under a pound” A regular Neo Air Pad (Full Length) is 13 ounces and R4.5. It is also 3 inches thick. The z-light pad is R2. Two of them gets R4. 1.5inches thick.

[BigBrunyon]

As someone who knows the gear I'm sayin it's all about the big name gear!! All about the NAME BRAND. You gotta just pay to play the game. Nothing competes with the Name Brand!! You gotta just PAY.

[InFlight]

[PowderPawn]

Think about getting a hammock. It makes for a fun trip.

[thunderhead]

Hear me out. Big hydrogen balloons. My pack weight will be 0!

[treeswarper]

Memory foam in cold weather is like a rock. You have to warm it up with body heat for it to soften.