Don’t miss this comment. Those sawyer bags are trash. Skip them entirely (or cut one in half to use as a scoop). Keep the CNOC or look into Evernew (even lighter).

Nemo and MSR will have some options. Both brands will also have $$$ options, but all their stuff is pretty great.

You could look at the Gossimer Gear “The Two” if you’re open to trekking pole tents and looking for something extra light (notice I didn’t necessarily say ultralight).

Nah. I gave it a pull and audibly said, "that's not going anywhere."

Honestly, I just carry my full-sized pack (REI Flash 55). Sure, a tiny day pack like the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil pack is super small and light (72g), but it's also not super comfortable, doesn't have water bottle pockets, etc.

I already know how my main pack is going to feel and it has spots for my water, inReach, camera (peak camera clip), etc. You can leave stuff back at camp (but be careful w/ critters who not only like food, but also salt!), but honestly there's not much left in my pack once camp is set up anyway.

Just cinch it down and hike!

This is the way

Or food coloring droppers, which you might already have around your house. The little dropper can be removed for filling!

Have also used tenacious with great success. If you go this route, just be sure you round off any corners when you cut out a patch (ideally, cut out a circle of tape). This keeps the edges of the tape from catching on things and getting ripped off.

I'm shorter than you at 6'1" and around 175lb. I purchased a Medium EE Torrid Pullover in the standard length and it fits like a dream. It's slim without being restrictive in any way and is long enough for me. I would imagine the "tall" option would be great for anyone looking for a bit of extra length in the torso. Thing is crazy warm and I love the kangaroo pocket!

This is the way, just make sure it's a "freezer bag" for optimal leak resistance.

As has been mentioned, it's possible to reheat in the freezer bag itself. I made an insulated reheating envelope out of a car sun shade.—there are tutorials all over for this type of thing.

Enlightened Equipment has 20% off sales biannually. I got my Torrid pullover (custom) for like $135. Can't be beat at that price IMO. I bought a hoodless pullover size, M and it weighs 207g.

The Peak capture clip is incredible. For me, having a camera on any journey is all about keeping it accessible. The second it gets placed inside my pack, I stop taking impromptu photos. The capture clip is unbeatable in this regard, in my opinion.

You'd have to try it out and see if it's too much weight on your strap. This isn't to say the clip can't hold a bunch of weight (it can), rather a personal preference of having weight on one shoulder strap. I've not experienced any discomfort but also try to go as light as possible in these scenarios (Sony mirrorless + 35mm lens, or Fuji X100V, etc etc).

I've seen loads of people also recommend the Hyperlite Camera Pod for larger camera setups, where the camera pod is attacked to your shoulder straps and hangs on your chest. I've not used it and think it wold take some getting used to. I'm considering it for smaller trips where I may want to carry a larger camera.

Happy shooting!

Getting a full bladder back into a packed backpack is no fun. I've watched friends struggle with this and resulted in all kinds of things being taken out of the pack to re-seat the bladder. Not to mention all the other cons listed already—hard to clean, hard to filter directly into, leaks, etc etc.

I favor the 2 smartwater bottles + sawyer squeeze + collapsible bladder (for dirty water and filtering only) that many gravitate towards. Water fill-ups are fast and I don't even have to go into the main compartment of my pack for anything (dirty bladder is rolled up around squeeze and placed in outside pocket). Don't think 2 clean liters of water is enough? You can still "camel up" and fill the collapsible bladder with dirty water to filter later.

If you're really into the idea of some sort of hose/valve for drinking...there are lots of hydration hose systems that screw directly onto your water bottle of choice and function just like a bladder in that regard.

I’m 6’1” and 175 and the medium is roomy, but it’s less of a wind sail compared to the cheap stuff. I’m lean with broad shoulders if that helps.

Another benefit of Smartwater is being able to directly thread the sawyer squeeze, using the coupler (unscrew 1/4 turn so air can escape when filling). This makes filling a breeze and even allows you to backflush (tighten the smartwater and squeeze some water back thru the filter before disconnecting).

I've also been in a situation where I had to carry dirty water in-between water sources, not just for camp!

Sawyer Squeeze + Evernew 2L bladder, into Smartwater bottles. I took one of the sawyer bags that comes with the filter (garbage) and cut the top off and use it as a scoop, when I don't want to submerge the Evernew bladder. Works like a charm. CNOC have a wider opening for collecting water of course, but the Evernew weighs less (at 42g).

As someone who used to use pumps, they're not as easy as they present. Sometimes the filter floats and you don't get much water; they tend to be much slower; no gravity options (even tho you say you're not super interested in this method, at least the squeeze+bladder setup gives you the option). Plus, yer arm is gonna get tired with a pump! It's also nice sometimes to be able to carry dirty water in a bladder to filter later. Hard to do with a pump.

Cheers!

I use a contact case for creams and balms. Leakproof, easy to access the cream/balm, etc.

I use a food coloring dropper bottle for soap. They don't leak and the little dropper top comes off for refilling. Mine (with soap) weighs 14g.

I have a 10ml spray bottle for bug sprays and the like.

Toothpaste tabs for sure. They are great because you can pack the exact amount you need and no more. Mine are in a tiny ziplock bag.

Daily contacts have helped me drop some weight too, although they are expensive and create more waste. I really only wear them on backpacking trips.

Ahhh, makes sense!

It’s all laid out here.

To be fair, it gets a bit confusing, so spend some time with it. Basically all comes down to how many messages and features you need (your three pre-formulates messages are free and unlimited). Also affects activation fees and annual program fees, etc.

What's up with the "white smudges" at the bottom of a few of your images (5, 7, 8)?

Honestly, it looks like a reflection from the sky. Is it a dirty lens causing some sort of internal reflection? Or maybe a cheap UV filter on the end of your lens?

Sure thing!

The last trip I used my Mini2 on, I had it set to 10min tracking intervals (I would stop tracking once we got to camp and I sent my "at camp" message). The unit easily lasted the 5 day trip without any need to recharge.

The Garmin inReach Mini model of Satellite Communicators has become sort of a "backcountry standard". They're not cheap ($350 - $400, PLUS subscription) but they work well and the new one (Mini 2) can last anywhere from 14 - 30 days depending on the settings for tracking intervals (yes, you could see where they are, updated every 10 or 30 min). The inReach Mini offers all sorts of features, including SOS (tracking, weather, way pointing, navigation, messaging, etc). More can be found on the Garmin website or other places online.

Garmin also offers a "stripped down" version called the "inReach Messenger" that retails for around $250 (plus subscription). It still offers SOS, tracking and messaging, but loses out on navigation via uploaded routes, "tracback" to retrace steps and basically anything that would require an on screen map or large interface. Some things require you to rely more on your phone being paired with the unit, since it only has a tiny screen. I think you can still send your pre-saved messages from the device though.

Instead of solar, I'd just get a battery backup that could recharge the unit just in case. Something around 10000mAh would suffice, and allow other things to be recharged.

Let me try this again (deleted previous reply...too many errors to edit).

Honestly, if you're going to be doing that much backpacking over the next few years, I'd probably cry once and spring for a REI Magma 15 bag (wait for your 20% member coupon). It has 850 fill, weighs 1lb 12oz and is incredibly packable. In comparison, the Cosmic 20 will likely be pretty bulky with it's 550 fill and weighs about 2.5lbs. I see this as a great place to save some weight in your pack for all your planned trips.

I had a Sierra Designs bag with dridown that I liked a lot, but it's hard for me to know how much moisture the dridown was really fighting off (and it too was heavy, around 2.5lbs). Anymore, I just shove my quilt (30deg, 950fill, 1lb 2oz) inside a pack liner to keep it dry (and act as a compression sack).

Enlightened Equipment Torrid Booties. [link]

I use collapsible storage crates for a lot of things that could get smashed (food items) or break (any glass items, which are fewer and farther between now). They're easy to store when not in use and fold quite flat. They're also stackable if you need to use a few. The ones I have are probably about 40L each, when set up.