What are some of your luxury items that you would never put on your checklist, but always find a way of sneaking into your pack?

It could be anything from your favorite flask full of scotch or perhaps a comfy SlingLight, to that hair brush you that just can't live without!

This is just for fun guys and so I will start.

- My MSR Ti mug. I could easily get by with just my SP 700 pot, but I just love being able to have a mug of coffee with my meal, rather than only being able to have one or the other at any given time.

- An extra pair of dress socks (depending on the time of year) and an extra baselayer top just to sleep in. Just being able to sleep and hike in different clothes is uplifting to me on a long trip. For two or three days I wouldn't bother.

- Alcohol in some way, shape or form always manages to find its way on the trail, weather that be whisky or tequila in a flask or some cans of beer. These are usually gone in the first night or two-- so the additional weight is minimized.

Well, I put my luxury items on my checklist! What is wrong with that?

High end foaming face wipes - so nice to get the mug clean each night

Rio Cafe coffee candies. Satisfies the sweet tooth.

Down vest. Never really needed but it sure makes getting out of the bag easier every morning. Also makes good fluff for my pillow.

Reading glasses. Really do not need these - can still squint enough to barely read a map, but it is nice to really be able to read stuff.

A complete set of original 7.5-minute topo maps including some boardering on my route.

Book.

Camera. Leave it behind on about a third of my trips - regret that I left it every time.

Camp/stream crossing shoes, like Crocks.

All these get left behind if my pack is too heavy on very long trips or if I want to do a really fast and light weekend trip.

Gummy anything!!! Bears, worms. Safeway used to carry bulk gummy fish, that are not like other gummy candy. Found some again at CVS in their bagged candy section. Also cinnamon bears.

My first "luxury" item is a POE insulated air pad. After trying to use the much ballyhooed NeoAir last summer and fall, I've found the POE Insulmat Max Thermo (now the Ether 6) far more comfortable and also lots warmer in frosty weather. However, I don't consider a good night's sleep a luxury! And since a substantial CCF pad is needed to stay warm with the NeoAir in below-freezing weather, the weight difference is minimal.

My second is a pair of fleece socks to sleep in. They are warm and cuddly and my feet sigh with pleasure when I put them on!

The third is a 7-oz. monocular, for birds, wildlife, etc. EDIT: Oops, it's ]b]2[/b] ounces, not 7!

I don't consider my camera a luxury. The one time I left it home to save weight (that was back in 1987), I've regretted it ever since!

There are no items that I take, luxury or otherwise, that are not on my check list.

Other luxuries are for the day I come out: a LONG shower, steak, big salad, and ICE CREAM!

I don't go out in the woods to feel deprived so I put the luxury items on my check list and enjoy them. They include: an MP3 player loaded with audio books, enough extra stove fuel for a hot shower every day and a few fresh food items.

I agree with wandering daisy and the others about putting whatever I take on my checklist. Since the list is just for my personal convenience, I can't see who would be "fooled" if I left stuff off.

An ultralighter would probably consider many things I take to be luxury items. For example, I bring a double-walled tent. From my own perspective, the things that feel like luxuries are:

- the Hershey's Dark Chocolate with Almonds Nuggets I put in my typical lunch.

- my sit pad (a 12" x 13" piece of a Ridgerest). I also use this pad for some extra padding under my hip when I sleep.

- the long-sleeved silk undershirt I always wear in bed.

- ditto the pair of CoolMax ankle sox I reserve exclusively for wearing in bed, to help keep my sleeping bag clean.

- the bright red cotton washcloth I use to wash up each day.

- the 6 oz paperback book I always bring (of course, it's a different book each trip).

- the 1 oz MP3 player that has a tiny external speaker, so I don't have to wear earbuds to listen to music.

Backpacking for me is all about having fun so I'm not about to deny myself a few perks. So long as they are lightweight perks LOL!!! The longer the trip, the more luxuries I have along. For an overnighter it may just be my iPod shuffle which is smaller and lighter than a domino. For longer trips I take my Touch to watch movies. Home theater at 10,000 feet!!! If the trip is even longer I pack my solar charger and maybe a hammock.

I always remember Scott Williamson's (Yo-Yo of PCT fame) reply to a question like this. He just said "Extra food". Hard to argue with that.

For me it's having more padding than some sleep on at night (looking forward to my Neo-air size regular this year) and some electronics. The latter includes a multi-purpose smartphone, bluetooth keyboard for trips that I blog, extra battery(s) for same, recharge cord on longer trips. And a separate MP3 player, indeed also for me loaded with both music and audio books.

I guess another that I do on short-to-medium length trips is take a few ounces of everclear as backup stove fuel, and carry just the minimum possible amount of denatured alcohol for cooking. Makes for a dandy "ultralight" mixed drink experience the last couple nights on the trail if the backup/extra fuel doesn't get all used up for cooking.

But extra food is really hard to argue with as a luxury!

I LOVE you guys. My sentiments persactly!

1. FULL length Thermarest Lite (12 yrs. old)
2. TarpTent Moment (so snug & secure in a storm)
3. CCF sit pad (your ass will thank you)
4. GOOD food (mainly freezer bag stuff- I live to eat, not the reverse.)
5. electrolyte drink powder (a necessary treat)

Eric

Well, I head out to enjoy myself, so I bring stuff I suppose others might consider luxuries.

I usually only go out for a couple nights, so a liter or two of good beer will usually make it into my pack. That's really heavy, so often my camera will not make it in. (I like beer)

If I'm staying out longer I'll bring Everclear and hot chocolate mix or "Tang" for my evening refreshment.

I bring enough fresh ground coffee for two large cups each morning. That's more than I drink.

Sometimes I'll bring a frozen steak, Cornish Game Hen, or lobster tail for dinner the first night.

I always bring enough "Wet Wipes" to wash my face and hands each night and morning. They're kind of heavy, but it sure feels good to clean up with them.

I consider all those real luxuries when I'm out.

I still consider my GPS and cell phone luxuries. I didn't have either 10 years ago. They're almost always turned off, but they add a degree of comfort by having them along. But they don't always work, so it's still a luxury when they do.

Sometimes I bring a guidebook, I found I never read any other kind. I suppose it's a luxury to have a guide book with you, especially one that guides you to scenic spots places off trail. Depends on how you look at it.

Other than those things, I've been trying hard not to bring stuff I don't need or won't use. It's not been that easy either. I've really had to work at it. The temptation to throw in "one more little thing" has been tough to resist...

As others have said EVERYTHING that goes into my pack is on my list. Since I am part native American I consider all of this white man camping gear to be luxuries. Maybe my 4 oz pillow is a luxury, or maybe spare fleece gloves for sleeping in. I consider chocolate to be a necessity. Actually I bet if you count the number of items on most peoples lists, I have about half as many and each one could be called luxurious. I always considered my greatest luxury item to be a light pack. Sometimes I take camp booties, but only in the winter. I never thought of taking my ipod.
Jim

Everything i bring is also on the list. (see the signature)

In a nutshell, I consider lots of what I take "luxury" - The scotch and hot chocolate definately so. I like my two good cups of coffee in the morning. I like my hammock. I like a change of base layer at night with dry sleeping socks.

I *know* I can do without that stuff. I could go without hammock and coffee and change of base layer, etc. etc.

Realisticly, I don't find myself feeling very "deprived" on the trail.

I never thought of taking my ipod.

There's one moderately compelling reason why I take my 1 oz MP3 player with me these days: I tend to have songs get stuck in my head while I'm hiking.

Once, while doing a 3-week section hike on the PCT I had just a couple of songs rolling around my head, obsessively, the entire trip -- one song per week. I find if I feed my head a few new songs each evening, I can sidestep the worst of this tendency. YMMV.

I have to bring dark chocolate filled with nuts & berries, one per day. That used to be my end-of-the-day reward until I got fed up with how it kept me up too late, so now I write in a little waterproof journal to wind down.

My hobby is native carving, and I keep thinking of how cool it would be to bring my knives to see what I can whittle over the course of a trip, but it hasn't happened yet.

I also carry a set of sleeping clothes, but they also can be worn under my hiking clothes.

I carry way more cord than I need to bear bag because I like options.

I have long guylines because I like options.

I carry about an extra pound so that I can sleep in a hammock.

I could carry a compact Caldera Cone ESBIT stove with a total kitchen weight of 6.1 oz. I carry the full sized Caldera Cone alcohol stove with a kitchen weight of 15.2 oz.

I carry adult beverages, but that is not a luxury. Alcohol is pretty calorie dense.

I carry a book.

I have the gear and skill to hike Colorado with an 8 pound base weight, but generally have 12 to 15 pounds.

Hi Wolfeye,
You should do it. I love to sit on a rock by a lake and flake arrowheads.
Jim

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0247.html

GP4L really tiny 3 ounce shortwave radio.
150 hours on 2 AA batteries.
$22+$6 UPS shipping at Universal Radio.

There are a couple "GP4L" videos on youtube.

Jim, you're about as white as a man can get in your avatar
Ya' look more like this:

http://darul.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/dangle_reno911.jpg

BF

Yeah I know but my grandmothers grandfather was Iroquois and I had three native American females in the genealogy chart on my dads side. I am about 15% to 18% native. I once had a "black" friend who was as white as me too.

Funny but thats the second time you've shown us that photo, what is it about that site that holds your attention?
Jim

I dunno about that Bigfoot.. let's see...




versus





I kinda think the last picture looks a bit more like the first ya know...

Didn't get a rise out of you so i posted again..it's hilarious!! Almost as funny as a kilt, right, Jim???

BF

Jealous, Phat? I won't hold it against ya'.

Yes definately - I'm not sure I could ever look that good in a dress..

BF
I guess you were on your trip when I posted saying that I respect you for wearing that kilt. But then I guess you really wanted a chance to go back to that website again. Why are you so fascinated by it? Do you long to wear those gloves with your kilt?
Jim

Now you did it.....it's on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_TfBbR6L0M&feature=related

BF