I spent some time hiking in sand and pebbly beaches. I've never *ever* carried extra footwear or camp shoes, figureing they were just surplus weight. I have changed my tune. next time I'm on beaches a pair of crocs is coming with me.

I lightened my summer load ever so slightly in the colder times
by adding a new 800 fp bag instead of my primaloft based exped wallcreeper.

OTOH, I did add the "coolest piece of gear" that I hope to never use, so my base weight went up... A microfix 406 PLB bought for me by some good friends - which I am now forced to carry by my better half

My winter weight may have gone down, thanks to two things, my
funky new DIY tent stove and modified shangri-la 3 tent, as well as possibly my funky new borde stove, but neither of these
has been seriously tested for real yet. so I'll reserve judgement on that for '09