Hello, my name is Robby and as you can probably guess by my username I like to skateboard, I realize it seems like a weird name for a backpacking forum but I use this screen name for just about everything so it's easiest for me to just remember ONE name, haha. I'm 20 years old and have recently gotten into backpacking. I don't like considering myself a beginner because I don't want to admit it, but I guess I have to, I'm a complete beginner I've only gone a few times but I do love it and hope to continue going for years and years. I bought a lot of gear from Sport Chalet, REI or Amazon in the past 4 or 5 months when I decided I was going to take it up after going with a friend and borrowing his gear before that. I have a lot of gear that are luxuries that I think are pretty cool but I'm sure most of you hard core guys would almost be embarrassed that someone who wants to consider themselves a backpacker would bring, but I figure if I can comfortably carry it and it will make my trip more enjoyable I'm sure as hell going to do it, haha. I feel that I bring a lot of things that I probably won't in the future but for now they're all nice and even if I went solo the pack still weighs less than 50 pounds full of food and water. I haven't been solo yet but I imagine I will start doing that once I move out of my parents house and can have my own dog (I want a Great Dane, does anyone reading this have a Great Dane they take with them or know someone that does because I want to take a dog camping and I've always been in love with Great Danes and always wanted one) but I'll probably be going solo then because I don't have too many friends that are down to go backpacking and it's hard to get friends to take time off of work at the same time I do and frankly my last 3 trips have all been spur the moment "oh I have a 3 day weekend, I'm going camping" and got lucky enough to have a friend go, my uncle go, then another friend go. Anyways, here's what I bring with me backpacking, some of you will probably just cringe and think I'm ridiculous for bringing everything but the kitchen sink, but hopefully most of you are nice enough about it or don't think I'm over packing, I've been reading in the ultra light section, haha:
88 Liter backpack
3 person tent (I bought this with the intention of camping with 1 or 2 friends but this thing is small/light enough even WITH the fly to where I can fit it comfortably in my pack even if I went solo plus it fits perfectly into a stuff sack that came with my sleeping bag)
compact mummybag (3 season bag, I used the stuff sack that came with it for my tent + fly because I can fit this into a smaller stuff sack)
I also have a 4 season mummy bag I bought thinking it would be my 1 sleeping bag and I wouldn't buy another but it's a 4 season so it's a lot bigger and doesn't fit into a small stuff sack, so I had to buy my other one which was only $28 on amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TR7QZA I'd highly recommend it.
Leatherman
folding knife from gerber
I have a bear jar but I don't take that with me if it's not bear county or the park doesn't require you to use one obviously.
Jetboil
Jetboil frying pan/plate (this was more pricey than I wanted but the frying pan has a radiator looking thing on the bottom to disperse heat evenly and more efficiently I think)
spork
ax/saw combo that gerber makes, I had a hatchet originally but it wasn't as effective as an ax so decided I might as well, saw pulls out of the handle of the ax.
Self inflating sleeping pad
100 foot paracord 550 lbs strength just in case
survival/first aid kit
a good trail gps (I bought this originally for my dirt bike but it works for hiking too of course, haha)
I bring my iPhone on airplane mode because I use it to take pictures and I put some tv shows on there so I can watch something if I want while going to bed.
Solar charger from Goal0 and the guide 10 power pack thing they make so I can keep my phone charged, I also use rechargeable batteries in my LED maglite and GPS so I can swap those out and keep those charged too.
Obvious toiletries (toothbrush/paste, toilet paper)
Electrical tape (smaller than duct tape and I think equally as good.
I have a camel back that I take the bladder out of and I tie it to the outside of my backpack and I can keep things like eggs or a luxury soda in there because it's insulated and if I like a particular spot I'm camped at and want to stay there more than 1 night I can use the camel back as a day pack.
waterproof matches and a stick of flint or something else like it because I like to try to start the fire with that because I find it cooler/more fun but the waterproof matches are a backup.
Water filter
folding shovel
extra pair of jeans/t shirt/swim suit/underwear/socks for each day/one of those small towels
2 AA LED maglite
Deck of cards
head lamp

I'm sure there's more but I'm just laying here in bed trying to think and I can't think of other things although I'm sure there are other small things. As of right now even if I went solo with all of that the pack is only 40-45 lbs which I can deal with (and have even though I didn't go solo I had to carry basically everything). As you can tell I don't exactly go light, but I like what I bring, even if I don't use it all I like knowing I have it in case.



I've also been wanting to make this: http://www.instructables.com/id/Multi-Function-Walking-Stick-Converts-into-a-Cha/ which is a hiking stick which converts into a chair/little compartment for stuff/torch but haven't gotten around to it yet. I want a hiking stick and this seems like a good idea instead of finding a stick and it serves multiple purposes. Have any of you guys made this? Anything bad to say about it?

Alright, that's a heck of a long intro sorry about that, hopefully some of you read through it and will welcome me though, I hope to stick around and check the site every day or so.