Bill and Bill,

Thanks for the responses. But really now? Switch to cheaper beer? Some sacrifices are just too great.

I do plan to play with a DIY alchohol stove to try and save a little weight there. And I have trimmed back my cookset to a single pot and a mug. I even expect to be able to do a few hikes during the summer without any stove or cookware.

I also realize that when I am ready one area I can really cut some weight is my tent. I have been looking at what is available at a number of different web sites and checking things out locally. I am willing to pay a certain weight penalty for comfort. I just want that weight penalty to be minimal. For me comfort means a bug free sleep, enough room for my pup, good rain protection and ease of setup. And of course I have to concern myself with the cost.

One tent that has caught my eye is a Eureka Midori Solo. It is just over 3.5 pounds. That is probably heavy by a lot of folks standards but it is a savings of almost 3 pounds for me. I don't read much at all on the forums about Eureka tents but I have had no problems with the one I have now. And the price is very reasonable ($117) compared to the $300 or more stuff a lot of people seem to like. Unless I find something I like better that will probably be my first upgrade if I do stick with this backpacking.