Five ounces. 5/16 of a pound, less than a third. I spent $35 for those 5 ounces, and very happy for it! What is that, $7 per ounce?!

To a long distance hiker, every ounce is at a premium. The less weight I have to carry, the more comfortable I will be. It’s then reasonable to assume that I will enjoy the hike just that little bit more. Each of my 5 MILLION steps will carry 5 ounces less than previously planned; for $35, that’s not a bad deal at all.

I’ve alluded to the weight tradeoff equation before. For a particular function, saving weight is a good thing, as long as it does not compromise quality or usefulness. Example: I have heavy, rugged boots that weigh 3 pounds, and could last the entire hike. To save weight, and be more comfortable, I will take trail runners, at 1.5 pounds. I may need 3 pair as they break down, but that is a reasonable compromise.

Money is also part of this equation. Technology permeates hiking as it does other sports. We have titanium cookware, ultra light nylon cloth for tarps and tents, new weaves of wool that reduce clothing weight substantially. It all depends how deep your pockets are, and what is “OK” if it’s a bit heavier.

My biggest compromise is my hammock, which weighs in at 3 pounds, plus another 8 ounces for a tarp. Many high tech tents now are just over 1 pound, complete (at $400 and up!). But, this hammock is rugged and comfortable, and I JUST LIKE IT. That’s the fun of this individualist sport: you get to choose what lights you up, as long as you accept your choices.

So… what was my big purchase? Camp shoes! At the end of a long day of hiking, airing out tired feet is a luxury. Many of us bring Crocs, slides, or the equivalent: waterproof, light shoes. They are also useful for river crossings and in town, in the shower, whatever. Inexpensive, yes, but at 14 ounces for the pair, on the heavy side for the one or two hours a day they get used.

Enter Vivobarefoot, the company, that sell a variety of minimalist running and hiking footwear. I came across a discussion of these on Whiteblaze.net, my primary source of information about all things hiking on the AT. I can’t wear many shoes as I have a wide foot and a bunion on my right foot, but I ordered a pair of their “Ultra Pure”, and at about 9 ounces, they are great! So… my Crocs will stay at home, and the Vivo’s will take to the trail!

Cooking equipment is one of the more debated areas of one’s hiking gear. The object is to provide a meal, taking into account the size, weight, and cost of the gear. Other factors are the type of fuel, speed to set it up, and how quickly and efficiently it cooks your meal. Lots of options, but where do you begin?

I started with fuel. The two primary fuels today are propane in a small canister, and alcohol. There are many articles on the pros and cons. I have a Jetboil system, an all in one canister system that works great, but is a bit bulky and heavy. I tried an alcohol system on my September hike, and though it worked fine, I decided to go back to the canister route, but something other than a Jetboil.

I did a lot of research over the past couple of months to find the perfect system, for ME. I wanted both a cooking pot with lid, and a coffee cup, which can double for eating cereal. With my alcohol system, I kept the fuel separate, in case it leaked. I carried a separate coffee cup, as it did not fit in the pot.

My new system fixes those problems. I now use an Evernew titanium ECA278; I got it from Trail Designs for about $65. It is a stackable .7L/.4L pot/cup combination, 2 for the price of 1.

For a stove, I bought the new Soto Windmaster, another $65. Great reviews, and on a 40 degree day, I boiled 8 ounces of water with this setup in 2 minutes.Like the Jetboil, a small 100 gram canister, the Jetboil canister stand, and stove all fit inside the pot. I then purchased a cozy from George at Antigravitygear.com; great service and about $10!

I have a favorite mentor, Jim Rohn, who recently passed away. He was a premier motivational speaker, and had a wonderful philosophy on life. Well, one of his favorite words, which I have adopted, is “fascinating”. The trials in life are fascinating. The person who cuts you off on the highway is fascinating. You get the idea; turn a negative into a positive or take the glass half full idea.

So, yesterday I spent about 30 minutes stressing about the type of travel mug I should take on my hikes. Fascinating! This is all about counting ounces/grams, vs functionality. Being analytical (anal!), I developed a massive decision tree to come up with the perfect mug. Purpose vs size vs weight vs cost; how would I pack it; would it be just for drinking, or would I eat my oatmeal from it; should it be metal so I could heat water in it; you see my problem?

Fortunately, there must be many like me, for when I showed up at REI, I had an entire rack to choose from! I was in my glory! Titanium, plastic with a cozy, handle or no (extra weight now!), 8 ounces or 16, so many choices and so little time! Did I mention the lid???

The good news in my life is the word experimentation. I have a year to prepare for my hike of the Appalachian Trail, so I will have lots of opportunity to try out my new mug(s)! I do like a hot drink to start my day, whether coffee or tea, so I chose 2 mugs, one with handle, one without, both with lids.

Fascinating…