This subject struck me, first and foremost, as a question of philosophy rather than an expose on UL methods and gear. After reading the title of this essay several times to get my head around it, I decided to choose two different perspectives on the subject. The first perspective is taken from a very literal point of view: with an OVERNIGHT pack, what would I consider ESSENTIAL? With this perspective, I am going to equate "essential" with "survival." I will also assume "overnight" means two days walking, plus or minus sleeping through the night (as an ex-orienteer I am fully aware of the option to not sleep if it's only one night). I am going to assume that sleep is NOT essential in this case, so will leave bag, mat, and shelter at home. Likewise, it won't be necessary to cook, so I'll leave stove and fuel at home.
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Home › Forums › To Pack or Not to Pack? What constitutes an ‘essential’ item in a lightweight hiker’s overnight pack?