If you had 2 more lbs for free, what gear would you add?

Previous posts from others clarified it for me: chair plus a tent I can stand up in

Good idea for a post. Thought provoking.

Thanks.

For sure, my #1 choice would be a DSLR and an ultra wide lens, and a big fatty knife, 8oz of 12 year scotch, a large xtherm… Am I over yet?

“It would be nice to have a ‘chair’ hammock that’s literally just enough material to sit in.”

Bushman Hammock Chair at Arrowhead Equipment. Scroll down.

My god, you have beautiful legs.

Clean your glasses Matt.

"My god, you have beautiful legs."

Why thank you, only that's not me. Pic from the Arrowhead site.

I need to stop putting off the bifocals.

Actually.. I think that nails it. I hadn't seen THAT design of hammock-chair before … though I've seen others. If I use the material to double as a stuff sack / pillow then I'm game and can do this without much more weight.

I can re-use my hammock straps but that would mean that I can't use the chair / hammock at the same time.

I wouldn't mind that hammock chair instead of my couch in my tv room. It looks perfect.

more protective camp shoes. I use dinky flip-flops :(

And a lounging around hammock.

I always have free pounds, as my pack weight has dropped another 4# since reaching the point that I don't even notice my pack any more. Further lightening and simplifying everything remains an ongoing process that is kind of a hobby unto itself rather than fulfilling any real need as far as backpacking goes.

A knife and saw for fire when I want one are really the only extra gear I'll add unless combining activities, but sometimes I'll take a couple pints of my favorite sweet tea, or some apples and packages of that Jif chocolate silk for snacks.
For short overnighters where I play a lot, having light gear sometimes means being able to bring wetsocks and watershoes, even wetsuit pants, or heavier pack and rope with gear for rappels without feeling weighed down. I don't really keep track of pack weight any more, but doubt it broke 30# either time I carried a 150' 11mm static line to rap waterfalls this past summer.

My kit is dialed in. I don't need to add or subtract gear. Don't need to buy more.

If I want luxury I go camping with with my wife in my camper.

OOOOOO…..a chair. yes, a chair. It is so very uncomfortable for me to sit on the ground – i really, really need something to lean back on and frequently the tree or rock just doesn't cut it.

And beer.

A chair and an crisp IPA, or good stout (when the weather is chilly) would literally make my life perfect. Who needs personal protection and safety?! Blech. Beer.

I'm not close to UL – trying but not there – but am by comparison to my scout troop brethren certainly LW. Had one scoutmaster ask if I was sure I had everything I needed since I was packed in a 65L REI Flash with not a single thing hanging on the outside "beverly hillbillies" style. even had a bit of room to spare. I'm not sure what he'd have asked if I showed up with a setup like many here use!

Some of that is preference (I still use a double wall shelter – albeit typically a fairly light one – Big Agnes SL1 – which I'm just used to and the move to a single wall shelter like a tarptent doesn't save enough weight to justify the cost … yet … full tarp is tough for a guy just starting to backpack a year or so ago), some of that is situational since I backpack with scouts so I do tend to carry a bit more than I might otherwise carry – a slightly bigger FAK, often a bit of extra food, etc… as one of the adults on a trip we are the last safety net, although it is expected that scouts exhaust other scout resources before turning to us. On a different note – I do often take a chair (Alite Monarch 1.5lbs roughly) as we tend to get to camp early to mid afternoon since we accomodate a range of ages and abilities so distances don't go beyond 5 miles each way that often. Since scouts are supposed to help scouts as an adult there is a fair amount of potential downtime so a chair becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity.

If I added anything it would be a SPOT for personal use (the Troop already carries one on all trips).

If I had room to carry 2lbs, I'd use it to catch and carry home my own pet Marmot.

I've asked my girlfriend for a "Perkins" tent for christmas and birthdays every year since we met, still no luck.

I don't know your current system but I'd give pillows a try if I had the spare weight.
I just don't want to throw money at something that I have always managed without in the past.

Only on BPL can people not fathom carrying an extra 2 lbs, even if it just a "what if" thread. Geez.

Anywho, I'd bring along more microbrews, of course. Wait…I already do that.

…probably a lightweight camping chair. That would nice.

I'm not UL and bring the 'needs' like raingear, comfortable sleep gear, etc. So I'd probably bring some 'toys':
Camera
Book
Rumrunner Flask (with 151) and sugar free Koolaid
Monocular (2 oz)
A few sheets of paper printed with tree/flower ID info
Sit pad (doubles as pillow topper) (3-4 oz)

I just saw a a helinox table on a UK shops online store, maybe I'd take that and one of their nifty little chairs.

Just over 2lb for the two of them.

Nothing wrong with getting your kit down to a nice, low weight then using your old, slightly larger (only slightly heavier) pack and taking some luxuries!

Congratulations on the weight loss, Kevin. You may find that you now need more insulation to keep warm. A couple of years ago I lost 20 lbs. to get back down to my preferred weight (160 lbs.). I found that I chilled easier and needed more insulation when at rest. Maybe a half pound for a warmer sleeping bag and the rest for fresh fruit & veggies in your food bag.

+1

Was really surprised that after dropping from 260 lbs to 200 how much colder I was when sleeping. Not much difference when hiking, but suddenly had to wear more clothes in my bag. Which is the route I would suggest rather than getting a warmer bag. Clothes are useful 24 hrs a day were as a bag only at rest.

Maybe Doug should add a suntan to his wish list — no extra weight either :)