What is your most used piece of gear?

REI zip away pants and I only use the shorts for the pct sections. Great feel and lightness. Mucho pocket space. Well used.

windshirt

bugs, preventing evaporative cooling, quick warmups when chilled, sun protection after washing my hiking shirt.

oh yeah, and it blocks the wind too.

What is your most used piece of gear, and how do you use it? What are it's multi-uses, when do you use it, what has it made easier, how has it brought you happiness, how has it liberated you, how has it changed your experience…yet, what one way does it fall short of perfect?

My backpack. I use a Gossamer Gear Murmur for the majority of my trips.

I use it on my back, though I have heard stories of some that use it as a front pack. Never really believed them though.

Multi-Use? Well, I use it to carry the rest of my camp gear. I like to roll it up at the end of the day and use it as a pillow. Sometimes, I use it as a bear bag.

I use it whenever I go on trips of less than two weeks. A pack is requred for backpacking, I think. Carrying gear is MUCH easier with one. When I head out I know where all my stuff is. Backpacking makes me happy. Liberated? Well, I have several others I could use. It holds my pad next to my back, keeping me warmer in colder weather. But, the pack is just really light. It saves about a half pound over my closest next size pack. I cannot say it has changed my experience too much. It makes it a bit easier to carry, being small and light. The same things, small and light, make it a limitation on longer 3-4 week trips. I need to carry a slightly larger pack, the MiniPosa, to handle the larger food loads. Or the old Trek for anything over 30 pounds(>4 weeks.)

Yup, you have to have a pack for backpacking. Though, a vest with a multitude of pockets works OK, too.

…

My Salomon trail runners.

Interesting question that's remarkably hard for me to answer. I say that because I use almost everything I take each and every trip. My backpack, sleeping bag, tent, trekking poles, shoes, cookset, fly fishing gear all get used each and every trip. I do take a couple of things with me that I hope never to have to use -> my first aid kit and my rain jacket.

My BUFF. Headband, hat, water filter, neck warmer, wrist warmer, washcloth, towel, pillowcase, stuff sack, earmuffs.

My most used piece of gear, is my shoes.

That's easy – the Patagonia R1 Hoody.
It is, in my opinion, one of the best-designed and most all-purpose pieces of gear. Everything from the extended 'skirt' which, conveniently, is made from a thinner and stretchier material; to the zipper which closes off-center from your mouth; to the thumb loops; to the balaclava-style hood; to the grid-fleece which saves weight while providing the dead air space of a garment twice as heavy. An absolute must-have for anyone doing anything.

(P.S. I'm wearing it in my avatar pic <—)

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Poles.

My Starter brand boxer/briefs. They get used every second day for running (I have more than one pair of shoes depending on running surface), on trips for hiking, and occasionally on the bike when doing a short trip to a trail head with hiking at the end.

No more chafing or damp clothing for more than twenty minutes at a clip. At $8 a pair, they're pretty economical, too.

+1 On Hiking Poles.

They go on every trip I take…hot or cold weather, rain or shine.

They are in my hands 8 hours a day or more.

I use them at night as poles for my tarp.

And I can use them to poke my hiking partners in the back to get them to hike faster. :)

They are pretty much used 24 hours a day.

2nd most used item…Sunday Afternoon dork-tastic looking hat.

Tony

My pack. It experiences every mile of trail that I do. Unlike everything that is packed inside it. It makes backpacking possible. It does not carry itself though.

Exos 58.. fits me well.. bottle pockets easy to reach.. fits all of my stuff with enough room for 5 days of food but cinches up with less.

BD carbon flick lock poles. pretty much all day in my hands unless very steep. then keep my lightheart solo up.

sawyer squeeze. simple and easy.

could keep going. basically my whole 3 season list gets used each trip at some point. which is the sign of a pretty good list.

"2nd most used item…Sunday Afternoon dork-tastic looking hat."

Ha. Yeah, I have one of those too. Wore it yesterday for a day hike on Hood. Incredibly dorky.

Most Used
OR Sun runners cap

Most liked
Montane Prism Jacket

My brain.

It's not too heavy either… But it sure does use a lot of energy!

Buff.
At home working in the yard, while kayaking for sun protection, at the gym, at work under my hardhat, and always on the trail, whether hiking or mountain biking.
Think I have 13 of them.
From beanie or balaclava to potholder, as many uses as you can imagine up.
Downside is that it's overpriced for a little polyester tube, even at ~$10 online.

First is my clothes – worn 24 h a day – REI zip off pants, ex 0fficio briefs and Columbia long sleeved shirt, worn all day and slept in.

Then as Tony said – probably my Tilley hat – worn all day, impossible for the wind to blow off, and holds the stuff from my pockets all night while I'm sleeping.

Second – Merrill shoes – never give me blister, great fit. Comfortable enough I don't need camp shoes

Then Hiking poles – walking all day, tent poles at night.

Next my gossamer gear mariposa pack – 1 lb 4 oz w sit pad and aluminum stays – comfortable w up to 30 lbs or so and worn all day.

NeoAir short – 8 ozs of the most comfortable sleep ever.

Next – Jacks 'R better double quilt when I'm hiking with my wife or a Katabatic Palisade when I'm solo.

Then all the other stuff, maps, bandana, Dr. Pepper wide mouthed plastic bottle, cooking gear, platypus, etc.

Definitely a way to consider items to look for weight reduction.

My G4 pack – Goes everywhere and does it all. My go to pack since 2002.

My Brooks Cascadia's – Seriously, these shoes rock. No blisters allowed… ever!

I should list my trekking poles too, but I have a kind of love/hate relationship with them. They are often helpful (knees on the down hills, Shelter poles at night, snake probe, etc.) but also, I find my self just carrying them around a lot.

Finally, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Marmot Dri-Clime mid-layer. Most versatile garment I've ever owned.

My wallet.

New balance mt110 shoes and the water resistant version mt 110 W winter"

Also cuben 4oz hexamid, i bring it on day hikes as emergency. I love it. When camping i grab my SMD 7 ounces serenity net tent for bugs and luxury.

Also my Sawyer mini water filter.

New balance mt110 shoes and the water resistant version mt 110 W winter"

Also cuben 4oz hexamid, i bring it on day hikes as emergency. I love it. When camping i grab my SMD 7 ounces serenity net tent for bugs and luxury.

Also my Sawyer mini water filter.