What's your FAVOURITE piece of equipment?

[davidf]

Packraft, reignited a whole new world of exploration

[ribuck]

Oruxmaps. Its a mapping/navigation app for Android.

I think I agree with you. For me, Oruxmaps has opened up lots of areas to solo walking, where I would have only gone with a group before.

Although if we're including ordinary pieces of equipment, my favourites would have to be (in order) my raincoat, my sleeping bag, and my tent or bivvy bag. Actually I suppose a backpack has to be top of the list.

[wallwombat]

I'll go with my packraft although I really like my home made thermo pot cozy. It has made cooking so much easier and saves me lots of gas

[Heremeahappy1]

Cups canteen steel, but only filled to the first rivet! I dont have a fav, however Im fond of my walking poles after years of avoiding the 'look' They ease the knees and ankle strain down Museli spur- type walks, keep my tarp at perfect height and theyve scared up snakes and sent them into the undergrowth prior to my own feet stepping on them. My go to rain jacket is a lightweight op shop special for all but the poorest conditions and xc skiing and for new, Im becoming intrigued with the options that packrafts provide...

[slparker]

Cups canteen steel, but only filled to the first rivet!...

used them for years in the army but never saw their attraction. The kidney shaped base does not ever fit the circular flame produced by gas or metho burners.

You can get a kidney shaped hexamine burner to fit the base but who in their right mind would want to use hexy?

[Heremeahappy1]

Ahh hexy, stunk to high heaven and the old tabs would fizzle, pop and spit hot crystalline stuff everywhere. Ill admit although detesting having to have 2x cups canteen and brass shined & polished on counterpane by 7am every morning, Cups canteen are probably still the most durable and cheap cooking pot you'll find. Memories as a kid crayfishing we would rip the tails off and boil them in a cups canteen over a small fire. I then graduated to a cheap copy of a trangia about $25, thin, $hitty aluminium that was used to fry trout, boil rice and reheat homebrand irish stew from a tin-. Geez it got a workout almost every weekend for years. When Id saved enough for a real trangia, I didnt want to use it too often for fear of wrecking it!!

[Moondog55]

Cups canteen steel, but only filled to the first rivet!...

used them for years in the army but never saw their attraction. The kidney shaped base does not ever fit the circular flame produced by gas or metho burners.

You can get a kidney shaped hexamine burner to fit the base but who in their right mind would want to use hexy?

A little cat stove fits in that windscreen as does a small tuna tin but you still need a windscreen a little way away for extra protection
I'm glad to see I'm not the only walker to pack a dinosaur in the bag

[Huntsman247]

Almost embarrassed to say it but a Helinox chair.

Don't be embarrassed - my vote also goes to my Helinox chair! I got a base weight of ~2.8kg but the one 'luxury' I will always take is my Helinox.

Yup Voting on the chair as well! Awesome on multi-days. But the best part about it is how everyone that gives you grief about bringing the chair, become super jealous when your nice an comfy around the campfire and their on a pointy, dusty and wobbly rock. You just have to make sure its safe at night so it doesn't 'accidentally' fall in the fire. hahaha

[redrock]

Old favourite(s) - Tossup between my ever reliable, super-warm and quickdrying, ultralight, possum-down beanie + my cheap, ultralight foldup sit-mat bought from Aliexpress. Perfect for tent entrances too.... though I did buy a Helinox chair 'copy' as well - awesome kit but will only be coming on basecamps/daywalks with me. ;p

New favourite(s) - Also tossup between my RX100 camera for time lapses and astrophotography + ultralight Flexair pillow with straw, 17g bought on eBay. Tested on recent Tassie 10 day-er, and was even better than expected. Took me 10min to get use to the very lightly crinkly noise, but used with a buff or similar and no issues at all. Saw it on Youtube and Backpackinglight. Can never underestimate a good night's rest!

[davidf]

New hmg flat tarp, all season tent

[Lizzy]

Packraft as well

[Rosscodj]

This is a hard one! I've spent a lot of time picking and choosing gear that every piece I have I get excited when it's time to use it. It's got to be a close call between my Moment DW tent, Phantom 25CL pack or my quilts from Mike, but after my last trip out, I think it's got to be my pack. Made for running, it grabs on to my back nice and solidly, but it doesn't give me sore hips or shoulders. Lets me carry everything I need, with some attachment points I could lash a chair to, if I was going for a more leisurely camp. Small enough, though, that if I have to squeeze through a gap it doesn't rub at the sides, or catch something above my head if I duck under a tree.

[north-north-west]

Don't think I have one. Certainly my least favourite is my body - it's the most unreliable piece of garbage I've ever used to do anything.

Ha...that was(almost) my answer, but being glass half full rather than half empty like your good self I'd say, my favourite piece of equipment is definitely my legs, they are so awesome, everything else is just stuff.

The body still bugs me. But when the brain - or mind - is firing on all cylinders, it's awesome. It gets me there, it gets me back, it enjoys the whole thing. And it's strong and determined enough that even if I'm so fatigued I can barely focus, or so crook from heat stroke that I'm dry-retching every few minutes and more crawling than stumbling, it will get me back to the carpark.
Even when it's not 100% it does enough to keep me going and get me wherever. Major achievement that, sometimes.

[Neo]

Don't be embarrassed - my vote also goes to my Helinox chair! I got a base weight of ~2.8kg but the one 'luxury' I will always take is my Helinox.

Super UL impressive! Do tell...

...it's my multiday 'baseweight' (non-winter) - including all the essentials/safety gear (PLB/phone/FA) and more - but to clarify that base weight does not include my Helinox chair.

*Weighed in today. Pleasantly surprised at 7562g which includes the Groundchair, partial foamie and a comfy mat & pillow. Usually I'm around the 10kg mark.

Still at least double your base Stew63!

Things I don't use are the mixed bag of repair goodies 320g (do use the sharpening stone and two Reva pegs), first aid including snake bandages 298g, rain jacket 216g and could skip the UV & bottle at 365g. These are my safety barrier yet only about a kilo together, so can't yet see where to trim next!

I usually leave with at least 3L of water as I'm a thirsty bugger.

[Neo]

Anyone know the name of the most recent base weight thread? I couldn't find it. A few weeks ago I stirred up the big 3 / big 4 one