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What luxury items do you bring on backpacking trips?

Luxury Items on Backpacking Trips
Luxury Items on Backpacking Trips

Here are the 10 most popular items that Section Hiker readers bring along on trips:

This was a popular survey. Check out the other responses below.

298 comments

  1. Just one: a good-book-and-old-rum.

  2. I always bring my Crazy Creek Hex Original chair. It comes in handy all the time, and I like its durability and versatility compared to the Thermarest skeleton chairs for pads. I also like to bring a portable speaker and iPod to play music or comedy at camp. The speaker is something cheap I picked up at Target but it’s USB rechargeable. Nail clippers I consider luxury since most don’t bother or use Swiss Army knife scissors. I keep mine short and can’t stand using those small scissors. Does wine and bourbon count as luxury items?

  3. Also a cheap monocular for watching animals. Thinking about moving up to small, higher quality binoculars, but they are significantly heavier. This is just an afterthought, not a second entry for the prize.

  4. A book or 2. Probably my biggest weight savings could be ifI dumped them but sitting in the tent with a book reading before bed or whenI’m stormed in are some of my favorite moments.

  5. I bring muscovado sugar, a few limes, cachaça, and some cut off straws. Combined with some ice (not too hard to find in the Swedish mountains in early summer) they make my favorite drink; Caipirinha. A perfect surprise for your friends a few days into your wilderness hike.

  6. I allways bring my ebook-reader with me. It weighs under 200g and can hold thousands of books. I love to read for a couple of hours before I go to sleep. Especially now when the light fades quickly in the afternoon.

  7. I bring a book, mp3 player, and ear buds.

  8. I bring salami and a block of cheddar cheese. They’re heavy, but were with me on my first backpack as a teenager. They reassure me.

  9. I used to bring an inflatable Montbell pillow. Nowadays, I consider toilet paper a luxury item.

  10. I often like to bring a mickey of Fireball Whiskey. I also like to bring facial cleansing wipes, which are not necessary but pretty lightweight.

  11. A bottle of vodka, especially good for camp fires.

  12. Chocolate! Except during the hottest weather when it will melt, I love to treat myself to a chunk of dark chocolate at the end of the day.

  13. My two luxury items are usually UCO mini candle lantern, a GSI wine caddy and GSI stemless wineglasses. Drinking a good wine in a candle lit tent with my wife is not a bad way to end a hiking day.

  14. Miroslav Chervenkov

    I am a lover of nature so every time I wear a pair of binoculars to observe animals. I chose a suitable model of Olympus so that it is not hard but it is a good observation.

  15. While I try to be as ultralight as possible when it comes to camping,
    I usually take with me a tent light (despite already having a headlamp), a better inflatable pillow (which is heavier than the strictly air blowup one I should be carrying). And when it coms to food, I usually add on a flask of wine, along with a dessert which i bury at the bottom of my hiking bag for those moments when you really need to give yourself a treat. And for nighttimes before bed, my trusty Kindle.

  16. I love bringing something to read in the middle of nature, and the best part is that my kindle has made it much lighter than ever :)

  17. Kindle… and lots of camera gear…

  18. I bring a bottle of Whiskey and a book to read with me.

  19. I take a 10l foldable basin. Apart from making camp clean up easier, it means I can wash (myself and clothes) with soap wherever there is adequate water (not an issue in Tasmania). And shave every morning.

    Paul Nilon

  20. I have a Grand Trunk hammock. Probably weighs close to a pound with hanging equipment. While I do end up sleeping in it sometimes I really like to have a nice place to sit or lay when I make camp.

  21. I take an old silver hip flask containing my favourite whisky, an 18 year old Bunnahabhain Islay malt. I have a nip each night after eating before I tuck myself into my sleeping bag. Rounds the day off perfectly.

  22. I bring my headphones and use my phone as an mp3 player. Because of this I need to bring a battery extender. I enjoy listening to music when in a secluded place in order to meditate and marvel at the fact that I can be so tech-filled in the middle of the wild.

  23. I tote along a folding camp chair. A real PITA because the legs sink into the ground unless I gather up something flat to put under them but I keep taking it along nonetheless.

  24. My luxury item is a couple of beers. I leave them in a stream or brook not far from camp and enjoy them after the hike. I look forward to them all day. Kind of a carrot & stick approach.

  25. Every once in awhile ill bring a fly fishing rod. Its fun to throw a fly around a lake or stream and see if i catch anything. I usually bring a two piece rod but i recently broke the tip off. I have switch to a rather cheap three piece cabelas rod and reel. Still havent ate anything i caught. Good luck fishing.

  26. I bring a small cribbage board and a deck of cards so my daughter won’t get bored and drive me crazy

  27. A plastic solar lantern. Warm light in the tent in a storm, a homey beacon to find my way back to a sleeping spot at night and substitutes for a fire when sitting out at night.

  28. It used to be a book and radio, but now I have to have my IPad. It’s also nice having a bit of whiskey. Although I’m not much of a fan of it at home, there’s something to be said for sharing a nip of whiskey with friends around a fire after a long day on trail.

  29. I bring my Kindle, cell phone and a small portable battery charger.

  30. Alite Monarch chair for me. I use it to relax on breaks, to cook, while filtering water, and in camp in the evening.

  31. Crocs for camp shoes, dark chocolate, and either Cognac or Scotch. I have been lately pondering the Helinox camp chairs …

  32. I bring my kindle – reading in “bed” is one of my favorite things.

  33. Kindle. Books for long nights at a low weight a must have.

  34. My luxury item is a Samsung Galaxy S5 and an extra battery for it. Use it to read, listen to music, or watch a video at camp.

  35. I almost always bring my phone and spare batteries to read, take pictures and navigate. I also generally being my dog and carry her food,leash, and,in cold weather, her bedding. Sometimes I bring my wife, which leads to 5 or 10 lbs more gear.

  36. Bubble gum! I absolutely could do without but always have extra packed.

  37. I’m a coffeeholic, so I bring real coffee and a 1 shot expresso maker.

  38. I always bring my ipod on my trips. There are times when I like hiking to the sounds of nature and there are times when I just want to zone out to tunes, particularly on high mileage days.

  39. Drop of brandy is it. Sure, it could have some use in cold season, but it tends to be there always, even in warm summer. Not that I always use it :)

  40. I bring extra chocolate bars. Gotta have the chocolate.

  41. I always bring my kindle to read by headlamp before I sleep. The quiet of the outdoors makes the words more crisp in my mind.

  42. Cell phone and camera. We didn’t have cell phone phones back in the 80’s when I started backpacking and I don’t use my cell phone very much anyway. So for me I’ll call them a distraction.

  43. A nice expensive bar of chocolat

  44. I bring a book, and a small Coleman lantern. I know they are heavy but I enjoy them so much it’s worth the extra weight.

  45. I bring a Nemo filo pillow. It’s small and too heavy.

  46. A couple of strong Nicaraguan cigars, a plastic pint of Kentucky’s finest and a WEB Griffin paperback.

  47. Sea to Summit Aeros UL pillow, regular size. No matter how many times I’ve tried to go without, I keep coming back to carrying a pillow. A small luxury at 2.1 oz, admittedly, but well worth the price of admission!

  48. I take the wife. A bit of a luxury i know.

  49. My knitting: I knit a lacy shawl while hiking the John Muir Trail, and socks on various excursions in the Whites, the Grand Canyon, etc. It has to be a project involving skinny yarn and small needles, and in the end it weighs a lot less than a book. Let me also mention a small nalgene bottle of scotch.

  50. Honestly, the main reason I buy ultralight gear is so that I can bring some luxuries along, and though these are probably some of the heaviest items in my pack, they are worth it. I always bring a small pair of earbud headphones (they double as ear plugs) and a platypus of whiskey. Most of the time I also bring a REI flex lite chair and every once in a while I’ll bring a small wire grill.

  51. An instaflator to inflate our two large neoair pads. It helps to avoid making ourselves dizzy and also from filling the pads with our moisture laden breath.

    Air pillows, which provide comfort beyond the very slight weight and pack volume penalty.

    Perhaps still a bit too much clothing and first aid items. We’re working on it.

  52. Kindle paperwhite and thermarest z lite sit pad

  53. Fresh fruit for the first couple days, and also the collapsible bucket mentioned above.

  54. I’ll often bring an iPod Touch and earbuds with me, and use it for music, reading and entertainment. I also bring my iPhone with me, but use it only occasionally for checking my position with GPS, so I can conserve battery life. A few items that used to be luxuries are now essentials – inflatable mattress, pillow and hiking poles, for instance!

  55. I almost always bring a small flack of rum and a book. The rum always finished , the book not so much.

  56. I bring an inflatable pillow and a small radio

  57. Real coffee and a coffee maker – either a french press if I’m in a group or an Aeropress if its just 1-2 folks.

  58. Hi, my name is Rob and I am an AM radioholic. I keep informed on world events by listening to the alternative media whilst eschewing the propaganda spewed by the main stream indoctrination machines or the bread and circuses of the sports networks (don’t own a TV either). Thus, a small AM radio (either a Sony SRF M37V or better yet a Sangean DT400W) are my constant companion as I go about my daily chores or, better yet, on day hikes, backpacking, or float trips.

  59. IMy son and I always bring our camp chairs and some canned orange slices. mmmmmm

  60. I always bring a couple of Lego Mini figures, Its always fun to put them in places where I backpack and since I have my Camera/Phone I can take a photo of them. It’s always fun to bring different ones with me on trips. Frodo and my Scottish Fella seems to be the ones that come along the most.

  61. Kindle Fire,luxury pillow and a flask.

  62. Wine, from a pouch, to sip after dinner.

  63. A candle lantern. I enjoy the soft glow. Good enough for most task lighting. And it keeps the boogieman away.

  64. I find it hard to hike without a camera…DSLR or compact depending on the day.

  65. I like to bring tea tree oil body wipes or face wipes. I also always bring a paperback book or sometimes a magazine. I frequently using hiking/camping as a way to catch up reading. I’ve also been guilty of bringing a flask of whisky . . .

  66. I like to bring along my small hot water bottle..once my feet are warm in the sleeping bag I soon fall asleep and my feet feel refreshed for the next day of Backpacking.

  67. I bring a pillow. It’s one of those Therm-a-rest “compressible” types. Truthfully, it doesn’t compress all that well (about the size of 2 Nalgeens) and doesn’t have a secondary function but I much prefer it to the “fill a stuff sack with clothes” option.

  68. The luxuries I sometimes bring are a backpacking umbrella, a monocular, a wash basin, and a thin paperback book. As the book is read the pages are used to help get a small cooking fire going.

  69. Tracey d IMperio lasslett

    Binocs,book,ipod and camera.

  70. Thermarest pillow, a couple of beers and sometimes my kids. I find the real luxury is actually getting the chance to get out. All that multi use/single use gram saving stuff just goes out the window when you take that first breath of air at the trail head.

  71. When out a few days backpacking I always bring along my C.Crane Pocket Radio . Probably the highest quality AM / FM & weather radio in the smallest package available .

  72. I’m a minimalist, especially when I backpack by myself. But I like to bring a couple of good cigars along with me. It’s a very light luxury!

  73. I bring my Alite Mayfly chair and a flask of bourbon. Gotta be comfy and warm in camp!

  74. I nearly always take a small paper notebook and compact pen (Fisher Bullet Pen) for keeping a journal of the trip. I’ve tried using a small voice recorder to do an audio journal, but somehow the paper and pen version works better for me.

    An actual camera

    Camp shoes or sandals, though I argue that these are less a luxury than a needed break for my feet.

    Finally, a flask of whiskey, brandy, or dark rum for those post-meal contemplative moments.

  75. A Thermarest and a foam pad. I could get away with just the Thermarest, but it’s so much more comfortable with both.

  76. I have a little teddy bear that rides on top of my pack – he has my back.

  77. My favorite pillow (a good night sleep is top priority) and a larger than necessary battery charger for my phone so I can recharge my phone after I watch downloaded videos from Amazon Prime.

  78. A real book! Especially in the winter when it’s dark and I’m in my bag early.

  79. Alite Monarch chair. Wonderful to be able to sit comfortably after a long hike.

  80. I always bring a small journal or notepad.

  81. I bring a Big Agnes inflatable mat. My foam Thermarest pad is enough of a pad to survive, but an inflatable pad above it provides comfort and extra protection for warmth from the ground. Is it needed? No. It’s surely a luxury to have TWO pads – but it is far from a frivolous luxury like an iPad or boombox speakers…

  82. When I am solo, I bring a book with me, especially when it gets darker in the evening. If my girlfriend joins me, I bring a deck of cards or something like Uno to play! In the summer I often bring a collapsible fishing rod and get a little fishing in if my campsite is near a stream.

  83. I take some extra rations/ hot chocolate powder for later in the trip. Maybe after some wet/cold spell on the hill.

  84. I pack a harmonica

  85. I bring a small Black Diamon lamp for my tent or to set near where we are cooking.

    A book is a must – one of the greatest pleasures of backpacking is getting in the tent and reading while listening to the sounds of nature all around you. Makes carrying the little extra weight worth it.

  86. I like to bring my fly rod. If I was a better fly fisherman it would help decrease my food weight, but I’m not there yet. Sometimes I bring my dog which is by far the heaviest luxury item for me. He is good company during an otherwise solo trip. At 70lb he is a heavy carry while fording deep rivers.

  87. I always bring along a camera and sometimes a paperback book and/or libation of various “flavor”.

  88. I carry a collapsible bottle, yellow in color to signify its contents. When nature calls during the night I don’t have to leave my tent. It would probably serve as a hot water bottle but I haven’t the nerve to test this.

  89. I always bring my Starbuck coffee with my GSI Collapsible Java Drip filter. Not essential, but I need my morning fix. The other thing I always bring is my Gopro camera.

  90. There are 2 things I will always bring on any trip. First, a book to read when waiting out a rain storm in the tent. Second, a flask of Jameson whiskey. It helps keep me warm on cold nights!

  91. Well, let’s see…
    A pair of quality lightweight binoculars. I haven’t had a pair as good as those Zeiss ones that fell out of my carry on bag on that American Airlines flight a few years ago. I still mourn those.
    I used to carry a pocket Bible but now I have it and plenty of research material on my phone.
    A Luminaid inflatable solar light that lights up the whole tent for a couple ounces.
    Down puffy on all trips since it makes for a cushy pillow when in a stuff sack.
    Deodorant. I don’t like to stink, whether solo or in a group.
    Maps and compass–not a luxury even with a GPS and downloaded maps and imagery.
    Small notepad. I take notes on campsite preference, etc. for future hikes in the same area. It also enables me to write down contact info for others I meet on the trail to share photos of each other.
    All this sure jacks up my base weight of pack, sleep system, and shelter from 7 lb. to “not so light”…

  92. Coffee, coffee, and more coffee.. I take a french press, and a kettle. Couldn’t do without, even looked into acorn coffee mmm?

  93. I like bringing a pair of camp sandals, even though they are quite heavy. I bring the Chaco z2 because if it gets too warm or if my boots fail, I can also hike in them. I also like bringing a deck of cards because it is always fun to play card games around the fire with friends.

  94. I bring small binoculars. We are out on the trail to see the sights and wildlife, and often interesting things are too far way for unaided sight.

  95. My backpacking luxry items are all electronic. An MP3 player, a Kindle e-reader, and some supplementary power to keep those items and my phone charged. About a pound, total.

  96. Kindle, playing cards, some good dark chocolate. Most of my camping is with Boy Scouts, so sadly no nip of whiskey. An inflatable pillow is a bit of a necessity and not a luxury for me.

  97. My iPhone with lots of music and Podcasts. And a battery pack to charge it.

  98. I always bring lip balm…. Something quite magical about a fresh face in the cool air.
    I will also probably find room in my pack for a couple of morale tea bags and a rock lens. Comfort, tea and geology!

  99. Lacrosse Ball (4.2 oz) … fabulous at massaging out all of the kinks and knots at the end of a long day.

  100. A third or even a fourth pair of socks. Pillow. Trowel. Coffee filter. Fresh fruit. I suppose any cooking could be called a luxury. I suppose any food that is not 140 calories/ounce could be called a luxury.

  101. Definitely, my phone. Although most of the places I go have no cell reception, I can take photos, use it as a backup flashlight, backup maps and trail guides, and much more. I don’t bring a solar panel or backup battery, because I keep my phone off until needed.

  102. Binoculars and a pillow. Tried the whole sleeping on clothes/bag/whatever and nothing beats a small packable pillow.

  103. My son and I will bring a camera, binoculars, and mandarin oranges.

  104. iPhone 6S in a Lifeproof case. Reading, pics, etc.
    On my last trip I took the AeroPress coffee maker and grinder. Excellent coffee.

  105. Unless it is winter I bring my flip-flops with me for camp shoes. I live in Florida and it just seems wrong to be outdoors without them.

  106. I love to read while ensconced in my sleeping bag; thus, I bring an old e ink kindle. It only weighs a few ounces and allows me access to the poetry of Robert Service, the prose of Ray Bradbury, and the vastness of the literary universe.

  107. I usually carry a small harmonic or Mbira. They are a relaxing way to make some quiet music at night (just make sure you are far enough from other hikers that you won’t disturb anyone). If I am hiking in a group I may even bring my ultralight soprano ukulele. The uke weighs 10oz so it usually only comes on short trips.

  108. KMASHI 10000mAh External Battery Power Bank, Can’t let my iPhone battery run down, now can I?

  109. I take a few very small, lightweight “comfort” (Luxury) Items with me when I’m out camping/ backpacking. A Snow Peak battery lantern for the head of my tarp If I’m with others, A light Moleskin notebook and Fisher pen for notes and sketches, A small Sharpie pen for bigger notes or emergency markers, Flip Flops to air my feet out completely, and If I know I’m going short distances or very casually a big ‘ol Bark River knife for outdors-ey fun activities with wood.

  110. I love spending hours throwing a frisbee, and also am a dedicated disc golf player. So of course I like carrying a frisbee while backpacking. Sometimes I carry a full sized plastic frisbee, but I also carry an REI backpacking frisbee that is made of nylon with a weighted rim. Either way, I am pretty likely to solicit frisbee partners at shelters or campsites.
    TicTac

  111. A mini speaker and slip on sneaker to give my feet and mind a rest.

  112. I bring a pillow for sleeping, a small camera for pictures, and a small devotional book.

  113. My son & I bring headlamps, but we also bring those ENO battery powered “Christmas Lights” for inside the tent. Effective lighting and fun.

  114. I bring a mini waterproof speaker and a deck of cards.

    My boyfriend has to have a battery-powered fan and an inflatible pillow to go to sleep at night, whereas I just use a stuff sack for my pillow.

  115. i would have to splurge and bring along even a small manicure kit

  116. I bring a fleece pillow…totally bulky but just worth it after a long day on the trail.

  117. A real down pillow plus an inflatable pillow. Two pillows is great for reading. I find that a good pillow is more conductive to a great nights sleep than two mats.

  118. 4 cans of beers for a 2 night weekend backpacking trip. at least one of them is an IPA

  119. I love to play ultimate frisbee, so sometimes on my hike/camping trips I’ll bring a disc along to throw with my friends. It’s relatively flat and light, so it’s not too much of a hassle to bring.

  120. A book that’s made out of real paper.

  121. I bring a small down pillow with a custom 600 thread count cover. Best sleep of the year is in the backcountry with my pillow!

  122. I bring my iPhone. Some people would argue that an iPhone is necessary but people somehow managed to backpack before 2007. I spent 4 days last week section hiking NJ and I turned it on twice. Once to take some pictures of the Murray Property, and the second time to coordinate my ride.

  123. I bring an alive chair , such a great invention, worth every ounce.

  124. Pretty much the only luxury thing I bring are my camp shoes (crocs) and my cell phone. But I’m adding a camp chair to my Christmas list though!

  125. I guess I have more luxury items than i expected …
    1st) a book to read.
    2nd) a flask of Jameson whiskey. It helps keep me warm on cold nights!
    3rd) a Kelty pillow – i love pillows.
    4th) two sleeping pads (z-fold & Thermarest) I sleep horrible at night …
    5th) MP# player for while I’m hiking or just resting in my tent.
    6th) camp shoes for my tired feet …

  126. I bring my Kindle. It has an adjustable backlight, so I can read in the evening when it’s getting dark, and the battery lasts for weeks.

  127. I bring my Sony NEX-5T camera with a mini tripod. I also bring a stool for shorter trips.

  128. A heavier than normal sleeping pad (I am getting older), a gopro, camp shoes/slippers, and a small pillow.

  129. WAY too many gadgets, including the new Princeton Tech Helix Backcountry Lantern, which is extremely cool, looks like a spaceship, glows in the dark when it’s off, lights up a shelter and weighs in at 7 oz. Saw the ad in Backpacker and it was just too cool to pass up! :)

  130. My luxury items are all food. I always bring a jar or two of Nutella. I also have a weakness for Good To-Go instant meals. The Marinara with penne is definitely not necessary but it is so good.

  131. The two luxury items I carry are coffee (usual instant) and a travel pack of wet wipes; you never know when you might need a little extra cleaning…

  132. In the summer, I’ll bring some tequila and some lemon lime crystal light drink crystals. There is nothing like a backpacking margarita by the fire after a long day on the trail. I also bring my ipod, but only to read ebooks (the lightest way to bring a book). Almost all of the Jack London classics are free on iBooks, and they are great tent reads.

  133. I bring a flask of single malt whisky.

  134. I bring my tablet along. I like to read on it or play a game before bed. Bringing the tablet leads to bringing a 6000mAh battery and a cord.

  135. As my old out of shape 64 year old bod gets weaker each year, I constantly strive to make my gear as light as possible (an on going experiment).So in hindsight any thing I could’ve done without is a luxury. It changes with the weather and how efficiently I traverse the distance. Probably my most usual luxury would be my trail guide book. Even though I have lighter waterproof maps, the book gives more historical information that I use for entertainment during down time.

  136. I bring a book, always paperback. And Jack Daniels or Jim Beam in a half liter platypus (save the weight!).

  137. Wow, I like some of the ideas on here…
    For me, it’s a pillow (Thermarest compressible pillow), a camera (Sony RX100), and a card game like Monopoly Deal or Love Letter.
    The camera is smallish and takes way better pictures than a phone camera. The card games work great as 2-4 player games when I’m with my wife or more people.

  138. I like to bring a lightweight camping chair. After a long day of hiking being able to sit down and relax can be great!

  139. Going to be a lot of comments I’d bet.

    Some luxury items I bring, extra toilet paper. I just can’t bring myself to use leaves or rocks. I also can not sleep without some sort of pillow be it a stuffed coat or an actual pillow. A small pocket size note pad and pencil come in handy as well. Oh, and my android phone.

    Thanks,
    Marty

  140. My luxury item is a tripod chair.

  141. Im far from an ultra-light gram-counter backpacker, so my luxury items involve an exped pillow (ok, that’s pretty light), an Exped Synmat 7 (because it’s just so comfortable) and an REI ultra light backpacking chair. All together, that’s probably an extra 8 lbs, but I like the exercise anyway.

  142. I will bring a solar lantern, colored battery operated christmas lights to decorate my hammock and see it better at night.

  143. neck pillow for sleeping
    warm slippers for sleeping
    mp3 player to block out snoring by others, if applicable :)

  144. GPS, audiobook player, map reader, backup flashlight, mp3 player, Kindle and iBook reader, clock with timer and stopwatch, plant ID manual, how-to knots manual, astronomy app, and so on.

    The iPhone (as a telephone) and trail guide app I could turn on once a day for five minutes, battery would last a week. All that other stuff takes a backup battery and cables to keep them going….

  145. I like to have coffee, preferably Starbucks Via instant coffee. In addition to a rather thick and heavy Thermarest sleeping pad.

  146. Ill sometimes bring a book or and ice cold beer to enjoy after setting up camp.

  147. My knitting. If there’s a lot of downtime at camp, usually spent talking about life, the universe, and everything, it’s nice to have something to occupy my hands.

  148. I think the only luxury item I bring in the summer is a thermarest blow up pool floatie. I’m too old for closed cell foam pads. On short overnighters I sleep latter in my tent in the am than in my bed at home.

  149. Well some beers and some jd and a book and a pillow ! Well hell there all essential ! So maybe a fishin rod !

  150. Two things: a hacky sack for throwing and kicking, and pocket-sized scriptures for reading.

  151. Depending on the destination, duration and group size, the “extras” I’ve carried from time to time:
    – Camp shoes for dry & comfy feet
    – Backup lighter, map, compass, light, water purification (Aquamira)
    – Day pack (Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil)
    – Personal Locator Beacon
    – Monocular
    – Hastings triplet magnifier

  152. I bring my GSI coffee press. Nothing like a fresh cup of coffee in the morning. Plus, I love making everyone else in camp jealous.

  153. Besides the usual luxuries like bagged wine and a book, I very much enjoy bringing a small forest ax or carpenters ax for fire and tool building tasks (using only deadfall, of course!).

  154. I bring a french press from thermos because I need my morning coffee! The thermos model is great for hiking, camping because it is rugged.

  155. flask and book as non-necessities, but I am a light hoarder so I carry more light sources than I would really need.

  156. I really like the light from my led balloon light. It’s solar powered, super light weight and very bright. Only cost $10 on sale and is well worth it. It makes managing camp at night so much easier. I just tie it to the outside of my pack during the day to recharge. Works great! I also really like my small generic inflatable pillow. Makes the hammock much more comfy.

  157. It would have to be a portable pizza oven!

  158. My luxuries include a long and wide inflatable sleeping pad, a canister stove, sleep layers, camera, sometimes a journal and sometimes a real knife.

  159. A pillow. I know I can use my fleece or whatever. But hey, I like my little pillow. My buds call it my “head rock”

  160. When camping by myself, and weight and miles are the priority, I don’t bring a luxury item; being ‘out there’ is the luxury! When I camp with a group where miles are less of a priority and comradely in camp is the priority I bring a 9’x9′ Nemo Bug out net shelter (there are mosquitoes in Minnesota, did you know?). When I go bike packing I have just enough space for a pillow and will bring a small pillow for bike packing as a luxury.

  161. Backgammon game and micro chair

  162. My luxury items in order of importance:
    8oz Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
    Sea To Summit Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad

  163. Definitely alcohol of some kind (usually whiskey) and my iPad mini – for those times when you just need to unwind from your unwinding

  164. I bring a LG tablet which can access the Internet via 4g, and can be used as a text reader. I also use the GPS mapping features and weather functions.I carry 2 external batteries that can be used to either charge my tablet or my phone.

  165. I being my kindle paperwhite, cell phone, and a usb battery bank. All luxury items. =)

  166. A thermos! I like to hike for a while in the morning, then stop and enjoy some hot coffee w/o having to break out the stove.

  167. The one item I definitely can’t do without after a long day on the trail would be a wee bit of Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey…and possibly 1 other Colorado product…but that only weighs a few grams?

  168. A travel pillow sized pillowcase. It makes me happy to sleep on the filled soft cotton vs a filled stuff sack.

    A small nail brush. I hate dirty nails and hands, so it is so nice to really scub up at the end of the day.

  169. A full sized DSLR camera. Photography is one of my hobbies, and I can’t leave it behind. Also more often than not I bring a Frisbee. Risky Frisbee on a mountain ridge is a lot of fun…

  170. I bring my exped pillow. A good night’s sleep is worth a couple breaths. Also a paperback if I’m solo.

  171. I bring my little tea-candle lantern.. there’s something about a flickering flame that beats any LED light!

  172. A pillow (crushable) is a must for me to sleep well. Also my Kindle for those long hours in a dark tent.

  173. I bring my Oregon 550T handheld GPS. Some hikers hates GPS and rely on thier great sence of orientations, map and compass and tell me that I will have a problem if the battery is died. Yes, we don’t have to have GPS during hiking/backpacking, but sometimes, it really helps to understand where we are in the invisible circumstances in sudden bad weather.

  174. I always bring a card game, whether it’s a standard deck of playing cards or a specific card game like Hanabi. Loads of fun to play and socialize for a bit after dinner.

  175. Whiskey, and some extra to share around the campfire

  176. Complete kit for a decent cup of coffee.

  177. -jet boil
    -sleeping bag
    -msr water filter system
    – emo hammock

  178. I usually bring:

    a small notebook and pen.
    a small camera, right now a Canon powershot.
    an inflatable pillow.
    camp shoes.

  179. Me and my brother usually bring an french espresso maker with us, just a small one that fits onto a gas burner, and also a small caffe grinder…. it just tastes so good!

  180. A deck of cards for evenings and an AeroPress for mornings (coffee)!

  181. Bourbon. And it seems I am not alone!

  182. Aeropress coffee maker, hand coffee grinder and home-roasted coffee. It’s bulky but there is nothing better than a real cup of coffee in the morning.

  183. The biggest luxury I bring is my flexlite chair. That comes with me on trips when I expect to be sitting around the campfire being social. The smallest luxury is my phone, I use it to read books before bed time.

  184. I bring a micro chair and a deck of card. The chair because I have a knee replacement, the card to keep boredom away when it rains.

  185. I like to bring gadgets. My iPhone for video, pictures, and a backup GOS. I also bring thermometer to record temperatures.

  186. I bring crocs for comfort around the campsite. My cell phone and battery charger to stay in touch with my wife and children. Sometimes I bring a book.

  187. In 15 years of backpacking, I’ve never failed to bring food and drink for happy hour. I’m a beer drinker, but weight considerations made me switch to 100-proof vodka mixed with coffee brandy, which I sip to wash down cheese, crackers and pepperoni. I also carry a pen and small notebook for journaling.

  188. Why don’t you ask what we have forgotten to take that wasn’t a luxury item?

    I sometimes take things that I don’t use, but I don’t consider it luxury as much as simply being prepared for opportunities (e.g. fly rod.) I would say that I go heavy on food. I look forward to eating in the woods and tend to push the weight limits on food and cooking utensils. I can’t justify carrying my dutch oven, but I’m looking at getting a carbon steel skillet for the Spam, corned beef, ham and even some things that mean I need to carry a little ice. Of course, Day 2 tends more to the lightweight, bland backpack food.

  189. I cook bacon on a camp fire with a tent stake.

  190. After a few run in’s with the large furry animal, I bring bear spray. It’s heavy and bulky but you can never be too safe.

  191. I bring a kindle and a pillow and usually some black licorice!

  192. Two beers (one for my wife and one for me for after we set up camp on an overnight or the first night on a multi-day trip), a small UCO lantern for the tent, a Morakniv and a mini pack of UNO cards (2″ X 1 1/2″). Why not? They’re all pretty fun and/or useful additions!

  193. All the luxury I need on my solo backpacking trips is my super comfortable Neoair Xlite. I generally hike all day and sleep well at night.

  194. Why Whiskey, of course! and a good book (but on the lighter side). Now give me the backpack!!

  195. Having started backpacking in the good old days of 40lb packs and 5lb boots, any time I replace a piece of gear with something lighter, that’s a luxury item. 2 Years ago my luxury item was a Lightheart Designs tent. This past summer it was a micropuff jacket. Next year? I’m working on my Christmas list.

  196. I bring my snowpeak double wall mug. It’s completely redundant with my evernew .9L pot, but drinking coffee or tea from a mug instead of bowl is simply more relaxing.

  197. After aggressively reducing my pack weight, I’ve added back a few comfort items for overnights: a thermarest pillow, extra socks for sleeping and a USB charger for my phone so that I can listen to music if I’m having trouble sleeping.

  198. Besides hiking/backpacking photography is one of my hobbies. So my camera gear could (for some) to be considered luxury items. Otherwise, a pillow and my Kindle / a book always come along.

  199. I usually bring candy of some sort. Not really needed but it’s a nice thing to have during the day when I’m sick of plain water. That, and a camp chair of some sort.

  200. On occasion I like to bring along fresh eggs in an egg carrier and also bacon.

  201. I bring a lightweight pair of Olympus binoculars mostly to help me identify birds and occasionally whales on my hiking trips.

  202. i usually take a Campstool, some hard liquer, and my kindle.

  203. A camp chair, something to read and an extra thermal so my dog can snooze in my down coat.

  204. Can’t sleep without proper pillow, so i usually bring an Exped pillow. Very light, comfy.

  205. Naglene flask with 100 proof Knob Creek bourbon…..my choice of “trail magic”.

  206. I like to have the security of a big heavy knife. I always carry my multitool so the big knife is a just in case item.

  207. always a book. and not always a very light one.

  208. I like to have tea and coffee at night and in the AM. It’s light to pack but gives me a morale boost!

  209. I bring my Moleskin and a good pen, you never know when inspiration m8ght strike?

  210. I bring luxury food items. Once I brought a homemade loaf of bread. My hiking companions laughed at me until we got into camp and I shared it with them—all of a sudden, I was their best friend! Yummy!

  211. Whiskey, a cigar, and a small backpacking chair from rei. after years of sitting on the ground, rocks, or over turned trees, the chair has become my best friend and is worth every bit of its 1.2 lbs.

  212. A few of my comfort items that I bring along backpacking include my field & Stream synthetic pillow, iPod Shuffle, and my Sanuks. I usually bring along a magazine to read in my hammock in the morning while waiting for everyone else to wake up!

  213. I have brought a little steamer pot for steaming vegetables, and I’ve brought the raw vegetables-i feel so guilty because the pot is not light, but it is small, thank goodness!

  214. My great grandmother loved to sit and listen to my trail stories after I was back from a hike. It made her so happy. she was never well enough to go out with me but told me she would always be there in spirit. She’s gone now but I carry some of her ashes around in a stuffed horse that she gave me when I was little so that she’s always with me. It’s bulky and never fits in my pack the right way, but I wouldn’t leave it behind for the world!

  215. Many might consider it their “11th essential”, but Chocolate is my critical luxury item. :)

  216. Almost goes without saying, but a flash of whiskey is great around the camp fire at the end of the long day. In fact, I think camping might be the reason why I first started drinking whiskey neat.

  217. I bring along a pair of stupidly heavy binoculars. I like to really scan the scenery when I reach a place with a good view.

  218. I bring along a Nemo Filo pillow. While a luxury, it packs down small enough that I bring it along all the time. I’ve slept with no pillow enough times that the marginal weight is worth it.

  219. My latest DIY project just can’t be left behind. It is a one cup coffee filter for that special brew. Made from micro pore stainless steel (Available from specialist metal merchants) it is filled with 3 tea spoons of Columbia filter grind Fair Trade Coffee, water just off the boil poured through to fill the mug and:– PURE BLISS

  220. I always bring a book with me- even though I barely ever read while on the trail, I like to have it just in case! :)

  221. Although I’m far from being ultra-light, I am on that never-ending quest to lighten my load. As I’ve gained more experience and more miles, I’ve discovered there are a lot of things that I really don’t need (and isn’t it funny how that translates over to other areas of our lives?), yet I still insist on packing a 2-person tent.

    In spite of the extra weight and larger footprint, the extra room is a luxury I just can’t give up. I’ll admit that by the end of the day I might be heard grumbling to myself about how stupid I am to be carrying that thing, but having all that extra space – especially during inclement weather – is truly luxurious, and then I don’t mind the extra weight at all!

    I also like to bring my Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife. It’s a Mora knife with a Light My Fire fire steel integrated in the handle (sorry for the commercial). The fixed-blade knife is overkill for hiking (I have never needed anything more than my little Swiss Army knife), and I always carry a lighter anyway, but I just love this knife and always bring it in spite of the fact that it is 3.5 ounces I don’t really need.

  222. RavPower 14000mah backup battery

  223. Luxury items I’ve taken on trips include a Frisbee, deck of cards, small paperback book, small digital voice recorder to preserve those trains of thought you generate when hiking, and a drip set up for morning coffee. I’d love to get a portable Kestrel wind gauge/weather data unit to carry ( pricey) so I can geek out on that sort of data.

  224. This might be easy for some, but though I am not into ultra lite I try my best to keep extraneous stuff out of my pack. OK… too often I pack extra clothes/socks and when I get home I discover I never needed them, but you never know. So… thinking about my stuff I looked at my HighGear combo watch/altimeter/compass/barometer that attaches to my pack. I really don’t need it but it is fun and useful to play with while hiking. That’s it my friends… oh, maybe my Little Debbie Oatmeal cookies. Happy Trails

    • Some will think this crazy, but I like to bring my Martin Backpacker guitar. It’s an addiction. The main difficulty is the bulk and it sticks up above my head. It weighs in at 2 lbs., 3.2 oz., so yeah, it’s definitely a luxury item.

  225. We always bring a frisbee … either hard or soft … and some sort of food treat – something sweet for after dinner.

  226. Luxury items I’ve brought backpacking include playing cards, cans of beer, and a flask of rum and drink mix. These are especially enjoyable when forced inside a tent to wait out an afternoon thunderstorm. :-)

  227. A footbag and a frisbee. The frisbee doubles as a cutting board. Gotta have my toys!

  228. My luxury items are a Helinox chair and a footbag.

  229. Hmm, luxury item huh? I mean an extra pair of underwear isn’t really necessary but sometimes I’ll indulge.

  230. I always bring a camp pillow , not necessary , but sure makes me sleep better.

  231. I take A LOT of extra food. I always plan for 2500 calories a day even though I never come anywhere close to eating all of it.

  232. Too much darn food, but seriously usually an extra lite and a real book

  233. I usually bring my kindle paper white to read before I fall asleep at night but usually can’t keep my eyes open long enough to read more than a page or two.

  234. A good book is nice…although I rarely end up bringing one.

  235. This may seem silly, but I like to bring a men’s urinal like the kind they give you in the hospital. Not that I have to go that much at night, but when I do it’s really handy and keeps me from unzipping my sleeping bag and tent and crawling out to get relief. In the morning everything gets dumped in the privy.

  236. On backpacking trips my main luxury item is my butt seat. It’s a thermarest z seat that I carry on the outside of my pack and it gives me something soft to sit on during breaks and also protects my shorts/pants from tree sap or dirt. It can also be used to help prop up my head as a pillow for sleeping and it only weighs 2 oz and costs 14$!

    • Love those things! Great invention. I and my wife don’t consider them luxuries. For two ounces, they’re a necessity once you use one!

  237. A real book! Heavy, but great to bag up and read when the days are short.

  238. I bring a book. I usually end up using every available white space to journal with a golf scoring pencil I sharpen with my knife

  239. Likewise Rene, the Z seat is the greatest thing ever! Other than that, lots and lots of socks.

  240. I bring a small notebook to keep notes, make small sketches, and have a record of miles completed. I also always pack a frozen filet mignon to eat the first night. It thaws by the time I get to camp and is a must have tradition.

  241. I like to bring a solar charger. I use multiple rechargeable gizmos, so that is the first in a line of luxury items withouy which I wouldn’t be able to use.

  242. Maybe this is more fastidiousness than luxury, but I bring a disposable razor and a small squeeze bottle of shaving soap. There’s something about a beard and even stubble that my face finds uncomfortable, so I shave even in a wilderness. Yeah, weird, I know.

  243. I bring a football with me. Me and my brother use to play catch when we were hiking. He passed away 9 years ago, from heart problems at 25. So the football is in some ways a part of my brother.

  244. I like to take my Kindle for reading at night.

  245. I like to bring my Big Angus Q core insulated air pad. A good nights sleep is priceless.

  246. My daughter and I bring a container of butter and a flat lightweight aluminum pie pan that allows us to cook up mushrooms like chanterelles, chicken of the woods, morels, or oyster mushrooms that we run across. The flat pie pan fits along the edge of the backpack so that it doesn’t take up too much extra room

  247. So. I haven’t actually hit the trail yet but doing research and planning. I would definitely take my kindle. I like to read and and one kindle weighs a lot less than the hundreds of books I have on it!

  248. Usually a book, mostly a smaller one, but thick enough to endure the trip.

  249. Well gearing up for some longer walks, I plan to take a camping chair. I’ve read where others make do but i want to relax a bit more after a hard days walk.

  250. Popcorn to pop and a chocolate treat!

  251. In the past the only luxury gear I brought was food… such as sardines in the can or maybe another type of food like cheese or a bullion paste and ghee in glass containers. But I am now bringing my phone and a solar charger song with me. Other than that, my gear is pretty basic.

  252. Extra meal, one dessert, and a Bignes Air pad.

  253. Pillow is a must and I’m contemplating bringing Settlers of Catan after it warms up.

  254. French press coffee maker. I can do without many things but quality coffee is a must. It’s what seperates us from the savage.

  255. haven’t been backpacking yet, but I would probably take a beeswax candle for a luxury item

  256. I bring a flask of Glenmorangie single malt scotch. There’s something about sipping the complex smokey overtones of a good scotch that’s the perfect ending to a perfect day on the trail.

  257. Rosemarie Coulthard

    My pillow & North Face light wt. fleece pants for sleeping.

  258. My lucky dog gets the luxury item….his thick, plush, barely able to cinch it dog bed. Embarrassed to say it almost takes up as much room as my sleeping bag. But, it’s worth it to keep him comfortable enough to sleep through the night rather than having him trying to crawl into my bag every few hours.

  259. I would have been a great Boy Scout if I had been a boy, because I carry lots of redundancies. Some of my extras include back up batteries and a solar panel, multiple water filters and a battery powered lamp.

  260. I bring an aluminum foil ovenware, roaster baker pan. The size is about 12″ x 9″ and it’s about 2 1/2″ deep. These come in packages of two or three so I usually take two. I punch some holes in the rims to attach to it the outside of my pack because these crumple easily. Really light, you can find them at discount stores for a couple of bucks. Or you can mail a replacement forward. It takes some care and caution, but I’ve found I can use one for weeks. I’d have a nice beard if I let it grow out but I prefer to shave. I like to clean up before I get into my bag at night. It’s relaxing! And it saves the bag from getting…ahem….funked-up. So I boil some water, add some cold, pull out my shaver and little plastic mirror, lather up with camping soap and shave! I use the pan as a wash basin and a foot soak. I prefer some privacy when I perform these ablutions but I’m sure you all know that after living outdoors on the trail for a while privacy can be hard to find. So I sometimes hang a tarp for a screen when necessary. While my feet soak, some more water heating on the stove, I can listen to my little am/fm through ear buds or head phones of course. Maybe pick up some jazz or other program on NPR, and sip some of that bourbon I like at the end of an arduous day. A rare cigar of fine quality can be helpful. Sometimes I wash a pair of socks, underwear or shirt in my pan. I’m in my mid-sixties so while I have a destination I’m usually not in a big hurry. I see some few glances at my pan I take as a kind of compliment mixed with a twinge of envy. Sorry, I ain’t loaning it out. I like being outside and I like the people I meet. And maybe they like me better than they otherwise might have especially in towns if I’m a little cleaned up before I appear at a diner or hostel.

  261. I love Coffee! I love the smell, the look of the cup in my frozen hands…. Everything about it! I brought instant on my section hike thru MA! Ya know, that weight thing everyone kept telling me about! One morning I crawled from my tent, after an all night rain, and smelled the most amazing scent… Fresh coffee! I thought I was dreaming! A couple was sitting at the picnic table with a huge French press, with steaming coffee! They come out on weekends and make coffee for hikers!! Love trail magic and that couple, and that beautiful French press!
    I will always travel with my camp French press! I share and enjoy the smiles I get when I offer a cup!

  262. I guess I’m pretty simple my luxury items are a fingernail file and a pack of wrigleys doublemint gum. I can’t stand having a rough nail that catches on everything, so it is always handy to have my file. As for the gum its my favorite pick me up I have run many ultra and a piece of doublemint has a little sugar and fresh mint is a perfect pick me up when you are having a rough moment.

  263. Coffee beans, a grinder and an aero press. There is no better way to start your day than a great cup of coffee in the woods.

  264. I carry a BA Helinox chair and a 8′ x 10′ tarp. Nothing better than waiting out a rainstorm under the tarp and sitting off the ground instead of setting up my tent.

  265. I bring a stadium chair that I designed and made from tyvek. When I get to camp that is the one thing I used to miss. Something to support my back. Trees don’t cut it…..

  266. Whisky or Bourben strictly for medicinal purposes as Its tough to do 20 mile days with out some medicine.

    Also my IPhone and a 2000 milli amp back up battery. Happy AT hiking

  267. I have to have my comfort items for my Arizona Trail trek so I sleep well. These include a camp pillow, 3″ mattress, woobie, and extra layers to sleep in. Then I always have to have my Crazy Creek Hex chair, and my portable charger for my cell phone and GPS. I don’t mind the extra weight of these items to keep me comfy on my trips.

  268. The luxury item I just took with me was an 8 oz. nalgene bottle of Rum to sip around the fire at night.

  269. On my day hikes that would be my 4 month old son :) To see his sweet blue eyes staring up at me makes it all worth while!

  270. I have a small tarp to cover when raining. A book, ‘spot’ locator and pillow.

  271. PILLOW CASE!!!!…not even close

  272. I bring a back-up battery pack for my phone. That way, I can listen to a podcast when I fall asleep and not worry about a dead phone in the morning. Also, I’ve been taking along some spoon carving specialty knives that I got from Ben Orford to try out my new hobby.

  273. I bring cards and a cribbage board. Hours of the same game and different every time. I always can use the cards for a different game. A book or magazine is not uncommon to find in my pack as well.

  274. I bring a 1.5″ full length REI self-inflating sleeping pad, so my hips don’t grind into the ground, a camp pillow, a book to read, and, though very light, ingredients to make some pretty amazing meals using a Snow Peak Gigapower stove and one pot.

  275. I have carried an Alite chair on a 3 week walk in escalnte as well as over Hamlin peak. A mandolin on a y2k backpack in the GW in Virginia. A Martin Backpacker Guitar through Baxter State Park as well as banjos, harmonicas and a pressure cookers on trips over the years.

  276. Therma-Rest Compressible Pillow. For years tried stuff sacks filled with extra clothes but just wouldn’t cut it for a stomach sleeper.

  277. A book to read and a flask of a tasty adult beverage. I use the second a lot more than the first, though.

  278. The new-fangled luxury gadget is the 3 oz. battery-driven air pump that blows up the Big Agnes insulated sleeping pad, which is itself luxurious. Set up tent, roll out sleeping pad, attach pump, walk away and do something else for 3 minutes – instant presto! No huffing and puffing. The guy who used to make and market the pump sold it to a bigger outdoors company.

  279. I bring a phone. Good snacks. A good book. Good book light to read or write at night.

  280. A flask of Scotch or bourbon (actually, I think this is a necessity, not a luxury item…).
    …and a book. I do try to choose a lightweight and small dimensioned paperback, instead of hauling a big tome!

  281. I bring coffee, a flat piece of custom-cut plastic that stabilizes my stove, and, if I’m hiking alone, an iPod filled with podcasts to fall asleep to.

  282. I usually take an old pitch covered chair. The type you put a sleeping pad in. We also take a letter of wine. (Red holds up better).

  283. The Original Space Blanket is my favorite luxury item for a backpack trip and day hikes. it has many uses, including as a sun shield on top of a tent when it is really hot…and the bugs have chased you to the tent! The other uses are as a small tarp for rain or sun, insulated floor for the tent, emergency blanket/shelter. We have also used it to keep food items cold on the first day in, such as sushi, prawns, steak, and of course will always help keep your favorite brew cool too! Happy Trails!

  284. My luxury item is a huge powerbank and UE miniboom bluetooth speakers

  285. I carry a UCO 3 candle lantern besides headlamp and flashlight. Nice non electric light and good tent heater. Bee’s wax candles last twelve hours of continuous light/heat.

  286. On my recent backpacking trip I brought a ‘Uco Candlelier’ (3 candle lantern) to use in my 4 season tent–that along with my two dogs got inner temps up to 55-60 degrees, even though it was freezing out (early October). Oh, and I also brought two large pieces cut from an old sleeping bag so my canine buds could be comfy too. :-)

  287. I too bring a flask of bourbon and some cigars.

  288. Three things. A collapsible wide mouth that I hang on my pack to make sun tea, with Earl Grey or Trader Joe’s Irish Breakfast tea.. A bottle top bidet and my bottle top shower head. The bidet spout has transitioned from lux to essential, since it has cut my tp weight to almost zilch. The tea bag is my reserve water.

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