Did you say backpacking? Love it!
1. knives (hacker, slicer)
2. flask (Scotch or Bourbon preferred)
3. smoke (stick or pipe)
4. hiking poles (hells yeah)
and, drum roll please....
5. my hammock! (no-ache sleeping)
I used to do the ground stuff (A'dacks, Poconos, Black Forest Trial, etc), but after reading about hammocking I had to give it a try. I sleep on a futon at home that everyone tells me is like a rock, but compared to the ground on a ground pad and sleeping bag, that futon is a pillow of air. I don't have back problems to speak of, but I always ached after camping on the ground. Always.
I picked up a cheap ENO hammock and the rest is history. Now, I take two with me; the gear all gets stowed in the ENO right underneath my sleeping hammock (this also doubles as an extra sleeping hammock, if needed). My sleeper is a No-Net from Mosquito Hammocks. It has two-layers, so in winter (high 20's thus far is my lowest) I slide my ground pad in between layers, snug the bottom of my equipment hammock with my backpack in it underneath my torso, climb into my sleeping bag and drift off to dreamland. Most nights, I wake up too hot and have to take my hat off. A more comfy night's camping, that first time, seemed never to been had by man. Future camping trips have proven it works and it's oh so comfy. Rain fly above and you have nothing on the ground...a seat during the day (if you stay at one site)...some are strong enough to seat two!
There's also the "total" route...no cobbling of equipment required with a Clark Hammock...just some extra Benjamin's laying about...
Like most things today, you can nerd-out easy w/hammocks, too.
