I’ve finally decided on a section of the Ouachita Trail for my first solo backpacking trip. It will just be for two nights and I’ll be keeping the mileage very short so I can take my time. I have most of my gear and accessories ready to go; there are just a couple of hygiene items I want to get as well as a headlamp. I currently have a Claymore Capon clip-on cap light, but I want to pick up a Nitecore NU20 in case I decide to wear a beanie instead of a cap. You never know what the weather is going to be like in November in Arkansas! Here is the main gear I’ll be taking:

Pack: Gossamer Gear Gorilla 50
Tent: Featherstone UL Obsidian 1P (maybe with a polycro footprint; there will be shelters, but stories about mice have skeeved me out a bit)
Sleeping Bag: Big Agnes Sidewinder SL 35 650 Down (I also have an REI Trailmade 20 on the off chance that it’s unseasonably cold)
Sleeping Pad: Paria ReCharge XL (I may or may not include a Gossamer Gear 1/8 in foam pad)
Pillow: Hikenture Ultralight pillow
Cooking: BRS 3000, Evolved Gear 750mL pot, Sea to Summit Delta long handle spoon
Hydration: Sawyer Squeeze (might replace with a Platypus Quickdraw), CNOC 2L VectoX, CNOC Vesica collapsible bottle (if the MGO bottle is back in stock again, I’ll take one of those instead)
Hygiene: Bogler trowel, CuloClean bidet, Kula Cloth, pStyle, Summit Suds, compressed towelettes, Wisp toothbrushes
Other: Cascade Mountain Tech trekking poles, Ozark Trail ultralight chair, Garmin Instinct 2 Solar, phone, earbuds, PowerCore 10000 charger, small first aid and repair kit with meds, various odds and ends

Right now, LighterPack has me at a 17lb base weight with a total of 26lb. That’s already 10lb lighter than I carried on my first overnighter last year! That includes just 1L of water, since there should be plenty of water on the section I’ve picked. The Big 3 are the main items to be upgraded since last year’s trip. I hope this work better for me!

First solo overnight

Luna Moth Trail