[pct-l] base pack weight

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

After the big three, those little things really add up. After I  
swapped out a 3lb pack (empty) for a 1lb pack, I further reduced my  
weight by going through every single item and asking, How could I  
make this thing lighter? Could I eliminate it? Could I take a smaller  
amount of it? I did things like carry a smaller, lighter stove, less  
fuel, replaced the lid on my pot with a homemade one at a fraction of  
the weight. I liked my cup, but did I really need a cup? I liked my  
toiletries, but did I need to carry so much of each item? Could I go  
without TP? Did I really need so many layers of clothing? If I didn't  
have X, could Y serve in a pinch, and if so, why not leave X home? I  
was able to remove a bowling ball's worth of weight (9lbs) over the  
previous year by doing this and rarely missed any of it. I also made  
prodigious use of the US Mail. I also made some mistakes, but I kept  
in mind what Ray Jardine said, which was to just keep moving.