Luxury items

Nevis

Thru Hiker
What's your weighty bulky luxury items that you pack? Mine is my pillow system....a large thermarest compressible pillow coupled with a decathlon jobbie!!! I dread to imagine the weight of both of them but they are heavy and bulky but for me an absolute necessity for a good night's sleep. So what's your guilty pleasure? ;)
 

Back in Pack

Section Hiker
I'm with you there 👍I'd sooner scrimp on kit in other areas than give up back comfort when at rest... Unless I'm in a pi$$in contest or going SUL for a personal reason.
Agree. Not sure whether it is age (probably) or being a side sleeper but need something comfortable for a great nights sleep.

the guys that can sleep on 1/8in foam pad amaze me.
 

Dr Zarkov

Section Hiker
Similar to Markgoodlad a nemo tensor insulated regular wide, a comfort revelation! - also have been trying out a sea to summit foam core pillow (the smallest one). Have tried all sorts of air pillows and nothing prevents pillow ear or Trautmann neck!
 

Teepee

Thru Hiker
A full frame camera, 70-200 f4, 24-70 f4, and often a fast wide angle lens, full size tripod are usually with me as a packing cell in the top of my pack. It's usually only about 10kg extra.

I usually carry a couple of bottles of drink too, as it balances the weight of the 2kg tripod.
Red wine in summer, white as it cools a bit, full bottle of Jamaican Rum or a single malt to last the rest of the trip ( yeah, right :laugh:)

I'm not sure I now need to mention the pillow, bathtub groundsheet, second spoon, Aeropress, 26'500 powerbank for watching films on the mobile, overkill headlight, or camp shoes.
 

SteG

Thru Hiker
An exped regular size sleep pad. I really wish I could sleep on an Uber lite but just cannot get on with it - even though would save 200+g
Me too, it's a proper luxury item. Takes a lot of space in my pack, it's heavy, but I will use it all year round and not be going for anything else. I can comfortably stomach sleep with my arm under my head as a pillow when I want. It's made things that much more enjoyable.
 

Nevis

Thru Hiker
A full frame camera, 70-200 f4, 24-70 f4, and often a fast wide angle lens, full size tripod are usually with me as a packing cell in the top of my pack. It's usually only about 10kg extra.

I usually carry a couple of bottles of drink too, as it balances the weight of the 2kg tripod.
Red wine in summer, white as it cools a bit, full bottle of Jamaican Rum or a single malt to last the rest of the trip ( yeah, right :laugh:)

I'm not sure I now need to mention the pillow, bathtub groundsheet, second spoon, Aeropress, 26'500 powerbank for watching films on the mobile, overkill headlight, or camp shoes.
Jaysus I'll stop moaning about my pillow system and be thankful 😱
 

OwenM

Thru Hiker
A full frame camera, 70-200 f4, 24-70 f4, and often a fast wide angle lens, full size tripod are usually with me as a packing cell in the top of my pack. It's usually only about 10kg extra.

I usually carry a couple of bottles of drink too, as it balances the weight of the 2kg tripod.
Red wine in summer, white as it cools a bit, full bottle of Jamaican Rum or a single malt to last the rest of the trip ( yeah, right :laugh:)

I'm not sure I now need to mention the pillow, bathtub groundsheet, second spoon, Aeropress, 26'500 powerbank for watching films on the mobile, overkill headlight, or camp shoes.
I'm another one who has cut the weight right down so I can carry more camera stuff. I'm not quite full frame but a mirrorless Canon EOS 50M, 22mm, 55-200mm Zoom and GoPro. Along with tripods and sound recorder. Luckily I don't drink much and none at all out in the wilds.
 

ADz

Thru Hiker
Agree. Not sure whether it is age (probably) or being a side sleeper but need something comfortable for a great nights sleep.

the guys that can sleep on 1/8in foam pad amaze me.

I'm a side sleeper and although I highly doubt I would be able to use just the 1/8 foam I have done a fw trips with a TAR Z Lite pad and managed to feel comfy.

Not used it for a fw years so hope I stil get on with it as taking the 1/8 pad and Zlite on WHW with me. I'm half tempted to take my small Xlite or Numo air pad but don' want to risk bottoming on night.
 

sherpa

Section Hiker
Always carry binoculars - until recently that would be my Leica Ultravid 8x20 or Zeiss Victory FL 8x32. I am an optics snob!

However, a couple of months ago I invested in the Kowa BDII 6.5x32 XD. Picked them up for “just” £329. They are fantastic and I now rarely use the others. My Zeiss are definitely a little optically superior but they retail at £1800…! The Kowa’s reduced magnification is an asset, I have not missed the higher magnifications at all (I also have 10 power binos….). And the close focus is spectacularly good - has opened up a whole new glorious world of insect watching!

Also Aline Mayfly chair. After a day’s walk my lumbar discs play up and to relax this chair is wonderful. Crucially, it is low enough to be used inside many tents (foam sitmat placed under to protect groundsheet) - which is fabulous when midges abound or the weather is poor.
 

Teepee

Thru Hiker
I'm another one who has cut the weight right down so I can carry more camera stuff. I'm not quite full frame but a mirrorless Canon EOS 50M, 22mm, 55-200mm Zoom and GoPro. Along with tripods and sound recorder. Luckily I don't drink much and none at all out in the wilds.
Your crop sensor is alot more practical for hillwalking, the focal lengths are more useful and the system is much lighter. A lot of sacrifices have to be made for full frame and for a good portion of my photography I'd get on as well with one. The 70-200 I find a bit limiting as I'm wishing for something closer and it's a lump.
My penchant for difficult and low light conditions sway the balance for me to keep the full frame.
I'm close to getting a walkaround lens 24-200. That and a fast light prime would make my camera bag a lot smaller and lighter.

As much of a weight as it all is, I find the luxury of being able to bring the scenery and those magic moments back home with me to enjoy forever more in great detail and quality utterly priceless. It's worth every bit of slow uphills, shoulder and hip ache when I look back.
 
Top