 Side view of pack. Water bottle is indeed holding up my pack. The couch was free in my apt at the time. Doesn't it show? :) DANCING LIGHT GEAR SILNYLON DITTY BAG  One of the few items I use for my day hikes and backpacking. Useful item for keeping some goodies easily available. Alas, this item is no longer sold.
THE SLEEPING BAG - Feathered Friends Hummingbird 
This bag looks nicer than mine! But I'm lazy and copied it off the FF website. My bag had about 9000 trail miles on it after the CDT. I've had my bag since 1997. Alas, I had to retire this bag. I now use a GoLite Adrenaline 20. It is light, warm and I received a deep discount at the Golite warehouse sale! Gotta love all the gear companies in the People's Republic of Boulder.
OLD SHELTER - Campor/ Equinox SilNylon Tarp Light, fairly inexpensive and has served me well. I could go lighter in the shelter, but for more $$$$. Find anything less than 8x10 for a traditional tarp does not work for me. Though I am using a different type of shelter on the CDT (see below), think the Campmor Tarp is still a great "bread and butter" shelter for those want to go lightweight and use a tarp.
Another stolen picture. Like I'd use $100 "trekking poles".... ;) Continental Divide Trail 2006 - Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape I've seen poncho tarps in the past and I was not impressed. Not much space for sleeping, turns into a big sail in the wind, too exposed overall for Western hiking. Then I saw Ron Moak's design at the 2006 ADZPCTKOP . I was impressed! Very easy to setup, enough room for a person who is not overly tall and though it does have potential to get too "billowly" in the wind, no where as bad as a traditional poncho. (My bear bagging rope should take care of any billowing). For an item of gear named after one of the pioneers of KISS backpacking it works well: simple, functional, multi-purpose. It worked great as a shelter; I did not like it so much as raingear. Then again, I never did get into ponchos..probably most drag on the ground for a short guy like me. :) Most ponchos are sized for someone a bit taller than my 5'6" frame. For those who love ponchos AND love an easy to setup and light shelter, this would fit the bill great! 
Sure when people see me hiking down the trail with my small "daypack" and/or with a poncho, sure they will think "Wotta Shmoe!". Well...they may be right about me off trail. :-) Current shelter of choice - Six Moon Designs Wild Oasis As you can see, the Wild Oasis is essentially the Gatewood Cape minus the poncho portion. I LOVE this shelter. Light, easy to setup, built in bug netting. It really does fit my love of the KISS principle! 
SLEEPING PAD - Generic Blue Foam Pad Just like the ones you used at summer camp. Cheap ($8!), durable and light (cut down, it is 6 oz). Not sure why I waited so long to use an obvious choice for a pad. 
Not sure who even makes my pad. But, when you steal your images, you take what you get! Hey..it is GENERIC blue foam pad..right? COOKSET -Alcohol Stove and banged up cook pot! 
I am no longer using the stove/potstand picture above. Tinman from Anti-Gravity gear and Deems (of Deems, natch.) took pity on me when they saw my stove/potstand and gave me a free stove. I'll be using both (at different points) on the CDT. The cookpot is staying though! If it was a hiker, my stove would have an impressive hiking resume: Long Trail in 1999, Pacific Crest Trail in 2002, the Colorado Trail in 2004 and of course the CDT in 2006. Of course, I am carrying the pot..so never mind. Ahem. Montbell Light Shell Jacket
The replacement to beloved Marmot DriClime windshirt. Lighter and less expensive. My Montbell Shirt is a bit grungier than the one above! Balaclava - light, warm, versatile. Not to be confused with a delicious Greek pastry . Mmmmmm The balaclava is not as tasty, but is less sticky to wear on my head....
Military Surplus Wool Liner Gloves - At only $5 a pair (or less!), they are less expensive than Smarwool glove liners ($15), only slightly heavier and much more durable. Our tax dollars at work. Comes in black, blue and the ever cool OD Green. 
Gatorade Bottles - Why pay $10 for a Nalgene Bottle? They are heavy and expensive. A Gatorade bottle holds water, but is admittedly not as cool. But, does your Nalgene Bottle have a syrupy, sweet drink that is a color NOT found in nature? I did not think so! 
Dancing Light Gear Stuff Sacks - I've bought all my stuff sacks at DLG. Half the weight of a nylon stuff sack for a an excellent price. AND NO STUPID LABELS ON THE STUFF SACK UNLIKE THE MAJOR MANUFACTURERS.. YAY!!!!!
TRASH BAGS - Pack liner, stuff sacks liner and all around useful item. Why pay $$$ for a pack cover ?!?!? I used whatever was on sale at the grocery store. :) 
Duct Tape - The elventh essential! No outdoors person should be without this grey wonder! Fixes feet, repairs your pack and sometimes is only thing holding your shoes together! Never leave home without it! 
Duct Tape is like The Force "It has a dark side and a light side. It also hold the universe together".
Ziplock Bags - Map Case, holder of the gorp, container of the Mac N' Cheese, water proof camera case. Up their with duct tape in the "must have" backpacking item!
 I like to have my ziplocks contain my "Pasta Formaggio con Frutta di Mare". That's "Mac N' Cheese with Tuna" in bad Italian. Sounds fancier that way, no?
Swiss Army Knive, Classic - I was once told that I could not be a real outdoors person. My knife is too small and light. Always did say I was a poseur... 
P-38 Can Opener - Another surplus special. Less than .125 oz for the rare time I need to crack open a canned good. Has many other uses, too !
Boonie Hat - Yet more surplus! My Boonie Hat costs about $8, is light and gives me sun and rain protection. The bastards at customs in Rome somehow "lost' my old one that had a bazlillion miles on it. In the words of the Italian dialect that can still be heard in Rhode Island..er never mind. Pmags.com is nominally a family site! (The phrase I was thinking of rhymes with "va fondue". Ahem.)  Ski Poles - Ski Poles work well for steep ups and downs sometimes seen on trails. Also like to use them to set up my tarp. I can't see paying $100+ for "trekking poles", though. My poles come from a used sporting good stores for about $10. 
Mine don't look nearly as nice as these! Polyester Dress Shirt - Light. Sun and bug protection. Dries quickly. $4 at Savers Thrift Store. AND it is button down so I can get snazzy when I hitch into town. Woo hoo!  HIKER TRASH FASHION!  This shirt proudly proclaims that I am hiker trash! Don't I make quite the fashion plate? Notice the cool sweat, salt and pack stains!!!! Good thing this photo is not scratch and sniff.... Wigwam INgenious Rebel Quarter Socks: Such a prosaic item can make such a huge difference. My personal favorite sock! They are light, durable and not all that expensive (I've seen 6 packs for less than $40 online!). They dry quickly, have not given a blister and fit well. I wore the same two pairs from Helena, MT to Grants, NM. I probably could have worn them all the way to the border but foolishly bought new socks to go with my new shoes. High recommended socks! The only ones I will use!
 Compass - You'd think a compass should be simple. Point north, take a bearing, adjusting for declination. But have you looked in an outdoor store lately? The compasses are complex enough to pilot a space shuttle! What happened to the basic $10 ones?!?! (though I do us one with a magnifying glass for the princely sum of $15.) Maybe if I was bushwhacking in Siberia or doing the Manly Man Adventure Race Series I'd need a $100 one...but well, I'm not that hard core. I'll stick to the one that points north as its main feature. 
Take something simple. Add some "features". Then charge lots of money for it! Hiking poles...and apparently compasses, too! Micro Headlamp - Something new in my kit. Takes a standard AAA battery, is 1.5 oz and very bright. Perfect for thru-hikes where I just need a light at night and perhaps for the occasional night hike. At only $18, it is quite the deal.
Energizer 3 LED Headlamp - For my night hikes and all purpose use, I've started gravitating towards this headlamp. A great, all-purpose, headlamp. It is only $12 and comes with batteries! Takes standard AAA batteries, weighs 2.5 oz, is bright and has an easy-to-switch red LED. (Great for night hiking and not waking up people on hut trips!) 
Army Liner Jacket - The poor man's Primaloft jacket! It is light, compressible and CHEAP. Lighter and less bulky than traditional fleece. Great for shoulder season hiking and/or if you hang around in camp a bit. These liners tend to run large. It is ~$10 or so vs $100+ for a name brand Primaloft jacket, makes you look like you are wearing a quilt and comes in an ever fashionable shade of OD Green. Wotta deal! Check out the similar liner pants as well for more practical, warm, light and cheap sartorial splendor! If you don't mind a bit of sewing, you can make a Montbell Thermwrap clone for less than $20 with the above liner jacket. A men's large comes in at 12oz! Considering a Montbell Thermawrap is $150 and weights 10oz, the cheap way is nice for those on a budget on who need something warm, light and cheap!
Check it out: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=41034
Swedish Wool Sweater - For ski tours, I've really learned to love this wool sweater. More breathable, durable, warm when damp, keeps the snow away. AND, I get to have a cool retro-look! Only $15 at a surplus store. OD Green..suitable for all occasions!
Thermos - My favorite piece of winter gear! Keeps the all important mocha, chicken broth (or apple cider with rum) hot. Never ski without it! 
My friend Marni enjoying some delicious cocoa on a cold winter day. A bit easier on the eyes than my ugly mug...  Snickers - Not gear..but with all the Snicker bars I eat in a typical backpacking trip, they may as well be!
Did you know that Snickers are "hallal" (The Muslim version of kosher)? At least according to the Japanese Islam site where I found a Snickers pic while searching for images.. The cool things you find on the Internet! | 
