On a 130 mile hike on the John Muir Trail I wore trail running shoes, light marino wool socks and Dirty Girl Gaiters all the  time - for hiking, stream crossing and around camp.  The shoes dried very quickly.  No blisters or hot spots.  The shoes provided excellent traction on stream beds.    No need to carry extra shoes!    ... View more

In my 53 years of backpacking experience, here are 5 items I can't live without:  Big Agnes insulated air mattress,  Snowpeak stove with titanium pot, Osprey Aether  60 pack, Big Agnes Rattlesnake 1 tent, iPhone loaded with Avenza Maps with GPS tracking.    At my age, I value comfort and light weight.  The insulated air mat is compact and provides me with the highest degree of comfort of any sleeping pad I have used,  including foam, and Thermarest.    I can pack all my cooking equipment including plastic dish, utensils  stove and fuel into the titanium pot.  The Aether 60 pack is the most comfortable I have experienced.   The tent is heavier than I'd like but provides me with generous room and a vestibule for my equipment when it rains.   The map app provides GPS coverage on downloadable topos.     I hiked 130 miles on the John Muir Trail in California with equipment 3 years ago and it worked well for me.  Can't hike without these things!         ... View more