Hit 1,000 miles this season and it changed my whole packing list

I always thought lighter gear was a gimmick until I crossed 1,000 miles on the AT in Virginia. My base weight dropped from 18 pounds to 12 after one trip where my back screamed every night. Anyone else hit a milestone that made you swap out stuff you thought was fine?

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norab2110d agoTop Commenter

Laughed out loud reading this because I hit the same wall on the PCT last year. My "perfect" pack made me cry on day three, so I ditched the cook system and went cold soaking for a week just to prove a point to myself. Turns out I hate cold soaked ramen, but my shoulders finally stopped screaming. Now my base weight is 13 pounds and I literally weigh my spoon before trips, which is embarrassing but also kind of freeing. The milestone for me was realizing I packed for the trip I wanted, not the trip I was actually on. That switched everything.

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