Minimalist 101

When I first got into backpacking, I had a tendency to take anything and everything that I could fit into my pack. You know the old Boyscout motto "always be prepared". But as time has gone by and within the past year or so, I have been lightening my load more and more. As I assessed my pack, I realized that I didn't use more than half of the stuff I brought. So I decided to become a minimalist. Now, minimalist is different from ultralight. Ultralight hikers keep their pack less than 10 pounds (excluding the water and food). A minimalist as well doesn't take a whole lot, but does not keep the weight under a certain limit (though they certainly can). A minimalist essentially only takes what is absolutely necessary. I think minimalist hiking is a good way to go (or at least try). For some people, this may not be a preferred method. Such as when I do the Appalachian Trail next year, I may pack a few things just for comfort. 

As I worked on my updated packing list for my last overnight trip, I separated gear into 3 categories: essential, good to have, and not essential. I am going to give you my packing list under each category for my last trip, but bear in mind that this is for a bicycle trip. 

Essential 

Sleeping bag (appropriate rating)

Shelter (in this case, a bivy)

Food

Cooking kit

Stove

Water container

Paracord

Flashlight

Multi-tool

Warm clothing

Rain jacket (if rain is suspected)

Compass and map (if in wilderness or don't know the area)

Water filter/purifier (if multi-day or stream is your primary source of water)

If you were to do an ultralight hike/ride, this may be all you bring. It may not seem like much, but in all reality, it's all that you absolutely need. In fact, if you know that you won't have adverse weather, you could leave the shelter behind. We all know that comfort is nice to have and we like to have some luxuries, even when backpacking. That's why I have a "good to have" category. 

Good to Have

Bug spray 

Sunscreen (if needed)

Shelter tarp and stakes

Ground cloth

Camp chair

Sleeping pad

Weather radio

Spare flashlight

Duct tape

Bandana 

Extra paracord 

Ipod/MP3 player/radio

Small lantern

First aid kit

Charger for electronics

Pillow

Saw

Shovel

Towel

Soap

Hand sanitizer 

Extra socks

Camp shoes

Trekking poles

Spices for cooking 

Some of these things can arguably be moved to the essential list. However, some of these things can be substituted. If you have a hammock and waterproof bags, you don't really need a chair or ground cloth. A pillow is nice, but I just put my extra clothes and lose stuff sacks into a single stuff sack and use that. In a hammock, a pillow really isn't needed anyways. If you are in a state/national park, it is required to "burry your poo" or to carry it out. The "leave no trace" policy would imply the need for a sack or two to carry your "stuff" out or a shovel to burry it. I have a ziplock bag with a couple 1 gallon bags, sandwich bags, a garbage bag, and some paper towels. This is always handy but not essential. Trekking poles may be essential if used for your shelter. To some people, music is essential and therefore, an iPod may be essential. 

Not Essential

Extra stuff sacks

Space blanket

Fully stocked survival kit (depending on location) 

Extra garbage bags

Candles

Backup stove and fuel

Cooking utensil set

Stake hammer

Hatchet

Fishing kit (unless fish will be your primary source of food)

Shower bag

Dry bag/box for everything

Extra poncho

Spare shoe laces

These are common things that are often added to a gear list that really don't need brought. But again, if I'm on a long trip, I may bring the shower bag. For someone who requires comfort and luxuries, these may be "essentials". I know that some of these may be controversial such as the survival kit, backup stove, and spare poncho. But to be honest, I've never used these. You should be prepared for worst thing that you may encounter but not to the extreme. You probably don't need a snake bike kit in the winter and I doubt you will encounter a flood in the mountains. 

This is my list for my trips as a minimalist. Obviously, some gear gets added depending on the climate (coat, snowshoes, shemagh, etc.) or type of trip (life jacket for kayak, repair kit for bike). Use this list to build your own list of what you need. For someone just starting out, it can be overbearing to obtain all of the gear that most people recommend. But if you use this as a guide, it should be easier. 

What you see in the first picture is all I brought on my overnight bike trip and it was sufficient for me. Here are a few pictures of our last trip. Try out this list and I would love to see your photos.