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This page gives more specifics on the gear in the gear list and some rationale behind the choices. I am not endorsing any particular products. I'm just telling you what I have and why I like it.

Backpack

I use an Arc'teryx NoZone alpine pack. You can use it for carrying your gear and strip it down for a summit climb from basecamp. It is about 4000 cubic inches (66 liters) in the long model. It's small enough not to be overly heavy but big enough to carry a week's worth of supplies. It's important not to go too big for two reasons:

1. Extra space in your pack encourages you to bring stuff you will never use.
2. Bigger packs are heavier.

I used to use a Dana Bombpack. Being tall, I used the tall model so it is 3650 cubic inches (60 liters). The beavertail in the back is useful for attaching things I need quickly (ex. my rain jacket) or things that don't stuff very well in the pack. However, it is over-designed (read overweight) being made of hypalon. A few crisscrosses of shockcord would do. I did remove the hypalon cramp-on patch off the top pocket to save weight. It's not the most comfortable pack for me, but I haven't been able to justify purchasing another pack. 

A pack that is worth a serious look is the Arc'Teryx Khamsin 52. I have the Khamsin 38 which is too small for me for a week of backpacking. It is light, fits me great, and works for a one or two nighter.

Bug Juice

Most of the places I go in Colorado don't have huge bug problems. I'm usually backpacking above 9000' away from lakes. However, there are inevitably those places that you go through or have the unfortunate judgment to camp at. I take a small vial of citronella oil. A little goes a long way. It's not as effective as deet, but it is less toxic, if strong smelling. Citronella is used in combination with a mosquito head net, long-sleeved Supplex shirt and long pants which provide a decent, albeit not impervious, physical barrier.

I went to Roatan, one of the bay islands off of Honduras. The no-see-ums were awful. They use this stuff made with prickly pear, brand name Cactus Juice. It really worked and it didn't stink. You can buy it in the states now. It's in the form of sunscreen.

Camp Shoes

My camp shoes do double duty. They are used (rarely) for stream crossings and for relaxing around camp. They are a pair of lightweight rubber sandals. Reef is the brand. Pay attention when you get sandals or any "lightweight" camp shoes because some of the rubber used is downright heavy. I don't take my Teva's because they are too heavy.

Compass

My watch has a compass, but I consider a compass part of my survival gear, so I want to make sure I have one that does not need batteries. I've never had a need for anything other than a simple compass, no mirror or anything. I use a Silva brand. Nothing fancy.

Compression Sack For Tent

If you can decrease the volume of your load, you can take a smaller pack. Smaller packs weigh less.  I use a compression sack for my tent, fly, and ground cloth to pack them down into a tiny package. Sometimes I don't need to do this if my pack is empty enough. However, if I need to do this I use a Granite Gear compression sack which offers a reasonable combination of light weight and strength. You don't need a heavy duty one with quick-release connectors which weigh more. If the fly or ground cloth are wet, I may carry them outside attached to my pack. I don't use a compression sack for my sleeping bag because I want to give my down a chance.

Cookpot

I use an Evernew titanium pot. It holds a little over a liter of water. The Evernew is a lot cheaper than others I have seen. I don't know why, but it sure is light and works fine. I just heat water in it since all the food I bring is dehydrated. If I bring eggs or pancakes, I also bring an MSR nonstick skillet.

Down Sweater

I don't really use a down sweater (also known as a down coat). I actually use a synthetic instead of down. It's a Moonstone Cirrus pullover, light, compressible, and warm. Since I don't take any fleece for insulation and I use a down bag, this is my last line of defense against the cold, so I want to know that it will function even when wet.

A down-coat for summer backpacking? In the Colorado high country, it gets cold even in July and August. Sometimes it gets below freezing and even snows. After the sun goes down and you are sitting around, you need this kind of warmth. The few times I have decided to save weight and not bring my coat, I regretted it.

Fleece Gloves

Lightweight fleece gloves or glove liners are usually sufficient. As I noted in the down sweater discussion, it gets cold, even in the summer.  Also, if you want to summit any of the mountains above tree line, especially the 14'ers, the fleece gloves come in handy when the weather turns, as it often does. Some people bring lightweight mitten or glove shells, but I don't and haven't yet needed them.

Food Prep Container

I put my dehydrated meal in here, pour boiling water in it, and eat out of it. I use a Gatorade plastic container with screw on lid. This is lighter than an insulated mug and I don't really need the food to stay warm forever.

Headlamp

I use only a headlamp, no candle or lantern. A headlamp lets you see at night and more easily read inside your tent than with a candle/lantern. I have a new tiny LED Petzl Zipka.

Before the Zipka, I used a PrincetonTec 2 AA model. I used lithium batteries because they are light and last about 3 times longer than alkaline. 

Insulated Mug

If you like hot drinks to stay hot, then you might want an insulated mug. In the Summer, I don't really need one as I don't like hot drinks. If I do bring a mug, it serves double duty as my food bowl. I'll bring one fairly large insulated mug. Being the weight freak I am, I cut off the handle which is not really needed. The mug is used for my meal and hot drinks. As an alternative, ziplock freezer bags can be used for rehydrating the meal, but they sometimes fail. It also requires bringing the heavier freezer bags (don't try rehydrating food with a lighter weight ziplock). Besides, you probably want to have a mug for hot drinks, so you would bring the mug anyway. The only difference is that you might bring a larger mug so that it will fit your entire meal. See the TBD food section for more discussion.

Lighter

Cheap Bics always work for me. I got a Zippo because it is supposedly more windproof, but I took it back because the fuel evaporates too fast. Fuel does not evaporate with butane lighters such as the disposable Bics. Even if you have a stove with a piezoelectric starter, bring a lighter because those things are not reliable.

Long Underwear

I bring a lightweight or midweight long-sleeved underwear shirt. I use Mountain Hardwear ZeO2. It wicks great and, better yet, resists odors. It really works. You can't totally prevent it from smelling, but it's better than nothing. Whatever you use, pick something that wicks well and is fast drying (NO COTTON!). I have used Lowe DryFlo and liked it too.

Pillow Case

Some people use their stuff sacks, but I like the softness of my Thermarest pillow case. It's small ad fits my down coat inside as the pillow.

Raingear

Living near a Lowe factory outlet, I get some deals on their gear. I have some lightweight jacket and pant shells that are made of a 2-layer version of their Triple-point somewhat breathable but highly water-resistant fabric. Because it is just 2-layer, the PTFE membrain is exposed on the inside, so it's not as rugged as your normal 3-layer Goretex material. The jacket has a hood and some pit zips. The pants have a short zipper on the legs to allow you to put the pants on without taking your boots off. Both of these features are nice to have. Avoid other frills such as lots of pockets or rugged scuff pads. These add weight. You don't need shells as beefy as you would use in the winter.  Some people take coated nylon which is very light, but not breathable. The stuff I have is almost as light, and is breathable. This gear works as wind protection too. It's also handy when the temperature drops around camp to use as an outer layer.

Rib Pack

Rib pack, oh how I love thee. Some things you need at your fingertips (ex. water, snacks, camera, map). Taking off your pack to get at them is a pain. I use a Dana rib pack which will fit on any backpack. It attaches to the lower shoulder strap webbing on your pack. It shares the load on both straps so that it doesn't pull awkwardly on your pack. Mine has a pouch for a water bottle and a zippered compartment big enough to hold a large camera and snacks. Some people also use a small fanny pack with the pouch facing forward. I don't like that setup because it gets in the way of your waist belt. Whatever you use, set yourself up so that frequently needed items are easily accessible. Make it easy to get at your water because you want to stay well hydrated.

Stove

I've gone through an evolution of sorts with stoves. My first stove was an MSR Whisperlight Internationale. Because this stove takes just about any liquid fuel, I thought great, I can use it in foreign countries. Well, I've never taken a stove to a foreign country so I can't say this is a useful feature to me. Whisperlites are touchy beasts. They are prone to flare-ups and cannot simmer. Besides there are lighter weight alternatives. See the discussion at thru-hiker about the relative weights of stoves and fuel.

Looking for an alternative stove, and one I could feel reasonably safe to use in a tent vestibule without a major flare-up, I got my second stove, a Coleman Xtreme. This stove uses a propane-butane mixture, but unlike most canister stoves, uses a liquid feed. This means that when lack of fuel vaporization at low temperatures negates other canister stoves, the Xtreme keeps going. It has all the other benefits of canister stoves in terms of easy lighting and fine simmer control. Unfortunately, the stove weighs as much as the Whisperlite (although the total weight is a bit lighter because of the fuel canisters). This baby puts out 14,000 BTU if you need water boiled fast. It is configured much like the Whisperlite with three legs forming a reasonably stable base. This will be my winter stove of choice and also if a lot of cooking needs to be done any other time of the year.

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