5 ‘Luxury Items’ I Refused To Ditch During My Mt. Laguna Shake-Down

Anyone whose stopped in Mt. Laguna and gone to the gear shop will have seen the big blue tarps spread out on the drive. The guys at the shop will brutally (and hilariously) shake-down packs and let you know exactly what you don’t need to survive on the way to Canada. Although I did ditch quite a number of things that they explained werent necessary (ex. why bring bandaids and medical tape when I wrap all my cuts in medical tape regardless), these were a few of the items I wouldn’t budge on:

 

1. Titanium Cup

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Their logic: Just drink tea from my pot.

My logic: I like to drink my tea while I cook my dinner in my pot.

Their logic: I use a shallow frying pan as my pot lid, so why not ditch the cup and drink my tea from the frying pan?

My logic: I would literally spill it everywhere, every time. Also not willing to compromise the ability to have tea.

 

2. Journal

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Their logic: its too large and you’re killing trees.

My logic: definitely too large, but until I find a smaller one that I like, this one stays. Also a ‘decomposition’ book, so the trees are fine.

 

3. Knife

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Their logic: it literally isn’t necessary, it weighs  a bunch, and I do not need it.

My logic: I open all of my vacuum sealed food with it, I’ve cut cord for pack fixes with it, I’ve cut open blisters with it. I use it more than most things I’ve brought.

 

4. Camp Shoes

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Their logic: When I get to camp and I take my shoes off I should just stay barefoot.

My logic: I’ve got enough blisters that I don’t need to irritate by walking around areas full of rocks, sticks, prickly things, etc. Switching to these shoes in the evening is one of the best parts of the day.

 

5. Hammock

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Their logic: We’re literally in the desert. There are hardly any places to hang it. It will spend more time at the bottom of my pack than any of the items above.

My logic: True. But when I do find campsites with trees and get to hang it up, it makes it so worth having. Definitely not necessary, but not heavy enough to make me want to ditch yet.

 

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Comments 3

  • Mom : Apr 16th

    LOL — Dad said you must keep the knife — absolute necessity. Apparently you are both bound to use your knives to carve into your bodies. He did it last week when he was bitten by a tick. Then he went to the hospital in Sayre where the doctor gave him a tetanus shot — “You should not be digging out ticks with your knife,” said the doctor. Somehow I don’t think that is going to change Dad’s ways. Mom

    Reply
  • Zach : Apr 17th

    Fight the good fight.

    Reply
  • john horsfall : Apr 20th

    being British, you need a cup, you simply drink any drink, relax,and unwind while cooking, its so uncouth to slurp from a frying pan or a pot, chin up and I agree keep the cup,

    Reply

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