There is a fine balance between that comfort/wt issue. If you have never backpacked before, you definitely don't want to go overboard with $$$$$ gear, however, you don't want to make the trip so miserable -- over-weighted/poor quality gear -- that you get the false impression about what BPing is all about. My favourite solution is to borrow as much as you can, if you can (my first season was ALL borrowed/second hand gear -- most of it which I still use and love.) If you have read up & know which gear choices you desire, eBay has been a fantastic source for my gear (all purchases guaranteed) Careful not to skimp where it matters: sleep. Use less pots & acessories before you start cutting back on sleep gear. Check out some of the packing lists provided on the left side of the board (Feature Topics)
