Couldn't agree with you more on the Lithium batteries.
My solar charger is only used to recharge an Archos device
which doesn't take normal batts.
For me I use rechargables for my GPS and carry spare Liths.
For 20+ trips this year I went thru a total of maybe 4 Liths.
Enelope rechargables are the bomb.
Interesting to me is that people don't want to carry a lot
of weight and complain about the weight of a water pump...
so they look into the Steripen (have one, really like it)..
Go look at the Pen with recharger.. and look at what it
weighs.. lmao
As for other gear, if you go early enough you certainly don't
need a bear can. I can't remember the no can needed dates
off the top of my noggin though. It may be March 31.
O well.
Second the Leki w/ Snow Baskets...
-20 bag. Wow. In April I've used a 15 bag... although no
way I'd go this long without at least 0. I just bought -10.
(I don't have such a huge aspiration as u yet... Wanna
do solo traverse first..
)
Have fun
