Notes on packing light for shoulder-season backpacking

What stays in the bag, what comes out, and what I stopped carrying entirely.

I used to carry a stove on every overnight. I do not anymore. Cold-soaked oats and a thermos of coffee from the trailhead get me through most one-nighters.

The biggest weight savings did not come from gear. They came from deciding what fears I was packing for. Most of them never showed up.

Bring the puffy. Always bring the puffy. Everything else is negotiable.