From one who knows

Outdoor author Berger draws from 20,000 miles of trail experience to suggest strategies for hikers seeking to balance the freedom of leaving it all behind with never-changing necessities such as shelter, clothing, footwear and emergency items.

“The most important weight you carry is the gray matter inside your head,” Berger writes in an opening chapter of the book, produced by Backpacker magazine. She tracks the evolution of lightweight hiking gear, pointing out not only where pounds may be saved in tents and packs, but also the consequences of ditching traditional gear. That hammock tent may be light, but the loss in body heat above the ground is a big trade-off.

For intermediate hikers learning to adapt to conditions and lighter loads, this book is the ticket; if you’ve already sawed off your toothbrush to save an ounce or two, probably not.

-- Emmett Berg