Backpack - A: I've got to think the military has learned a thing or two about hauling stuff around in a field pack, so the design and durability are likely up to snuff. B: It had the features I needed and wanted. C:: It was free. D: As an added advantage, it lets me easily add storage capacity using the MOLLE system.
Tent & sleeping bag - I suppose I could have run out and bought a bunch of North Face or other high-end tree-hugger Yuppie gear, but as previously noted, I'm on a limited income (less than $1000 a month). Consequently, my choices in what I buy have to take into account price and performance (performance being functionality/durability/weight). I'm can't afford to spend $300 on a high-end tent when something only a quarter the price will do all I need and last nearly as long (with care) and at only slightly more weight. The Coleman tent and bag do what I need them to at a reasonable price and with minimum weight penalty.
Cook Set, Stove, Flatware - I'm hauling the cookware around, and want something as light and durable as I can manage; that 3-piece (quite sufficient for 1 person) titanium kit does the trick. The flatware is titanium, also - not so much because of weight, but durability. The stove is small, works well on an inexpensive fuel that is easily extinguished and (minimally) toxic. More than once, I've been able to prepare breakfast and a 16-oz cup of coffee using less than 2 tablespoons of fuel.
Navigation - the compass is is something I already knew how to use; it's MORE than capable of the kind of accuracy I need. I download the maps from the USGS website, crop to the area(s) I need, and print out; then I keep them in a clear watertight envelope/pouch. Easy to use in any weather. Like I said, the low-cost handheld GPS units don't have the capabilities (mostly number of channels to hook up to satellites, but also sensitivity) to be as reliable as I'd want under all conditions. They's also heavier and bulkier.
Power source - Again, a tradeoff of price vs. performance. I could get a folding solar array capable of twice the power output, but it's also twice the price and twice the weight. I went with the Kobo ebook reader for several reasons:
- No censorship, no required binding to a manufacturer, no limit to what I can read on it, and it's mine to do with whatever I please.
- It has a larger & nicer (IMHO) display than the Sony line.
- Small and functional enough for my needs.
Water - If I'm going to have to fiddle with purifying water, I want it to be worth the time and to work. The system I've got not only does that, but can be field-stripped and -cleaned with little trouble (I have, and it is). The tablets are just a belt-and-braces approach to my own personal well-being.
E-tool - not only digs (those cat-holes, remember, but also firepits, etc), but can chop where I don't want to risk the cutting tool (i.e. suspect underbrush or where there might be rocks). Also makes a tolerably good prybar, when I need one.
Tent stakes - I carry around 2 kinds for a simple reason: each kind works better under different circumstances. I have some helical stakes that work well in gravel and other types of "soft" ground, and a set of (long - 12") titanium pegs as an alternative.
Walking stick - A walking stick is a real handy thing to have when hiking; mine does double duty, however. One of the small tarps (6'x8') I carry is used to make a kind-of porch by fastening one (6') end to my tent, then stretching it out and holding the other end up with the PVC pipe in the middle and the two short wooden pieces on the corners (think upside-down 'V'). That lets enough air in/through to keep the tent from overheating in warm weather (even provides a little shade), and gives me some extra outside area to sit or cook in while staying dry when it rains/snows.
Radio - chosen for the specific purpose of letting me listen to something besides my MP3 player - if I can't get an AM or FM station, there's always shortwave; the BBC, in particular, does a fine job reporting news, playing music, and providing other entertainment. Not as good as a "serious" shortwave receiver, but runs on batteries and is small and light enough to fit in a pocket.
Tent light - battery-powered, it puts out enough light that I can easily read the Kobo or get general camp illumination. Better for that function than an ordinary flashlight (which I have two of - one of which is a mini 9-LED job I keep in my pocket).
Batteries - other than my laptop, all my battery-operated gear runs on either AA or AAA size batteries, so I only need a small charger that only handles those two sizes; the charger connects to the solar panel, and I cycle through the batteries (kept in a solid plastic watertight case) so that the several spares I have are always charged. For the laptop, I have a separate car adapter that does a fine job. I don't use my laptop all THAT much when I'm (remote) camping, anyway. Believe it or not, some state parks offer wifi now, as do a lot of 'commercial' campgrounds like KOA..
Everything else I carry around meets the basic criteria of maximum performance/weight/durability for the price. For example, my bath towel is smaller than those found in most homes, but probably absorbes half again (or more) as much water, but dries quickly. My rain gear is a surplus military poncho - keeps rain off, and can be used to fashion a quick-and-easy temporary shelter. You get the idea, I think...
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