It's no surprise that - compared to the average human - I have a lot of camping gear. While I'm not one of those folks who always has to have the latest and greatest - in fact, I'll generally go for the simple, tried-and-true option - I have found that having the right gear can make camp life much more pleasant. A fridge, a nice Exped air mattress in the tent, and a down puffy have been just a few of the bits of gear that I've really come to enjoy over the years.
But one thing's for sure - all the gear I have is aimed at car camping. Very little is the lightweight gear that one would want for overnight backpacking trips. And that's been fine, because as I mention frequently, I'm not a fan of carrying weight on my shoulders.
In fact, while I did a lot of backpacking in my days as a Boy Scout, I've only spent one night away from the Tacoma in all the years I've been out exploring as an adult. It was a night in Death Valley's Panamint Mountains at Panamint City, and it was miserable.
Everything I had for one night in sub-freezing temperatures. It was not enough.
The misery was a result - mostly, I think - of not having the right gear. The sleeping bag was my wife's, and not long enough or broad enough at the shoulders for me to fit inside. The sleeping pad - an old Therm-a-Rest - was state of the art in the 1980's, but at ¾" thick and unable to hold air for more than an hour, it didn't offer much comfort on the freezing ground. And of course, my Jansport backpack - which I'd used on a daily basis 25 years earlier to take my books to class - worked, but was definitely not ideal.
Is Everything About to Change?
I have no idea if I will look back at 2025 as a turning point in my approach to exploration, but I know that things are bound to change over the years; this has happened already. It used to be that trips were about driving. Pushing along seldom-travelled roads, bumping over rough terrain and picking lines through obstacles that would have previously turned us around. But, in the last five years that I've been exploring with the Tacoma, I've found that I'm most happy when I'm out hiking. I still enjoy a technical, remote road, but they have become a way to arrive at a trailhead.
And perhaps my goal to hike Grand Gulch - and the realization that to do that, I'll need to spend multiple nights backpacking away from the Tacoma - will signal another pivot in my mode of exploration. At the very least, it will be a gear-gathering experience, and who doesn't love buying new gear? 
What I'm Starting With
This first gear review will largely be about acquisition and why I purchased some piece of kit. Then - assuming I continue to use the gear - impressions and long-term reviews will follow as part of the existing Product and Rig Reviews I already do. As with everything, we'll see how it goes, and I'm always happy to hear what you think, or suggestions you have!
Most of the stuff I'm carrying on my first trip. ~35 pounds. (and my companions are carrying the rest)
TL;DR - If I'm going to give backpacking a shot, I'm going to do it with the lightest, most versatile pack on the market today.
The ULA Ultra Circuit won a bunch of awards that I don't know anything about, so it must be good.
TL;DR - If I've discovered one thing sleeping under down comforters and on an Exped Megamat in the rooftop tent, it is that being comfortable when you're sleeping is important. Don't skimp on sleep.
The Western Mountaineering Alder MF should be the first and last bag I ever buy.
TL;DR - I love my Exped Megamat in the rooftop tent, so I'm getting a lightweight version for backpacking.
Have I ever mentioned that I love my Exped Megamat? Yes, yes I have.
TL;DR - I'm a little worried we got the wrong tent. We couldn't pass up the price (at 50% off), but it's not entirely freestanding, so may be harder to use on impermeable surfaces, like slickrock.
Hopefully this tent works out.
TL;DR - We got a small Jetboil because we plan to have all of our cooking be for rehydrating meals. It seems spectacular for boiling water.
Two cups of boiling water in two minutes.
TL;DR - I got a high-quality water filtration system a few years ago and never used it; we will definitely be using it this time!
Everyone needs water.
TL;DR - In prioritizing weight, we wanted to find high-calorie, tasty meals to eat for dinner. Reviews suggested that Peak Refuel would fit that bill, so we tried a few. They were all tasty.
Fancy Ramen noodles!
TL;DR - To maximize our breakfasts, we decided on Quest Protein Bars. They were all filling, none were terrible, but Crispy Cookies and Creme was far and away the best.
More satisfying than we expected; still a bit like sawdust.
Other Stuff
There's obviously a lot more I'm bringing on the trip, but it's all gear that I've already got. A lot of these are covered in my annual Gear Roundup.
- Pants and a lightweight, SPF hooded shirt
- Socks and underwear
- PJ bottoms and top
- Shoes and lightweight gaiters
- Sweatshirt and wind breaker
- Sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen
- Washcloth, toothbrush+paste, and plastic bag for dirty socks, underwear
- Water bottles - we're using some cheap 2-liters of soda for light weight and large capacity
- My lightweight Camelbak Venture Lumbar Hip Pack for side trips to rock art and ruins
- Canon R5 Camera Body
- Canon RF 24-240mm lens
- Canon RF 15-35mm wide-angle lens
- Four (4) LP-E6NH batteries
- MeFOTO Roadtrip S Tripod
- Lenovo Tab M8 FHD 8" Android Tablet for GPS navigation and waypoints
- iPhone for backup navigation and camera
- Two (2) 10,000 mAh battery banks
- Garmin inReach Mini
- Binoculars
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Exped Mega Pillow
- FLEXTAILGEAR Zero Pump for Exped gear
Looks like you off to a good start. I never much cared for the driving, if I had to go off road to get a trail head then so be it. I always loved hiking first and backpacking for a couple of nights to a week or so as second. I went from a Kelty (I lived near their store/HQ) frame pack to an internal frame pack years later, one that put more weight on the hips, chest and waist belts, more comfortable and cartridge stoves work well. Sleeping bag is very important and I'd probably get a different tent. Places we went were often rocky so didn't want to be trying to drive any stakes. Will look forward to how things work out with your gear on overnighters.
Looks you've already acquired most of the backpacking gear you need, so this comment may be a little late to the game. But if you get a chance, check out Paria Outdoor Products. Their gear is top-notch quality, reasonably priced, everything ships free, and their customer service is second to none! Too bad they are not better known. You might find a few ideas there for saving weight. I have several of their products and I couldn't be happier!
Was wondering how long it would be before you admitted it to yourself. Lol.
Light is good, to a point. But I'm OCD about that myself so I get it.
There are alternatives to prepackaged meals if you don't mind the prep work. I used to make dehydrated beef stew. I can easily handle the same meal(s) every day for days on end, so that would be dinner for a week. Never got tired of it.
Lastly, best wishes on that being the last sleeping bag you'll ever buy. Maybe it will work out for you but I've never gotten more than 10 years out of one before it became obviously degraded. Have learned that lesson the hard way. In full agreement about good sleep being vital, if if looks like it's dying, time for a new one.
Have fun, love your narratives!