Total weight: Under 6 lbs.

Columbia pants
Convertible pants serve double duty, with zippers around the knees that allow you to detach the legs when you want to wear shorts. columbia.com, $70.

Total weight under 6 lbs. (Levi Brown) [enlarge photo]

Therm-a-Rest pillow
Rolled up and tucked inside its attached pouch, this nine-ounce pillow is the size of a football. Fully expanded, it's 18 inches long and thicker than an airplane pillow. thermarest.com, $23.

Black Diamond headlamp
A favorite tool of campers, an LED headlamp is handy when you're trying to read in bed or find an outhouse in the middle of the night. bdel.com, $20.

Sea-to-Summit liner
This silk blend liner adds 10 degrees of warmth to the inside of a sleeping bag. You can also use it to stay warm on a drafty plane or bus, or to replace the sheets at a cheap hotel. seatosummit.com, $55.

Gregory backpack
Great for a daypack, the Reactor weighs just 1.5 pounds and has adjustable shoulder, hip, and sternum straps, which distribute the weight of your load across your back. gregorypacks.com, $69.

Mountain Hardwear long-sleeve T-shirt
A golden rule of hiking is to never wear cotton, which gets heavy when wet. This synthetic shirt weighs five ounces and is quick-drying. mountainhardwear.com, $35.

Eastern Mountain Sports parka
EMS's parka is made of a breathable material called System III that won't trap sweat against the skin. It also scrunches up inside a pocket, saving a ton of room in your bag. ems.com, $99.

Keen sandals
Laguna H2 sandals have an inch-thick rubber sole and a covered toe, so they're practical for walking in the city, mountains, or beach. keenfootwear.com, $90.

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