Linda's List: Why Grant's Partner Carries 30% of the Gear and Has 100% of the Fun

What Linda Carries

Linda's gear for a two-day backpacking trip: one change of clothes, one rain jacket, the Big Agnes Copper Spur tent (shared with Grant), the Katadyn BeFree filter (shared with Grant), a Kelty sleeping bag from 2018, a sleeping pad, and food. Total base weight: approximately 12 lbs. Grant's base weight on the same trip: 28 lbs. They hiked the same trail at the same pace. Grant was more comfortable than on any previous trip. Linda was no less comfortable than Grant.

The Research Paradox

Grant has spent approximately $4,200 on gear research, evaluation, and purchases over three years. Linda has spent approximately $400 on gear over the same period, primarily replacing items that wore out. On the one trip where Grant had access to Linda's actual comfort level data — the Olympic Peninsula trip — Linda's comfort outcome was equivalent to Grant's. Grant is not claiming his research was wrong. He is noting that Linda's outcomes do not differ from his in proportion to the investment difference.

Linda's Decision Framework

Linda buys gear when she needs it for a specific trip. She buys the item that is reviewed well and available. She does not research 11 alternatives. She does not evaluate weight savings beyond whether an item is noticeably heavy. She has never had a gear failure. Her approach works. Grant acknowledges this without fully endorsing it for people who get genuine satisfaction from the research process, which he does.

Linda's List on the Site

Grant built Linda's List as a tool on this site after the Olympic Peninsula trip. It lists what Linda actually carries, with notes on what Grant would add if he were being honest about what mattered on that trip. The list is useful for people who are gear-curious but not gear-committed, or for experienced backpackers who want to audit what they actually need versus what they have accumulated.