Blast,

I hear you about going to play in the woods. I'm plotting/scheming my next weekend escape as well in the next few months before I go nuts.

Quality is the best policy. I'm still using my Kelty pack I bought about 19 years ago. She's tattered but sound.

Looking forward to playing with my beer can stove I just made. It works well in the kitchen and the backyard; now time to see how this baby burns in the woods where Murphy lurks.

http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/penny.html

Still playing with making a different stand for it.

As far as tents go, I have fallen very deeply in "like" with my Hennessy Hammock.
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/

It's nice not having to worry about trying to find relatively flat/dry ground to try and pitch a tent on.

Here in S. Louisiana I need some sort of shelter/cover or the skeeters will drain me dry regardless of how much Deet I coat myself in if not drive me insane buzzing around my ears.

Thanks for the tips.