Swap out that 8 pound tent for a 2 pound trekking pole setup and a thin foam pad underneath your inflatable one. You'll save 5 pounds right there and your back will thank you after a long day of walking. Trust me, once you get used to a simpler sleep system, you won't even miss all that extra weight.

Got the exact same thing at a flea market in Phoenix for $75. Lasted maybe 3 uses before the battery started dying after 20 minutes. I even tried leaving it plugged in overnight and the charging light stayed red the whole time. These companies just slap a fancy label on the cheapest parts they can find and hope nobody returns them. The sad thing is I still see the same vendor selling them every summer with the same fake specs on the box. Honestly feels like a right of passage at this point, wasting money on a portable fan that barely works.

That three outfit packing strategy works great until you end up somewhere with surprise weather or a dress code you didn't expect. Maybe keep one backup outfit just in case, you know? I learned that one the hard way at a wedding that was way fancier than I thought.