LightBackpacking.com

I’ve been writing about all the “little” items that fill a backpack and how to make them smaller and lighter.

Perhaps you don’t take any prescriptions, but a small plastic pill holder for aspirin, antihistimine, or anti-diarrhea tablets can come in handy.

You want something small and light, which is why I have chosen the four slot plastic pill holder you can find in any drugstore. You certainly don’t want medications rolling around in your pack. You could choose to use a snack size plastic bag, but really that won’t save much weight and you’ll have a mess of pills.

As for a mirror, my wife gave me a tiny cosmetic mirror that closes up, which has myriad uses.

One that comes to mind is from a trip with the Diablo Hiking Club a few years ago. One of our members was fly fishing and snagged his fly and hook inside his nose. A totally freak accident. But a mirror and tweezers were key to getting it out.

Of course, a mirror can also help you remove stuff you get in your eye or even signal for help in an emergency.

Pill case and mirror: 1.5 ounces.

Be light. Be safe. Be one with the pack.