Antarctica Gear | What Worked, What Didn't

When I found out I was going to Antarctica, the gear head in me went a little overboard.

The night I was packing all of my gear for Antarctica, I had a horrible realization. All of my gear weighed in at 52 pounds. I had a limit of 44 pounds. I had to do some culling. Here's what I left behind:

T-Shirts - I had planned on bringing four t-shirts with me on my trip. I left one of them behind.

Pendleton Flannel - This flannel, though lightweight and warm, wasn't as lightweight as my Eddie Bauer Expedition Flannel, and also not as comfortable. And since I was wearing the Expedition Flannel while I was traveling, it didn't count towards my 44 pounds. 

Patagonia Snap T - I had way too many mid-layers packed. This was first to go because of the weight.

Leather Bound Notebook - I opted for two smaller, and much lighter Field Guide notebooks. Since I was only writing letters home and not the next great American novel, these worked out perfectly. They're waterproof too.

Nike Running Tights - Spending only two days on the mainland, two sets of tights weren't necessary. 

Apple MacBook Pro - This was the toughest for me, but this computer weighs nearly five pounds. Instead, I brought an SD card reader so I could import some of the photos to my iPhone.  

Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens - With my 17-40mm and 100-400mm I really hoped I wouldn't miss the in between focal lengths. I didn't. 

Of all the things I left behind, I never really missed any of them, with the exception of the MacBook Pro. My luggage was never weighed, the whole time I was on the trip, so I could've brought it if I wanted to.

Not knowing what to expect, there were a few items I could've left behind.  

Patagonia Hoodie - My baselayer has a hood, my down jacket has a hood, and my shell has a hood. That's a lot of hoods. I didn't need another one. The TNF 1/4 zip was easier and worked just fine. 

Spy Optics Ski Goggles - The only thing I ended up using these for was to block the wind from my face, which is much better done by a balaclava. 

Patagonia Fishermans Beanie - No reason to bring two. The Slouch beanie was just as warm and more comfortable.  

Polyester Joggers - I didn't NEED these, but they were good to lounge around in.  

Zamberlan Viox GT boots - If I'm being completely honest with myself, the Nikes would've been fine all by themselves, since the boots for Antarctica were provided by the cruise line. That being said, I love these boots and would probably bring them again.