Essential Items for Lightweight Backpacking

After years of backpacking, plus more than a year of dedicated life on the road, I have compiled a list of some of the items I consider essential. Of course these items may vary from person to person depending on what type of travel, accommodations, etc the traveler is engaging in. Nevertheless, having traveled under a wide range of places under a variety of circumstances, I have found that these are the items that I keep in my pack no matter what.