Post PCT Ultralight Backpacking Gear List
This is my post Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) ultralight backpacking gear list that is continually evolving and devolving. I call it a thru hiking gear list because it includes items I would carry on a thru that I wouldn’t carry on a small multi-day trip such as: wall charger, full roll of leukotape, more toiletries, etc. I’m also including items that are condition dependent such as my ACR Personal Location Beacon, rain pants, a long sleeve shirt and my puffy.
2018 Ultralight Backpacking and Thru Hiking Gear List
| Pack and Shelter System | Grams | Ounces | Pounds | Cost | |
| Backpack | HMG Windrider 2400 SW | 963.0 | 33.97 | 2.12 | $325.00 |
| Tarp | HMG Echo II | 312.0 | 11.01 | 0.69 | $325.00 |
| Stakes & Stake Bag | Mountain Laurel Designs | 66.9 | 2.36 | 0.15 | $25 |
| Top Quilt | Katabatic Gear Sawatch | 751.0 | 26.49 | 1.66 | $535.00 |
| Sleeping Pad | NeoAir XLite | 230.0 | 8.11 | 0.51 | $129.95 |
| Ground Sheet | HMG Dyneema | 99.0 | 3.49 | .022 | $170.00 |
| Total | 2421.9 | 85.43 | 5.34 | $1509.95 | |
| Keto Food Prep & Water | Grams | Ounces | Pounds | Cost | |
| Water Filter | Sawyer Squeeze | 86.7 | 3.06 | 0.19 | $35.00 |
| Water Bottles | Smart Water 1l x 2 | 68.0 | 2.40 | 0.15 | $5.00 |
| Large Food Dry Bag | Zpacks Dyneema Bag | 44.8 | 1.58 | 0.10 | $39.00 |
| Small Food Dry Bag | Sea To Summit Evac 5 l | 55.7 | 1.93 | 0.12 | $19.90 |
| Extra Water Storage | Platypus 2 Liter | 42.0 | 1.48 | 0.09 | $12.95 |
| Container (for items below) | Sistema | 54.9 | 1.94 | 0.12 | $6.62 |
| Spork | Titanium Spork | 19.3 | 0.68 | 0.04 | $12.89 |
| Knife | Higonokami | 36.4 | 1.28 | 0.08 | $12.62 |
| Funnel | Collapsible Silicone | 14.3 | 0.50 | 0.03 | $5.99 |
| Tablespoon | Cheapo | 4.60 | .016 | 0.01 | $5.00 |
| Coffee / Shake Bottle | Smart Water 23 fl oz | 27.9 | 1.23 | .081 | $2.50 |
| Total | 451.0 | 15.91 | 0.99 | $179.85 | |
| Tools & Essentials | Grams | Ounces | Pounds | Cost | |
| Toiletries Bag | Granite Gear Zipditty 2.4 l | 19.5 | 0.68 | 0.04 | 29.95 |
| Toiletries / First Aid | See Bottom of Page | 307.7 | 10.85 | 0.68 | $45 |
| Headlamp | Black Diamond Spot | 88.0 | 3.00 | 0.19 | $39.95 |
| Battery | Anker 10,000 mAh | 178.3 | 6.26 | 0.39 | $26.99 |
| Wall Charger | Anker QC 2.0 | 80.8 | 2.85 | 0.18 | $15.99 |
| iPhone | iPhone 7 | 136.8 | 4.83 | 0.30 | $739.99 |
| iPhone Cable | Lightning 2-in-1 | 8.8 | 0.31 | 0.02 | $9.99 |
| Earphones | Jaybird X3 Bluetooth | 12.3 | 0.43 | 0.03 | $95.99 |
| Sunglass Case | Crystal Light Container | 31.5 | 1.11 | 0.07 | $2.59 |
| PLB | ACR PLB-375 ResQLink+ 406 | 161.9 | 5.71 | 0.36 | $255.20 |
| Total | 1025.6 | 36.18 | 2.26 | $1265.06 | |
| Clothing Carried | Grams | Ounces | Pounds | Cost | |
| Rain & Wind Shell | Marmot Essence | 178.9 | 6.31 | 0.39 | $149.96 |
| Mid Layer | Patagonia R1 Hoody | 353.0 | 12.45 | 0.78 | $159.00 |
| *Puffy | Montbell Mirage Parka | 356.7 | 12.58 | 0.79 | $379.00 |
| *Long Sleeve Shirt | REI Tech Shirt | 203.0 | 7.16 | .045 | $24.50 |
| Leggings | UA Storm Leggings | 240.0 | 8.47 | 0.53 | $104.99 |
| *Rain Pants | Marmot Essence | 177.4 | 6.26 | 0.39 | $97.46 |
| Socks | Darn Tough 1/4 Cushion | 66.8 | 2.36 | 0.15 | $17.95 |
| Shemagh | Synthetic > Cotton | 93.2 | 3.29 | 0.21 | $11.99 |
| Bandana | Bandana | 24.3 | 0.86 | 0.05 | $5.00 |
| Total | 956.2 | 33.73 | 2.11 | $965.80 | |
| Total Base Weight | 4854.7 | 171.24 | 10.70 | $3920.66 | |
| Worn or Carried | Grams | Ounces | Pounds | Cost | |
| Hat | Patagonia Duckbill Trucker | 75.0 | 2.65 | 0.17 | $29.00 |
| Base Shirt | REI Tech Shirt | 156.3 | 5.51 | 0.34 | $32.48 |
| Shorts | Patagonia Strider 5 | 158.0 | 5.57 | 0.35 | $65.00 |
| Socks | Darn Tough 1/4 Cushion | 58.0 | 2.05 | 0.13 | $17.95 |
| Shoes | Nike Wildhorse 4 | 788.0 | 27.8 | 1.74 | $99.97 |
| Insoles | Green Super Feet | 104.0 | 3.67 | 0.23 | $48.00 |
| Gaiters | Dirty Girl Gaiters | 54.4 | 1.92 | 0.12 | $23.00 |
| Sunglasses | Cheap | 45.3 | 1.60 | 0.10 | $12.95 |
| Trekking Poles | BD Alpine Cork | 257.0 | 9.07 | 0.57 | $133.28 |
| Total | 1696.0 | 59.82 | 3.74 | $476.12 | |
| Base Weight + Worn | 6550.7 | 231.07 | 14.44 | $4396.78 |
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| * Seasonal - Not Counted In Weights |
Keto Food Prep and Water
On Trail Keto Food Prep and Management
Core Food Kit + Water Kit + Miscellaneous Food Containers
Toiletries, First Aid & Repair
My toiletries bag has evolved into a minimal but somewhat heavy affair as it is intended for a thru hike. Included is toilet paper, leukotape, dental floss, hand sanitizer, travel toothbrush, ear plugs, drugs (advil, sleep and caffeine), Mom’s Stuff salve, wet wipes, body glide, sunscreen and deodorant. Yes, I put deodorant on every two to three days on a thru-hike, I’ve gone with and without and I prefer not smelling like rank bo. In the HMG stuff sack is a few bandaids, a lighter, safety pin, extra ear bud tips (just the tips), qtips, nail clippers, and antibiotic spray.
how many pairs of shoes did you go through?
About 3 ish. I was injured, so I had a lot of slow days and rest periods and when winter hit, my total mileage was 1600 instead of the full 2650… otherwise I would have needed more shoes!
Thanks for all this info. This has made many of my backpacking and food decisions MUCH easier :) I use your site for reference often!
Ahhhh, thank you so much, have fun out there!!!
I tried the Sawyer on the Smart Water bottle method and didn’t like it. It would just create to much of a vaccum and collapse the bottles and I would have to stop to release the pressure because flow would become deminished. Really thinking about going with a camelback and using a sawyer squeeze with the bag to filter. Still taking the water bottle(s) for mixing Ketorade and my coffee in the mornings though. Have you expreienced the vaccuum issue and how do you deal with it?
Yeah, the vacuum issue is normal, quick twist to open and close and it’s fixed obviously… but that’s why I will fill the primary bottle that does not have the filter on it, if that runs out, I drink from the bottle with the filter on it. There’s a breather you can get to prevent the vacuum issue but it’s kind of bulky and I’m so used to breathing the bottle as necessary I don’t even think about it. Whatever works for you works, experiment! I used to even use a drinking tube connected to a bottle but found I can’t get as much water as fast and found I was drinking less water because of it even after trying a bunch of different sip ends / valves. I like being able to take big hits of water straight from the bottle :)
thanks. for the lists. first time out on a Keto three day in the sierras. Going to splurge on weight for real food. freeze dried doesn’t agree with me out there in the wild.