What’s in Our Packs
Just like anything else, packing for a thru hike gets easier the more you have done it. Starting out it is daunting task to narrow down all the items you will need for 6 months into a single, sub-60 liter pack. We know, we’ve been there.
This blog post highlights the gear we brought on both our thru hikes, including the gear we loved and the gear we didn’t love so much.
Disclaimer before we get started, we are by no means ultra-light hikers. We enjoy some creature comforts like an extra shirt for sleeping and quilt that will keep us warm in <50-degree weather. Our gear decisions are based on gear that provides us comfort but is not uncomfortable to carry.
Now a real disclaimer - we are not sponsored by any brands. Our opinions are our own through experience.
our Gear
Below are links to Speedgoat and Riveters’ Lighter Packs profiles for both treks of the Appalachian trail and Pacific Crest Trail. There are a couple pieces of gear we both would recommend to any thru hiker. These pieces are indicated by a yellow star on our lighter pack lists.
Gear we loved
Enlightened Equipment Enigma Quilt (20 degree, 850 down)
What did we love about it? Similar to anyone new to thru hiking we were anxious at the idea of moving away from a mummy bag to a “quilt.” After spending one night with a quilt, I will never go back! The spread and fluffiness of the quilt mirrors that of a comforter at home. Mobility is greatly improved with no detriment to warmth. Enlightened Equipment (EE) is the most popular quilt brand on trail and there is a reason for it. Through two thru hikes our quilts have been warm, fluffy, and durable. This is a company who knows its audience.
Size: 5’4” and 5’3” ordered a regular (6”). This was plenty big enough to pull over our heads.
Enlighted Equipment Booties
What did we love about it? Sleeping bag for your feet. Enough said. Coming in at a whopping 1.7oz these booties are lighter than carrying an extra pair of sleeping socks. They are warm and cozy without the constraint of socks. Similar to all of our other EE gear, these have had it through two thru hikes and are still going strong.
Nemo Tensor Insulated
What did we love about it? Nemo pads have a different baffle system than their largest competitor (Thermarest) and we find that baffle system to be much more comfortable. The pad moves and stretches with you opposed to the ridging of other pads. Great for side sleepers! It is also quiet. Don’t underestimate that when you can hear 10 other hikers rolling around in their sleep. Then perhaps my favorite feature… you can buy in a rectangular form rather than mummy.
Gear we Didn’t love
ULA Circuit Pack
What did we not like? The sizing on the ULA packs leaves a lot to be desired and makes it difficult to purchase with their tight return policy. They have two main sizes, waist and torso, and the stock packs come with them both the same size. One of the selling features of the pack is that the hip belt is removable and allows you to change out for differing waist sizes. Great concept, but the sizing is not aligned. It forces you to either buy a custom pack with differing sizes or by a pack and ANOTHER hip belt separately. I had a wide discrepancy in the sizes I needed which made the pack extremely uncomfortable and expensive. I have not had sizing issues with other brands.
Size: 5’4'“, 133lb. x-small hip belt & a medium torso
MSR Hubba Hubba 3-person tent
What did we not like? To be clear, this is nothing against MSR. They make quality hiking gear. What we disliked most about the Hubba Hubba was the tent material, silnylon, which is an extremely popular tent fabric. We used this tent on the AT and by Maine it’s waterproofing was lacking. Silnylon is known to wet through and is very susceptible to leaking with any pressure, aka your pack brushing it from the inside.
Rain Jackets (Frog Togs or the like)
What did we not like? In consistent rain nothing is waterproof. Nothing. We have tried numerous different rain jackets from North Face to 3 different types of Frog Togs and every single one eventually wets through. Rain jackets are not light, typically between 0.5-1.0lbs. Save yourself the weight and heartache and stick to a cheap poncho.
Gear we thought we needed…and didn’t
Camp shoes: We each carried camp shoes for the entire AT, but went without for the PCT. It is nice to have slippers for walking around camp but found that we adjusted quickly to not having them.
Towel: Only lasted half the AT. You are not taking showers in the backcountry and any other scenarios air drying works fine and 100% less weight.
Large knife: The only thing we regularly use a knife for was to cut cheese and that can be achieved with a pocketknife.
Insulation bag for meals: One of the most popular DIY ‘trail hacks’ is a lightweight pouch to keep your food warm while reheating. Honest opinion - totally unnecessary and not impactful.
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