Gear List

John Muir on trip planning—“Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence.”

The amount of fuel I take is based on the number of days I expect to be out.

Long distance hikers want to know what is being carried by other hikers. I’m as guilty as everyone else. It is all in an effort to get your pack weight down. That and the envy associated with the “latest and greatest” stuff someone else has. So here is the list of stuff in my pack, including weights and some brand names.

Tent—2 lbs 13 oz (Sierra Designs Ultra-Lightyear) (including stakes)
Rope to use with tent inside shelter—1 oz
Food bag—1.5 oz (Golite)
Rope for hanging food bag from tree—3 oz
Fuel (alcohol) in a 20 oz coke bottle, 1 lb
Cook pot with lid, pot support, pot lifter, lighter, coke can stove—9 oz
Cup—1 oz
Spoon—0.25 oz
1st aid kit—4 oz
Toilet kit (tissue, comb, tooth brush, tooth paste, 8 wet wipes)—7.5 oz
Whistle—1 oz
Repair kit (extra cleavis pins, split rings, duct tape)—1.25 oz
Flash light, photon microlight—0.7 oz
Sleeping pad, Thermarest—1 lb 10 oz
Sleeping bag—2 lbs 6 oz (Feathered Friend, 20 degree, down)
Pillow case—1.25 oz
Camp shoes (Crocs)—9 oz
Poncho—14 oz
Water bags (2) plus 1 tube and bite valve—two 1.5 liter bags 2.5 oz, tube 2.5 oz
Aquamira—3 oz
Paper and pen, puzzle pages—1 oz
Sit upon—2 oz (square of closed cell foam)
Maps—2 oz
Guide books—4 oz
Pack—4 lb (Kelty frame pack)
Phone—3.25 oz

Total Gear = 16 lb 8 oz (approx)

Rain jacket 6 oz (Sierra Designs)
Rain pants 5 oz
Baseball cap 3 oz
Gloves 1 oz
Socks (Bridgedales) (2 pair in pack, 1 pair to wear) 2.5 oz/pair
Liner socks (1 pair) 1 oz
Hiking shorts (1 in pack, 1 to wear)—Wal-Mart Starter 5 oz, Lady Foot Locker 4.5 oz
Hiking shirt, (1 in pack, 1 to wear) Wal-Mart 5 oz, LL Bean 4.5 oz
Long underwear (1 set) Patagonia capilene top, REI bottom, 12 oz
Long underwear for sleeping (silk weight) 6 oz
Bandanas (3) 1 oz each, total 3 oz
Gaiters 5 oz

Total Clothing = 4 lb 4.5 oz

GRAND TOTAL = 20 lb 12.5 oz

Tent, pad, and sleeping bag.

This is the base weight of what is in my pack and what is on my body. Add to this weight food and water. My food averages just over a pound per day plus about a pound extra in case of an emergency. I probably carry too much food. For a week, that makes right at 30 pounds on my back. I always eat the heaviest food at the beginning of the trip. I don’t drink as much water hiking as I should, but the amount of water I carry at any given time is based on the availability of water along the trail. One quart weighs 2 lbs.

I don’t add my boots into my pack weight. If I did, I’d have to cry. I’m wearing for this trip Montrail Comp XCR Fusions that weigh 2 lb 4 oz. Some of my friends like to wear low cut, light weight trail running shoes, but I have a tendency to fall so I want a sturdy boot to support the extra weight, with vibram soles to grip the rocks, high sides to protect my ankles, and Gortex to shed the water.

Toilet kit

I also carry Leki trekking poles, one in each hand. I used to think trekking poles were just something else to carry. I can’t begin to count the number of times my poles have kept me from falling all the way to the ground, or even from turning an ankle. They are worth the effort to carry just for the benefit of transferring some of the weight off my knees. And I feel so much more secure crossing streams with “4 feet” down instead of just 2.

I carry a couple things for comfort. One is a short length of rope to string up my tent inside a shelter. Normally, I don’t sleep inside the shelters, but sometimes it seems necessary. To keep the critters off me, I sleep inside my tent body and use the rope to lift it up off my face. My bones are too old for a Z-rest or a Ridgerest. I have to have the more cushiony Thermarest to keep my bones happy at night. I guess my feet are paying for the extra weight during the day, but I can’t help it.

Also note that you can not purchase a Kelty frame pack that weighs 4 lb. I have achieved that weight by cutting various parts off with a razor blade. I have tried internal frame packs and prefer my Kelty even if it is a heavier pack. It works for me.

With this on my back, I am off.