Gear List/Review

My PCT Gear List

My gear list is continually changing and probably will be right up until the day I leave the border in Campo.  It is expensive!!  But it has taken me YEARS to save and get the gear I wanted.  On most items I've waited and taken advantage of gear sales.  If you are patient you can get good quality gear, not cheap but you can save a couple bucks here and there.  I view sales a lot like viewing ounces saved...... it seems like such a small amount but it eventually adds up.

Below is my gear list I'm taking on my Pacific Crest Trail hike in April, 2014.  It copied bigger than I thought it would.  I have a more detailed review of gear items at the bottom of the list.  It's not complete yet, it's still a work in progress:)

		WILLOW'S PCT GEAR LIST
ITEM		BRAND			WEIGHT OZ		TOTALS		NOTES
BIG THREE
Backpack		Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus			27				Medium Pack
Tent		Zpack Hexamid Solo Plus			18				Super light:)
Sleeping Bag		Zpacks 10 degree			21				6' 1" bag. Added a draft tube.
					66	................	4lb 2oz
Sleep Pad		NeoAir XTherm			14	................	14oz		Just ordered. 5.7 R rating. Nice:)
CLOTHING PACKED
Sleep Shirt		REI Spandex/Nylon			4				Feels like silk
Sleep Pants		REI Spandex/Nylon			4				Feels like silk
Fleece Hat		REI Brand			2				Love fleece
Fleece Socks		REI Brand			2				These are nice for sleeping
Fleece Zip Hoody		NorthFace			8				Part of my insulation
Socks x2		Darn Tough Socks			6				For the colder weather
Fleece Gloves		REI Brand			1				Will use large Latex gloves over them in rain
Underwear x2		Exofficiol			2				Very comfortable
					29	................	1lb 13oz
FIRST AID KIT
Gauze Roll
Mole Skin
Neosporin
Winchester Multi Tool
Super Glue
Razor Blade
Thread, Pins, Neeles
Gauze Pad, Bandaids
Burn Gel
After Bite
Antiseptic Towelette
Waterproof Matches					7	................	7oz		Whole kit is 7oz.T
RAIN GEAR
Rain Jacket		Outdoor Resarch Hellium ll			7
Rain Pants		REI			10				A little heavy, but love em
Pack Cover		ZPacks			1
Coat		GhostWhisper Down			7				Love this jacket
Vest		Costco Down			6				Cheap and warm
					31	................	1lb 15oz
COOKING
Foodbag		Outdoor Research			4
Stove		Caldera Cone Ket Kit			8				Fuel included
Lighter		Mini Bic x2			1
					13	................	13oz
TOILETRY BAG
Kleenex		2 pack for toilet paper			1
Soap		Dr. Bonner			1.5
Toothbrush		Cut in half:)			0.5
Washcloth		Hart x8			0.5				Little compressed pellets, wet and you have a wash cloth
Bug Repellent		Deet			1
Camp Towel		MSR			3.5
Toothpaste		Crest Travel			1
Meds		Pepto, Tylenol, Tylenol PM, nodoze			5
					14	................	14oz
EMERGENCY
Rope		Nylon 40ft			2.5
Bug Net		Walmart			0.5
Patch Kits		REI			2
Headlamp Batteries		Store Brand			2
					7	................	7oz
MISCELLANEOUS
Solar Charger		Power Monkey & Cords			8
Phone		Iphone 5			5				Will also use as my camera
Small Tarp		Plastic			4.5				I like this. It's a huge bag that is thick. Like it for setting stuff on.
Headlamp		Petzel TIKKA XP2			3.5
Compass		Walmart			1
Chapstick		Walmart			1
Headphones		Bestbuy			0.5
Knife		Sog			1.5
					25	................	1lb 9oz
WATER PURIFICATION
Water Filter		Sawyer Mini 1 bag & syringe			4
Backup		Aqua Mura Drops			3
					7	................	7oz
CARRIED OR WARN
Trekking Poles		ZPoles
Duct Tape on Poles		Duct Tape
Convertable Pants		REI
Shirt		OR Insect Repellent
Tank Top		Walmart Brand
Shoes		Womens Merrill Moab Ventilators
					213	................	13lb 5oz
Will have Halfmiles Maps and Yogis Trail Tips and Town Guide with me in sections in a zip lock. Don't have a weight yet:)
ITEMS CARRIED THROUGH SIERRAS: That's gonna suck:(
Bear Vault		BV500			44
Micro Spikes		Kahtoola			12.7
Snow Gaiters		MontBell Light Alpine Gaiters			9
Umbrella		SnowPeak Ultralight Umbrella			4.7
					70.4	................	6lb 4oz

The Big Three...

My Tent:  ZPacks Hexamid Solo Plus.  Awesome tent!!  Here it is set up on top of Methow Pass on the PCT in Washington.  This solo hike was actually the first time I ever got wet in it.  I know not a great selling point right?  Let me explain.  On August 10th and 11th, 2013 the North Cascades had a thunder and lightning storm that lasted the entire night! I had the tent facing uphill (bad idea) so I could wake up to a gorgeous view of the adjacent peak.  Would have been a beautiful view to wake up to. Anyway, the thunder and lightning came along with thumbnail sized hail followed by a torrential downpour that lasted more than 8 hours.  It was relentless and I actually feared for my life.  I did not get a wink of sleep the entire night.  The tent itself held up to the wind and rain but due to the direction I had it facing, even with the beak pulled down and secured, I got drenched.  When the hail and rain hit the ground it pushed the water into my tent:(  It was crazy insane!!  The tent itself weighs a mere 18ounces and that is with the 10 titanium stakes included:)  It is incrdebly light and I love the fact that it has an integrated bug net.  I actually worried about the bathtub floor being on top of the netting.  I thought dirt and debree would get caught in the mesh, but was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to keep clean.  In spite of that night, I still love the tent and will be using it on my thru hike.  I plan to play around with it this winter in my back yard and see how low to the ground I can get the sides staked for storm weather.  I'll post how it works out later.  A side note about that storm:  Another hiker said he spent the entire night bailing water out of his tent and several people said they had to pull over on the North Cascades Highway 20 because they could
 not drive in it.  I left the trail head to drive home the next day only to find the road closed about five miles up the road.  Highway 20 had 8 major washouts closing highway 20 through the North Cascades for an ENTIRE week.  I would be amazed if anyone in the backcountry stayed dry that night.

                





 

 

The Sleep System: My Sleeping Bag: ZPacks 10 degree Down Bag.  It only weighs 21oz.  I'm 5' 5" but I ordered the 6' 1" bag so I can scoot down in it and cinch the opening around my face.  Works great since there in no hood on this bag to save weight.  I had them add a draft tube on the zipper too.  After I got my bag I noticed how nice a zipper it was and think I could have probably gone without the draft tube.  Tested this bag on an 18 degree night and stayed warm.  Really like this bag:).

 

 

 

 

This is the cuben fiber stuff bag for my Zpacks bag.  I will be using a turkey bag to line it.

 

 



 

 
Neo Air Xtherm Sleep Pad.  16oz.   In the picture below on my Mariposa Plus backpack is my Thermarest Ridge Rest pad.  I'm actually not taking this on my PCT hike.  I used it with my old Neo Air pad.  I've used the air pad for three years and just last week got a leak in it.  Go figure!  At least it happened at home and not on the trail.  Anyway, I ordered a new one that has an R-5.7 rating versus my old one having a 2.9 rating.  I'm hoping it's much warmer because I'm eliminating the Thermarest pad.  Less weight.  I'll save 7oz:). 

It packs down to the size of a water bottle:)

 

 My Backpack: Gossamer Gears Mariposa Ultralight Backpack.  Love it!  A large load backpack weighing in at 27oz. with lots of pockets.  Super light and yet durable.  I've only used it on one 22 mile hike but know it's going to be awesome for my thru hike.  Comfortable hip belt and shoulder straps.  If I could change anything about this pack, a lower zipper near the bottom of the pack would be great since the lightest piece of gear I pack is my tent and so I pack it in the bottom of the pack.  Everything else I love about this piece of gear:).