Gear

So what gear am I planning on taking with me for five months?

Well, before getting into specifics, let me premise the answer to that question with a bit of framework.  When I first started backpacking, it was not uncommon to carry a small hatchet, some stainless steel cookware, an open foam sleeping pad that sucked water into itself no matter what the weather conditions were and a big old external frame pack.  For protein (we used to simply call it meat back then), the choice was Spam or canned ham (with that lovely gelatinous goo all around it).  Most times you would bring a big steak for the first night and cook it in the frypan that you had brought.

Now do not get me wrong, I am not advocating that there be a return to this style of backpacking.  All that I am saying is that I believe that it is humanly possible to carry more than ultra-light gear and still enjoy/complete a hike.  I am also a big fan of being comfortable when in camp or while trying to sleep.

So, suffice it to say, my base weight will be substantially heavier than a lot of others that you read about.  And I am ok with that.

I am very fortunate to own pretty much all the gear that I will need already.  However, I have gone out and bought a bit of new gear for the PCT and that is because up to now, I have hiked with our son.  In doing the PCT solo, I have had to retool a few key pieces of equipment to downsize.

So, without further ado, here is what I will be carrying.

The Luggage

Osprey Exos 58 Pack.  40 ounces.  I have used this pack on several hikes and really like it. 

Deuters backpack cover.  5 ounces.  I have only used this once on what turned out to be a rather wet hike around Mont Blanc.  Worked as well as you expect a pack cover to work.  May leave it home until Washington.

Trash bag for liner.  1 ounce.

The Bedroom

REI Sub-kilo bag.  29 ounces.  I have used this bag many times.  In retrospect, I wish I had bought a kilt instead of a mummy bag.  I always use it as a kilt anyway, even on cold nights.  But it is light and works ok.

Rab silk bag lines.  5 ounces.  This is one of my favourite things when out hiking.  It adds a fair bit of warmth to the bag/kilt and it keeps the bag/kilt cleaner.  Much easier to wash the liner than the sleeping bag.  And I like the feel of it on my skin better than the sleeping bag.

Exped Synmat UL 7 sleeping pad.  18 ounces.  This is a case where I probably could save some weight, but comfort wins the day.  It is warm and comfortable.  And, after testing out some of the more popular mats out there like the Thermarest, I love how quiet it is.  A lot of the other mats are very crunchy sounding when you rub on them.  I use a small pump to blow the mat up simply because I do not want to introduce moisture into the filling, even if it is synthetic.

Exped pillow.  3 ounces.  A bit of a luxury, even for me.  I may try something different on the PCT, but I have a year to figure out what.

Big Agnus Fly Creek UL 2.  37 ounces.  This is a new acquisition for me.  I have only set it up in the back yard, so no backpacking experience with it.  It is not exactly palatial in size, but it is light.  I am not crazy about the front entry, and maybe I will wish I had gone with a side entry tent instead.  Time will tell if I fall in love with this tent.

Tyvec groundsheet.  5 ounces.  Pretty basic.  No comments necessary.

The Kitchen

MSR Pocket Rocket stove.  3 ounces.  This is also new to me.  Previously had used a Primus white gas stove but I have converted over to this canister stove in order to save some weight without sacrificing efficiency.  The few tests I have done with it have been successful. 

GSI Minimalist pot.  6 ounces.  Again, new to me.  Like the pot cozy and the lid.  It comes with a collapsible spoon thingy that looks like it should be immediately given to someone that you truly do not like.  The silicone pot holder may or may not survive the final packing.

Sawyer Squeeze water filter.  5 ounces.  I have owned this piece of equipment for 3 or 4 years and have yet to use it.  I am not a big believer in purifying water where it is not necessary.  But having read about some of the water sources in SoCal, I think it will be put to good use.  I may back this up with a small bottle of bleach.

Gatorade water bottles.  5 litres total.  5 ounces(?).  This will be the first hike where I have to carry a substantial amount of water.  So this is all new to me.  But, I have to say, it seems a bit counter intuitive to load all that weight into a platy on your back.  The physics just seem wrong.  My plan is to jury-rig a holder on both shoulder straps and carry two of the bottles there.  That transfers weight off your back/hips and distributes it onto your front/shoulders.  We will see.  Maybe I will be buying a platy by Mt Laguna!

Eating/Cutting utensils.  2 ounces.  What needs to be discussed here?

The Wardrobe

Northface long pants.  11 ounces.  Normally I hike exclusively in shorts.  But, the exposure to sun in SoCal may just change this practice.  These pants are synthetic, lightish and comfy.  Enough said.

Walking shorts.  6 ounces.  I will pick which pair closer to departure.

Long sleeve shirt.  TBD.

T-shirt.  Again, I will pick which synthetic or wool shirt I take closer to April/17.

OR Helium jacket.  6 ounces.  This will be my light rain jacket slash wind jacket for Cali and Oregon.  Just got this as a gift from my lovely wife.  I think I am going to love it almost as much as I love her.

Montbell puff jacket.  8 ounces.  It is warm, it is light and it looks like crap. 

Wool socks (three (?) pairs).  6 ounces.  Love wool socks, no matter the brand.

All of the rest (thermals, hats, gaiters, gloves etc) have yet to be determined.

Electronics and Gadgets

I-pad mini with Otterbox.  24 ounces.  Yes, I did write down that item.  Ok, I do not own a cell phone.  That makes me and that other guy in the mountains of Arkansas as the only people on the face of the Earth without one, but I am ok with that.  So, I have decided to take my Ipad with me.  Great for reading books, Skyping home, maps, rudimentary GPS and journaling. 

Casio SGW300 watch.  This is a worn item, so weight does not count.  Another gift from my wife.  I really am a lucky and rather somewhat spoiled guy, aren't I!  This is a really handy bit of gear.  I used it last summer on the TMB where climbs of 2500 feet to cols were a twice daily routine.  It was nice to note the elevation at the start and then check progress periodically.  Made the climbs less intimidating.  Oh yeah, it tells the time too.

PowerAdd solar charger.  7 ounces.  I really wanted a solar charger that can store a charge (7200 mAh in this case).  Again, used it on the TMB and really liked until it rained for four days straight.

Headlamp.  2 ounces.  I will chose which one later.

Fujifilm XP camera.  9 ounces.  We have used this on all of our recent hikes and it is shock-proof (and we have tested that) and water resistant (that has yet to be tested).  Takes good pics.  My perfect camera would have a through the lens viewfinder, but they tend to be much bigger and costlier.  I have just ordered an adapter the will interface the SD card in the camera with the I-pad mini's lightening port.

I-pod Shuffle.  2 ounces.  Yes, there are redundancies here.  I could put my music on the I-pad mini, but I just like the portability of the Shuffle. 

Then there is everything else.  All of the poop shovels, charging cords, first aid kits, TP, reading glasses, sun glasses, lighters, shaving kit, pack towel, paperwork etc.  These things tend to add up in weight, so minimizing them will be necessary.

All in, my base weight before water, fuel and food should come in around 19 pounds.  This is actually about 2 or 3 pounds lighter than most of the hiking I have done in recent years.  But that 5 liters of water will be a killer.