“I rolled up some bread and tea in a pair of blankets with some sugar and a tin cup and set off.”
John Muir, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf
After some revamping of my kit, I am quite ready for my start in the Chihuahuan desert. Gear, particularly for a thru-hike, is something you can spend months obsessing over. A KISS (“keep it simple, stupid!”) mentality can pay unforeseen dividends in terms of reducing weight and preventing the exchange or drop of gear. I tend to aim for tried, true, efficient, and reliable, rather than purely minimal and light. I remind myself that generational pioneers of backpacking saw far more rigor with equipment much less robust. By no means is my carry an end-all, be-all. I’ll likely lose and pick up a few things as I go. Nonetheless, I hope this may serve as a handy starting point for those researching or curious.
Backpack 🎒
* ULA Ultra Circuit
| ⚖️ Weight | 36.1 oz |
| ❒ Volume | 4200 in3 (68 L) |
| 🏋🏼 Max Load | 35 lbs. |
I’m looking forward to putting miles on this pack. Overall, it has proven a comfortable pack. The hoop-stay suspension is supportive, but not overtly impinging. It’s a nice middle point between a UL frameless pack and the likes of a fully-framed Osprey. Ultra is a relatively new fabric to the market; I’m interested to see how it compares to other DCF, X-Pac, and nylon backpacks in terms of abrasion.
Shelter ⛺︎
On the PCT, I loved Dan Durston’s doubled-walled X-Mid 1, and I certainly made fellow hikers jealous. Many called it the Taj Mahal of tents. Since then, Dan Durston’s tents have become the premier tent on the market. I’ve upgraded to the single-walled X-Mid Pro 2 (would’ve preferred the one-person, but I am lucky I got a tent). As far as poles, I switched to Black Diamond’s carbon model from the aluminum model. I slightly bent a pole postholing on the PCT, so I am hoping the stiffer carbon poles withstand better.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| * Durston X-Mid Pro 2 | 20.6 oz |
| * MSR Ground Hog Mini | 0.4 oz X Qty. 10 |
| * BD Alpine Carbon Cork Poles | 16.1 oz |
| * Tyvek Groundsheet (6′ x 4′) | 4.5 oz |
| Weight | 45.2 oz |
Sleep System 🛏️
My Katabatic Flex never failed me on the PCT, even on the cold morning of a 6°F snowstorm in Yosemite. I like to use a bag liner to keep my bag lofty and clean. I plan to use a CCF sleeping pad for at least New Mexico. I’ve slept on the Switchback every night for a quarter and a half at Cal Poly when I was living out of my truck, so I am rather accustomed to its minimal support.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| * Katabatic Flex 22°F | 23 oz |
| * WM Tioga Silk Liner | 4.7 oz |
| * STS Aeros Premium Pillow | 2.6 oz |
| * NEMO Switchback Pad | 14.6 oz |
| Net Weight | 44.9 oz |
Water System 💧
There isn’t anything special here. The Squeeze is dependable and has great flow rate. I am carrying some Aquamira for the cow ponds ahead.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| * Sawyer Squeeze Filter | 2.5 oz |
| * CNOC Vector 3L Bladder | 3.4 oz |
| * Aquamira ClO₂ Treatment | 3.0 oz |
| * Smart Water 1L Bottle | 1.5 oz X Qty. 2 |
| Net Weight | 11.9 oz |
Cook/Food System 🍳
This is largely a carry over from the PCT, minus the bear kit. I’ve been debating using my 2 oz. DCF food bag for New Mexico as opposed to the 8 oz. bear bag, but I’d prefer to minimize exchange of items.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| * Vargo BOT 700 | 4.8 oz. |
| * MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove | 2.9 oz |
| Fuel Canister | 4 oz. |
| * Ursack Major XL Bear Bag | 8.9 oz. |
| * ZPacks Bear Hanging Kit | 2.5 oz |
| * TOAKS Long Handled Spoon | 0.7 oz. |
| Net Weight | 23.8 oz |
Clothing 🚶🏼
My clothing nearly follows point of record from my PCT thru-hike. I’ll be trading my campaign hat for a baseball cap. I’ll be trading my Columbia pants for prAna pants, which have proven to be a good mix of flexibility, breathability, and water resistance.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Columbia SilverRidge 2.0 Shirt | 6.2 oz |
| SF Giants Five-Panel Hat | 2.5 oz |
| OR ActiveIce Sun Gloves | 0.7 oz |
| prAna Stretch Zion Slim Pants II | 13.9 oz |
| Nike Dri-FIT Fast 2″ Short | 3.4 |
| * MH Ghost Whisperer 2 Jacket | 12.5 oz |
| Buff Merino Lightweight Neckwear | 1.6 oz |
| * Marmot Windridge Long-Sleeve | 6.0 oz |
| * Nike Challenger 3″ Short | 3.8 oz |
| * North Face Etip Gloves | 1.7 oz |
| * Southwestern Fleece Cuff Hat | 1.9 oz |
| * OR Helium 2 Rain Jacket | 6.1 oz |
| * Oakley Clifden Sunglasses | 2.1 oz |
| Net Weight | 62.4 oz |
Footwear 🥾
I plan to hike New Mexico in the Altra’s. They are provide a little more room for inevitable foot growth from the daily mileage. By Colorado, I will switch to my favorite Saucony Peregrines. The traction on the Peregrines is unparalleled as compared to the other trail shoes I’ve hiked. I’ll start with Altra gaiters since they are a bit more compatible with the Lone Peaks, then switch to Dirty Girl gaiters when these inevitably get holes.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Altra Lone Peak 6 | 21.0 oz |
| Saucony Peregrine 11 & 12’s | 21.7 oz |
| Dirty Girl / Altra Gaiters | 1.0 oz |
| * Injinji Socks / Liners | 2.6 oz / 1.6 oz |
| Net Weight | 26.2 oz+ |
Tech Gear 📱
Notably missing from the image are the Sony RX100 and the Garmin Instinct 2. I am looking forward to tracking miles with the Garmin, but I do anticipate charging the watch nightly. I’m carrying a beefier 40W wall charger to quick charge my phone and battery bank in town.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| * iPhone 13 Mini | 6.6 oz |
| * NiteCore NU25 Headlamp | 2.0 oz |
| * Anker PowerCore 10000 PD Redux | 6.7 oz |
| * Anker PowerPort III Wall Charger | 2.9 oz |
| Garmin Solar Instinct 2 Watch | 1.9 oz |
| * Garmin InReach Mini | 4 oz. |
| * Sony RX100 VI (w/ spare battery) | 10.6 oz. |
| * Associated Cables | 3.5 oz |
| * Suunto Compass | 1.7 oz. |
| * Opinel No. 7 | 1.3 oz |
| * Victorinox Swiss Army Classic | 0.7 oz. |
| * GearAid Repair Tape | 0.4 oz |
| * Bic Lighter | 0.7 oz. |
| Net Weight | 43.0 oz |
First Aid 🩹 / Hygiene 🪥
You know. The typical toiletries… and some not so typical toiletries. I have found the use of a bidet to be the most favorable way for cleaning up. It eliminates the need to carry in and out toilet paper at the cost of a little extra water capacity.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| * Joshua Tree Sun Stick | 0.4 oz |
| * Burt’s Bees Lip Balm / Res-Q Rub | 0.4 oz X Qty. 2 / 1.0 oz |
| * Assorted Bandaids | 0.2 oz |
| * Duct Tape & Leukotape | 0.5 oz |
| * Imodium, Ibuprofen, Benadryl | 1.3 oz |
| * Tweezers | 0.3 oz |
| * Nail Clippers | 1.3 oz |
| * Polysporin / IPA | 1.2 oz |
| * Foldable Toothbrush | 0.7 oz |
| * Unpaste Toothpaste | 2.0 oz |
| * Flosh | 0.2 oz |
| * Chem Wash Bottle Bidet | 1.1 oz |
| * Vargo Dig Dig Tool | 1.2 oz |
| Net Weight | 12.2 oz |
Snow Gear ❄️ / Bear Country Gear 🐻
I’ll likely pick up the highly insulated Thermarest Xtherm sleeping pad and the warmer Sea to Summit Thermolite sleeping bag liner for Colorado. I am debating whether I like or dislike waterproof socks for long days in the snow and those smaller stream crossings. We will see whether I carry them or not. For bear country, I will carry bear spray and add LOKSAK Opsak Odor-Proof bags to my food carry.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Thermarest Neoair Xtherm Pad | 16 oz. |
| STS Thermolite Reactor Liner | 13.4 oz |
| CAMP Corsa Alpine Ice Ax – 55 cm | 9.5 oz |
| Snowline Chainsen Light Spikes | 11 oz |
| SealSkinz Waterproof Knee Socks | 7.0 oz |
| UDAP Bear Spray | 12.1 oz |
| Net Weight | 69.0 oz |
Calculated Starting Base Weight
(sum of the starred (*) items)
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