Duuuude, I love gear. This love is universal among hikers and outdoors folks in general. If you want to hear my opinions about hiking gear, then you are in the right place. If not, then go do something that you actually want to do. Life’s too short to read gear reviews that you don’t care about! Go!
Alright, now that they’re gone, I will start by saying that Outdoor Gear Lab is a wonderful, free resource for finding gear information. I never buy outdoor gear without consulting that website first. You can also click on any links below for a gear review written by me. Heed the advice if you want, but keep in mind that what works for them or me might not be the best gear for you. Heck, a lot of the gear I use probably isn’t even the best gear for me! It changes all the time based on my experiences and expected conditions. If you have any questions for me about gear, please feel free to contact me.
Here’s my constantly evolving gear list. Currently it is tailored to the Sierra High Route (bear canister, ugh) and some items will be shared with SpiceRack. My CDT gear list can be found here.
Clothing:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Insulated Jacket | EE Torid jacket | 7.3 |
| Extra Socks | Darn Tough Light Crew | 2.1 |
| Warm Hat | SpiceRack Beanie | 2.5 |
| Gloves | Seirus Gloves | 3.6 |
| Rain Jacket | Sitka Vapor SD* | 5.3 |
| Wind Jacket | Houdini Come Along Jacket* | 4 |
| Wind Pants | Dance Pants | 3.5 |
| Sleep Leggings | Nike Leggings | 7.8 |
The Big Three:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Shelter | Zpacks Free Duo* | 30 |
| Sleeping Bag | Enlightened Equipment 20° Synthetic Enigma Quilt* | 28.5 |
| Sleeping Pad | Thermarest Zlite Sol* | 14.4 |
| Backpack | Arc’teryx Aerios 45* | 38 |
Electronics:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Camera | Sony RX-100 MII | 10.1 |
| Camera Extras | Camera case+battery | 3.9 |
| Battery | Anker 10,000mAh | 6.7 |
| Plug+Cord | Anker plug+USB cord | 1.4 |
| Phone | Moto G4 Plus w/ case | 6.5 |
| PLB | Garmin InReach Mini | 5 |
| Headlamp | Nitecore NU25 | 1 |
| Solar | Nekteck 21W | 18.3 |
Gear:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Knife | Mini Swiss Army knife | 0.7 |
| Water Filter | Platypus Quickdraw* | 3.7 |
| Water Storage | Bottle(smartwater or other) | 0.4 |
| Water Storage | 2L Platypus | 1.3 |
| Fire | Bic lighter | 0.7 |
| Compass | Suunto A-10 | 1.1 |
| Wallet | Money and Stuff | 0.3 |
| Maps | Printed 11”x17” | 3 |
| Trowel | Old plastic one | 1.3 |
| Bidet | CuloClean* | 0.5 |
| Pack Liner | Compactor bag | 2.3 |
| Cord | 50ft 2mm nylon cord | 3 |
| Headnet | Sea to Summit | 0.9 |
| Guardian | Ganesh | 0.5 |
Kitchen:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Bowl | PB Jar | 1.1 |
| Spoon | Wooden Spoon from CDT | 0.3 |
Toiletries:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Tooth Hygiene | paste+brush | 1.5 |
| Nerd Stuff | retainer+case | 0.8 |
| Nail Clippers | generic | 0.6 |
| First Aid | Custom kit | 1.8 |
| Brace | ACE bandage | 1.8 |
| Pills | Vitamin I + other | 0.8 |
| Sunscreen | Sun Bum | 2.5 |
| Bug Juice | Sawyer Picaridan | 3 |
Miscellaneous:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Bear Canister | Garcia | 44 |
Total:
| total | base weight | 17lb 6oz |
That base weight is kind of a bummer. I’d feel a lot better about it if I didn’t need to carry a bear canister, but that’s the price of pristine Sierra high country. It’s worth it.
Worn while hiking:
| What | Description | Weight (oz) |
| Shoes | Altra Lone Peak 3.5 | 18 |
| Socks | Darn Tough Light Crew | 2.1 |
| Shorts | Superfly Paisley Trunks | 5.2 |
| Shirt | Backcountry Tahoe Hoody* | 9 |
| Hat | CDT trucker hat | 3 |
| Sunglasses | Suncloud Stand | 1.1 |
| Watch | Coros APEX | 2 |
| Mask | REI mask | 0.5 |
| Trekking Poles | GG LT5 Carbon Poles (pair)* | 10.2 |
