Let’s talk gear! As I get older, my moto is: “hike smarter, not harder.” My daily mileage is 20+ miles, so carrying extra weight is not something I enjoy. But if I can’t sleep well, then no matter how light my pack is, I’m not having fun! And there is something about having at least one hot meal a day that makes the weight of carrying a stove totally worth it for me. When I hear the whoosh of my stove burner lighting, it makes me smile every time!

I try my best to use ultra light gear whenever possible. My tent weights 23 ounces and uses one of my trekking poles for support instead of tent poles. I use a down quilt rather than a sleeping bag to maximize the warmth of the insulation I carry. Quilts save weight by eliminating the shell fabric and insulation that would normally be underneath your body where the insulation would be compressed and lose its warmth value. I hike in the same clothes the entire trip, socks being the only item I carry a second pair.

Luxury items include my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir air mattress and my inflatable pillow. They help me sleep better and are worth the extra weight. I also carry two backup batteries for recharging my phone and other devices. This gives me the flexibility to write, take photos, record videos, listen to podcasts and music, read digital books, text through my Garmin satellite communicator, provide live tracking, and watch the occasional video.

The heaviest item I carry is a BearVault 500 bear canister. It weighs a whopping 2 lbs 9 ounces and is required for most of section of the PCT I will be hiking. It’s whole purpose is to keep human food and other smelly items like sunscreen and bug spray away from the bears that want them. There are other lighter options for food storage, but in most of the Sierra, hard shell containers are required and in Yosemite, the list of approved containers is short and hasn’t been updated since May 1, 2015. I’m going to take a deep breath, relax, not say any more about this…

Here is my complete gear list for this hike. Click the pie chart for details and let me know if you have any questions!

Check out these links below to see where I am on trail and the photos I have uploaded.

Thanks for following along!

Loren, AKA Butterfingers