My Thru-Hike Gear, and Why I’m Taking It

Big Three

Let me start with my big three just to give an idea of my gear.
–Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 1 with footprint.
–Sleeping bag: REI Magma 10 degree with liner and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir pad.
–Backpack: Osprey Atmos 65 AG without brain
The combined weight  is a little over 10 pounds. Now let’s dive into gear that is special to me.

Ultralight

For camp and water-crossing shoes I got Xero sandals from MyTrail that weight in at 11.2 ounces. A luxury for my feet but the best part is they make my ugly ass feet look good. So not only will I be on the trail but I will be on the trail looking good.
My backpack is not ultralight but that is by choice as it is what is right for me. With everything else I tried to buy the lightest possible gear to keep the base weight low. Everything came in at around 20 pounds. I bought a scale and weighed each and every item and reduced as much as I could. My meds, supplements, and dental care products are included in the 20 pounds. Just my meds and supplements come in at eight ounces.

Dual Purpose and DIY Gear

I really like my collapsible cup as it works for my coffee, my Nuun electrolyte, and as a measuring cup. The bonus part is that I like to sip my whiskey instead of doing shots, so if someone is passing a bottle around all I need is my cup and half a shot. Then I am good for the night. I do love the taste and buzz in small amounts.

I have a Hyperlite dry sack for my puffy that also makes a great pillow. If it’s cold and I have to sleep in my puffy then I stuff clothes in the sack for my pillow. Good dual use.

I enjoy making things, so a trip to Walmart got me a car sunshade for around $7. I made a cozy for my pot and for my freezer bag meals. After I was finished I had a good size piece left so I made a sit/knee pad that also works as an entrance pad for my home (tent). I got a triple purpose item out of leftover material. I love it and it weighs just 74 grams while measuring 16×18 1/2 inches. There may be something better, bigger, and lighter out there but I don’t care as this piece of gear holds a tiny piece of my DIY heart.

My Inspiration

I had to post a picture of my granddaughter just so you can see how cute she is (exceptionally smart as well). She is wearing my OR floppy hat that has been treated for insects, my Salomon X Ultra 3 mid hiking shoes and holding my Fizan trekking poles. Isn’t she cute?

Changes

I am sure my gear will change somewhat over the course of the trail as I am a rookie at this. I have made my best guess based on an enormous amount of research and am happy with my choices. I have already changed some gear. I switched from an alcohol stove to a Jetboil for convenience, which added 11 ounces. Bummer! I also switched from Frogg Togg rain gear to a Arcturus poncho that also covers my backpack. It’s lighter and dual purpose. Yeah!

Next Up… We Are Special