Colorado Trail Gear List: The Essential, The Needed & The Unnecessary

The gear list. Some can spend hours reading and watching people explaining their gear. Some would rather carry a bear canister through Mordor.

I’m the former. No matter how many trips I go on, I love to hear what and how other people are packing even if 9 times out of 10 I really don’t learn anything new.

My view on gear

My personal style of packing for backpacking is a bit mixed. While I would love to be someone who has a base-weight under 10lbs, I doubt that ever will be a reality for me. My base-weight is usually around 15lbs depending on the conditions and required gear (like bear canisters). While I no longer carry a 40lb+ pack, I still carry things that most hikers would think are redundant or just unnecessary.

I believe what you pack is the sum of how you want to experience the trail. The more you hike the more you learn about how to optimize that experience. Each year I learn something new and slowly my gear has improved and evolved. I encourage people to really find what they love using, not what people say they should be using. Gear advice only goes so far and sometimes you just gotta try it and see how it goes.

The Essential: Pack, Shelter, Sleep & Hydration (6.9lb | 110.45oz)

The Pack (2lb | 32oz)

My beloved Hyperlight pack keeping things dry

Backpack: Hyperlight Southwest 2400 (29.9oz)

I’ve had this pack for a few years and absolutely love it. Being from the PNW, rain has always been a fear of mine and the saying “you pack your fears” is definitely true for me. This pack has kept my gear dry, without a liner, on continuous rainy days. It carries really well, even with a bear canister inside (BV 475) it was no problem. The only small negative is your back can get pretty warm wearing it.

Shoulder Pockets: Hyperlight Shoulder Pocket & Shoulder Strap Pocket by Virga Packing Company (1.4oz/.7oz)

I use Hyperlight’s shoulder pocket to carry my phone and a couple of snacks. Since it’s also made with Dynema it keeps my phone safe, dry and easily accessible. I’m also using a bottle pocket this year to carry my electrolytes/drink mixes in. I’m not the best at drinking water so I’m hoping having it literally in my face will help.

Shelter (1.5lb | 24.05oz)

My dad next to our tents. This is a common pose when I’m trying to take a photo.

Tent: Zpacks Plex Solo Tent (15.4oz)

I upgraded to this tent last year after using the Nemo Hornet for several years. While the Nemo was great for clear weather, it was dismal in any rain and was pretty bulky. The Plex Solo so far has been amazing. After using it on the JMT last year my only complaint is the design of the zipper. It makes it extremely hard to quickly get in and out of the tent, especially if there are a lot of bugs out. The zipper is a half circle across the side of the tent, which means you pretty much have to unzip the whole thing to get in and out without damaging anything. If it had a zipper on the bottom portion this would be much easier. I also have the thicker Dynema fabric option so it’s a couple ounces heavier, but a little more durable.

Ground sheet: Tyvek (4.5oz)

This stuff if amazing. I’ve used a polycryo sheet before, but it was not durable and felt kinda wasteful to have to keep buying sheets of plastic. The Tyvek dries pretty fast and you can cut it to your desired shape (polycryo will often tear if you cut it wrong).

Stakes: 9 Groundhog minis and 1 Groundhog (3.15oz/.5oz)

I like to use one regular sized Groundhog stake for the main guy line on my tent that has the most tension on it.

Leather Shammy (.5oz)

These are a game changer when you use a single wall tent (we don’t love condensation!). They weigh pretty much nothing, and can absorb so much water even at a small size. You just wipe it along your tent wall (inside or out), squeeze it outside your tent and repeat. Also works as a good wash cloth too.

Trekking Poles: Cascade Mountain Tech Trekking Poles, Cork Grips (15.6oz)

Nothing really beats the price/weight combo of these. Sure there are lighter poles out there, but you will spend twice as much or more for saving only a few ounces. I usually list these as a worn item since they are rarely in my pack being carried.

Note: I include this in my worn weight so it’s not in the calculated category number)

Sleep (3.03lb | 48.5oz)

Me in my tent early in the morning in Yosemite.

Sleeping Pad: Nemo Switchback Sleeping Pad (14.5oz)

I love the versatility of this pad. There is nothing like plopping this sucker down for a lunch break and being able to completely lay down. Plus, I don’t have to worry about popping it or getting it wet. It’s obviously not as plush as an air mattress, but I generally like a firmer mattress anyway.

Sleeping bag: REI Sahara 25 degree (34oz)

I’ve had this bag since I was 10 when my dad took me on my first trip in the Sierras. It’s your traditional mummy sleeping bag and has kept me warm on below freezing nights. It’s definitely not the lightest option out there, but I struggle replacing it when it works so well and replacing it means spending a large chunk of change.

Water & Filtration (.37lb | 5.9oz)

My trusty Sawyer Squeeze and my dad’s Sawyer Mini. I defiantly don’t laugh while he’s filtering way to long…

Water filter: Sawyer Squeeze (2.5oz)

A classic for a reason. I have tried the minis before, and I didn’t have any problems. I hadn’t used the regular one before, so I had no idea the flow rate was so slow on the mini. One thing I’ve noticed though is the O rings get warped pretty easily if you tighten the filter down too much. It can be really easy to loose the O ring (always pack an extra).

Water storage: 2-1 liter bottles, 1-21oz bottle with sport cap (2.4oz/1oz)

There aren’t many spots on this trail when you will need to carry a lot of water, so I’m only bringing the capacity to carry 2.62 liters. The smaller bottle will be in my backpack’s shoulder pocket for easy access. This will also be my bottle for electrolytes/drink mixes.

The Needed: Clothes, Cooking, Cleanliness & Electronics (9.92lb | 158.58oz)

Clothes (6.9lb | 110.37oz)

Hiker laundry at its finest

I probably pack more clothes than most “ultralight” hikers. Even after miles of backpacking there is just a limit on how disgusting I want to feel. While I only have one hiking shirt, I have two bottoms, two bras, two hiking sock pairs, and three pairs of underwear. I rotate rinsing these out almost every day, which greatly improves my sanity. I also pack separate sleeping clothes, a rain jacket, fleece, and a puffy.

Worn Items (approx. 3.52lb | 56.32oz)

Sun Hoodie: Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Wool Hoodie

After years of hiking in polyester hiking shirts, that after two weeks would never smell good again no matter how you washed it, I said goodbye to synthetic shirts. Last year I wore a wool long sleeve shirt and it was amazing. It kept me cool in the heat, warm in the cold, dried quickly, and kept the body odor down significantly. At one point my pits stank, but the shirt itself didn’t!

Shorts: Patagonia Trailfarer Shorts 4.5”

Amazing lightweight shorts that dry so fast and don’t have a pesky liner! They are a great length so they don’t ride up my thighs while hiking.

Sports Bra: Ridge Merino Send-It

Again wool for the win!

Underwear: Patagonia Barely Hipster

Socks: Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew

Can’t compete with the lifetime guarantee.

Gaiters: Dirty Girl Gaiters

Hat: REI Co-op On The Trail Cap

This hat is so lightweight and I love the bungee closure. You can also wear sunglasses without the hat hitting them all the time.

Neck Gaiter: PCT buff

Sunglasses: Smith XC

This will be my second year wearing these and they are so fun. They are designed for backcountry skiing so they have really good contrast and you can flip the lens up, which I find really useful when I need to look at my phone. I don’t waste my battery by turning my brightness all the way up to see the screen.

Watch: Garmin Instinct 2s Solar

The Instinct series is perfect if you want to have some smart watch features and incredible battery life. It has a simple black and white interface with actual buttons to navigate. The battery life is insane! Last year I didn’t have to charge it once doing the JMT for 21 days! It can give you your elevation, barometer, and more traditional smart watch features like steps, calories, active minutes, sleep, etc. Garmin watches can also give you stats on your “training readiness,” which is based on a bunch of factors that basically tell you how recovered you are. It also can list your heat and altitude acclimation (very helpful on high elevation trips).

Packed Clothes (3.38lb | 54.05oz)

Fleece: Senchi Designs ALPHA 90 CREWNECK W/ HALF ZIP (4.9oz)

Alpha fleece is so amazing. It’s incredibly lightweight and is the perfect layer for hiking when it’s a bit colder out and you want to wear another layer, but still have breathability. When paired with a rain jacket it keeps you nice and toasty.

Rain Jacket: Mens Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2 Jacket (5.5oz)

Since the Colorado trail is known for its afternoon thunderstorms rain gear is pretty essential. I have an ultralight rain jacket from Arctryc that I love, but when I have to actively hike in it for a long period of time it starts getting hot and then I’m sweating. So I’m going back to my trusty Frogg Toggs, but this year I’m going for a Mens medium so it fits nice and loose. That way I’ll get more of a breeze and hopefully not get too hot.

Puffy: Ibex Wool Aire Hoodie (10.8oz)

I bought this for snowboarding season and it was amazing at keeping me warm without feeling clammy during activity. Since the insulation on this is wool, even if it gets wet, it will keep me warm. Traditional down puffies are not really enjoyable if you need to hike in them. The down gets wet and it loses its warmth. It weighs the same as my REI down jacket, but has a hood and it dries so fast!

Pants: Baleaf Laureate Hiking Pants (8.5oz)

Last year on the JMT the backs of my legs got way too much sun. The high altitude and the high amounts of snow really did a number on them, and I got a small rash on the backs of my calves for the first half of the trip. Sometimes no matter how much sunscreen you wear it’s just not enough. So this year I’m bringing pants I can hike in as well as shorts.

I’ve brought rain pants or dance pants in the past, but those were mostly for keeping warm or to keep mosquitoes away, not really for hiking. I’ve never been able to find a pair of hiking pants that fit me well. I have a more traditional athletic build body, so in order to fit my larger thighs in pants comfortably the waist is usually gigantic and I hate them. I stumbled across these after zooming in on a YouTube video of a girl wearing these. They could still use more room in the thighs and less in the waist, but they are the best I’ve found so far and are pretty light. So instead of packing an extra pair of hiking shorts and wind/rain pants, I’m bringing these (a pretty even weight exchange).

Gloves: Zpacks Conductive Brushtail Possum Gloves (1.3oz)

These keep your hands nice and toasty even if a little damp! You can use your phone with them on, but you need to be intentional.

Hat: Duckworth knit rigger hat (3.6oz)

My Duckworth hat keeping my brain warm while surviving the climb up Mt. Whitney.

This hat isn’t the lightest around, but it kept me nice and warm on the JMT last year and it doubles as an eye shade when I sleep with the fold over my face.

Base layer leggings: Ridge Merino Aspect Merino Wool High Rise Base Layer Bottoms (6.8oz)

Wearing wool pants to bed is essential for feeling clean and warm at night. In the past I’ve worn shorts and then my legs stick together in my sleeping bag and it just feels gross. I can wear these for weeks without washing them and they still won’t stink. These were on sale when I bought my sun shirt so I replaced my Smartwool ones that had a hole in them.

Sleeping shirt: Ibex mens 24hr short sleeve (4.6oz)

This shirt is lightweight, but warm at night. I usually change into this in the evening after getting to camp that way I can rinse and get out of my sweaty hiking shirt and put this on for the night.

Extra Sports Bra: Ridge Merino Send-It (3.2oz)

Again I like to have two of these so I can rinse one out and have a dry one to wear. It’s also really nice to have an extra on rainy days.

Extra Underwear: Assorted Patagonia underwear (x2) (1.85oz)

Some people can get by with just 2 pairs (some just one!), but I like to have 3 pairs of underwear. I can wear one, have one drying, and a dry pair.

Extra Socks: Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew & Light Hiker No Show (3oz)

I always have an extra pair of hiking socks to rotate and a pair to sleep in. Wearing socks to sleep makes me feel warm and clean even if my feet are gross.

Cooking (.86lb | 13.7oz)

My trusty Pocket Rocket

Stove & Pot: MSR Pocket Rocket 2 Pot and lifter (7.9oz)

I’m usually backpacking with my dad so we share this pot (otherwise I’d probably have a smaller one). I carry the stove and pot and he carries the fuel. It also came with a really cool pot lifter that is very handy. Not the lightest set-up around, but it works for me.

Coffee cup: Snow peaks 450 double wall (4.2oz)

I love having a separate cup for my coffee in the morning, especially having the double wall. I can enjoy my warm beverage on cold mornings and it won’t instantly turn lukewarm. It’s also the perfect size to use as a cup holder for my Smart water bottle in a side pocket, which makes grabbing it while hiking so much easier.

Spoon: Sea to Summit Titanium Spoon (.4oz)

Best for eating out of bags and not getting your hands covered in food.

Lighter: Bic lighter (.4oz)

My stove has a push start on it, but it’s always safe to have a lighter. I’ve had my starter not work in higher elevations and the lighter saved me from having to cold soak.

Food bag: OPSAK Odor Proof Bags by LOKSAK (12.5” x 20”) (.8oz)

So happy to not be carrying a bear can this year to hold my food. These bags are great for areas that really don’t have much bear activity, and you want to keep it that way. I will say you need to be more mindful if you aren’t using a bag you can hang though. My rule is you never leave your food unattended unless it’s on a bear hang, an Ursack or bear canister. I might be bringing a really light reusable grocery bag to hang it off a tree during the day to keep the rodents away.

Extra notes: I will be pre-taping the sides of the ziplock area before I leave. If you aren’t careful when you open the bag you can rip the side seam of the ziplock so I’m going to tape it before that happens to prevent it.

First Aid, Hygiene & Toiletries (1.01lb | 16.15oz)

First aid (approx. 4oz)

This is what works for me based on what my issues and common injuries usually are.

• Cloth bandaids: They stay on way better than other kinds, and stretch with your skin better too.
• Regular athletic tap: This stuff is cheap and stays on forever. I’ve never needed KT tape, which is way more expensive.
• Ibuprofen, Benadryl, charcoal tablets, iodine tablets: I keep these in an old film canister, which is the perfect size and keeps them dry and intact.
• Antiseptic cream, hand sanitizer
• Body glide: I’ve never needed anti-chaffing anything before. However, with the possibility of more rain, and therefore being wet more often, I’m bringing this just incase.

Hygiene & Toiletries (.76lb | 12.15oz)

Kula cloth & gear tie (1.4oz)

I use the gear tie to attach it to my pack. I don’t have to unsnap and unfold it to take it off my pack this way.

Trowel: Duce of Spades (.6oz)

Toiletries (6oz)

• Chapstick: with 15spf (.15oz)
• Hand sanitizer (1oz)
• Wipes: Unscented and no particular brand (1.4oz)Wipes are just superior for going number 2 and keeping up with hygiene on days you can’t clean off.
• Toothbrush: Trailbrush by Trail Stuff (.15oz)This connects to my spoon so I have a longer handle! We shall see how long I can go without loosing it.
• Toothpaste: Bite toothpaste tablets (.3oz)I love using tablets over a tube of toothpaste. You only pack what you need. Most likely half way through I’ll have to use a travel size tube since I won’t be using resupply boxes for most of the trip.
• Sunscreen: Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen (3oz)Since I have more sensitive skin I’ve had more issues with sunscreen than I would like. I like mineral sunscreen because I think it’s better for your body and probably the environment. However, it can be harder to use. I’ve used some that stay in your pores and can be hard to clean off. This year I went for a sunscreen that is for sensitive skin and doesn’t have a bunch of extra stuff in it that can irritate you (why they don’t do this for everyone I don’t know).

Feminine products: Assorted size tampons sans applicator & 3 pads (approx. 1.2oz)

For those of us that get a period, it’s really annoying to deal with on trail. While I’m lucky that mine is usually lighter on trail, and my physical symptoms are light, it’s still annoying to have to deal with. I’ve never got into using a cup, and on trail that just doesn’t seem like something I want to deal with when I’m dirty. I use tampons that don’t have the applicator, which saves so much space. I generally bring enough stuff to last me 2-2.5 days at home. That usually translates to 3 or 4 days on trail. With resupplies being closer together I’m usually getting into town before I run out. I also pack an extra ziplock for used materials (leave no trace people).

Bandana: (.8oz)

While this can have a lot of uses, I primary use it to blow my nose.

Pocket knife: Small Swiss army knife (.7oz)

Bug Net: Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net (1.3oz)

Fashion meets mosquitoes on trail

Electronics (1.15lb | 18.36oz)

Phone: iPhone 11 (7.5 oz)

Power bank: Nitecore NB10000 Gen 2 Power Bank (5.3oz)

Headlamp: NITECORE NU17 (1.65oz)

Chords: phone, headlamp, power bank, watch adapter (2.71oz)

Wall charging plug: Titan Power? (1.2oz)

I bought this at an Ace Hardwear in Tahoe years ago. I have no idea what the specs are, but it works.

Phone storage drive: iDisk 128GB (.6oz)

It’s not the lightest thing, but it’s perfect to backup your photos and videos. My dad does a lot of video recording for YouTube, so we both carry one of these to back up videos without taking up all the space on our phones.

The Unnecessary (1.72lb | 27.6oz)

When I pack, there are just some things I don’t wanna leave at home even though I know they are going to make my pack heavier and have me cursing my past self when I’m going up steep inclines.

Film camera: Olympus 35RC + 2 rolls of film (15.9oz)

I’ve brought a film camera on most of my backpacking trips. The photos I’ve taken feel more special. I can feel the emotion of the place vs the photos I’ve taken just with my phone. Don’t get me wrong, I still take plenty of photos with my phone (a good backup if the film shot didn’t work out too). I’ve carried a couple different cameras, but this year I wanted to try a rangefinder camera. You have more control than a point and shoot, but you can focus a lot faster than an SLR. This is one of the lightest rangefinders you can find, and it’s not overly popular, which made it pretty affordable. I will also be carrying 2 rolls of film and planning on buying 1 or 2 more on trail.

One of the test photos I took with the 35RC of my parents cat Scamp! Had no idea if the camera actually worked before this.

Notebook & pencil: Field Notes & tiny pencil (5.2oz)

I like being able to write down what happened at the end of each day and I prefer doing it on real paper vs on my phone, which also saves my phone battery life too. Some nights I really don’t feel like writing and I just wanna fall asleep, but I love looking back and reading them. So much can happen in just one day. And this year, since I’ll be blogging, having these will be very helpful.

Camp shoes: Birkenstocks EVA (6.5oz)

I think camp shoes are underrated. Your feet are the most important part of you while backpacking and being able to take your shoes off at the end of the day, or during the day at lunch is a game changer. Your feet can breathe, you can dry out your shoes, you can walk around town in them, slip them on during your midnight pee break. The one year I didn’t bring camp shoes I instantly regretted it. I’ve had this particular pair for almost 4 years and they are amazingly light and easy to strap to my pack.

Notes

I should also note that I will be traveling with my father, who will have an Inreach Mini. We will be able to send check-ins with friends and family, check the weather, and be able to call for help if needed.

Total Base Weight (15.29lb | 244.66oz)

Note: Total weight with worn items is 18.81lb/300.98 oz.

This is probably the lightest I’ve had my pack. I know I could survive without some of this stuff, but I want to enjoy myself on this trail and look back on it fondly. I’m sure at the end of the trip I’ll look back and find something I should have done differently and I welcome that!

I hope this probably-too-detailed list is helpful for someone or at the very least a really good laugh. 🙂

Hike On!