My Gear Changes During the PCT

• Please note that this is not a full list of my gear, only the changes, I also probably forgot a bunch but here is what I remember!
• I also just removed a lot of things that I didn’t need
• Here is my lighter pack for the rest of my gear. I will be updating that with the gear as I get it for next year https://lighterpack.com/r/mhbs7h

 

Trekking pole changes: 

I started with these Carbon Z distance black diamond poles. I switched them to the following photo because I wanted adjustable poles for my Duplex tent set up. This helped me get rid of my other tent poles therefore I was able to drop some base weight in Julian (Mile 77)

⭐️ I would like to try out Leki poles for 2023 if I can find a good deal and have the funds to do so. They are slightly lighter and more durable I’ve heard. I will see for myself if I get to try them out. 

Fleece changes:

I started with this Patagonia R1 fleece (in blue). And ended with this Lighthearted gear fleece. I had full intention to use the Patagonia fleece as it is a great fleece and I love love the zipper so I don’t have to pull it over my head. However, in Mount Laguna I sent it ahead to KM South because I hadn’t used it yet, and then the opportunity presented itself to try a lightheart gear fleece which a fellow PCT friend raved about. So once I started using that fleece by the time I got to KM South I just sent the Patagonia one home. Next year I will take my Lighthearted gear back with me on trail because it is slightly lighter. I also know that the top chest pocket in the R1 would serve no purpose for me. I also love how the lightheart gear fleece has thumb holes. 

Puffy Changes:

While I was getting my gear for the trail I purchased an Arc’teryx cerium LT hoody. After a few tests out in the trails I discovered that I was still cold while wearing it and then had the fear that it was black and if I was injured and passed out it would be hard to find me in the woods. So I switched to a feathered friends EOS hoody. A little more money, but warmer, bolder colour, and I absolutely loved my puffy. I still have my Arc’teryx for normal life, camping and hiking, but my feathered friends is the winner. I am buying a smaller size of the feathered friends puffy for my 2023 hike as the large became too big near the end.  

 

Tent issues/ changes:

So with the Duplex I got what I thought would be great stakes, ultralight etc. I would never do that again. They all wrecked within the first two weeks and I re-bought them many times. I will be getting better stakes next year. My tent showed lots of issues later into the hike and I got wonderful customer service and they took my tent in, tried to fix it, found a flaw that was unfixable and sent me a new tent. When that new tent had a flaw right off the bat they had me send it in again and I am awaiting it now. 

Rain jacket changes:

I started with my arcteryx and then I never used it so I sent it home at Big Bear. I realized I didn’t like how dark it was for safety again, as well as how much space it took up in my pack. Once I entered the Sierra I got frogs toggs at KM South. Those are crappy and DID not work. I ripped the pants sitting down once and tossed them out and the top I sent home in mammoth due to wetting out many times. So then I switched to the last jacket. 

Jury is still out on what my rain jacket will be next year but currently it is the purple marmot one. 

Sleeping Bag:

I had the Feathered friends Petrel UL 10 with extra fill to turn it into a 0 degree bag. I chose this route because I thought I would be too cold as I am a very very cold sleeper and person in general. I also brought a sleeping liner and I sent that ahead to KM South in Mount Laguna as well. 

I ended up having it unzipped for a majority of the nights on the PCT so next year I plan on getting the EGRET 20 YT below. It packs down smaller, is lighter, and I love the new colour… and it’s still purple. If I feel myself being cold on nights then I can have my sleeping liner shipped to me and the two items will still be lighter than the petrel 0 🙂

Pillow Changes:

I started out with this pillow and kept it until I think mammoth or something?

Then I switched to the following pillow. They both packed down small (I never turned them into the stuff sacs, I just packed them in my bag as is. But the second pillow was half the weight. And of course… the colour ? 

First one is a feathered friends down pillow and you fluff it up to use

(again love this pillow)

This is a memo fill elite pillow, you blow it up and it’s half the weight

Sleeping pad changes:

Honestly still working to find the best pad for me. It looks like the pad I want isn’t made yet, but if it is let me know!

I went from a women’s pad, to a regular pad, but I hate the length of the reg pad and it’s heavier than I would like. 

I want a pad like the thermarest Neo air with a R rating of at least 4 but no taller than 5 feet 6 inches. And no more than 285 grams in weight. 

Sun hoodie changes:

I love this sun hoody, I only got rid of it and switched to a patagonia one because this was worn out and I couldn’t get the smell out after washes anymore. I will be going back to this one but in a different colour. 

This one is a mountain hardwear hoody.

I would NOT recommend the Patagonia one, it is not meant for backpacking. Day hiking sure. 

Short changes:

I tried on countless pairs of shorts and pants and nothing was fitting or working properly. By Agua Dulce I was on my third pair during trail to try. Those ones lasted until Tahoe. These that I’m wearing in the photo above are my final ones I ended with. Next year I will get these again or something similar. 

Warm hat Changes:

I started with this icebreaker toque and switched to this buff one because it was lighter in weight and well the colour was better for me!

 

Welp, that’s all folks! Hope this helped!