Final Pacific Crest Trail Gear List
My wildest dreams came true. I hiked from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail.
There is no perfect “Pacific Crest Trail gear list” as the best gear for the PCT is whatever gear works best for you. I made many changes throughout the hike as I learned what worked and what didn’t work for me.
I made it a priority to stay as “ultralight” as possible, while still maintaining efficiency of every item. A lighter pack will allow you to go farther and faster, and hopefully prevent injury.
It’s important to note that ultralight gear is expensive so these are not all budget friendly options, but every single item on this list gets my full check of approval.
You can check out my Lighterpack for the approximate weight of everything I carried in my pack. My base weight was about 15 pounds. This weight does not include food and water, and fluctuated as I hiked into different terrains and weather. For example, I added a bear canister, microspikes, and rain pants for the Sierras.
Jump Ahead:
The Big Four
Backpack
32 oz.
I used this backpack for the entire trail and absolutely loved it.
It’s lightweight, waterproof, and comfortable. It has one center mesh pocket that’s perfect for drying wet clothing and two closed pockets that are durable and protect gear.
Shelter
Zpacks Plex Solo + Groundsheet
16.3 oz.
I converted to a trekking pole tent and really liked it. They’re not cheap but more than worth it to save substantial weight. I chose the one person version as I didn’t need a lot of space. The Zpacks Duplex is a great option if you need more room.
The Zpacks Plex Solo requires a maximum of 10 stakes (you can use less depending on the weather). I chose the MSR Groundhog Stakes (5 large, 5 mini). These weigh a total of 4 oz.
When I got to the Sierras, I converted back to the comfort of my Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL1 freestanding tent. A trekking pole tent requires good “staking ground” and I was worried that would be difficult to find in the Sierras. I ultimately decided to stick with this tent for the remainder of the trail as it personally felt comfortable & reliable.
34 oz.
Sleeping Bag
Zpacks Classic Sleeping Bag 10 + Zpacks Down Hood
21.8 oz.
This sleeping bag quickly became my favorite piece of gear on trail.
I’ll start by saying that I am a very cold sleeper. However, my favorite sleeping bag was way too heavy to consider bringing on the PCT, so I had to test out other options.
I first tried out a quilt since they’re the lightest option - they aren’t a sleeping bag and are meant to be used with a sleeping pad to provide insulation between you and the ground. I purchased a 10 degree quilt and no matter how I adjusted it, I couldn’t get warm at night.
I then tried the Zpacks 10 degree hybrid sleeping bag - a full zip bag without a hood. However, I also got the Zpacks Down Hood to supplement the bag and keep my head warm. The full combination was extremely lightweight and kept me warm at night!
Sleeping Pad
12 oz.
The greater the R-value the greater the insulation. R-values can range from less than 2.0 (minimally insulated) to greater than 5.5 (extremely insulated). No one wants to sleep on a cold ground. I have the Therm-a-rest Neo-Air Xlite which has an R-value of 4.2. It was very comfortable and provided a lot of insulation on a cold night!
Kitchen
Stove - BRS Stove
0.9 oz.
Just when I thought I couldn’t go any more ultralight with my stove, I was introduced to the BRS stove. It worked just as well as my MSR Pocket Rocket at half the weight!
Pot - TOAKS Light Titanium 650mL Pot
2.8 oz.
The perfect size pot. You can heat up enough water for both coffee and breakfast at the same time.
Spork - Sea to Summit Titanium Spork
0.5 oz.
The longer the spork the better. Trust me, you’ll want those lasts bits of food at the bottom of the bag at the end of a long day.
Cooking Cozy - Hyperlity Cozy
1.4 oz.
Re-packaging all of your backpacking food into freezer bags is key to saving space and weight. However, once you re-package, there’s no place to “cook” your food after adding hot water. I opted for the Hyperlite cozy for the PCT as it will last a long time. However, in the past I’ve used a DIY cozy that fit a freezer bag perfectly and could be reused for every meal. Click here to see directions on how to make your own!
Food Bag - Zpacks Large Food Bag
1.6 oz.
On the PCT, the only section you need a bear canister is in the Sierras. You can use an odor-resistant food bag for the rest of the trail. I liked this large lightweight bag.
Lighter - Mini Bic 0.4 oz.
Fuel - Small Canister 3.5 oz.
Water
Filter - Sawyer Squeeze 3 oz.
Dirty Water Bag - CNOC 2L Water Bag 2.6 oz.
I carried two CNOC 2L water bags in the desert as there were multiple long water carries. I therefore had a 6 L max carrying capacity.
Water Bottles - 2 Smart Water Bottles 1 oz.
After the desert, I carried one 1L and one 750mL smart water bottles. There were plenty of water sources available to keep filling up.
Electronics
Portable Charger - Nitecore NB10000 (x2) 10.6 oz.
I started the trail with a Nitecore NB20000 battery pack. After 2 of them suddenly stopped working, I decided to try two Nitecore 10000 battery packs. They were reliable and worked well for the entire trail.
Wall Charging Block - Nano 65W charger + cords 3 oz.
GPS Device - Garmin InReach Mini 2 3.5 oz.
Headlamp - Nitecore Nu25 Headlamp 1.9 oz.
Camera - Fujifilm xt30 + 10-24 lens + batteries + SD cards 25.18 oz.
Camera Clip - Peak Design Capture Clip 3 oz.
SD Card Reader - Apple SD card dongle 0.6 oz.
Dry Bag for Electronics - Sea to Summit Dry Bag 0.8 oz.
Headphones - Apple headphones with cord 0.5 oz.
Phone - Iphone 13 pro 6.63 oz.
Worn Clothing
Trail Runners - Altra Lone Peak 8.6 oz.
Sun Hoodie - OR Echo Hoodie 3.6 oz.
I switched my sun hoodie a few times throughout the trail but this one was ultimately my favorite. It was breathable, lightweight, & comfortable.
Hiking Shorts - Lululemon Shorts 3.5 oz.
Sports Bra - Lululemon Sports Bra 2.7 oz.
Hiking Socks - Darn Tough Socks 2.2 oz.
Undies - Lululemon Underwear 0.3 oz.
Hat - Adidas Hat 3.2 oz.
Watch - Garmin Fenix 6S 2.1 oz.
Packed Clothing
Down Jacket - Arc’teryx Cerium LT 9.9 oz.
Rain Jacket - Arc’teryx Norvan LT 5.6 oz.
Fleece - Melanzana 9 oz.
Leggings - Lululemon Wunder Under Train 5.6 oz.
Sleep Top - Icebreaker 200 Oasis Base Layer 4.8 oz.
Sleep Bottoms - Icebreaker 200 Oasis Base Layer 5.3 oz.
Sleep Socks - Darn Tough Socks 2.2 oz.
Beanie - Coal Beanie 3.3 oz.
Gloves - Arc’teryx Rho Gloves 0.9 oz.
Extra Hiking Socks - Darn Tough Socks 2.2 oz.
Extra Undies - Lululemon Underwear 0.3 oz.
Camp Sandals - Xero Sandals 8.6 oz.
Hygiene
Toothbrush/Toothpaste - Travel sizes 1.6 oz.
Floss - Small pieces ripped off
Hairbrush - Broken in half 0.6 oz.
Body Wipes - Wilderness Wipes
Face Wipes - Ursa Major Face Wipes 1.1 oz.
Chapstick - Sun Bum SPF Chapstick 0.3 oz.
Sunscreen - Mini 30 SPF 1.3 oz.
Deodorant - Native Mini 1 oz.
Moisturizer - Supergoop in mini container
Pee Rag - Kula Cloth 0.5 oz.
Trowel - Deuce of Spades 0.6 oz.
TP - Portawipes 0.4 oz.
Hand Sanitizer - Mini 1.2 oz.
First Aid
Leukotape - Repackaged
Tweezers - Mini tweezerman 0.3 oz.
Nail Clippers - Mini ultra thin clippers 0.4 oz.
Hydrocortisone - Mini container 0.6 oz.
First Aid - Bandaids, cloth tape, gauze, Neosporin, etc.
Medications - Ibeuprofen, Immodium, Pepto, Bendaryl, Zofran, etc.
Miscellaneous
Trekking Poles - Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork 16.8 oz.
Pillow - Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight 2.1 oz.
Set Pad - Therm-a-rest Z Seat Pad 2 oz.
Massage Ball - Rawology Cork Ball 0.7 oz.
Knife - Buck knives 284 1.5 oz.
Multi Tool - Swiss Army pocket knife mini 0.7 oz.
Wallet - Zpacks mini wallet 0.22 oz.
Sunglasses - Goodr Sunglasses 0.6 oz.
Repair Kit - Super glue, needle/thread, gear tape
Sierra Additions
Bear Canister - Bear Vault 500 41 oz.
Rain Pants - OR Helium Rain Pants 6.1 oz.
Microspikes - Kahtoola Microspikes 11 oz.
Head Net - Sea to Summit Head Net 0.8 oz.
Bug Spray - Sawyer 100% Deet
Gortex Gloves - Arc’teryx Venta Gloves 1.8 oz. (swapped for my other gloves for the Sierras and Washington)
Washington Additions
Rain Jacket - Arc’teryx Beta Hadron Rain Jacket 8.1 oz.
It’s important to remember that gear works differently for everyone - use what fits your budget and feels the most comfortable. This is just the gear that worked best for me!
Please reach out with any questions and happy trails!
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