Ultralight is what worked for me...

Very litttle has changed from the following gear list that I used on my 2001 PCT thru-hike and the only major change is that I kept my WM "Ultralite" sleeping bag for the entire trip, never switching it out for the lighter WM bag and that ended up being a very good decision because the desert sure got cold some nights. Remember that ultralighting is certainly not a method of backpacking for those who don't yet have a sound knowledge of backcountry travel or experience. Safety must never be compromised so a thorough study of ultralight gear and hiking methods must include a lot of time spent in research, thought, and experimenting before you wander too far into the wilderness. The following gear list is the result of my own personal progression from heavyweight, to lightweight, and finally ultralight.

While hiking the Appalachian Trail in '94 the base weight (less consumables such as food & water) of my pack was 25 + pounds. Over the years I began to research and study lightweight gear and methods which trimmed my base weight for my 2000 thru-hike of the Colorado Trail down to just 19 pounds. Then, thanks to the internet and great e-groups like Backpacking Light I have now entered the realm of ultralight backpacking with a total base weight of under 10 pounds. Heavyweight backpacking is usually considered anything above 20 pounds. Lightweight usually falls between 12 to 20 pounds, while ultralight is below 12 pounds. Most ultralight backpackers base weight for 3 season hiking is under 10 pounds.

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My gear list

(revised on March 31, 2001)

Total weight overview :

Total base weight without cold weather or desert gear..........................................136.6oz./ 8.5 lbs.
Total base weight with extra desert gear...............................................................143.5 oz./ 8.9lbs.
Total base weight with cold weather gear............................................................176.9 oz./ 11.0 lbs.
(Add/minus designated sleeping bags & Jagbags for cold gear)
Total base weight if I would only give up 18 oz. of luxuries (camera, film, tripod, radio receiver, batteries) "Fat chance"!.......................................................................................................................7.4 lbs.

Color coding :

Kit type arrangements noted (in bold black)
High Sierras and North Cascades only (in yellow)
Desert only (in pink)

Various gear links noted in blue.

Base Gear (non-consumables) :
- 13.1..................GoLite "Breeze" backpack (medium)
- 3.6....................EMS Fanny Pack (To distribute weight to hips while hauling 6 to 7 liters of water in desert.)
- 8.8....................Cassin "Ghost" ice ax (60mm) (also use as short tent pole in Sierras)
- 1.5....................Sunglasses w/snap case (Wal-Mart)
- 0.7....................Silva Compass & lanyard
- 1.0....................Money, Credit card, phone card, insurance card, drivers license(in zip-lock bag)
- 0.7....................Swiss Army knife "classic"
- 0.4....................Insect repellant (in Rembrandt breath freshener bottle)

Shelter/ sleeping :
- 13.5..................Tent/Tarp, sealed w/ guy lines ( Henry Shires design)
- 2.8....................2 Easton tent poles (drop short pole in Sierras ...use ice ax- 0.9 oz. savings)
- 1.9....................8- 6" titanium tent stakes (packed in groundcloth)
- 16.0..................Western Mountaineering" "Highlite" sleeping bag (+40 F.)
- 3.2....................2.0 Mil plastic ground sheet (Wal-Mart)
- 1.0....................Kelty Triptease line (35 feet for bear line, tarp, etc.)
- 5.7....................Mt. Washington "evazote" foam sleep pad (cut to 3/4 length)
- 2.8....................Jagbag "standard" silk sleeping bag liner
- 4.8....................Jagbag "Endura"Silk sleeping bag liner
- 28.8..................WM "Ultralite" sleeping bag- +25 F. (w/LW Gear sil-nylon stuff sak)

Clothing :
- 0.0....................No spare hiking shorts (Wearing quick rinse & dry supplex)
- 6.8....................Thor-Lo crew hiking socks (2 pairs)
- 0.9....................Cotton bandana (Wal-Mart)
- 8.5....................Frogg Togg rain/wind parka
- 7.5....................Railrider's Adventure pants (supplex)
- 3.6....................Silk Skins long underwear top (Campmor)
- 4.0....................Silk Skins long underwear bottom (Campmor)
- 2.7....................Thermax balactava (REI)
- 1.1....................PolyPro gloves (Campmor)
- 8.0....................Moonstone Cirrus vest (REI Outlet)

Cooking...plus :
- 1.0....................Homemade combo pot holder/windscreen for Esbit fuel tablets from coffee can top.
- 4.2....................MSR Titan Kettle (titanium)
- 0.4....................Bic mini-lighter
- 0.1....................8oz. Styrofoam cup (fits snug in kettle and is crushproof there)
- 0.3....................Lexan plastic spoon
- 0.2....................Can opener (p-26)
- 0.7....................Iodine (in 35mm film canister) (Wal-Mart)
- 5.1....................SWA water filter bottle 1/2 liter
- 1.3....................2.4 liter Platypus water bag
- 1.0....................1.0 liter Platypus water bag
- 1.3....................2.4 liter Platypus water bag
- 1.0....................1.0 liter Platypus water bag

Repair Kit :
- 0.8....................Duct tape
- 0.2....................Toothbrush (water filter cleaner)
- 1.8....................Batteries (camera, radio, photon lights), safety pins, sewing needles in 35mm canister
- 0.1....................Dental floss & nylon saddle thread (for sewing)
- 0.2....................Extra writing pen

Hygeine Kit:
- 0.3....................LW Gear small net bag
- 0.3....................Toothbrush
- 0.2....................Dental floss
- 0.4....................Toothpaste (half full travel size)
- 0.4....................Purell hand sanitizer (in Rembrandt breathe bottle)
- 0.1....................Plastic hair comb
- 0.1....................Razor (disposable)
- 0.4....................Campsuds (in tiny Rembrandt breath freshener) bottle
- 0.8....................Toilet paper in zip-lock

Office Kit:
- 1.2....................Journal (5-loose 9 X 6 pages in brown file folder)
- 0.2....................Writing pen
- 1.7....................Guidebook sections w/maps, data book
- 1.1....................Reading glasses w/snap case (Wal-Mart)
- 0.5....................2 Photon flash lights (yellow & turquoise)

First-Aid Kit:
- 0.1....................Band-Aids
- 0.1....................Neosporin
- 0.1....................Gauze pads
- 0.2....................Imodium AD tablets
- 0.3....................Ibuprofen tablets
- 0.6....................Moleskin
- 0.3....................Butterfly strips
- 1.0....................Sunscreen

Survival Kit:
- 0.4....................1 box Coghlan's waterproof matches & 4 birthday candles
- 0.4....................Bic mini-lighter
- 1.8....................Emergency blanket

Luxury gear :
- 7.8....................Olympus Stylus Epic camera/ zoom 80 w/film
- 1.6....................Mini-Tripod for camera (Campmor)
- 4.8....................Sangean DT-300VW radio receiver w/headset & batteries
- 2.0....................Extra film (3 rolls in zip-lock bag...no plastic canister
- 0.2....................REI keychain thermometer

Consumables :
- 7.5....................Esbit fuel tablets (0.5 oz./ea.) in ice bag (5 days @ 1.5oz./day)
- 160.0................Food (3 nylon/net bags of various sizes) 5 days @ approx. 2lbs/day
- 1.0....................Vitamins/ w zip-lock bag (5 days worth)
- ?.......................Water ( varies...rarely carry, except for desert section)

On my body/ wearing :
- 5.1....................REI "Super" hiking shorts
- 2.5....................Silk shirt (Thrift store $2.99 special)
- 3.4....................Thor-Lo crew hiking socks
- 27.5..................NB 803 all-terrain running shoes w/Superfeet insoles
- 1.7....................REI Solarweave Sahara Hat
- 1.0....................Watch (basic Cassio)
- 0.3....................Chapstick (30 SPF)
- 0.5....................Mosquitto head net (lake region of Oregon only)

Ultralight is what worked for me...

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My gear list

Base Gear (non-consumables) :

Consumables :

On my body/ wearing :

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