PCT gear list
It’s no secret that I like spreadsheets. And research. And gear. Gear lists are, for me, the bastard love child of all these nitty-gritties. Not highly relevant to my experience on the trail, or my chances of finishing the hike, I find them, nevertheless, fun as hell to make.
It takes me back to grad school, when I would spend hours figuring out how to format something in LaTeX, instead of writing the content… a procrastination method that feels somewhat productive.
The PCT Gear List
Here’s the gear I’ll be starting out with on the PCT on Sunday. The base weight (pack before adding water and food) is about 11.4 lbs, higher than I was shooting for, but manageable. With 4 liters of water and 5 days of food, the fully loaded pack weighed 26.5 lbs.
The pack is fully loaded for the start of the PCT, with 4 liters of water and 5 days of food.
With a bear canister for the Sierras and 10 days of food, the weight would come to about 35.5 lbs. That seems higher than I should push the strength of the frameless MLD Burn pack, but we’ll see how I’m doing at that point. I could have my ULA Circuit mailed to me at Kennedy Meadows, or just have a character-building first few Sierra days.
I selected this gear after my experience on the JMT last year, and research and testing over this past winter and spring. I’m taking a risk on some items that I’ve been curious for a long time (the tarp, a frameless pack, chemical water treatment), and I’m excited to make the leap.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
After I finish, I will revisit what items worked well, which were busts, and what I might do differently.
This gear list has a permanent home here.
It looks like you put a lot of careful time and effort into your gear planning, good for you! I’m sure it will work out well for you
Good luck on the trail, maybe we’ll cross paths!
\documentclass[12pt]{article}
. BTW, I have not thought of \Latex for almost 15 years. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
\usepackage{amsmath}
\title{That is Really lightweight!}
\date{}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
I am impressed with the weight. I am about the same with a heavier base weight. I didn’t figure it out until I saw your Luxury weight of \approx 2 pounds – I am not carrying any luxuries
\end{document}
First few paragraphs of this post & their conclusion—I totally get that. It’s a process which can be satisfying but there’s always an equally important assessment operating in the background during that list-making, relating & refining objectives and logistics. By now, I’m pretty sure that this is more than “somewhat productive.”
Yeah, “character-building” is waiting somewhere up there. Remember, equipment selections only have the privilege of making the journey at your pleasure. You’re not obligated to suffer any longer than necessary through an inappropriate choice and should give yerself permission to swap out stuff along the way, rather than “tough something out” (heck, I’ve traded with other hikers and bikers right on the trail). Comfort = endurance and safety.
And damn, you *do* look formidable & ready in that photo!
Love the lists! Love the whole thing. I’ll be following you in lieu of walking it myself. I’ve always wanted to do this trail.