Critique my 2013 PCT gear list

Some thoughts:

I carried 1 lighter and a pack of waterproof matches as backup. If your pack gets wet inside somehow, then both lighters may fail. The matches never will.

Tent – assuming you're going north, you'll absolutely need a tent for WA/OR (or if a bivy, then a waterproof bivy for sure).

Gloves -those rain mitts will not provide any warmth on cold mornings. Unless your hands never get cold, think about light gloves, at least for the Sierra.

Water – I would want 5 L capacity for southern California. Also, you have 3 redundant types of water treatment. Stick with one. And then carry a few CLO2 or iodine pills as backup.

Rope – I never hung food on the PCT. I carried a rope the entire way and never used it once. YMMV

Books – the Atlas has maps, so why take Halfmile's maps, too?

You won't need DEET until Kennedy Meadows.

It looks like a good list. Have fun out there.

A couple thoughts:
1) As much as I love inflatables I doubt I would carry one again. Very high likelihood of chase leaks and I can you from experience when they happen in the Sierra it can be a long night.
2) I would take a wind shirt vs. your cap 4. I loved the windshirt in SoCal and once once used anything beyond my lightweight base layer and windshirt and that was after a VERY cold stream crossing at 5:30 in the morning in solid snow. You may hike cooler or have other reasons but that shirt would never have been used on my hike.
3) bivy. I used tarp bivy actually I only used the tarp three times. But I would be temped to stick with the tent in wa. You will be in super shape by then, your total weight will likely be less than your body weight at the beginning and you will likely hit rain in WA.
4) epoxy your dirty girl velcro to your shoes. I have had thoe shoe Velcro come off pretty easily.
5) I would take either long pants or tights not both. If its cold wear shorts and tights. I wore long pants until NoCal though other hikers wore nothing but shorts. Overall I would scrutinize your extra clothes. I had a lot less and probably could have pared down further.
6) I will second the glove lines from Campo until you find you don't need them. If youngest started early in the day, which I would reco, it will be cold for the first couple of hours. Likewise it gets colds quick in the evening. The mitts wouldn't cut it, your extra socks would be better than those.
7) I am a huge fan of body/powder. Helps control feet funk and athletes feet as well as chafing. I took a refillable bottle of powder and had a couple of ounces with each resupply. Nothing feels as good as a powdery foot massage.

If possible make sure you do a couple of shakedown hikes to see how your gear works together. Looks like you have a great start. Also, your cascade locks plan for your GF makes sense. It will allow you to adjust based on your desire and conditions.

Thats some awesome info guys, youre both right. I'll just use the tent the last 500 miles. Scott, took your advice and will do 1 mini bic and waterproof matches, I forgot to throw in my fleece gloves for under the eVent mitts. I'll consider taking the para cord out, but I dont know. Maybe it just seems like one of those things that would be hard to give up for me. I'll probably toss it. Also tossed the half mile maps.

Greg, my original plan was to use a Thermarest zLite pad, but I have both and thought I should take the NeoAir. I really like the comfort of the inflatable, I just really hate blowing it up and deflating it every night. I'll probably use the zRest or maybe the GG 3/8 pad. I'll get myself a windshirt, but just dont know if I can force myself to get rid of the capilene 4 fleece. Now I'm really considering just hiking in shorts and throwing on tights for when it gets cold. In that case would you go with the heavier Capilene 4 tights, or stick with the 3's? Totally forgot about gold bond, nothing beats that mentholated tingle in other areas.

Good list, and great responses so far. Note that I didn't review the list for completeness — you need to do that, against other lists that suggest that they're really "complete". So for example, if I notice that you don't list a trowel or the like for digging a hole — that's on you.

Repackaging A.M. drops is a PITA I think; I did so some years ago (after seeing it suggested on this site) and might be good for a short trip where you're really watching the weight, but for a thru-hike — just take the original containers. You go through the stuff too fast to mess with tiny bottles and bouncing it all the time. For my part I'd generally rather have a nice buffer as I've run low and even out a time or two.

Agreed that you want hand warmth beyond mitten shells. In fact, I might save those shells for WA state only. I suggest thin liner gloves (G.I. polypro can be had cheaply online) and then a thicker MITTEN. Apart from in a liner role, gloves SUCK. If they're thick enough to be warm, the fingers are so thick you can't use them much anyway. OR PL 400 Mitts are a good choice. Add a pair of bread bags if you want a shell, as you'll almost never want them until maybe WA state. In fact, add two pairs, unless you really do switch to boots in the sierras; I suggest that you stick to shoes and add a second pair of bread bags to wear them in camp when wet (with dry socks).

In fact I suggest that you drop multiple things until WA state: kilt, pack cover, and maybe pack liner (perhaps a really thin, short durability one that you'll rarely use).

Agreed on the above about wind shirt, though perhaps your rain coat layer can serve double duty there. Cap 4 strikes me as heavy as a "mid" layer. Generally all I wanted was a windshirt over a thin base layer, unless stopped, in which case you can add the down jacket.

Tights: drop 'em (even in WA state). Or at least that's my suggestion.

Ditto above on the cord. Carry some, but paracord is heavy/bulky. This, at least, is something that's not too hard to change along the way.

Go to the kickoff if you can; a good time to get a last-minute shakedown of your gear if you like and talk to a lot of people about alternatives. Lots of people end up mailing a lot of stuff home from the K.O.; I doubt that you'll be one of them, overall this looks pretty dialed-in to me.

Just wanted to add that I agree with Greg about the windshirt. I used mine most days. And layering my windshirt over my rain jacket was all the warmth I ever needed while walking (in camp, you can just wear your puffy jacket. As for the cap 4, maybe think about bringing it just for sleeping in the Sierra or for up north.

I had light tights with me the whole way. It was nice to have something dry to change into if my pants were wet.

Thanks guys, awesome replies. What wind shirt would you recommend? So you're saying for upper body layering ditch the Capileine 4 fleece and use the Patagonia L/S shirt, a wind shirt, the WM flash jacket, and a rain jacket?

I took a golite wisp and I just bought a Houdini. Any lightweight one will do. I would go lightweight tights if you go with tights.

As far as the pad it is all about trade offs. I also hated blowing it up and deflating it but then there is comfort and durability. No right answer just trade offs.

Heres the updated version of my gear list. Thanks for all the input, I'm feeling pretty confident with it.

2013 PCT GEAR LIST

Pack- ULA Circuit

Sleep Gear:
Sleeping bag- Feathered Friends Swallow Pertex UL w/ 2oz overfill
Sleeping Pad- 3/4 length zLite or Gossamer Gear 1/4"
Tent- Big Agnes UL3 (hiking with girlfriend until Cascade Locks)
Ground Sheet- Tyvek

Kitchen:
Stove- MYOG soda can w/ priming pan
Pot- Evernew .9L
Fuel- HEET
Plastic spork
Windscreen
mini bic lighter
waterproof matches

Hydration:
Bladder- Platypus 2L
Bottles- (3) 1L Pepsi bottles
Filtration- Steripen Adventurer
Chem. Drops- Aquamira

Clothing Worn:
Head- Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero/bandana
Sunglasses- Oakley Jawbone
Shirt- Patagonia Overhand L/S
Shorts- Patagonia Journeyman
Belt- Patagonia Friction
Socks- Smartwool
Shoes- Brooks Cascadia 7

Clothing Carried:
Gloves- MLD eVent & Polypro liner
Socks- 1 spare pair Smartwool
Down Jacket- Western Mountaineering Flash
Tights- Patagonia Capeline 3
Beanie- Brooks
Rain Gear- ULA kilt, Frogg Togg jacket
Wind Shirt- Patagonia Houdini

Stuff:
Trekking Poles- Leki Makalu
Headlamp- Petzl Tikka XP2
Iphone
Batteries- CR123 (Steripen) and AAA (headlamp)
Guidebook- Yogis & PCT Atlas
Compass- Suunto
Headphones
Mosquito net
Stick Pic
Pack Cover- ULA
Chargers
Ziploc quart container
Gaiters- Dirty Girl (epoxy velcro to shoes)
First Aid- MYOG (just a few basics, little duct tape, needle/thread, and 2 very powerful pain killers that wont make me loopy)
Small Swiss Army knife
4 bread bags
Trash compactor bag

Toiletries:
Cut down toothbrush
powdered tooth paste
toilet paper
mini purell hand sanitizer
mini baby wipes
Small amount of sunscreen
small amount of gold bond
Chapstick

Camera? Im trying to decide this for myself as i am also going thru pct 2013.

Is this the same BamBam AT thru hiker from 2011? I met a BamBam on the wooden deck at high point NJ monument.

I have tried the Seattle Sombrero, and I also carry Frogg Toggs, but I find the Sombrero too hot to wear when backpacking, rain or shine. (I tend to run hot, YMMV)

I use a light mesh ball cap under the Frogg Togg's hood instead. This saves a bit of weight, and I find the combination more useful in protecting my head and neck in wind driven rains.

For me, the Sombrero shines in camp or during light hiking, but I now carry a UL umbrella instead.

Hi Corey,

Great looking list! Hey, I noticed you mentioned "tossing Halfmile's maps". I would be willing to buy those off you if you still have them. (maybe you never printed them out?) I'm planning a hike this year as well and I'm planning on using Halfmile's. Let me know! Thanks,

Grady