Appalachian Trail Gear List 2025

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This is a complete Appalachian Trail Gear List for thru-hiking in 2025.

Below is a list of the best to take when thru-hiking or section hiking the Appalachian Trail. A Lightweight or Ultralight Appalachian Trail packing list will keep your base weight around 15lb or less.

This Appalachian Trail thru-hike gear list is my recommendation on what gear to take thru-hiking the AT. The biggest financial investment will be in the big four. The Backpack, Tent, Sleeping Bag, and Sleeping Mat.

A wise choice of these items will ensure an ultra-lightweight Appalachian Trail Packing List. These important considerations will lead to a comfortable night’s sleep and less stress on the body. The Appalachian Trail is already a very tough hike, make it a little easier with good gear selection. What to pack on the Appalachian Trail is an important thing to invest both time and money.

I am currently updating my very worn-out gear – Check out My Ultralight thru-hiking Gear list which has a base weight of less than 11lb (5kg).

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Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Gear List 2025

The Appalachian Trail is tougher than many other thru-hiking trails in many ways. Early and late-season snow and extreme cold are in complete contrast to the extreme heat and suffocating humidity in July for many sections of the AT.

Add to that the constant rain and the potential of a former hurricane moving over the trail to drop biblical levels of rain causing localized flooding.

Yes, the Appalachian Trail is tough on gear. This Appalachian Trail packing list should give the thru-hiker and section hiker the chance to take some of the best ultralight gear for the Appalachian Trail.

Then there are the long rocky sections of trail, overgrown sharp thickets, and exposed ridges which make for varied terrain that is tough on gear. Below are my selections of what to pack for the Appalachian Trail.

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Best Tent for the Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail will be wet and for the early starters and late finishers, it will be cold. There will be a few times when thru-hikers will be camping above the treeline so a full-on mountain tent is not necessary. The best tent for the Appalachian Trail will be lightweight, waterproof, and big enough.

Best 1P Tent for the Appalachian Trail

• ZPacks Plex Solo – 13.9 oz /395 grams
• Nemo Hornet Elite Osmo 1P – 29 oz / 822 grams
• Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1P -1 lb. 1 oz / 480 grams

Best 2P Tent for the Appalachian Trail

• Nemo Hornet Osmo 2P – 33 oz / 948 grams
• ZPacks Duplex – 1 lb. 3 oz / 539 grams
• Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P Tent – 1 lb. 8 oz / 680 grams

Best 3P Tent for the Appalachian Trail

• Zpacks Triplex – 1 lb. 6.6 oz / 612 grams
• Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 3P – 2lb 10 oz / 1191 grams

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Best Backpack for the Appalachian Trail

The best backpack for the Appalachian Trail is ultra-lightweight, comfortable, and durable enough to withstand months of abuse. There will be lots of rain on the AT so ensure that everything is packed inside some sort of waterproof bag. I like to use a large compactor trash bag.

What size Backpack for the Appalachian Trail

The best size backpack for the Appalachian Trail is around 50 liters. Some people think it is a great idea to take a 70 liter rucksack but there are ample places to resupply with food and water on the trail and a large backpack will encourage thru hikers to take too much gear. A 50-liter backpack for the Appalachian Trail is the best.

• Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra
• Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 40L
• Osprey Exos Pro
• Gossamer Gear Mariposa
• Zpacks Arc Blast
• ULA Circuit – 68 liters

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Best Sleeping Bag for the Appalachian Trail

The best sleeping bag for hiking the Appalachian Trail is a degree-rated sleeping bag around 20F. For those starting earlier or finishing later, you could get a sleeping bag rated to 10F. For section hiking in June or July, a bag rated to 30F or 40F would be OK.

The months of June and July are hot and humid. It would be great to have 2 sleeping bags. Take one for the colder months on the trail and then send it home for June and July and replace it with an ultralight summer sleeping bag. As this is not practical for most thru-hikers, a 20F bag is best.

Here is a list of very highly recommended ultralight Sleeping Bags for the Appalachian Trail.

• Zpacks Mummy Sleeping Bag
• Sea to Summit Spark 15F
• Rab Mythic Ultra 360
• Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 20F
• Zpacks Zip Around Sleeping Bag
• Feathered Friends Hummingbird
• Macpac Dragonfly 400

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Best Ultralight Backpacking Quilts for the Appalachian Trail

Ultralight Sleeping Quilts are popular and a better lightweight alternative to a heavier sleeping bag. But they have limitations in really cold weather. I would only recommend an ultralight quilt in temperatures above 30F. Anything below that temperature and a sleeping bag is more efficient at keeping you warm.

Here is a list of very highly recommended ultralight quilts for the Appalachian Trail.

• Katabatic Sawatch 15F
• Sea to Summit Ember 30F Quilt
• Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20F
• Zpacks 20F Zip Around Sleeping Bag Quilt
• Feathered Friends Flicker UL 20F Quilt
• REI Co-Op Magma 30 Down Trail Quilt

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Best Sleeping Pad for the Appalachian Trail

Being comfortable at night leads to a good night’s sleep. Nothing contributes more to a good night’s sleep than a comfortable sleeping pad. It is preferable to use an ultralight air mattress but lightweight foam makes a great option for the budget-conscious sleeper who mostly sleeps on their back.

Here is a list of all the best ultralight Sleeping mats for the Appalachian Trail.

• Therm-a-Rest Neoair Xlite NXT
• Nemo Tensor Trail Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad
• Sea to Summit Ether Light XT Insulated
• Thermarest Neoair X-Therm NXT
• Thermarest Z Lite Sol

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Best Footwear for the Appalachian Trail

Footwear is a personal choice and what works perfectly for one person will not work with another. Be wary of any hiking footwear gear review that suggests this show or that shoe is best. Everyone’s feet are different.

Several things are certain about footwear for hiking the Appalachian Trail. They should be lightweight, fit properly, and not cause blisters or hotspots.

For narrow feet, the better options are Saloman and Brooks. For wider feet, Altra and Merrell are best.

Here are my 3 recommendations for the best shoes and boots for the Appalachian Trail.

• Merrell Men’s Moab 3 Vent Hiking Shoe
• Salomon X Ultra 4 Low GTX
• Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot

Here are my 3 recommendations for the best trail running shoes for the Appalachian Trail.

• Altra Lone Peak 8
• Brooks Cascadia 18
• Hoka Speedgoat 6

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Socks for the Appalachian Trail

This is a no-brainer. Darn Tough Socks are the most popular for good reason. Sure you could try another brand and style but there is every chance that you will just return to Darn Tough. If you are starting very early in the season you may need a pair of Hiking Gaiters for protection from the cold and snow.

• Darn Tough Socks

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Best Clothing for the Appalachian Trail

The best clothing for thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail is something that involves layers. There will be extreme heat and humidity in mid-summer and extreme cold and early or late-season snow. Layers include a good rain jacket, puffy down jacket, mid-layer, and baselayer.

Appalachian Trail hikers are especially prone to reeking of very bad body odor. This can be reduced by using Merino Wool Baselayer but they are not recommended for areas with high humidity. All layers including down jackets should have some degree of weather protection for the certain rain that will be encountered.

Layers that you should take include a puffy down jacket, mid-layer, baselayer, hiking shirts, hiking shorts, and rain gear.

Down Jacket

• Arc’teryx Cerium Hoodie – 335g / 11.8oz
• Zpacks Goose Down Jacket – 192g / 6.8oz
• Feathered Friends Eos – 306g / 10.8oz
• Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Hooded – 249g / 8.8oz
• Patagonia Down Sweater – 428g / 15.1oz

Fleece Mid Layer

• Patagonia R1 Techface Jacket
• Patagonia R1 Air
• Patagonia Better Sweater

Baselayers

• Smartwool Merino Classic All-Season Base Layer
• Smartwool Merino Classic Thermal Base Layer
• Patagonia Capilene Cool Crew
• Macpac Prothermals
• REI Co-op Lightweight Base Layer Long-Sleeve Crew Top

Hiking Shirts

• Columbia Silver Ridge Utility Lite
• Patagonia Sun Stretch LS Shirt
• Patagonia Go To Shirt
• Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Shirt
• REI Sahara Long Sleeve Solid Shirt
• REI Co-op Sahara Long-Sleeve T-Shirt

Hiking Pants

• Prana Stretch Zion II
• Kuhl Silencr Pants
• Kuhl Deceptr Pants
• REI Co-op Activator 3.0
• Kuhl Radikl Pants
• Patagonia Quandary Pants

Hiking Shorts

• prAna Stretch Zion Shorts II
• Patagonia Quandary Shorts
• Patagonia Baggies
• Outdoor Research Ferrosi Short
• Patagonia Multi Trails Short

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Best Rain Gear for the Appalachian Trail

The Appalachian Trail will see a lot of rain so be prepared with quality rain gear. When it does rain you will need a high-quality ultralight rain jacket. Not only will it protect you from the rain, but they make a great windbreaker on those cool days and you may find yourself wearing it more often than you might think.

Here is a list of all the best rain jackets for the Appalachian Trail.

• ZPacks Vertice Rain Jacket
• Outdoor Research Helium
• Arc’teryx Beta SL Rain Jacket
• Enlightened Equipment Visp

Don’t forget Rain Pants such as the Outdoor Research Helium Pants or the ultralight Zpacks Vertice Rain Pants.

I have used the Six Moon Designs Silver Shadow Carbon on the Appalachian Trail and I love it. At only 8 ounces it is well worth the added weight, especially in the warmer sections of the trail when it is too hot and humid for rain gear.

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Cookware – Stoves & Pots for Appalachian Trail

You will appreciate a warm meal at night and maybe a hot coffee or tea in the morning. Here are some cookware sets, stoves, pots, and other gear you will need for the trail.

You will appreciate a warm meal at night and maybe a hot coffee or tea in the morning. Here are some of the best cookware sets, stoves, pots, and other gear you will need for the trail.

• Evernew Ti DX Alcohol Stove Titanium
• MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe
• SOTO WindMaster Stove
• Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Cook Set Pot and Skillet
• Snow Peak Titanium Single Wall Cup 600
• TOAKS Light Titanium 550ml Pot (Ultralight Version)
• Titanium Spoon
• Gerber STL 2.0 Knife
• Bic Lighter

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Water on the Appalachian Trail

Overall the water quality on the AT is reasonable and there are not many dry sections requiring a heavy water carry. As with almost every backcountry trip, you should treat the water and carry enough for your needs. While on the Appalachian Trail, I got sick a couple of times from not filtering water. Here are some recommended water treatment devices, water storage bottles, and bladders.

• Sawyer Squeeze
• Katadyn Micropur Purification Tablets
• Platypus Bottle 2-Litre
• Nalgene Water Bottle 1 litre – although heavy it can be carried early or late in the season when it can be very cold. Fill it with hot water at night and put it in your sleeping bag to stay warm. You will have non-frozen water to drink in the morning. You can send it home in warmer weather.

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Trekking Poles for the Appalachian Trail

To reduce wear on your body a good quality set of trekking poles should be used. Here are the best options for the AT:

• Gossamer Gear LT5
• Zpacks Carbon Fiber Trekking Pole
• Black Diamond Pursuit
• MSR Dynalock Ascent Carbon

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Snow Gear and Bear Canisters for the AT

If you are starting very early or finishing very late you may want to consider some specialist snow gear to make the trip a bit more comfortable. This gear can be sent home when the weather warms up. And consider a bear bag to prevent bears or rodents from consuming your food on the trail.

• Winter Hiking Boots
• Winter Sleeping Bags
• Winter Hiking Pants
• Bear Bags
• Winter Gloves

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Cameras and Electronics

With so many electronics that we take on the trail these days, it can be hard to decide what to take and what to leave behind. Take a look at some of the items you may need and follow the links to my detailed guides about which ones are the best.

• Best Cameras for Hiking – For the photographers. Most people will be happy enough with the quality of their smartphone.
• Best HikingBattery Bank – Very important to have a high-quality battery to recharge all your electronics.
• Best GPS for Hiking – Not needed for the trail as most people can navigate OK with a smartphone App.
• Best GPS Watch for Hiking – More and more people are hiking with a GPS watch. They are great but will need charging every night so be sure to take a portable battery bank with you.
• Best PLB and Satellite Messenger – Highly recommended for thru-hiking the AT. Many people get into difficulty on the trail and one of these can save your life.
• USB Wall Charger + Cables.

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Other Gear

• Plastic zip lock bags
• Money / ID / Credit Cards
• Blister pads
• Strapping Tape
• Foot infection anti-biotic
• Ibuprofen
• Tweezers
• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Safety Pin
• Needle
• Deet insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Lip Balm
• Toilet tissue

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Enjoy the trail.

Cheers Shepherd – PCT15, CDT16, AT17, TA18-19, and still thru-hiking.

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