Pacific Crest Trail Gear List
Here is the best Pacific Crest Trail Gear List ultralight for the thru hiker wanting to carry lightweight on the PCT. All the gear on this list would be perfect PCT gear for you to take on your thru hike.
Everything on the PCT List is easily available and reasonably priced. The PCT gear lost includes items that would only be used on small sections of the trail such as a Bear Barrel, Ice Axe or microspikes.
Included are links to extensive gear reviews on all the best ultra lightweight hiking gear for the PCT.
PCT Gear List
What is the best shelter to use on the PCT
Overall there are several great lightweight tents to use on the PCT. Below are a selection of the top 3 shelters to use on the Pacific Crest Trail
- Nemo Hornet Elite 1P – 1lb 14oz (840 grams)
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultramid 2 -18.85oz (534g)
- Fly Creek HV1 Carbon 1P – 21oz (595grams)
Read about the best lightweight tents for the PCT in 2021:
Best Lightweight Tents.
What is the Best Backpack for the PCT
The best ultralight backpack for thuu hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is one that is not only lightweight but durable enough to last thousands of miles of abuse. Below are the best 4 thru hiking backpacks.
- Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 – 50 litre – 30oz / 852 grams
- Osprey Exos 48 – 48 litres – 36oz / 1030grams
- Osprey Exos 58 – 58 litres – 37oz /1060 grams
- Osprey Levity 45 – 45 litres – 28oz – 780 grams
- Pack Liner/Garbage bag 60 Grams
Read more about the Best Lightweight Backpacks for the PCT in 2021:
Best Lightweight Backpacks.
Best Sleeping Bag for the PCT
The best sleeping bag for the PCT is lightweight, tough and with a temperature rating of down to 20F / -6C. Below are the best ultralight sleeping bags and quilts for thur hiking the PCT.
- Feathered Friends Flicker UL 20 Quilt – 20F / -7 – 26oz / 748g
- Enlightened Equipment Revelation – 20F / -7C – 22.5oz / 639g
- Feathered Friends Hummingbird – 20F / -7C – 24oz – 680g
- Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20F / -7C – 29oz / 820g
Read more about the best Sleeping Bags and Pads for the PCT in 2021:
Best Lightweight Sleeping Bags and Quilts
Best Lightweight Sleeping Mats
Cooking Gear to take on the PCT
Light and strong cooking gear is need for thru hiking the PCT. It does not need to be expensive, nor does it need to be the highest quality. It just needs to work. The list below is all you need to cook and eat on the Pacific Crest Trail.
- Evernew Ti DX Stove Titanium 86 Grams.
- Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Cookset with homemade aluminum foil lid 114 Grams.
- Sea To Summit X-Mug – 78 grams
- Titanium Spoon 12 Grams
- Gerber STL 2.0 Knife 28 Grams
- Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter System 85 Grams
- Steripen rechargable– 140 grams
- Katadyn Micropur Water Purifier Tabs 20 Grams
- 2 x Platypus Bottle 2-Litre 72 Grams
- Nalgene Water Bottle 1 litre – 178 grams
Bic Lighter – 20 Grams – A necessary item, obviously.
600ml Coke Bottle to store alcohol for stove – 27 grams - Total Weight = 840Grams/29.60z
Electronics and Camera
- Samsung S9 Plus+ headphones + cable 114 grams.
- Sony RX100 + spare battery + case + spare memory card – 299Grams.
- GoPro Hero 8 – 117 grams.
- Anker 20000mAh battery pack – 354 grams.
- Anker 24W Dual USB Wall Charger + Cables 65 grams.
- Total 1237 grams
Clothing worn and Carried
- Outdoor Research Filament Hooded Jacket – 281 grams.
- PrAna Stretch Zion Convertible Pants – 430 grams.
- Smartwool Base Layer Pants – 150 grams
- Smartwool LS Shirt– 255 grams.
- Reebok unpadded Cycle Shorts – 85 grams.
- Merino Wool Midweight Balaclava – 60 gram
- No name running shorts – 100grams
- Nike Short Sleeve Running Shirt – 150 gram
- Gloves – 65 grams
- PCT Sunhat 55 grams – A great lightweight sunhat
Sunglasses – 50 grams - Total 1681grams/59.3oz
Read more about:
Guide to the Best Lightweight Down Jackets
Raingear
- Outdoor Research Helium II Jacket – 180 Grams
- Outdoor Research Helium Pants – 153 Grams
- Six Moon Design Hiking Umbrella – 227 grams
Winter Gear , Trekking Poles, Bear Cannisters
- Leki Micro Vario Carbon Trekking Poles 413 grams (pair)
- Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe with Grip = 485 grams
- Kahtoola MICROspikes = 340 grams
- Petzl – TIKKA Headlamp = 85 grams
- Bear Cannister
A guide to what Bear Cannisters to take on the PCT
First Aid and Misc
- Plastic zip lock bags
- Money / ID / Credit Cards
- Blister pads
- Strapping Tape
- Giardia anti-biotic
- Foot infection anti-biotic
- Ibuprofen
- tweezers
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Safety Pin
- Needle
- Deet insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Lip Balm
- Toilet tissue
Total = 375 Gram
Total weight of backpack approx 6.5 kilograms/13lb.
Food and cooking fuel will add about 1 kilogram per day on average. Water weight is extra again, at 1 kilogram per litre!
Read Next : Complete Guide to Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail – including a daily hiking journal.
More great Thru Hiking stuff:
The Best Thru Hiking Trails in the World?
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the Appalchian Trail
Hiking the Continental Divide Trail
Te Araroa Trail
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Enjoy the trail.
Cheers Shepherd – PCT15, CDT16, AT17, TA18-19 and still hiking.
The Best Hiking Gear at the Best Prices :
Backcountry.com | REI | Moosejaw.com | Amazon |
Hyperlite Mountain Gear | Patagonia | Feathered Friends |
Nemo | Vasque | Sea to Summit | Enlightened Equipment | Campsaver | Snowys.com | Macpac | MEC Canada | Wildfiresports.com.au
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