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Mac’s Backpacking Gear List (Summer 2015)

By Mac 13 Comments

I’ve been asked a lot about what it is I have in my pack since my gear from the Pacific Crest Trail or Everest Base Camp isn’t necessarily up-to-date or applicable to my current setting (yes, sadly the -20°F/-29°C sleeping bag has been shelved until winter). First, I’ve simply listed everything, and below I have more detailed descriptions of the items including photos, pros/cons, weights, prices, and links.

The gear described here is suitable for both thru-hiking and day hikes (in case you have separation anxiety with your gear).

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions (I’m always looking to try new things), then leave a comment and let me know.

THE BIG STUFF

  • BACKPACK | Osprey Exos 58 (REVIEW)
  • SHELTER | Mountain Hardwear SuperMegaUL 1 (REVIEW)
  • SLEEPING BAG | Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15
    (REVIEW)
  • SLEEPING PAD | Therm-A-Rest Z-Lite SOL
  • LINER | Sea to Summit Reactor Plus
  • TREKKING POLES | Black Diamond Alpine Ergo Cork

THE KITCHEN

  • UTENSIL | Snow Peak Titanium Spork

I have converted to stoveless backpacking for reasons that can be found here.

THE CLOTHING

  • HEADWEAR | Double Mountain Gray Flat Brim Fitted Ballcap
  • HEADWEAR | Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon
  • SUNGLASSES | RayBan RB2140 Wayfarer (54mm)
  • JACKET | Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket (REVIEW)
  • SHIRT | Columbia Freeze Degree Long Sleeve Shirt
  • PANTS | Mountain Hardwear Mesa Convertible Pants V2
  • SHOES | New Balance MO889
  • INSOLES | Superfeet Wide Green Premium Insoles
  • SOCKS | Darn Tough Vermont Men’s 1/4 Merino Wool Cushion Hiking Socks x 2 (REVIEW)
  • UNDERWEAR | Under Armour Men’s HeatGear Sonic Compression Shorts (x 2)

THE SMALLER STUFF

  • HEADLAMP | Princeton Tec Remix
  • MULTITOOL | Leatherman Skeletool CX
  • RAINCOVER | Osprey UL Raincover
  • WATER TREATMENT | SteriPEN Ultra
  • WATER BOTTLE | Platypus PlusBottle 1 Liter Water Bottle
  • WATER BOTTLE | Nalgene Wide-Mouth Canteen (48-Ounce)
  • HYDRATION | Platypus Drinking Tube
  • STUFF SACKS | Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Stuff Sacks (2.5L, 9L)
  • SLEEPING BAG STUFF SACK | Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Nano Dry Sack (15L)

THE ELECTRONICS

  • PHONE | LG Nexus 5
  • BATTERY | Anker 2nd Gen Astro3 12800mAh
  • CAMERA | Canon EOS 60D
  • CAMERA | Canon 50D
  • LENS | Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM SLR
  • TRIPOD | Joby Gorillapod
  • ACCESSORY | Peak Design Capture Camera Clip x2 (REVIEW)
  • STRAP | Peak Design Camera Hand Clutch Strap
  • MISCELLANEOUS | Spare battery, micro USB cord, mini USB cord

THE MISCELLANEOUS

Toothpaste, toothbrush, cards/cash, Mini Bic, rubber bands, notebook, pens, Ziplocs

DETAILED VIEW

OSPREY EXOS 58 (M)

Osprey Exos 58 Backpack

PROS
Comfortable, lightweight, detachable hood, stretchy mesh pockets, wide enough for bear canister or winter sleeping bag, lifetime warranty

CONS
Not an ultralight pack, poorly designed sleeping pad attachment strap

42 oz / 1.19 kg / $220 US

PRODUCT LINK

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR SUPERMEGAUL 1

Mountain Hardwear SuperMegaUL 1 Tent Inside

PROS
Lightweight, easy setup and breakdown, freestanding, mesh pocket, enough space to sit upright (barely)

CONS
No room for backpack inside, included stakes not durable, expensive

31.8 oz / 908 g / $350 US

PRODUCT LINK

DETAILED REVIEW

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR PHANTOM 15 (R)

Clouds Rest Morning Halfdome

PROS
Warm enough for summer months, compressible 800-fill down, lightweight, lots of room, built-in pocket, dries quickly (moisture due to condensation, not submersion)

CONS
Expensive

33 oz / 935 g / $500 US

DETAILED REVIEW

THERM-A-REST Z LITE SOL

Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol

PROS
Inexpensive, comfortable, room enough to lay flat, versatile (as a quick mat or water sliding device)

CONS
Bulky when compared to blow-up pads, flattens out over time

14.5 oz / 411 g / $45 US

PRODUCT LINK

DETAILED REVIEW

SEA TO SUMMIT REACTOR THERMOLITE LINER

Sea to Summit Liner and Gear

PROS
Adds warmth, can be used in lieu of sleeping bag on hot nights, makes bag more comfortable, keeps bag cleaner

CONS
Adds unnecessary weight

8.1 oz / 229 g / $58 US

PRODUCT LINK

BLACK DIAMOND ALPINE ERGO CORK TREKKING POLES

Black Diamond Ergo Cork Trekking Poles

PROS
Cork grip prevented hands from becoming filthy (as happens with rubber grips), easily adjustable, locks never failed under stress

CONS
Never used for going downhill, I think I prefer poles with shocks (more fun to lean into whilst stopped)

19.9 oz / 564 g / $140 US

PRODUCT LINK

MORE ON TREKKING POLES

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR GHOST WHISPERER DOWN JACKET

Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer-1

PROS
Awesome jacket – incredibly warm, lightweight, and compressible (and works wonders as a pillow), waistband drawstring, elastic cuffs, and turtleneck ensure maximum warmth

CONS
Mountain Hardwear’s sizing is not the best, expensive

7.2 oz / 204 g / $300 US

DETAILED REVIEW

COLUMBIA OMNI-FREEZE SHIRT

Columbia Omni-Freeze Zero Shirt

PROS
Comfortable, lightweight, quick-drying, convertible sleeves

CONS
Columbia’s “omni-freeze” gimmick does not actually keep you cooler in my opinion, eventually my pack wore holes in the back of the shirt, expensive for what it is

9.6 oz / 272 g / $95 US

PRODUCT LINK

NEW BALANCE 889 TRAIL RUNNERS

Old and New Shoes

PROS
Comfortable, wide (come in 4E), durable, good tread, Vibram sole

CONS
The insoles are not very good, I would recommend Superfeet as replacements, discontinued

12 oz / 340 g / $85 US

PRODUCT LINK

DARN TOUGH 1/4 HIKING SOCKS

Darn Tough Socks

PROS
Comfortable, wool, lifetime guarantee, great cushion

CONS
You will never want to buy another brand of socks

7.2 oz / 204 g / $20 US

PRODUCT LINK

DETAILED REVIEW

SUPERFEET WIDE GREEN PREMIUM INSOLES

Green Superfeet

PROS
Offer more support than generic inserts (and arch support), don’t easily come up out of the shoe, comfortable

CONS
They don’t last forever, out of the box they need to be cut to fit your shoes

0.42 oz / 12 g / $45 US

PRODUCT LINK

UNDER ARMOR 9″ COMPRESSION SHORTS

Kennedy Meadows Beers

PROS
Comfortable, effective at preventing chafe, rarely begin to smell, dry quickly, can be passed off as shorts

CONS
An inside seam on one pair tore (still usable, will replace)

4 oz / 113 g / $30 US

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR MESA CONVERTIBLE PANTS V2

Mt Arashima Summit Self

PROS
Convertible, lightweight, comfortable, zipper pocket, quick drying

CONS
Belt loops aren’t the strongest (one has ripped), MH’s sizing is off (too large) – or I’ve lost a lot of weight

10.6 oz / 300 g / $75 US

MOUNTAIN HEARDWEAR DOME PERIGNON BEANIE

Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon Self

PROS
Warm, good at blocking the wind, comfortable for sleeping, can be worn multiple ways

CONS
A bit heavy for what it is, not entirely necessary

2.8 oz / 80 g / $36 US

PEAK DESIGN CAPTURE CLIP

Peak Design Capture Clip

PROS
Makes carrying a DSLR incredibly comfortable and easy, it’s durable, lifetime warranty

CONS
Nothing, this thing is awesome.

3.5 oz / 100 g / $60 US

PRODUCT LINK

DETAILED REVIEW

SteriPEN ULTRA

SteriPEN Ultra

PROS
Kills protozoa, bacteria, and viruses, quick and easy to use, rechargeable (no heavy batteries)

CONS
Does not remove sediment, doesn’t work with murky/cloudy water, need container to fit, reliance on technology

4.94 oz / 140 g / $100 US

PRODUCT LINK

PRINCETON TEC REMIX HEADLAMP

Princeton Tex Remix Headlamp

PROS
Bright, doesn’t eat through batteries, multiple settings, adjustable beam direction

CONS
No red light (didn’t realize then when purchasing), no strobe

2.9 oz / 83 g / $30 US

PRODUCT LINK

LEATHERMAN SKELETOOL CX

Leatherman Skeletool CX Open

PROS
Sharp, locking blade, clip, changeable bit, externally accessible tools

CONS
Heavy, but I carry in a pocket, pliers have yet to be useful – I’d prefer scissors

5 oz / 142 g / $90 US

OSPREY UL RAINCOVER

Osprey Atmos 65 Rain Cover Sweden

PROS
Packs into itself, drawstring and button to cinch, can protect bag in vestibule from puddles

CONS
Could be replaced by a trash compactor bag (which I may do soon)

2.8 oz / 80 g / $30 US

PRODUCT LINK

PLATYPUS PlusBOTTLE 1L

Platypus Water Bottle Rect

PROS
Compatible with drinking tube, foldable, lightweight, pull/push cap option

CONS
Difficult to clean, expensive, can be difficult to fill from some streams

1.3 oz / 38 g / $17 US

PRODUCT LINK

PLATYPUS DRINKING TUBE

Frozen Water Tube Backpack Sweden

PROS
Flexible, durable, transparent, inexpensive

CONS
Difficult to clean and gets moldy if not stored properly

2.02 oz / 57.5 g / $13 US

PRODUCT LINK

SEA TO SUMMIT ULTRA-SIL NANO DRY SACK (13L)

Sea to Summit 13L Dry Sack

PROS
Waterproof, durable, roll-top

CONS
Not necessary

1 oz / 28g / $13 US

SEA TO SUMMIT ULTRA-SIL STUFF SACKS (2.5, 9L)

Sea to Summit Stuff Sacks

PROS
Lightweight, drawstring closure, have never had one tear or break on me

CONS
Not completely necessary, expensive for what they are

.4 oz, 11g / .7 oz, 20g / $9, $14 US

Am I doing anything right? Something wrong? Did I miss anything? Do you have any suggestions? I will update this again next season and as things continue to change in my pack.

Comment below and let me know what you think!

Disclosure: Your trust is important to me and that’s why I only recommend products I love and personally use. This page contains affiliate links which means at no additional cost to you, I may receive small commissions for purchases made via these links. This helps keep the site up and running.

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