The Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2019 Survey

In the second chapter of the Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we take a deep dive into Pacific Crest Trail hikers’ gear. PCT gear lists can vary wildly between hikers and (spoiler alert) it’s impossible to find a perfect PCT gear list. That said, we can try.

I’ve organized this post in a way that I hope will give a comprehensive picture of what gear PCT thru-hikers are using. This post covers the highest-rated gear, most common gear, gear statistics based on different groups of hikers, the lowest-rated gear, hiker comments on gear, and finally, gear advice. The gear covered here includes backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, down jackets, rain jackets, bear canisters, stoves, water treatment, and snow equipment.

Previously, I also included women-specific gear, but in the interest of both organization and getting this post published (and to keep this post from being absurdly long), I am going to be publishing follow-up posts on gear broken down by gender as well as gear used by couples hiking the PCT.

I am sure that some of you will come up with comparisons you would like to see that I have overlooked. My hope is to make this a useful resource for PCT hikers, so if there’s anything that you think is missing, please leave a comment or get in touch.

That being said, I hope you enjoy this year’s PCT Gear Guide brought to you by the PCT Class of 2019.

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Notes on the data

• This year we had 846 completed surveys – that’s a 68% increase vs. last year and the most respondents in the history of the survey.
• Some responses have been sorted and colored to present the data in a friendlier manner (e.g. northbound vs. southbound responses).
• Not all PCT hikers meticulously document the stats of their thru-hike (yes, I’m weird). Therefore, the data is not going to be 100% accurate. That said, it should be fairly close to the reality of the trail this year.
• I refer to survey respondents collectively as this year’s “class“. Remember, this is a sample and not a comprehensive survey of every single PCT hiker on the trail this year.
• If you find a small and meaningless discrepancy in the data, congratulations. However, if you find a large or obvious error, please let me know and it will be corrected.
• If you’re wondering what this symbol – σ – is, it’s the symbol for standard deviation. If you don’t know what that is, I invite you to use the Google.
• If two pieces of gear have the same rating, the higher ranking is given to the piece of gear that had a higher number of users.
• For stats requiring the length of the PCT for a calculation (e.g. average mileage per day over the course of the trail), I use 2,660 mi / 4,280 km.
• I will be releasing more detailed survey posts focused on PCT Resupply, PCT Demographics, PCT Horror Stories, and PCT Advice in the coming weeks. If you would like to be notified of new surveys, click here.

LABELS differentiating hiker segments:

• THRU: Thru-hikers (all)
• THRU-0: Thru-hikers who did NOT complete the PCT
• THRU-1: Thru-hikers who completed the entire PCT
• NOBO: Northbound thru-hikers (all)
• NOBO-0: Northbound thru-hikers who did NOT complete the PCT
• NOBO-1: Northbound thru-hikers who completed the PCT
• SOBO: Southbound thru-hikers (all)
• SOBO-0: Southbound thru-hikers who did NOT complete the PCT
• SOBO-1: Southbound thru-hikers who completed the PCT

If NO LABEL has been appended to a data point, then I used all data collected (i.e. it also includes section hiker data).

The Highest-rated PCT Gear

In addition to asking each PCT hiker what gear they used, I also ask hikers to rate each piece of gear. No point in doing what everyone else is doing if they’re all doing it wrong, right? I use this information to arrive at a top-five-pieces-of-gear list for each of the categories surveyed.

NOTES ON THE DATA:

• All weights (and for backpacks, capacity) for products below are for products in a size medium and/or regular unless otherwise noted. For ice axes, I used whichever available length was closest to 60 cm.
• I only included items here that were used by AT LEAST twenty hikers. Why twenty? Because that’s the number I arbitrarily decided on – I already told you, this isn’t scientific. That said, most of the items listed here had closer to 50 hikers who used them.

The Highest-rated PCT Gear List

The total price of all this gear? $2,968 (this includes one pair of shoes). The average amount hikers spent prior to beginning their hikes? $1,529.74 (σ = $977.01). Clearly, most hikers had some of their gear prior to beginning their hikes.

Now, let’s take a detailed look at the top five highest-rated pieces of gear in each of the following categories: backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, shells, stoves, water treatments, trekking poles, ice axes, traction devices, bear canisters, and shoes.

BACKPACK	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	LITERS	MAX LOAD	ACCESS
ULA Circuit	$255	4.60/5	41 oz / 1.162 kg	68	35 lbs / 16 kg	Top
ULA Catalyst	$280	4.55/5	48 oz / 1.361 kg	75	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider	$345	4.50/5	31.82 oz / 902 g	55	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top
Osprey Eja	$220	4.40/5	41 oz / 1.162 kg	58	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest	$345	4.32/5	32.11 oz / 910 g	55	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top

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SHELTER	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	PACKED SIZE	HEIGHT	FLOOR	DOORS
MSR Hubba NX	$380	4.74/5	46 oz / 1.304 kg	6 x 18 in / 15 x 46 cm	36 in / 91 cm	18 ft² / 1.67 m²	1
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3	$500	4.68/5	62 oz / 1.757 kg	6 x 21 in / 15 x 53 cm	43 in / 109 cm	41 ft² / 3.81 m²	2
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2	$400	4.64/5	40 oz / 1.133 kg	5.5 x 18 in / 14 x 46 cm	39 in / 99 cm	28 ft² / 2.6 m²	2
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2	$450	4.61/5	50 oz / 1.417 kg	6 x 19.5 in / 15 x 50 cm	40 in / 101 cm	29 ft² / 2.69 m²	2
MSR Hubba Hubba NX	$450	4.56/5	62 oz / 1.757 kg	6 x 18 in / 15 x 46 cm	39 in / 99 cm	29 ft² / 2.69 m²	2

A NOTE ON SHELTERS

For the weight of each shelter, I have used the packed weight – that is, the weight of the shelter including stuff sacks, guy lines, and stakes.

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SLEEPING BAG	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	TEMPERATURE	FILL	FILL WEIGHT
Western Mountaineering Versalite	$605	4.94/5	32 oz / 907 g	10°F / -12°C	850-fill goose down	20 oz / 565 g
Western Mountaineering UltraLite	$525	4.87/5	30 oz / 850 g	20°F / -6°C	850-fill goose down	16 oz / 453.6 g
Western Mountaineering Alpinlite	$585	4.85/5	31 oz / 879 g	20°F / -6°C	850-fill goose down	19 oz / 539 g
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 10	$325	4.53/5	25.95 oz / 736 g	10°F / -12°C	850-fill duck down	13.63 oz / 386 g
REI Co-op Magma 15	$370	4.44/5	28.2 oz / 800 g	16°F / -8.9°C	850-fill goose down	15.9 oz / 451 g

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SLEEPING PAD	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	R-VALUE	TYPE	PACKED SIZE	THICKNESS
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm	$215	4.82/5	15 oz / 425 g	6.9	Air	9 x 4 in / 23 x 10 cm	2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite	$185	4.402/5	12 oz / 340 g	4.2	Air	9 x 4.1 in / 23 x 10 cm	2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol	$45	4.400/5	14 oz / 397 g	2.6	Foam	20 x 5 x 5.5 in / 51 x 13 x 14 cm	0.75 in / 2 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (Small)	$145	4.33/5	8 oz / 227 g	4.2	Air	9 x 3.5 in / 23 x 9 cm	2.5 in / 6.4 cm
NEMO Tensor Insulated	$160	4.25/5	15 oz / 425 g	3.5	Air	8 x 3 in / 20 x 8 cm	3 in / 7.6 cm

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JACKET	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	INSULATION	HOOD	POCKETS
Rab Microlight Alpine Down Jacket	$215	4.93/5	15.1 oz / 428 g	750-fill goose down	Yes	2 zippered hand / 1 zippered chest
Enlightened Equipment Torrid APEX Jacket	$170	4.88/5	8.4 oz / 238 g	Climashield APEX	Yes	2 zippered hand
Arc’teryx Cerium SL Down Jacket	$330	4.79/5	6.9 oz / 196 g	850-fill goose down	No	2 zippered hand
Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie	$380	4.75/5	10.9 oz / 309 g	850-fill goose down	Yes	2 zippered hand / 1 zippered internal
Feathered Friends Eos Down Jacket	$340	4.73/5	10.6 oz / 300 g	900+ fill goose down	Yes	2 zippered hand

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SHELL	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	FABRIC	PIT ZIPS	POCKETS
Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket	$400	4.41/5	12.3 oz / 349 g	Gore-Tex Paclite	Yes	2 zippered hand
Marmot Minimalist	$190	4.29/5	14.9 oz / 422 g	Gore-Tex Paclite	Yes	2 zippered hand / 1 zippered chest
Montbell Versalite	$200	4.15/5	6.4 oz / 182 g	Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper	Yes	2 zippered hand
Marmot PreCip Jacket	$100	4.09/5	11.39oz / 322.9g	Marmot NanoPro Waterproof/Breathable	Yes	2 zippered hand
Patagonia Torrentshell	$130	4.07/5	12.1 oz / 343 g	2.5-layer H2No Performance Standard shell	Yes	2 zippered hand

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STOVE	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	TYPE	DIMENSIONS	INTEGRATED POT	SIMMER CONTROL
SOTO WindMaster	$65	4.94/5	2.3 oz/ 66 g	Canister	2.5 x 1.3 x 1.8 in / 6.4 x 3.4 x 4.6 cm	No	Yes
MSR PocketRocket Deluxe	$70	4.77/5	2.9 oz / 82 g	Canister	3.3 x 2.2 x 1.8 in / 8.4 x 5.6 x 4.6 cm	No	Yes
Jetboil MiniMo	$145	4.63/5	14 oz / 397 g	Canister	5 x 6 in / 12.7 x 15.2 cm	Yes	Yes
Jetboil Flash	$100	4.62 / 5	13.1 oz / 371 g	Canister	7.1 x 4.1 in / 18 x 10.4 cm	Yes	Yes
MSR PocketRocket 2	$45	4.57/5	2.6 oz / 74 g	Canister	7.25 x 5 x 4 in / 19 x 12.6 x 10.2 cm	No	Yes

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WATER TREATMENT	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	TYPE	DIMENSIONS	MEDIUM	REMOVES
Sawyer Squeeze	$35	4.55/5	3 oz / 85 g	Squeeze/Straw	2 x 5 in / 5 x 13 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria
Aquamira	$15	4.42/5	3 oz / 85 g	Drops	N/A	Chlorine dioxide	Protozoa, bacteria, and viruses
Katadyn BeFree	$25	4.13/5	2.3 oz / 65 g	Bottle	11.3 x 3.5 x 2.8 in / 29 x 9 x 7 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria
Sawyer Micro	$28	3.73/5	2.5 oz / 71 g	Squeeze/Straw	15.5 x 6 x 1 in . 39 x 15 x 2.5 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria
Sawyer Mini	$20	3.53/5	2 oz / 57 g	Squeeze/Straw	1 x 5 in / 2.5 x 6.6 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria

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TREKKING POLES	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT (PAIR)	SHAFT MATERIAL	HANDLE MATERIAL	COLLAPSED LENGTH	LOCKING MECHANISM
Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork	$130	4.73/5	18 oz / 510 g	Aluminum	Cork	27 in / 69 cm	External lever lock
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork	$180	4.68/5	17.1 oz / 485 g	Carbon fiber	Cork	24 in / 61 cm	External lever lock
Leki Corklite	Discontinued	4.51/5	19.1 oz / 541 g	6.5 HTS aluminum	Cork / rubber	24.4 in / 62 cm	External lever lock
Black Diamond Trail	$100	4.42/5	17 oz / 482 g	Aluminum	Foam	25 in / 63.5 cm	External lever lock
Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber	$50	4.39/5	16 oz / 454 g	Carbon fiber	Cork	26 in / 66 cm	External lever lock

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ICE AXE	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	MATERIAL	LENGTHS	SHAFT SHAPE
Black Diamond Raven Pro	$110	4.57/5	13.8 oz / 392 g	Stainless-steel head and spike/aluminum 7075-T6 shaft	55, 60, 65, 70 cm	Straight
Black Diamond Raven	$85	4.44/5	15.9 oz / 452 g	Stainless-steel head/aluminum shaft	60, 65, 70, 75 cm	Straight
Grivel G1	$75	4.44/5	15.8 oz / 449 g	Carbon steel/Ergal 7075 aluminum	58, 66, 74 cm	Straight
Petzl Glacier Literide	$100	4.43/5	11.3 oz / 320 g	Heat-treated steel/aluminum 7075	50 cm	Straight
C.A.M.P. USA Corsa Nanotech	$160	4.43/5	8.8 oz / 250 g	7075-T6 aluminum steel alloy shaft/Sandvik Nanoflex steel	50, 60, 70 cm	Bent

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TRACTION DEVICE	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	MATERIAL	SIZES
Snowline Light Chainsen Crampon	$60	4.69/5	8.57 oz / 243 g	Stainless steel, elastomer	S, M, L
Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System	$70	4.51/5	13.1 oz / 371 g	Stainless steel, elastomer	S, M, L, XL
Kahtoola K 10 Hiking Crampons	$100	4.47/5	21.5 oz / 610 g	4131 Chromoly steel	One size
Hillsound Trail Crampons	$65	4.22/5	17 oz / 482 g	Carbon steel, stainless steel, elastomer	XS, S, M, L, XL
Black Diamond Contact Strap Crampons	$130	3.92/5	28.5 oz / 808 g	Stainless steel	One size

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BEAR CANISTER	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	CAPACITY	MATERIAL	DIMENSIONS
Bearikade Weekender	$288	4.84/5	31 oz / 879 g	10.6 L	Carbon fiber	10.5 x 9 in / 27 x 23 cm
Bearikade Expedition	$350	4.64/5	36 oz / 1.021 kg	14.7 L	Carbon fiber	14.5 x 9 in / 37 x 23 cm
BearVault BV500	$80	4.08/5	41 oz / 1.162 kg	11.5 L	Polycarbonate	12.7 x 8.7 in / 32 x 22 cm
Garcia Bear-Resistant Container	$75	3.74/5	43 oz / 1.219 kg	10 L	ABS polymer	12 x 8.8 in / 30 x 22 cm
BearVault BV450	$70	3.66/5	33 oz / 935 g	7.2 L	Polycarbonate	8.7 x 8.3 in / 22 x 21 cm

A NOTE ON BEAR CANISTERS

Bear canisters must be carried north of Lone Pine, but most hikers begin carrying them at Kennedy Meadows. They can stop being used at Bridgeport – accessible via Sonora Pass. However, they must also be carried in Lassen Volcanic National Park if you plan on camping there.

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SHOES	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT (PAIR)	HEEL-TOE DROP	WATERPROOF	AVERAGE NUMBER USED
HOKA ONE ONE Speedgoat	$145	4.62/5	21.6 oz / 612 g	4 mm	No	4.81
Merrell Moab 2 Vent	$100	4.56/5	31 oz / 879 g	—	No	4.25
Brooks Cascadia	$130	4.52/5	21.4 oz / 607 g	8 mm	No	4.69
Altra Olympus	$150	4.48/5	21.4 oz / 607 g	0 mm	No	4.81
La Sportiva Wildcat	$110	4.30/5	25 oz / 709 g	12 mm	No	4.9

A NOTE ON SHOES

Even if you knew for certain that each pair of your shoes would last you 700 mi / 1,125 km, buying yourself four pairs of shoes at the start of the hike would be a risky decision – what if the shoes aren’t as comfortable as you thought? What if your feet swell? What if you die?

Remember, you can buy shoes using this thing called the internet and have them mailed ahead on the trail (to a post office, hotel, local outfitter, trail angel, etc.) once you know that you’re going to need a new pair. If you encounter an emergency situation, you can always buy locally or simply wait around for your shoes to show up in the mail.

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The Most Common PCT Gear

Now that we’ve looked at which pieces of gear hikers liked best, let’s examine which pieces of gear were the most commonly used by PCT hikers. Remember, this is the most commonly used gear – simply because something was common, this does not necessarily translate to it automatically being the “best” (or even good).

The only piece of gear to occupy both the highest-rated and most common position is the Sawyer Squeeze. That said, there is still a lot of overlap between the highest-rated and the most commonly used pieces of gear.

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The Most Common PCT Gear List

The total price of all this gear? $2,440 (this includes one pair of shoes). The average amount hikers spent prior to beginning their hikes? $1,529.74 (σ = $977.01). A side-by-side breakdown of the highest-rated and most common PCT gear will follow this section.

Now, for a detailed look at the top five most common pieces of gear in each of the following categories: backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, shells, stoves, water treatments, trekking poles, ice axes, traction devices, bear canisters, and shoes.

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BACKPACK	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	LITERS	MAX LOAD	ACCESS
Osprey Exos	$220	4.15/5	42 oz / 1.190 kg	58	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top
ULA Circuit	$255	4.60/5	41 oz / 1.162 kg	68	35 lbs / 16 kg	Top
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Windrider	$345	4.50/5	31.82 oz / 902 g	55	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top
Gossamer Gear Mariposa	$225	4.16/5	30.5 oz / 865 g	60	35 lbs / 16 kg	Top
Osprey Eja	$220	4.40/5	41 oz / 1.162 kg	58	40 lbs / 18 kg	Top

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TENT	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	PACKED SIZE	HEIGHT	FLOOR	DOORS
Zpacks Duplex	$600	4.14/5	19.4 oz / 550 g	7 x 13 in / 18 x 33 cm	48 in / 122 cm	28 ft² / 2.6 m²	2
Nemo Hornet 2P	$370	4.32/5	38 oz / 1.077 kg	5.5 x 19.5 in / 14 x 50 cm	39 in / 99 cm	27.5 ft² / 2.55 m²	2
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2	$450	4.61/5	50 oz / 1.417 kg	6 x 19.5 in / 15 x 50 cm	40 in / 101 cm	29 ft² / 2.69 m²	2
Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2	$350	3.98/5	37 oz / 1.048 kg	4 x 19 in / 10 x 48 cm	39 in / 99 cm	28 ft² / 2.6 m²	1
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2	$400	4.64/5	40 oz / 1.133 kg	5.5 x 18 in / 14 x 46 cm	39 in / 99 cm	28 ft² / 2.6 m²	2

A NOTE ON SHELTERS

The weight provided for the Zpacks Duplex does not include the two trekking poles or the eight stakes that are required to set it up. All the rest of the shelters have their “packed weight” provided – this includes poles, stakes, and stuff sacks.

SLEEPING BAG	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	TEMPERATURE	FILL	FILL WEIGHT
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20	$300	4.21/5	22.54 oz / 639 g	20°F / -6°C	850-fill duck down	16.08 oz / 456 g
REI Co-op Magma 15	$370	4.44/5	28.2 oz / 800 g	16°F / -8.9°C	850-fill goose down	15.9 oz / 451 g
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 10	$325	4.53/5	25.95 oz / 736 g	10°F / -12°C	850-fill duck down	19.31 oz / 574 g
Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20	$315	4.40/5	21.19 oz / 601 g	20°F / -6°C	850-fill duck down	15.46 oz / 438 g
Western Mountaineering Versalite	$605	4.94/5	32 oz / 907 g	10°F / -12°C	850-fill goose down	20 oz / 565 g

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SLEEPING PAD	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	R-VALUE	TYPE	PACKED SIZE	THICKNESS
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite	$185	4.402/5	12 oz / 340 g	4.2	Air	9 x 4.1 in / 23 x 10 cm	2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol	$45	4.400/5	14 oz / 397 g	2.6	Foam	20 x 5 x 5.5 in / 51 x 13 x 14 cm	0.75 in / 2 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm	$215	4.82/5	15 oz / 425 g	6.9	Air	9 x 4 in / 23 x 10 cm	2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (Small)	$145	4.33/5	8 oz / 227 g	4.2	Air	9 x 3.5 in / 23 x 9 cm	2.5 in / 6.4 cm
Sea to Summit UltraLight Insulated	$130	4.13/5	16.9 oz / 479 g	3.3	Air	9 x 4 in / 23 x 10 cm	2 in / 5 cm

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DOWN JACKET	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	INSULATION	HOOD	POCKETS
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer (Hooded)	$325	4.51/5	8.8 oz / 250 g	800-fill goose down	Yes	2 zippered hand
Patagonia Micro Puff Insulated Hoodie	$300	4.57/5	9.3 oz / 264 g	Synthetic	Yes	2 zippered hand / 2 internal drop
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer	$300	4.75/5	8.3 oz / 235 g	800-fill goose down	No	2 zippered hand
Arc’teryx Cerium LT Down Hoodie	$380	4.75/5	10.9 oz / 309 g	850-fill goose down	Yes	2 zippered hand / 1 zippered internal
Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket	$230	4.58/5	13.1 oz / 371 g	800-fill goose down	No	2 zippered hand / 1 zippered chest

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SHELL	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	FABRIC	PIT ZIPS	POCKETS
Outdoor Research Helium II	$160	3.77/5	6.4 oz / 182 g	2.5-layer Pertex waterproof breathable laminate	No	1 zippered chest
Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2	$25	3.88/5	9 oz / 255 g	Three-layer polypropylene	No	None
Marmot PreCip Jacket	$100	4.09/5	11.39oz / 322.9g	Marmot NanoPro Waterproof/Breathable	Yes	2 zippered hand
Montbell Versalite	$200	4.15/5	6.4 oz / 182 g	Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper	Yes	2 zippered hand
Patagonia Torrentshell	$130	4.07/5	12.1 oz / 343 g	2.5-layer H2No Performance Standard shell	Yes	2 zippered hand

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STOVE	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	TYPE	DIMENSIONS	INTEGRATED POT	SIMMER CONTROL
MSR PocketRocket 2	$45	4.57/5	2.6 oz / 74 g	Canister	7.25 x 5 x 4 in / 19 x 12.6 x 10.2 cm	No	Yes
BRS-3000T	$17	4.44/5	0.88 oz / 25 g	Canister	1.97 x 1.18 x 1.3 in / 5 x 3 x 3.3 cm	No	Yes
Jetboil MiniMo	$145	4.63/5	14 oz / 397 g	Canister	5 x 6 in / 12.7 x 15.2 cm	Yes	Yes
SOTO WindMaster	$65	4.94/5	2.3 oz/ 66 g	Canister	2.5 x 1.3 x 1.8 in / 6.4 x 3.4 x 4.6 cm	No	Yes
Jetboil Flash	$100	4.62 / 5	13.1 oz / 371 g	Canister	7.1 x 4.1 in / 18 x 10.4 cm	Yes	Yes

A NOTE ON STOVES

Less than 1% of hikers used alcohol stoves.

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WATER TREATMENT	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	TYPE	DIMENSIONS	MEDIUM	REMOVES
Sawyer Squeeze	$35	4.55/5	3 oz / 85 g	Squeeze/Straw	2 x 5 in / 5 x 13 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria
Katadyn BeFree	$25	4.13/5	2.3 oz / 65 g	Bottle	11.3 x 3.5 x 2.8 in / 29 x 9 x 7 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria
Sawyer Micro	$28	3.73/5	2.5 oz / 71 g	Squeeze/Straw	15.5 x 6 x 1 in . 39 x 15 x 2.5 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria
Aquamira	$15	4.42/5	3 oz / 85 g	Drops	N/A	Chlorine dioxide	Protozoa, bacteria, and viruses
Sawyer Mini	$20	3.53/5	2 oz / 57 g	Squeeze/Straw	1 x 5 in / 2.5 x 6.6 cm	Hollow fiber	Protozoa and bacteria

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TREKKING POLES	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT (PAIR)	SHAFT MATERIAL	HANDLE MATERIAL	COLLAPSED LENGTH	LOCKING MECHANISM
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork	$180	4.68/5	17.1 oz / 485 g	Carbon fiber	Cork	24 in / 61 cm	External lever lock
Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork	$130	4.73/5	18 oz / 510 g	Aluminum	Cork	27 in / 69 cm	External lever lock
Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber	$50	4.39/5	22 oz / 624 g	Carbon fiber	Cork	26 in / 66 cm	External lever lock
Black Diamond Trail	$100	4.42/5	17 oz / 482 g	Aluminum	Foam	25 in / 63.5 cm	External lever lock
Black Diamond Distance FLZ	$140	3.93/5	16 oz / 454 g	Aluminum	Foam	15 in / 37 cm	Collapsing

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ICE AXE	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	MATERIAL	LENGTHS	SHAFT SHAPE
C.A.M.P. USA Corsa	$120	4.37/5	8.8 oz / 250 g	7075 aluminum alloy	50, 60, 70 cm	Straight
Black Diamond Raven	$85	4.44/5	15.9 oz / 452 g	Stainless-steel head/aluminum shaft	60, 65, 70, 75 cm	Straight
Black Diamond Raven Pro	$110	4.57/5	13.8 oz / 392 g	Stainless-steel head and spike/aluminum 7075-T6 shaft	55, 60, 65, 70 cm	Straight
Grivel G1	$75	4.44/5	15.8 oz / 449 g	Carbon steel/Ergal 7075 aluminum	58, 66, 74 cm	Straight
Petzl Glacier Literide	$100	4.43/5	11.3 oz / 320 g	Heat-treated steel/aluminum 7075	50 cm	Straight

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TRACTION DEVICE	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	MATERIAL	SIZES
Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System	$70	4.51/5	13.1 oz / 371 g	Stainless steel, elastomer	S, M, L, XL
Hillsound Trail Crampons	$65	4.22/5	17 oz / 482 g	Carbon steel, stainless steel, elastomer	XS, S, M, L, XL
Kahtoola K 10 Hiking Crampons	$100	4.47/5	21.5 oz / 610 g	4131 Chromoly steel	One size
Snowline Light Chainsen Crampon	$60	4.69/5	8.57 oz / 243 g	Stainless steel, elastomer	S, M, L
Black Diamond Contact Strap Crampons	$130	3.92/5	28.5 oz / 808 g	Stainless steel	One size

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BEAR CANISTER	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT	CAPACITY	MATERIAL	DIMENSIONS
BearVault BV500	$80	4.08/5	41 oz / 1.162 kg	11.5 L	Polycarbonate	12.7 x 8.7 in / 32 x 22 cm
BearVault BV450	$70	3.66/5	33 oz / 935 g	7.2 L	Polycarbonate	8.7 x 8.3 in / 22 x 21 cm
Bearikade Weekender	$288	4.84/5	31 oz / 879 g	10.6 L	Carbon fiber	10.5 x 9 in / 27 x 23 cm
Garcia Bear-Resistant Container	$75	3.74/5	43 oz / 1.219 kg	10 L	ABS polymer	12 x 8.8 in / 30 x 22 cm
Bearikade Expedition	$350	4.64/5	36 oz / 1.021 kg	14.7 L	Carbon fiber	14.5 x 9 in / 37 x 23 cm

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SHOES	PRICE	RATING	WEIGHT (PAIR)	HEEL-TOE DROP	WATERPROOF	AVERAGE NUMBER USED
Altra Lone Peak	$120	4.21/5	21 oz / 595 g	0 mm	No	4.65
Altra Timp	$140	4.14/5	17 oz / 482 g	0 mm	No	5.08
Brooks Cascadia	$130	4.52/5	21.4 oz / 607 g	8 mm	No	4.69
Merrell Moab 2 Vent	$100	4.56/5	31 oz / 879 g	—	No	4.25
Altra Olympus	$150	4.48/5	21.4 oz / 607 g	0 mm	No	4.81

A NOTE ON SHOES

Even if you knew for certain that each pair of your shoes will last you 700 mi / 1,125 km, buying yourself four pairs of shoes at the start of the hike would be a risky decision – what if the shoes aren’t as comfortable as you thought? What if your feet swell? What if you die?

Remember, you can buy shoes using this thing called the internet and have them mailed ahead on the trail (to a post office, hotel, local outfitter, trail angel, etc.) once you know that you’re going to need a new pair. If you encounter an emergency situation, you can always buy locally or simply wait around for your shoes to show up in the mail.

Highest-rated vs. Most Common PCT Gear

How do the highest-rated and most common PCT gear lists stack up against one another? It appears that most hikers opted for lighter gear, but that those who carried heavier gear were often happy with their choices. The eternal struggle between comfort and weight in the world of thru-hiking marches forward.

	HIGHEST-RATED PCT GEAR	MOST COMMON PCT GEAR
Total cost	$2,968	$2,440
Total weight – Big 3	7 lbs 7 oz / 3.374 kg	5 lbs 3.94 oz / 2.380 kg
Total weight – Big 4	8 lbs 6 oz / 3.799 kg	5 lbs 15.94 oz / 2.720 kg
All PCT gear (outside Sierra)	10 lbs 6.7 oz / 4.726 kg	7 lbs 4.74 oz / 3.310 kg
All PCT gear	13 lbs 12.06 oz / 6.239 kg	11 lbs 3.37 oz / 5.085 kg

NOTE: The shelter used in the “Most Common PCT Gear” list requires two trekking poles and eight stakes to be set up (not included in the base weight). The highest-rated tent is freestanding and does not require trekking poles.

The Base Weights

	THRU	THRU-1	THRU-0	NOBO	SOBO
BASE WEIGHT (START)	17.78 lbs / 8.06 kg	16.94 lbs / 7.68 kg	18.94 lbs / 8.59 kg	17.97 lbs / 8.15 kg	16.18 lbs / 7.34 kg
BASE WEIGHT (END)	15.77 lbs / 7.15 kg	14.91 lbs / 6.76 kg	16.95 / 7.69 kg	15.92 lbs / 7.22 kg	14.45 lbs / 6.55 kg
% CHANGE	11.30%	11.98%	10.50%	11.41%	10.69%
SLEEPING BAG TEMPERATURE	16.91°F / -8.38°C	16.81°F / -8.44°C	17.02°F / -8.32°C	16.68°F / -8.51°C	18.88°F / -7.29°C
BACKPACK SIZE	54.89 L	54.17 L	55.97 L	55.18 L	52.60 L
% USING FREESTANDING SHELTER	50.95%	50.95%	51.27%	52.81%	36.71%
% STOVELESS	14.09%	17.37%	9.75%	13.83%	16.05%
$ SPENT ON GEAR (PRE-TRAIL)	$1,555.96	$1,477.02	$1,663.92	$1,562.18	$1,502.67

Nothing too surprising here. Base weights dropped over the course of the trail for all categories, the average sleeping bag temperature was under 20°F / 6.6°C for all categories, and average backpack size hovered at just under 55 L overall.

Just as we saw last year (and the year before), the data again makes a(n unscientific) case for getting your base weight down (before starting your hike). That does NOT mean that you have to have a crazy sub-five-pound (2.3 kg) base weight. You don’t even need to have a sub-ten-pound (4.6 kg) base weight. Just don’t bring things you don’t need (the cheapest and most effective way to cut your base weight). Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to spend another $300 to cut 2% off your shelter’s weight; it’s better to just not bring that fifth pair of socks.

If you’re a first-time, would-be thru-hiker, take this information to mean that you’re probably bringing too much with you and that you should take a hard look at your pack before setting off on the trail (hikers who didn’t finish had, on average, higher base weights than those who did). That said, this could be due to experience. Experience? Yeah, you know, like hikers who completed the trail went into it having already hiked? Good point – let’s look at how hikers with experience stack up with those on their first thru-hikes.

	FIRST-TIME HIKERS	EXPERIENCED HIKERS
BASE WEIGHT (START)	18.40 lbs / 8.35 kg	16.35 lbs / 7.42 kg
BASE WEIGHT (END)	15.92 lbs / 7.22 kg	15.42 lbs / 6.99 kg
% CHANGE	13.48%	5.69%
SLEEPING BAG TEMPERATURE	16.50°F / -8.61°C	17.94°F / -7.81°C
BACKPACK SIZE	55.56 L	53.33 L
% USING FREESTANDING SHELTER	54.20%	42.65%
% STOVELESS	7.45%	15.42%
$ SPENT ON GEAR (PRE-TRAIL)	$1,597.60	$1,452.48

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Plenty of people have happy and successful thru-hikes with super-duper-uber-crazy-xtreme ultralight gear. However, people also have happy and successful thru-hikes with packs much heavier than the averages we’ve arrived at here (and others fail miserably). Gear selection is personal. Ultimately, you’re the one carrying your pack and you’re the one who will suffer the consequences or reap the benefits of your gear selection.

If you’re happy to carry something and/or it improves the quality of your hike, then nobody has the right to tell you that you shouldn’t have it (and if they do, tell them Mac said to get fucked).

Think about what you NEED on the trail; not what you want. Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you when you decide to bring extra weight and end up sending everything home (because most of you will ignore this advice – I would – and bring a bunch of unnecessary gear; if you don’t, I’ve done my job). Also, don’t bring a Sawyer MINI – just get the Sawyer Squeeze. There, I said it.

The luxury items

Pacific Crest Trail hikers obsess over their gear lists and what goes into their packs, but most everyone has something that could be considered a luxury item by someone else. Some people believe their phone to be an essential and multifunctional piece of gear while others may scoff at the idea of using one to take photos, listen to music, and use GPS in the wilderness.

The most popular luxury item on the trail this year? A pillow. A total of 20% of survey respondents listed their luxury item as a pillow. Some of the most popular pillows?

Personally, I just use clothing I’m not wearing stuffed into a stuff sack as my pillow, but perhaps I should invest. What else was popular (and not so popular) among this year’s thru-hiking luxury items?

• Massage balls or foam rollers (take a look at Rawlogy for these)
• Many hikers listed their cameras as their luxury items (for some, this is probably mandatory despite not being required for hiking)
• Camp shoes (personally, I like Batman sandals)
• A journal or notebook (and one would assume a pen, as well)
• Kindles were a (surprisingly) popular response

The lowest rated gear

Now that we’ve looked into what gear PCT hikers liked best and what the most common gear was on the PCT This year, let’s look at what hikers DIDN’T LIKE. What should you avoid (or at least think about carefully) before purchasing?

NOTES ON THE DATA FOR LOWEST RATED GEAR:

• Similar to the highest-rated gear above, here I only included gear that was used by AT LEAST 20 hikers.
• To be considered for the “lowest-rated” list, a piece of gear needed to have a rating of BELOW 80% (4 out of 5 and below).
• If no item in a particular category met the 20-hiker and under 80% criteria, that category has been omitted below.
• I’ve attached comments from hikers to each piece of gear.

GEAR	RATING	NAME	COMMENTS
Backpack	3.33/5	Zpacks Arc Haul	Uncomfortable with heavy loads / Not durable
Backpack	3.97/5	Zpacks Arc Blast	Uncomfortable with heavy loads / Not durable
Shelter	3.98/5	Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2	Zippers failed / Not stormworthy
Sleeping Bag	3.96/5	REI Igneo	Not warm enough / Too heavy
Shell	3.77/5	Outdoor Research Helium II	This was the most widely-used/lowest-rated item of any item in the survey with a reported 187 hikers having used this jacket.
Shell	3.88/5	Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite 2	This jacket was the second-most-common shell on the PCT this year behind the Outdoor Research Helium II.
Water Treatment	3.53/5	Sawyer MINI	Nearly 75% of hikers who used the MINI reported that the flow rate diminished significantly over time.
Bear Canister	3.74/5	Garcia Bear-Resistant Container	This bear canister is both heavier and smaller than the BearVault BV500 – the most popular bear canister on the PCT this year.
Bear Canister	3.66/5	BearVault BV450	This was the second-most-common bear canister on the PCT this year (and the bear canister that I used).
Traction Device	3.92/5	Black Diamond Contact Crampons	These are both the most expensive and the heaviest traction devices on the most common list.
Trekking Poles	3.93/5	Black Diamond Distance FLZ	These were the fifth-most-common trekking poles on the PCT this year.
Trekking Poles	3.96/5	REI Flash Carbon	These poles are $130, have foam grips and carbon shafts.

Controversial brands on the PCT

There are some brands that you may have never heard of if you’ve yet to step foot in the thru-hiking (/#extremewalking) community, but that you’ll learn quickly once you find yourself out on the trail. Three of these brands are at the top of the most common list for shelters, water filters, and shoes – Zpacks, Sawyer, and Altra.

These three brands came up more frequently than any other brands in the “free response” section of the survey. This is where hikers are given the opportunity to comment on their gear and/or espouse wisdom for future PCT hikers (more wisdom to follow in the section to follow).

HIKER COMMENTS ON ZPACKS

• Zpacks Arc Haul (backpack) was junk.
• Don’t get a Zpacks backpack.
• I started with a Zpacks Triplex (shelter) and it was terrible for the conditions. Swapped it out for a Big Agnes UL3 and was very happy thereafter.
• Most people who were carrying Zpacks gear were frustrated by its lack of durability.
• My Zpacks Duplex tent got a hole in one of the seams in the first 200 miles (320 km), but when I contacted them, they refused to replace it, saying that it looked like a critter had gotten in (it hadn’t) or I snagged it on something spiky (I didn’t).
• Overall I was happy I got the lightest gear possible, but my Zpacks Duplex lost its waterproofness on the floor.
• Switched from Zpacks tent to big Agnes, best change I made. do not bother buying Zpacks products. I spoke to multiple people who hated both tents and backpacks.
• Zpacks always breaks! Everyone I knew went through 2 or 3 packs and isn’t easy to get them replaced.
• Zpacks Arc Scout (backpack) fell apart and needed to be replaced.
• Zpacks backpacks are trash.
• Zpacks is awful, I had both a backpack (under 300 mi / 480 km) and a tent (under 200 mi / 320 km) from them fail and still have no response from the company.
• Zpacks sucks, Osprey and Darntough have awesome warranties – comfort is worth a couple of extra pounds.
• Zpacks backpack began absorbing water.

HIKER COMMENTS ON SAWYER

• I started with the Sawyer Micro and traded with a section hiker for their regular Sawyer. The flow rate was so much better.
• I swapped my Sawyer Squeeze for Aquamira tablets.
• Liked Platypus Gravity Filter much better than squeezing a Sawyer.
• The Sawyer mini and micro are literal garbage.
• Sawyers are garbage. They clog up easy and the squeeze bags are always breaking. A lot within the first five uses which put me in some real compromised situations.
• Started out with the Sawyer Micro water filter. I really wanted it to work. However, I went back to the Sawyer Squeeze. It just worked better over a longer period of time.
• Started with slow shitty Sawyer Micro. Switched to Squeeze.
• Switched from Sawyer Mini to Squeeze.
• Switched from a gravity filter to the Sawyer Squeeze. The gravity filter was good for camp but not for filtering on the go. I was much happier with the Squeeze.
• Switched from Sawyer to Katadyn BeFree.
• Switched out my Katadyn BeFree for a Sawyer Squeeze and was very pleased with the Sawyer.
• Only use the Sawyer Squeeze, never the MINI or Micro.
• I switched to the Sawyer Squeeze after my BeFree broke.
• Do not buy the Sawyer MINI.
• Do not get the Sawyer MINI or micro unless you like squeezing a bag of water for an hour every day.

HIKER COMMENTS ON ALTRA

• Altra shoes are crap.
• Altra shoes are the devil, they fucked mine and every person I met’s legs.
• Altra shoes are trash. I wasted so much money buying them and having them completely fall apart on me by mile 300. After switching to the Hoka Speedgoats my feet and bank account were much happier.
• Altra shoes suck.
• Altra Timps RUINED my feet.
• Altras are overrated in my opinion, they wear out easily.
• Altras are the sexy thru-hiking shoe, but I saw more people have bad feet problems with those shoes than any others.
• Altras aren’t all they’re chalked up to be.
• Altras gave me Achilles tendinitis and hurt my feet when it was rocky.
• Altras gave me tendentious in my alkalis tendon switched to Solomons loved them.
• Altras wear too quickly.
• Altra Lone Peaks were RUBBISH.
• Altra shoes were a total disappointment. I’ve never worn worse shoes ever in my entire life.
• Check out Topo Athletic shoes for a more durable substitute to Altras.
• I didn’t really like Altras.
• Don’t drink the Altra Kool Aid! Hokas worked much better for me after much needless suffering.
• Done with Altras.
• Altra Lone Peaks lasted about 200 mi / 320 km.
• I am in love with my Topos! If you like the concept of Altras but also like the idea of a shoe that provides a semblance of support, has an actually grippy outsole, and lasts 600+ mi (965 km) rather than 200 (320 km), try Topos!
• Altras suck.
• Altra Lone Peaks gave me severe plantar fasciitis.
• I started with Altra Lone Peaks, had nothing but problems even though I followed all instructions and trained in them.
• Started with Altra, they destroyed my feet and I changed to Topos.
• I started with Altras and I did not like them.
• Strongly recommend considering Topos if you are looking for an alternative to Altras.
• Switched from Altras to Salomon Triple Crown.
• The fabric on The Altra Lone Peaks wears out pretty quickly.
• Changed shoes after 3 pairs of Altra Timps, to Keen mid-rise hiking boots. So much better for foot protection from rocky sections. Much less foot pain.

PCT thru-hiker gear advice

To wrap up this portion of the gear breakdown (posts on couples’ gear and gear broken down by gender are on the way), I have advice from this year’s PCT Class on gear choices and gear lists for future PCT hikers.

• Don’t be afraid to swap gear during your hike. Also, your base weight does not define you. If you want to carry a few extra things, do it! You’re out there for a whole season and one extra pound isn’t going to slow you down.
• Order gear and have it shipped to the next town ahead of you (especially if you have Amazon Prime). I did this a couple of times – definitely good to make sure it goes to a place that doesn’t charge you for pickup.
• It’s very cold and rainy in Oregon/Washington by late September onward. Be ready. I was very happy to have a new rain jacket (that didn’t wet out) and a synthetic puffy.
• The Outdoor Research Helium 2 Rain Jacket was inadequate. It’s a great rain jacket for light misting but was not able to keep me dry during heavy rain.
• I would’ve gotten a smaller pack. 65 L was never necessary.
• Buying expensive gear just because everybody else uses the well-known brands will not guarantee you successful thru-hike. I had basic yet good equipment from lesser-known and less expensive brands and I made it all the way to Canada from Campo without any issues.
• Solar chargers aren’t great, crampons are unnecessary and inconvenient.
• Less is best! Comfort on the trail is better than in camp because you’ll be spending more time on the trail.
• Get a bigger tent than you think you need. It’s so nice to unwind with some extra room every evening.
• Comfort counts for a lot. Be prepared for weather!
• Often times ultralight really means barely functional. When the weather got bad, it was the extreme ultralight people that bailed or needed help from others (e.g. stayed in someone else’s shelter). Ultralight only works well in benign conditions, be it weather or trail conditions (snow). Minimalism is great – carry only the essentials, but you want those essentials to be effective pieces of gear. Compromising their effectiveness to save a few ounces is fucking stupid.

For more on gear, check out the Ultimate Pacific Crest Trail Packing List.

If there is ANYTHING you can think of that would make this information more useful (or any more gear-related cross-referencing you would like to see), then please LEAVE A COMMENT and let me know.

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