The Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2022 Survey

In the second installment of this year’s Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hiker Survey, we dive into gear for hiking the PCT. Pacific Crest Trail gear lists 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 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, the most common gear, base weights, gear advice, and more.

The gear covered here includes backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, rain jackets, fleeces, shoes, socks, stoves, water treatment, trekking poles, ice axes, traction systems, bear canisters, satellite messengers/PLBs, fitness trackers, luxury items, and more.

I will be publishing additional articles breaking down the women-specific gear and the 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.

This year, I’ve changed up the layout a bit and I think I’m happy with the results. Hopefully, the article flows a bit more smoothly and the data is a bit more accessible. The goal is for this to be a useful resource for PCT hikers, so if there’s anything that you think is missing, please leave a comment below.

I hope you enjoy this year’s Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide brought to you by the PCT Class of 2022.

Most Common PCT Gear

I ask each survey respondent about the gear they used during their Pacific Crest Trail hike. With this information, we can easily see what the most popular pieces of gear were on the trail. Here’s what this year’s “Most Common PCT Gear List” backpack had in it – and what that theoretical backpack was.

• Backpack: ULA Circuit (2.29 lbs | 1.038 kg | $280)
• Shelter: Zpacks Duplex (1.19 lbs | 539 g | $699)
• Sleeping bag: Enlightened Equipment Enigma (21.2 oz / 601 g | $345)
• Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (12.5 oz / 354 g | $200)
• Insulated jacket: Enlightened Equipment Torrid – Men’s/Women’s (8.4 oz / 238 g | $185)
• Shell: Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite 2 (8.8 oz / 250 g | $25)
• Fleece: Melanzana Microgrid Hoodie (12.2 oz / 346 g | $78)
• Shoes: Altra Lone Peak – Men’s/Women’s (22 oz / 624 g | $150)
• Socks: Darn Tough Hiker Quarter Midweight – Men’s/Women’s (2 oz / 57 g | $20)
• Stove: MSR PocketRocket 2 (2.4 oz / 68 g | $50)
• Water treatment: Sawyer Squeeze (3 oz / 85 g / $39)
• Bear canister: BearVault BV500 (41 oz / 1.162 kg | $93)
• Trekking poles: Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork (17.1 oz / 485 g / $200)
• PLB: Garmin inReach Mini (3.5 oz / 100 g | $350)
• Ice axe: C.A.M.P. USA Corsa (8.2 oz / 232 g | $120)
• Traction device: Kahtoola MICROspikes (11 oz / 312 g | $75)
• Fitness tracker: Garmin Fenix (2.79 oz / 79 g | $700)

Total weight – Big 3 (pack, shelter, sleeping bag): 4.8 lbs / 2.164 kg
Total weight – Big 4 (Big 3 + sleeping pad): 5.55 lbs / 2.504 kg

All gear (outside Sierra): 7.95 lbs / 3.591 kg (this does not include ice axe, traction, bear canister, trekking poles, shoes, socks, or fitness tracker)
All gear: 11.71 lbs / 5.297 kg (this does not include trekking poles, shoes, socks, or fitness tracker)

In addition to the items noted above, these total base weights (a backpack’s weight minus food, water, and consumables – like poop paper) are missing a few pieces of gear (headlamp, extra clothing, electronics, etc.). It brings us over halfway to the year’s average starting base weight of 17.6 lbs / 7.983 kg. Note that the stove included in this list, the MSR PocketRocket 2, does not include the weight of a pot.

The total price of all this gear? $2,909 (with one pair of shoes and one pair of socks); I did not include the $700 price tag of the Garmin Fenix. The average thru-hikers spent on gear prior to beginning their hikes? $1,563 (M = $1,200 | σ = $1,230).

Below, is a detailed look at the most common gear in each of the following categories: backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, shells, fleeces, shoes, socks, stoves, water treatments, bear canisters, trekking poles, PLBs, ice axes, traction systems, and fitness trackers.

In addition to the items noted above, these total base weights (a backpack’s weight minus food, water, and consumables – like poop paper) are missing a few pieces of gear (headlamp, extra clothing, electronics, etc.). It brings us over halfway to the year’s average starting base weight of 17.6 lbs / 7.983 kg. Note that the stove included in this list, the MSR WindBurner, includes the weight of a pot.

The total price of all this gear? $3,682 (with one pair of shoes and one pair of socks); I did not include the $700 price tag of the Garmin Fenix. The average thru-hikers spent on gear prior to beginning their hikes? $1,563 (M = $1,200 | σ = $1,230).

Below, is a detailed look at the highest-rated gear in each of the following categories: backpacks, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, insulated jackets, shells, fleeces, shoes, socks, stoves, water treatments, bear canisters, trekking poles, PLBs, ice axes, traction systems, and fitness trackers.

Most Common PCT Backpacks

The ULA Circuit was the most common backpack on the Pacific Crest Trail this year – for the third year in a row. It is a 2.29 lb / 1.038 kg pack capable of carrying up to 68 L and 35 lbs / 16 kg of gear. The Circuit was the third-highest-rated pack by PCT hikers this year (for the second consecutive year).

Most Common PCT Shelters

The Zpacks Duplex was the most common shelter on the PCT this year (for the third year in a row). It’s a $700, two-person, side-entry, 19 oz / 539 g shelter that requires two trekking poles to set up. It’s made from .51 oz/yd² Dyneema Composite Fabric and required eight stakes to be set up (not included in the $700 price tag).

Highest-Rated PCT Shelters

The Tarptent Double Rainbow was the highest-rated shelter on the PCT this year. It’s a two-person, side-entry, shelter that weighs 36.4 oz / 1.032 kg and needs to be staked out to properly set up. Despite being a two-person shelter, it was used frequently by solo hikers. There is also a one-person version, the Tarptent Rainbow, available.

Is there a generic term for sleeping bags and quilts? Sleeping sacks? Insulation-filled backpacking tortillas? Writing sleeping bags/quilts is a bit excessive/unnecessary feeling (and just annoying). Suggestions welcome.

Quilts have become exceedingly popular in recent years and they have become the unofficial standard in thru-hiker kits; four of the top five most common insulation-filled backpacking tortillas (trying it out) were quilts. That said, many quilts come in a variety of temperature ratings and with a large number of customizable options.

Individual hiker temperature needs can vary greatly. How warm of a sleeper are you? Which sleeping pad do you have? Do you sleep in your clothes? With another person? In a small tent? A big tent? With a dog? Bigfoot?

The typical range for PCT sleeping bags and quilts is between 10°F and 20°F (-12.2°C to -6.7°C). Which bag will be best for you will depend. Here’s what this year’s class had.

Highest-Rated PCT Sleeping Bags & Quilts

The Katabatic Alsek Quilt was the highest-rated sleeping bag or quilt on the PCT this year. With 900 fill-power HyperDry goose down, it weighs 22.2 oz / 850 g, uses 14.1 oz / 400 g of fill, is rated down to 22°F / -5.5°C, and retails for $430. It comes in three sizes and two widths.

Sleeping pads are another must-have item on the Pacific Crest Trail. Hikers essentially have two options: an inflatable sleeping pad or a foam sleeping pad.

There are pros and cons to both. Foam pads can’t pop, can be easily deployed, aren’t noisy when rolled around on, and make acceptable LARPing weapons; inflatable pads pack down small, have higher R-values (i.e. they’re warmer), can (sometimes) be lighter, and make acceptable rafts.

Which sleeping pad is best for you depends on your personal needs and, in some cases, how much durability you’re willing to sacrifice to save weight. The overwhelming majority of PCT hikers used inflatable sleeping pads with 43% of hikers using some version of the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite (either the regular, small, or women’s version).

The percentage of hikers using each style of sleeping pad on the Pacific Crest Trail this year.

• 86.9% – Inflatable
• 13.1% – Foam

Highest-Rated PCT Sleeping Pads

The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm was the highest-rated sleeping pad from the PCT this year. The 30D-nylon pad has an R-value of 6.9, is 2.5 in / 6.4 cm thick, weighs 17 oz / 482 g, and retails for $230. It comes in regular and long lengths and there is a wide version available of the regular.

Something to keep the top half of your body warm – whether this is a base layer, a fleece, or an insulated jacket – is something else every Pacific Crest Trail hiker should have with them. Of this year’s class, 95.5% of hikers had an insulated jacket – meaning 4.5% of hikers said they didn’t bring one.

Besides the question of whether to bring an insulated jacket (insulated jacket because “down jacket” isn’t accurate since not all jackets use down insulation and because the word “puffy” isn’t quite official – also I want to spell the plural “puffys” because “puffies” looks weird and I’m never quite sure which to use), hikers need to decide whether they want their jacket to have a hood.

Many of the most popular insulated jackets have both hooded and non-hooded versions available. Typically the hoodless versions are called “jackets” while the hooded versions are called hoodies (e.g. Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket vs. Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody).

The percentage of hikers using hooded and not hooded (unhooded?) jackets on the Pacific Crest Trail this year.

• 84.3% – Hooded
• 15.7% – Not hooded

Most Common PCT Insulated Jackets

The Enlightened Equipment Torrid (Men’s/Women’s) was the most common jacket among Pacific Crest Trail hikers this year. The 8.4 oz / 238 g jacket uses 2oz/yd² CLIMASHIELD APEX synthetic insulation and is available with either a 7D or 10D nylon shell. You can get it customized in a variety of colors and there’s a pullover version (Men’s/Women’s) available as well.

Highest-Rated PCT Insulated Jackets

The Feathered Friends Eos (Men’s/Women’s) was the highest-rated insulated jacket among PCT hikers this year. The jacket uses 4. oz / 112 g of 900+ fill goose down with an elastic drawcord hem, Pertex Quantum brushed nylon shell with DWR, and two zippered hand pockets. It weighs 10.8 oz / 306 g and retails for $409.

Most Common PCT Shells

The Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2 was the most common rainwear on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. I hesitate to prescribe it the title or jacket or shell since it’s as much an emergency poncho as it is a rain jacket, but it’s popular nonetheless. That said, it has the lowest rating of any piece of rain gear used by PCT hikers this year. I try to remain objective in these guides, but feel it worth mentioning that if you are looking for something that will actually keep you warm/dry during periods of extended rain, there are far better (albeit more expensive) options available.

Highest-Rated PCT Shells

The Zpacks Vertice (Men’s/Women’s) was the highest-rated shell (that’s a fancy name for rain jackets) among Pacific Crest Trail hikers this year. It’s a 7 oz / 198 g jacket made with 7D nylon and treated with a water-repellent finish. It has a single chest pocket, pit zips, and an elastic hem.

Many hikers opt to carry a fleece either in addition to or instead of an insulated jacket. They’re typically more comfortable to hike in (if you’re using your extra layers for more than just staying warm at camp) and can offer a bit more versatility than a puffy depending on the situation.

It was a pretty even split among hikers on whether they had a fleece; 51.5% of hikers brought a fleece.

The following breakdown shows the percentage of PCT hikers who brought only a fleece, brought only an insulated jacket, and those who brought both.

• 50.2% – Insulated jacket and fleece
• 47.3% – Insulated jacket only
• 2.4% – Fleece only

Shoes are perhaps one of the most important gear choices for Pacific Crest Trail hikers as they’re what’s literally moving you up the trail. They’re also one of the most individual-specific pieces of gear.

The shoes that work, which may be the objectively best choice for one person, could easily be the objectively worst choice for another person. Some shoes may be more popular while others may be of higher quality materials, but ultimately the “best shoes” are the ones that work best for the individual.

You shouldn’t be afraid of trying on multiple models from multiple brands to find the most comfortable shoe for your foot. That said, the most common shoes, the Altra Lone Peak (Men’s/Women’s), were used by just over 35% of PCT hikers.

The overwhelming majority (over 99%) of hikers used low-top trail runners. Similarly, only a fraction of a percent of hikers used waterproof versions of shoes.

The following breakdown shows the percentage of PCT hikers who changed their shoe size during their hike.

• 50.1% – Did not change shoe size
• 48.1% – Sized up their shoe during hike
• 1.9% – Sized down their shoe during hike

For more on hiking shoes, check out the Best Shoes for Thru-Hiking.

Most Common PCT Shoes

The Altra Lone Peak (Men’s/Women’s) was the most common shoe on the feet of Pacific Crest Trail hikers this year – for the sixth year in a row. They cost $150 per pair, have a 0 mm heel-toe drop, and weigh 22 oz / 624 g per pair. On average, thru-hikers burned through five of these on the trail (4.9 to be exact). Altra (typically) releases a new version of the Lone Peak every year; at the time of publication, the latest version is the Lone Peak 7.

Hikers have a wide variety of stoves and fuel sources to choose from when selecting their backpacking stoves. Fuel sources include denatured alcohol/HEET, solid fuel, liquid fuel, isobutane/propane (aka gas canisters), and even old-fashioned wood.

The overwhelming majority (98.3%) of hikers carried stoves that use isobutane/propane gas canisters.

That said, there were still a number of hikers who were stoveless (that is, they did not carry a stove with them on the trail) and others who changed their minds as the trail went on. Here’s a breakdown of what that looked like.

• 78.1% – Carried stove for the entirety of hike
• 9% – Stoveless
• 8.1% – Began with stove and then went stoveless
• 3.7% – Began stoveless and then got a stove
• 1.2% – Alternated multiple times between stoveless and carrying a stove

Most Common PCT Stoves

The MSR PocketRocket 2 was the most common stove on the Pacific Crest Trail this year (for the second year in a row). It’s a 2.6 oz / 74 g canister stove that requires a lighter to ignite (i.e. no push-button ignition). The push-button start version, the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe, was the fourth-most-common stove (also for the second year in a row). The reported boil time for one liter of water is 3.5 minutes.

Highest-Rated PCT Stoves

The MSR WindBurner was the highest-rated stove on the PCT this year. It’s a modular personal stove system that includes a stove, pot, stand, and bowl – essentially everything but the gas can. It weighs 15.3 oz / 434 g, has a simmer control, and will boil a liter of water in 4.5 minutes. You can leave the pot and stand behind to save a small amount of weight.

Most Common PCT Water Treatment

The Sawyer Squeeze was (by far) the most common Pacific Crest Trail water filter this year – for the fifth year in a row. It’s a $39, 3 oz / 85 g hollow fiber filter that rids your drinking water of protozoa and bacteria (and floaties). It can be used with Sawyer bags (included with the filter) or with compatible water bottles (Smartwater is the bottle of choice for many hikers). The Sawyer comes in two smaller sizes as well, the Sawyer Micro and the Sawyer MINI.

Highest-Rated PCT Water Treatment

Aquamira was the highest-rated water treatment on the PCT this year. It’s unique from the other top treatments because it’s a chemical treatment – chlorine dioxide to be exact. The $15 system consists of two bottles, used together to treat water, and a single kit can treat up to 30 gallons / 113 liters of water. It’s best used on clear water as it does not remove any suspended particulate matter in the water nor does it work immediately (you’ll need to wait between 20 and 35 minutes to completely treat each liter).

Most Common PCT Ice Axes

The CAMP Corsa was the most-commonly found ice axe on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s the lightest ice axe on the list at 7.2 oz / 204 g and has an all-aluminum construction. The $120 axe has a straight shaft and comes in 50, 60, and 70 cm lengths.

Highest-Rated PCT Ice Axes

The CAMP USA Corsa Nanotech was the highest-rated ice axe on the Pacific Crest Trail this year (for the second year in a row). It’s an 8.9 oz / 252 g axe with a curved anodized aluminum shaft and a steel adze. It comes in three sizes (50, 60, and 70 cm). This was a low snow year and just 23.6% of thru-hikers used an ice axe.

Most Common PCT Traction Systems

The Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System was the most common traction system on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s an over-the-shoe, spikes-on-the-bottom system that weighs 11 oz / 312 g. It comes in four sizes and has stainless steel spikes.

Highest-Rated PCT Traction Systems

The Hillsound Trail Crampons were the highest-rated traction system on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s an over-the-shoe, spikes-on-the-bottom system that weighs 15.7 oz / 445 g with 11 carbon steel 2/3 inch / 1.69 cm spikes. Attachment to your shoe or boot is achieved via a velcro strap across the foot and an elastomer harness. They are available in five sizes and two color options (black or red).

Most Common PCT Fitness Trackers

The Garmin fenix was the most common fitness tracker/smart watch on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s a fully-featured tracker that can provide stats such as speed, altitude, heart rate, weather, sunrise and sunset, storm warnings, maps, and more. It can also be loaded with music, paired via Bluetooth, and is water-resistant to 100 meters.

Highest-Rated PCT Fitness Trackers

The Garmin fenix was the highest-rated fitness tracker/smart watch on the Pacific Crest Trail this year. It’s a fully-featured tracker that can provide stats such as speed, altitude, heart rate, weather, sunrise and sunset, storm warnings, maps, and more. It can also be loaded with music, paired via Bluetooth, and is water-resistant to 100 meters. And yes, the most common and highest-rated lists are exactly the same.

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.

• A down jacket in a buff makes a great pillow! Also if you want to optimize your tiny first aid kit, get your Wilderness First Responder so you know what you’re prepared for (you should probably get your WFR anyways before thru-hiking). That said, it doesn’t matter what you’re carrying as long as you’re having fun, so do your own thing and don’t listen to other people too much!
• Certainly do your research and make informed choices but know that gear may change once you’re on the trail. Don’t feel like you have to have everything dialed in and perfect before starting the trail.
• Practice with your gear, I was shocked by the number of people who carried an ice axe, but had NO CLUE how to use it, or more importantly WHEN to use it.
• A fleece is really nice to have on cold mornings in the Sierra and Washington. I found one in a hiker box in Kennedy Meadows. Buy a new filter before trail; I used my old one from start to finish but wished I’d brought a new one. Splurge on a warm sleeping pad!
• Beware the race to ultralight. You need to be comfortable and safe on the trail.
• Be mentally and financially prepared for things starting to break and tear as the trail goes on. In particular, get tent zips fixed at an alteration place in town ($30 for two zippers) instead of fiddling around with it for weeks in mosquito country.
• Do not underestimate how much gear you will need to replace/swap out. I did not expect to go through 7 pairs of shoes, but they kept falling apart after only 300/400 miles (483/644 km). I had tested all my kit extensively but the trail threw me into new situations, where things did not perform as I expected them to. Take the desert sun seriously and strongly consider starting with a sun hoodie and sun gloves. Even if you are a staunch anti-trekking pole person as I was, I would recommend starting with some and saving your knees from the repetitive beating of day-in-day-out hiking.
• Frogg Toggs suck when a storm actually hits. Get an actual rain jacket.
• Don’t worry about base weight nearly as much as online comments would have you believe you should. A lighter pack will make your life easier, but if an item you want to carry will make or break your happiness on your hike, it’s probably worth the weight. My base weight was high the whole hike and it was occasionally annoying, but there wasn’t anything in my pack I wanted to do without, so I didn’t. Rather than cutting weight based on internet comments, determine if the item is really worth the weight to carry it and be willing to reevaluate while you’re on your hike and send things home/ leave them behind, or even just send them ahead so you can have them back if you change your mind.
• It feels to me that “thru-hike” and “ultralight” are becoming synonymous. However, I certainly don’t feel as though this needs to be the case. Being “ultralight” is not a requirement to complete a thru-hike. Many hikers on trail and strangers in town would comment on my large pack. But hey, I absolutely LOVED my down pants, my big ass battery bank (so I could watch The Office in my tent at night), and nightly Hostess Cupcakes (those babies took up a decent amount of room in my food bag). I didn’t carry excess items that I didn’t use, but I also didn’t hesitate to carry items that brought me joy and made my hike more enjoyable. While my pack was certainly heavier than most, I still carried that sucker from Mexico to Canada and it never slowed me down.

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