Tent: The MSR Hubba NX1 held up very well during the entire hike. It was sturdy, easy to set up, and decent in bad weather. The small footprint made it easier to find viable camping spots. You’ll also have more flexibility with soil conditions, as the stakes don’t need to be as firmly anchored as a tent using trekking poles. The down side was it was a little heavier than a non-freestanding tend (Zpack Duplex, for example), though definitely cheaper.
Sleeping bag: Had I not purchased this earlier, I probably would have gone with a 10 degree quilt to save weight. Otherwise, I had no complaints with the Western Mountaineering Versalight. It was comfortable, not too heavy, and maintained warmth in damp conditions. I did not have any mechanical issues with the bag, such as rips, tears, or zipper malfunctions-which I would hope, given the price tag.
Backpack: The Granite Gear Crown 60 survived the trip, though close to the end of its lifespan. The belt and straps are intact but there are several holes in the pack and the mesh is torn in multiple places. I was happy with the 60L capacity, but would probably pay extra for something a little more resilient and waterproof. Decent performance overall for the price, and you can do a lot with Gorilla Grip tape and superglue.
Footwear: After a brief foray with Altra Olympus trail runners, I settled on Hoka Speedgoat 4’s in conjunction with Superfeet orthotics. This combination improved my foot pain and allowed for extra mileage. The Altras seemed to break down pretty quickly and lost their support after a couple hundred miles, not worth the 170 bucks. The best shoes for people will be highly individualized, but after seeing 80% Altra Lone Peaks at the beginning of the hike, I saw a lot more Hokas by the end. Like everyone else, I used Tarn Dough socks, with 3 pairs in rotation lasting over 1800 miles.
Trekking poles: The Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z was an overall winner. I somehow managed to not snap them in half during the hike, though came close several times, and loved the light weight. However, I made the mistake of leaving the factory tips on instead of putting on the carbide tips right away. These wore away like butter, wearing into the bases before I could replace them. REI manager in Burbank was basically useless, unable to replace the bases and refusing to exchange them. I was able to superglue the carbide tips into what remained of the bases, lasting until Mammoth, when I went to a gear shop and had the bases easily switched out in 5 minutes, restoring them to like new status.
Sleeping pad: Being older, the folding foam mats were not an option. A better trail name for me early on might have been Captain Puncture, as I had an unerring knack for running into or setting down my pack on all manner of poky plants. I went through 3 pads before learning to put them in the most protected part of my pack. Also, don’t try to reorder one from Amazon at 6:00 am after not sleeping, as you’re going to forget something important, like making sure it’s not lead lined or something. I am eternally grateful to Stray Cat, who gave me her old Thermarest pad in Kennedy Meadows South which lasted the rest of the trip without incident.
Cooking set: MSR pocket rocket-performed like a champ, no issues. Sorry cold soakers, a hot dinner was something I could not do without.
Snacks: Not gear I know, but if I never see a Green Belly bar again, it will be too soon. Also, if you see Zola food items in a hiker box and you’re not actively dying of starvation, stay away at all costs. Someone abandoned them to the hiker box for a reason.
Thru hiking is not backpacking. Everything gear related comes down to weight and time, with all your gear decisions adding up. If I did the trip again, I would probably try to get my base weight down another 5 pounds or so. I started the Sierras close to 40 lbs (including 1 week food carry and mountain gear), which was definitely too much. The saying on the trail is that you pack your fears, so make sure you’re not trying to cover every possible contingency. There was a thru hiker this year that finished wearing snake guards the entire trip-epic, if not completely rational. After a certain point, the effort in carrying extra weight goes up exponentially, and every thru hiker will describe the joy in their heart and the bounce in their step when they roll into town with an empty food bag and depleted water bottles.
Clothing: Should I bring the synthetic hoodie or maybe the quarterzip Merino wool top? Or possibly the…hey, come back here! Where are you going? This was not nearly as important as I thought, other than making sure you have good rain gear and enough layers. Maybe the same goes with all gear; most of us probably vastly overthink this. What if we don’t make the perfect choice? Honestly, unless we’re dealing with hypothermia, probably nothing . As long as we’re not buying complete crap, good enough is good enough, and it’s common to swap gear in and out during your hike. The one exception would be footwear, as most foot issues on the trail were likely from poorly optimized shoe choice. Bottom line is now we have the luxury of lots of superb, lightweight gear available to us, and don’t kill yourself trying to make the best choice between grade A products. Maybe we should look back to the 1970 and 1980 thru hikers, then reassess our pathetic whining about our gear. Also remember: ultralight doesn’t matter if it doesn’t do what its supposed to.
Hiking Vicariously 