I’m willing to share with you the list of my favorite thru-hiking gear. Do not take this gesture lightly. To share the contents of a backpack is to forge together two souls in the fires of eternal love.

Okay, maybe that was a bit intense. But I can guarentee this list will allow you to get to know me better. If you’re looking to thru-hike, it will give you some ideas, too.

Let’s begin!

THE BIG THREE: TENT, BACKPACK & SLEEPING BAG

Shelter— Gossamer Gear, The One. An ultra-light solo shelter. Easy to set up and weighs less than two pounds. Here’s a shot of The One in all its backyard glory:

I once pitched The One in my parent’s backyard during a freezing Texas night. This confused and concerned my parents. Nothing about our relationship has changed. 🙂

Backpack— Hyperlite Mountain Gear (HMG), 3400 Windrider. A beautiful lightweight backpack made of Dyneema. Built with a roll-top closure system that allows for some extra space, the size is just large enough to fit my needs. It’s waterproof, although I do believe water will eventually seep through the seams if completely submerged. Otherwise, it’s fantastic and looks so darn aesthetically pleasing.

Lookin’ pretty full… and this is without food.

Sleeping Bag— REI Magma (note: REI has a newer model). My puffy hibernation chamber. Pretty heavy at 2lbs 10oz, but it handles the cold and that’s all I care about. I always sleep warm even on freezing nights as my friends shiver in nearby tents.

Here’s the rest of my gear, somewhat rapid-fire…

OTHER HIKING GEAR

Day Pack— Gossamer Gear, RikSack 17. I first discovered the idea of day packs while scrounging the insides of a hiker box on the PCT. Day packs are less bulky than full-on hiker’s backpacks, especially useful for venturing into town, going to the gym, taking food to work, etc. The RikSack’s straps make it a comfortable wear and the whole system packs down easy when not in use. (Previously Owned: Karrimor Rucksack)

Fanny Pack— Gossamer Gear, The Bumster. For those brave souls who value functionality and practicality over aesthetics. My favorite fanny ever. (Previously owned: Waterfly)

Pack Liner— A Trash Compactor Bag. Puts my mind at ease by preventing gear soakage during rainy days and river crossings.

Sleeping Mat— Therm-A-Rest Z-Lite Sol. An ultra-thin, foldable sleeping pad that stacks atop my pack and doubles as a sit pad. Since the pad is lengthy, I half it with scissors.

Groundsheet— Tyvek. A piece of body-sized, paper-like construction material. Throw it in the wash then sundry to quiet and soften.

Trekking Poles— Fizan Compact. Necessary to pitch the tent and useful for steep terrain. I’ve never used this brand but they came highly recommended by The Hiking Life, one of my fav hiking blogs. Updates to come.

WARDROBE

We’ll work our way up from the tips of the toes to the top of the head:

Socks (x3)— Darn Tough, Hiker Micro Crew Socks. Durable and snug wool socks. The only ones I’ll ever need to own as Darn Tough offers a lifetime guarantee. I recently sent back one of my hole-ridden pairs in the mail and received a brand new pair. Pretty sweet.

Shoes— Altras, Men’s Superior 4. Durable and comfy trail-runners. These shoes chose me. I first discovered Altra’s Lone Peak model in a Cajon Pass hiker box and haven’t gone back since. Curious to see how the Superior model holds up.

Sandals— Xero, Cloud Barefoot Sandal. Lightweight, minimalist “barefoot” sandals for camp, home and town life. Definitely not for hiking ;).

Gaiters— Black Diamond Talus Gaiter. Helps prevent the accumulation of rocks and sand into shoes. Plus, these make me feel kinda like a superhero.

Underwear (x2)— Various. We’ll see how long before I toss these…

Long Johns (top & bottom)— REI, HeatTech. Synthetic top and bottoms. Super warm.

Compression (top & bottom)— Nike, UnderArmor. Useful for spontaneous fitness activities; superhero crime-fighting outfit.

Pants (x1)— REI Sahara Convertible Pants. Classic travelers zip-off pants for strutting and sitting. Winner of Outdoor Gear Lab’s “Best Buy” Men’s Hiking Pants.

Shorts (x3: 1x Casual, 2x Fitness)— Patagonia, NewBalance and Lululemon. My three favorite shorts of all time.

Rain Jacket— Hightail Designs, Rain Jacket. Made from a fabric called Dyneema, these jackets are 100% waterproof. No more ponchos or trash bags, thank God. (Previously owned: Marmot.)

Rain Pants— Lowe Alpine Meron, Rain Pants. I found these in a hiker box four years ago. Baggy, unfashionable, stood the test of time and earned my trust.

Short-Sleeve Shirts (1x Casual, 2x Fitness)— Various shirts. Standard.

Long-Sleeve Shirt— REI, Lightweight Crew Shirt. Long-sleeve base layer. Last-minute purchase for added warmth. Promising.

Puffy Down Jacket— Montbell, Frost Smoke Parka. One of the most expensive pieces of gear I own, and oh boy, is it wonderful. A huge upgrade over my previous synthetic-down jacket (North Face, Thermo-ball Synthetic Down Jacket (Black). Warm and fashionable, too.

Pullover— Arc’Teryx, Aptin Zip Hoodie (Deep Cove). Last-minute REI purchase for added warmth. Seems soft and light. Strong potential.

Balaclava— Unknown Brand, but mine looks exactly like this. Face mask to manage high winds and chilly nights.

Beanie— North Face Beanie. Head and ears warmer. Open to fashion upgrade.

Headnet— EVEN Mesh Premium Mosquito Headnet. Keeps my face pretty and my mouth bug-free amidst the swarms.

Gloves— REI Polar Tech. I bought these many years ago. Happy but keeping my eyes peeled for an upgrade.

KITCHEN

Welcome to the dining hall! Let’s dig in…

Water Bottles— SmartWater Bottles (x2). Sleek, lightweight and durable plastic water bottles. It sounds improbable but these guys will literally last for months and thousands of miles of hiking. Gas station purchase.

Spoon— TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spoon. The only piece of silverware I’ve owned for the past four years. Slowly approaching burial or heirloom-worthy status.

Pot— TOAKS, 2000L Pot. Suitable to cook lots for one person and enough for two.

Sponge— Generic Kitchen Sponge. Cut in fourths, useful for cookware clean-up.

Stove— MSR PocketRocket. I couldn’t find the OG model, so I linked to the “2nd edition”, which seems a fair bit smaller and a pretty legit upgrade.

Gas Canister— JetBoil Fuel, 4oz Cans. Cheap and easy. Found at any general store. Each will last a week or more.

Knife— Gerber, Paraframe Mini Knife. Lightweight and portable. It’s a knife, so it does knife stuff.

P38 Can Opener— Any Old One Will Do. Incredibly small tool for opening aluminum cans. A bit of a learning curve but worth it. Thanks to my friend Miles (trail name: Oz) for the pro-tip. Purchased for less than a buck at any hardware store. There’s no shame in eating cold beans straight out the can.

Lighter— Bic. No frills, standard-issue gas station lighter. Fire-starter.

BATHROOM

I keep a clean bathroom. You’re welcome to use it but I will likely judge you. Down the hall, first door on the left…

Toothbrush— Generic. Anything that will scrape away the food scraps from my mouth bones. On the lookout for bamboo.

Toothpaste— The Charcoal Kind. I’m now subscribed to the charcoal toothpaste lifestyle, which decalcifies my pineal gland and aids in my big-E journey. I made the leap after realizing this was the final variable keeping me from self-transcendence. Well worth it, although my teeth do seem a bit yellow…

Floss— Generic. Apart from my mind, my teeth benefit the most of multi-day meditation retreats. I end up flossing for hours from sheer boredom. Apparently good for preventing tooth decay.

Camp Towel— Sea to Summit Pocket Towel. Luxury items to dry off that may or may not last the trip.

ACCESSORIES

Journal, Pen & Pencil— Rite in the Rain. Paper and pen. You never know.

Headlamp— Black Diamond Storm. Solid battery and beam. Winner of Outdoor Gear Lab’s ‘Editor’s Choice’.

Small Roll Duct Tape— Any Old Roll Will Do. For emergency repairs and flesh wounds.

ELECTRONICS

Universal Adapter— Still Need to Purchase/Acquire. Making a note now…

Smart Phone— Apple, iPhone 8. My navigation system, alarm clock, camera and personal computer. Hoping it survives. Recently purchased a “Splash” Hitcase for extra protection.

Phone Charger— Apple iPhone Charger.

Earbuds— Apple iPhone Earbuds (x3). One has the “lightning” plug and the other two are traditional plugs to fit a splitter-device for any potential podcasts.

External Battery Charger— Mophie, Power Boost XL. I won this at this year’s family Secret Santa. Has potential.

Camkix— A Small Remote Control for iPhone. A Bluetooth clicker that can take photos at the push of a button.

LUXURY ITEMS

Frisbee— Big Kahuna, 200g. Should spontaneous playtime arise.

Meditation Cushion— Mobile Meditator Inflatable Cushion. 10% chance of lasting the journey.

Okay, that’s everything for now! There is always the likelihood that any of these belongings may become lost and new ones will come into my possession. Flexibility and detachment are essential qualities of any sojourn. Thanks, and you enjoyed the read, please share, comment and consider following the journey:

Wishing you well.

Love,
David

PS — thanks to my patrons who support my work. Much love.

PSS — You can purchase my hiking memoir, The Trail Provides, on Amazon and Audible today.