I’ve made some changes to my backpacking gear for the 2016 hiking season. This year I decided to try some more comfortable, durable (and slightly heavier) gear. I’ve also added a few things which I used to consider optional, but which now almost always find their way into my pack. I switched to a ULA Equipment OHM 2.0 Pack (big brother to the ULA CDT I’ve used for the last 5 years), got a new Nemo Tango Solo Quilt to replace my mummy bag and a new freestanding shelter: a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1. My base weight is now 13.6 lbs. Fully loaded with five days of food (2 lbs per day), 2 liters of water and 4 ounces of fuel, my pack weighs about 28 lbs. This is a couple of pounds more than my previous setup. But, thanks to the ergonomics of the new pack, it doesn’t feel much different. This gear list is for 3-season backpacking (daytime temps above 45° F, overnight temps above 30° F.) At the bottom of the page I’ve included a list of additional gear that I own and use for hiking in colder weather.

BACKPACK: ULA Equipment OHM 2.0 SHELTER: Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 1 SLEEPING BAG: Nemo Tango Solo Quilt (30 deg. F) SLEEPING PAD: Thermarest NeoAir Trekker (Reg) SLEEPING BAG SACK: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Sack (13L) BASE LAYER TOP: Terramar Therma-Silk Shirt (XL) BASE LAYER BOTTOM: Terramar Therma-Silk Pant (XL) TORSO INSULATION: Patagonia Nano Puff Vest (XL) RAIN JACKET: Marmot Precip (XL) WARM HAT: Mountain Hardware Micro Dome GLOVES: Mountain Hardware Powerstretch SPARE SOCKS: Smartwool PHD Outdoor Light Mini (XL) CLOTHING SACK: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Sack (13L) COOK STOVE: Snow Peak LiteMax FUEL CONTAINER: Small (110g) Fuel Canister COOK POT: Evernew Titanium Non-Stick Pot 900ml POT COZY: Home-made Pot Cozy CUP: Evernew Titanium Cup 400ml SPOON: Sea to Summit Polycarbonate Teaspoon COFFEE MAKER: Primula Coffee Brew Buddy DISH SCRUBBER: Brillo Pad (2 x 3 inch piece) DISH TOWEL: Packtowl Personal (8 x 8 inch piece)

WATER CONTAINERS: Two 2 Liter Platy Bottles DRINKING TUBE: Platypus Drink Tube Kit WATER PURIFICATION: Sawyer Mini Filter (Inline) FOOD SACK: Granite Gear Air Zippsack (16L) GPS RECEIVER: Garmin Oregon (w/ batts & caribiner) CELLPHONE / CAMERA/ AUDIO: Samsung Galaxy S5 (w/ screen protector & case) ACCESSORIES & BATTERIES: Stick Pic w/ Phone Adaptor + phone charger, spare battery, cleaning cloth, ear buds, AA (2), AAA (3) MAP/GUIDE: Erik the Black’s Pocket Atlas LIGHT: Petzl Zipka Headlight (w/ batts) MULTI-TOOL: Swiss Army Classic FIRE STARTER: Mini Bic Lighter BACKUP FIRE STARTER: SOL Fire Lite Kit EMERGENCY WHISTLE: SOL Slim Howler SIGNAL MIRROR: SOL Signal Mirror WRITING UTENSILS: Small Memo Pad, Pencil, Sharpie SEWING KIT: Gear Aid Outdoor Sewing Kit SLEEPING PAD REPAIR: Thermarest Field Repair Kit TAPE: Duct Tape (50′) CORD: 1.8mm Guyline (20′) FIRST AID KIT: Adventure Medical 0.3 + QuikClot Trauma Bandage

More info (Adv Medical 0.3 Kit) More info (QuickClot Trauma Bandage)cockroach backpack bbc MEDICATION: Advil, Tylenol PM, Bennadril, Immodiumlaptop rucksack 17 zoll dakine TOOTHBRUSH: Folding Travel Toothbrushbackpack teddy ruxpin TOOTHPASTE: Travel Size Toothpaste (0.8 fl oz)womens yavapai backpack WASH RAG: Packtowl Personal (8 x 8 inch piece)backpack alienware m17x SUNSCREEN: Travel Size Sunscreen (1 fl oz)uwo backpack

LIP BALM: Carmex (0.35 fl oz) INSECT REPELLANT: Repel Lemon Eucalyptus (0.7 fl oz)fotofile backpack TOILET PAPER: 10 Paper Towels (quartered) + 5 Wet Ones Singles HAND SANITIZER: Purell (1 fl oz) DITTY SACK: Granite Gear Air Zippsack (9L) ORGANIZATION SACKS: Ziploc Quart Freezer Bags (5) SHIRT: Columbia Tech Trek T-Shirt (XL) PANTS: Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants/Shorts UNDERWEAR: Under Armour Boxer Jock 9″ Inseam (XL) SOCKS: Smartwool PHD Outdoor Light Mini (XL) SHOES: Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid (13W) INSOLES: Montrail Enduro Sole (13) HAT: Outdoor Research Helios SUNGLASSES: 3M TEKK Safety Glasses + retainer strap & pouch WALLET: Granite Gear Hiker Wallet WATCH: Casio G7700-1 G-Shock Trainer TREKKING POLES: Leki Ultralight Aluminum Trekking Poles My base pack weight (gear only) is 13.6 lbs. My full pack weight (gear + five days food, 2 liters water and 4 oz. fuel) is 28.2 lbs.

My skin-out weight (gear, five days food, 2 liters water, 4 oz. fuel + clothing worn & gear carried) is 34 lbs. The total price (MSRP) of my 3-season backpacking gear is $2,811.00 (but you can usually pay less if you shop around online.) The gear listed above is for 3-season backpacking (daytime temps above 45° F, overnight temps above 30° F.) For hiking in colder weather, I replace (or combine) some of those items with additional gear to extend my temperature range comfortably into the single digits. WOOL TOP (LIGHTWEIGHT): Icebreaker Lightweight Wool Shirt (XL) WOOL TOP (MIDWEIGHT): Icebreaker Midweight Wool Half-Zip Shirt (XL) WOOL BOTTOM: Icebreaker Lightweight Wool Pant (XL) JACKET: Montbell UL Thermawrap Jacket (XL) RAIN PANTS: Sierra Designs Hurricane Pant (XL) COOL WEATHER SLEEPING BAG: Marmot Helium (15 deg. F) COLD WEATHER SLEEPING BAG: Marmot Never Summer (0 deg. F) I’ve found that how you pack a backpack can affect comfort as much as what goes inside.