Firstly, let me say I'm a thrifty shopper. I may cut corners on some gear and put the "saved" money into other items.
Pack: Go Lite Jam (old version) unaltered, 25 oz. Great, lite pack. I got it on clearance for about $75. No frills- one big compartment, one big pocket on the front and two little mesh pockets on the hip belt that are handy for snacks, lip balm etc. Was uncomfortable on my shoulders the first week until I got used to it, I'm happy with this pack and never had it remotely close to full. Even filling it with my PCT gear and 10 pounds of food and 5 pounds of water there's still room for a bear cannister! I can't imagine needing the huge Pinnacle pack. If money was no object I'd consider something by ULA.
Tent: Tarptent Squall 2 (2-person) I seam-sealed it. weighs 2 lbs I use Tyvek as a ground cloth
There is a learning curve to this tent to get the hang of adjusting the bottom mesh part- you want draft. Sometimes in a hurry at night, like when mosquitos are vicious, I'd get frustrated and setting it up took a tad too long. I no longer feel that the luxury of a bigger tent used solo is worthwhile, though in pouring rainstorms I had my pack in there and we stayed dry and happy! I will use this tent to begin my PCT thru-hike with a partner and switch to a solo shelter later, I'm researching my options.
Sleeping Bag: Marmot Helium Women's. 29 oz I keep mine in a 13L Sea-to-Summit waterproof stuff sack, that's slightly larger than needed which keeps the loft better and isn't a nightmare to stuff into the sack. Fits perfect horizontally at the bottom of my pack.
Warm luxury with plenty of room to wiggle and move my legs. My most valuable gear item. I spent 15 years freezing my ass off with an inadequate bag. Women get colder than men and this bag is designed for the ladies with more warmth at the feet and chest! Very cozy even a bit below freezing on the mountains of Massachusetts on the A.T. in May. If I get too cold I can wear my Montbel Thermawrap vest for core warmth.
Sleeping mat: Thermarest Neo Air Med. 13 oz.
2.5" thick of pure luxury. Even with my kinked neck/disc problems and lady hips. Other UL hikers will warn you about air mattresses but I have never, ever had to use my patch kit. I totally hate blowing this thing up, but it's worth it right now. Other options: to save on weight/space the InertiaX inflatable (which just seems over-engineered to me) with a Gossamer Gear evazote pad. To save time the Z-rest seems a good, but bulky choice.
KITCHEN:
my choice is the home-made pop can alchohol stove with wire-grid pot stand and aluminum flashing wind screen that fit inside the $8 aluminum Walmart 1.2L grease pot. You should Make a pot cozy like Erik the Black add a spoon/spork, mini-bic lighter, use a colored bottle to hold the fuel (ez to get anywhere). I will be using a styrofoam Chinese soup take-out container with lid to re-hydrate grains like buckwheat, quinoa, and cous-cous. I also got sprouted lentils and mung beans which don't need cooking, just re-hydrating. The soaking greatly reduces cook time. My mug for hot drinks will be another styrofoam bowl. I'll post pics of my final PCT choices before I depart in April. I don't like canister stoves because you can't recycle or refill the containers and you never know how much fuel is left.
HYDRATION:
Water is different on the PCT than the AT (where I passed streams like 10x a day!)
Katadyn tablets: convenient but take 2 hrs in the dark of your pack. They're super handy if you're camping at a water source- for overnight treatment.
Aqua Mira: I haven't tried it yet but everybody uses it. It's the same stuff thats in municipal water, apparently safer than MSR Sweetwater drops. I'm turned off by having to mix 2 parts together like epoxy or something, but again-everybody uses it.
Sawyer in-line filter: Erik the Black's choice so I'm going to try it. Weighs 1.8 oz and goes in the sip tube from your Platypus bladder.
Platypus BigZip 3L with sip tube: 5.8oz. I haven't tried it or any kind of sip tube before, but I seem to drink more than other hikers, so I want this system in the heat of So Cal
Platypus 2.5L bladder. Awesome, lightweight, colapsible. Tried and true but probably won't last forever.
Aquafina or coke bottle 20 oz size: for adding drink mixes and having handy on the side of my pack.
SHOES/BOOTS and SOCKS and GAITERS
Some folks wear big heavy boots, some wear sneakers. For trips of over 2 weeks you MUST get shoes 1/2 to 1 size bigger than usual. Your feet will swell up huge, that's the way it goes.
There's the waterproof problem: to get "waterproof" gore-tex shoes or not? Let me tell you, if it's raining, your shoes and socks WILL get wet- I dare you to give me a waterproof solution! From my experience gore-tex shoes are good for splashes in streams but they don't breathe as well. If you carry trekking poles you can better balance on rocks for stream crossings, so I gave up on goretex shoes. Light breathable shoes, with thin light socks, and spandex gaiter for dusty/leafy conditions and more serious gaiters for muddy/rainy/snowy conditions.
Merril Moab gore-tex version of the Ventilator: I had the mid-height, not the low-tops. Super comfy lightweight, perfect for short trips. Don't stay waterproof forever but great for splashes. This boot has very little shank support/stiffness in the sole which was a problem on the rocky AT, but I think they'd be ok on non-rocky trails. Like a sneaker, the sole bends and folds over sharp rocks and my feet throbbed so bad at the end of the day I had to pop "Vitamin I" just to fall asleep! These shoes wear out pretty quick but lots of hikers choose them.
Vasque Breeze gore-tex mid-boot. Only tested on day-trips. I bought these as a better choice than the Merril Moab for long-distance hikes on rocky terrain and for the snowy Sierras. They have a stiff sole that won't fold around sharp rocks.
Patagonia Drifter A/C. A low top hiking shoe with vibram, knobby tread. TONS of toe-room. Has a pretty stiff sole, so I'm feeling good about this as my choice to start the PCT and we'll see if I stick with them. I find my heel slips a bit, which is bad- but I haven't tried them with SuperFeet type inserts yet. I've gone on several day-hikes and so far I like this shoe. Very breathable, not waterproof.
SOCKS
No cotton. None. Wool or nylon is the only way to go. Blisters happen because your feet are hot and wet. Prevent them by changing/airing out socks at least once a day. My choice is extra-thin socks because they dry fast, are ultra-lite so I can carry more pairs and just change my socks more often during the day. I find that thick wool socks become sponges of dank wetness in my shoe causing a blister-forming environment in as little time as 30 min. Screw that. My choice:
Smartwool PhD UL running sock, micro. for low-top shoes Tiny, overpriced sock. Reliable.
Wigwam Cool Lite sock: not a micro- it comes up a little higher to work with a mid boot- dry fast, nice sock.
CLOTHING
Hot weather:
Go-Lite tank. I wear a wicking v-neck tank that's wide enough for my pack straps. I hate sleeves and necks when its hot, that's my choice.
Nylon UL thrift store skirt. Weighs nothing, very few seams to rub you, comes just above the knee, no fabric between the inner thighs to rub, and I can pee without mooning anybody!
GoLite visor: absorbs sweat in a less disgusting manner than my old cap, and the top of my head can breathe but boy do I look like a dork.
Colder weather: add to above
Thermal Top: my $2 Danskin Turtle neck thermal from Walmart seems to work just as well as expensive fancy silk or wool products and weighs just 2.9 oz. My choice is always the turtleneck for warmth.
Thermal Bottom: I use a very old pair of Polar Tec type leggings by Wyoming Wear that weigh 5 oz (more than I'd wish). If I can afford it later, I think the best choice is a runners tight, the Under Armor Women's Cold Gear Frosty Tight (Thanks for the tip, Annie!)
Rainy Weather:
Marmot Essence Women's jacket. 5.75 oz
I love this. I found it on clearance- its the smallest, lightest, most effective rain shell I've ever seen, and it's my favorite bright orange color!
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