Backpacking Gear: A List

Hey Folks,

OK, here’s a (slightly outdated) list of my backpacking gear I thought I might put together, and have taken WAY too long to get it online. I would like to preface this post with a comment about gear; backpacking is NOT about gear, and I’m not a big advocate of the all too common push to make it about that.

Backpacking is about being ‘there‘. The gear can help facilitate doing that comfortably, but don’t think that this piece of gear or that piece of gear will magically turn a disastrous trip into a glorious one. And don’t think your pack will suddenly become unbelievably light because you buy an expensive down sleeping bag, and that you’ll now start prancing up over those mountains. Everything is part of a SYSTEM, and learning how to manage that system (including carrying it) is integral to having a good kit.

That said, here it is; hopefully, this list might be useful to someone wanting to look at what gear I use, or what backpacking gear they might want to look into if they’re heading to Alaska. It’s not at all a list of ALL the gear I have/use, but a general list of the gear I typically bring on just about any Alaska backpacking trip.

That list varies from trip to trip, depending on a number of factors, but it’s rare that I don’t bring at least something close to this.

Backpack

1. Mystery Ranch G5000, or
2. My alternative pack is a Dana Designs Alpine pack.

Tent

1. Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2, or, depending on the trip, a
2. Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1, or
3. Sierra Designs Tiros Assault CD Hilleberg Keron 2 or Mountain Hardwear Tango 2 (winter)

Sleeping Pad

1. usually a 3/4 length Thermarest (the little yellow ones they no longer make), Exped Downmat or
2. EXPED Downmat 9 (winter)

Sleeping Bag

1. Western Mountaineering Ultralite 20degF down bag
2. Mountain Hardwear Ghost -40degF down bag (winter)
3. NB: I now use a lightweight cotton bag liner, as well; saves on cleaning those down sleeping bags.

Rain Shell

1. REI Shuksan jacket (or whatever similar, overpriced, waterproof “breathable” jacket I happen to have this season)
2. Arcteryx Alpha SL pant

Insulating Layers

1. Patagonia Merino Wool 3 Crew (or similar).
2. Patagonia Merino Wool 2 Bottoms (or similar)
3. Patagonia R1 full-zip jacket
4. Montbell Ex Light Down jacket
5. Patagonia capilene 4 pants (optional)

Hiking clothes

1. 1 pair Arcteryx Palisade Pants
2. 1 Long-sleeve nylon shirt (no particular brand/model) 🙂
3. 1 pair Patagonia Baggies shorts (optional – if I think I’ll score lucky weather)
4. 1 polyester or cotton t-shirt (optional)

Socks Typically, I bring 2 pair of silk liners, and 2 pair of hiking/backpacking socks and 1 pair of thick, warm “camp socks”. That includes what I wear on Day 1. Eg;

• 2 x REI wool expedition or hiking socks, or similar (expedition trekking) by Smart Wool
• 2 x Any silk (or similar)  liner socks
• 1 x Patagonia Ultra Heavyweight Mountaineering socks for camp.

Underwear

• For hiking, some kind of lightweight lycra athletic/running short (Nike or similar)
• 1 x cotton boxers for camp/bedtime.

Boots

1. Depending on terrain, I’ll wear either a pair of the Moran GTX and a pair of Powermatic 200GVs. I’ve also worn, and like, Asolo FSN 95 GTX, Fugitive GTX, Flame GTX, Revenge GTX, etc. I prefer Goretex lined, synthetic boots
2. Worn various and sundry other boot models, some fit me well, some don’t. Find what works for YOU.

Campshoe or River crossing shoe

1. Vivo Barefoot Ultra Bloom (or similar, such as …
   1. Crocs Trailbreaker model, or
   2. Home-modified regular crocs (add a short cord to help fasten more securely).