A great deal of time, energy, money and discussion goes into a thru-hiker's gear list. The important thing to remember is that it will change as you hike. Things break, new gadgets come out, etc. For me it became a daily challenge to lighten my load, so if I found a toothbrush that saved a couple of ounces, I bought it. Economy usually prevents this from becoming an obsession. My pack weight went from 46lbs. on day 1 to about 19lbs. on day 182, so it was worth every penny. Most people realize at some point on the trail that when you're lugging it around, lighter is better.

The only tiresome aspect of gear is "gear talk" -- the endless monologue some hikers inflict on everyone around them. "Is that a Petzl Tri-Beam flashlight you're using? Why didn't you go with the Quad-beam? It's so much brighter." This sort of conversation can be useful for the amateur camper, but it will get old for a thru-hiker. I recommend Bill Bryson's classic response to the gearhead who asked him why he chose a Kelty backpack: "So I don't have to carry all this stuff in my hands."

Any way, here's what I carried:

Thermarest NeoAir Medium 13 oz. Leki hiking poles Golite Dome Umbrella 7.5 oz. Thermarest Compack Chair 6 oz. Platypus 2.5-liter hydration bag Plastic water bottle Polar Pur/Aqua Mira Bandana Wet naps First Aid Kit/TP/string/advil/knife/pen Camera Gaiters Clothes: Nylon shorts w/zipper pants Patagonia Poly underwear (2 pair) Patagonia lightweight underwear top Nylon shirt Merino wool socks
Image Item Description Weight Notes
Random text at the bottom here
Gregory G-Pack Medium 2700 cu. in. 2 lbs. 12 oz. Great pack!
Marmot Pounder 40 deg. F Regular 1 lb. For summer use only
Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape 11 oz. Super light
Six Moon Designs Serenity NetTent 7 oz. no bugs
Tyvek groundcloth ? oz. strong and waterproof
1 Easton 9" aluminum stake
5 Easton 6" aluminum stakes 		.5 oz.
.3 oz.		 can be hit with a rock
Silk liner 4.75 oz. For fall and spring use
Thermarest lined stuff sack 2.7 oz. ? Fill with clothes/moss for great pillow
Outdoor Research dry sack ? oz. I take no chances and keep my silk liner and sleeping bag dry no matter what.
Snow Peak Mini Solo Cook Set Ti (110 oz. pot and 29 oz. cup) 5.5 oz. small and lightweight, and stove fits inside
StarLyte UltraLyte alcohol stove .56 oz. (+ windscreen .74 oz.) alcohol is the only way to go
Light My Fire spork .3 oz. clever
small sponge ? oz. necessary
toothbrush ? oz. cut in half!
lighter ? oz. must keep dry
Plastic alcohol bottles ? oz. (full) only need to carry a little
Hand sanitizer ? oz. (full) gotta keep clean