Gear list (tentative)

Numerous winter nights have been spent in front of the computer researching equipment for the PCT, and the gear list is finally coming together. I for one am still not completely sold the ultralight backpacking philosophy… yet :-). For the time being I still like to have a traditional tent, I use a gas canister stove for cooking, etc. etc. That said, I always try to go as light as possible and to save weight where I can.
I started out with the 10,1 kg (22,3 lb) gear list from my 2011 hike of the John Muir Trail, making adjustments based on my experiences from back then. The most important changes I am doing are to swap my 2,29 kg  (5,05 lb) 2-person Mountain Hardwear Drifter 2 tent for a MSR Hubba at 1,28 kg (2,81 lbs), only carry the 1,16 kg (2,56 lb) BearVault 500 bear canister in the Sierras where bear canisters are mandatory, as well as ditching some clothes and gear that I know that I won’t be needing. This leaves me with a base pack weight of 6,68 kg (14,72 lb). That’s 34% less than on my JMT hike, and a weight that I think I will be very satisfied with.
Most items were measured using a digital kitchen scale. As for the rest, primarily the MSR Hubba, I’m relying on specifications provided by the manufacturer.  I hope to bring you some in-depth reviews of how my gear works out once I’ve been on the trail for a while. Stay tuned.

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