Tent: Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo
You and I are the same build, this is a very inexpensive, light, one pole setup and roomy tent, you + gear no problem, if bought off of backcountry.com during their 20% off sale it’s like $170-180
Wind pants:
$20, 3.5 oz, you’ll want the medium
Trekking Poles: Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Cork, $45 shipped on amazon
Torso warmth: Walmart> Climate right Cuddlduds fleece set $20 plus a down jacket from Uniqlo.
Pack is super personal, but anything from a 2016 Osprey Exos/ Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor/ ULA pack to a fancier Superior Wilderness Designs Long Haul 40 (definitely recommend based off of reviews here) or HMG (heard mixed things) will do the job.
These are amazing budget options, if you want to upgrade from here feel free but this stuff will handle the JMT no problem.
You're welcome! Yeah, the place I linked to for those bottles- they also sell a lot of other small bottles that are great for repackaging other stuff, as well as odds and ends that can save you weight in other places.
Yeah, those are the pants I was talking about. You can get them at Amazon too. I know the waist looks goofy in the pics but it's a normal waist you'd find on any other wind pants, it's just tailored to ride high so a lot of people double it over a few times so it's not around your belly button. It's lightweight material so I don't think it would be too bad with a waist belt but I'm beltless so I can't say for sure.
I use a small xlite too in addition to the thinlight. When the ground is pokey the thinlight can protect the xlite. When it's cold I put the thinlight on top and it helps boost the warmth of the xlite. Sometimes I use the thinlight under my feet.
awesome! cowboy camping is one of the great joys of the PCT, most nights you won't even need a tent especially with a May start. for the same weight as your polycro i'd get a 3x7' piece of tyvek, it is more durable and can be folded into a sitpad. dance pants are Bodywrappers nylon warm up pants -- they run a but small so size up. i'm 6'4" and wear XL and mine weigh 3.8 oz, M or L are closer to 3 oz
Dance Pants are a great cheap and lightweight wind pant.
I prefer to have a separate set of sleep clothes that I don't hike in on a regular basis. For me, it's more comfy (I've brought a cotton tank just to sleep in), keeps my bag 'cleaner', and it's nice to have something dry to change into for camp/sleep.
These are what you’re looking for. Cheap, light, packable, and retain a surprising amount of heat for cool nights and mornings at camp. You can give them a DWR treatment and they become pretty capable rain pants as well.
What percentage of the time do you think you'll wear those pants, and how attached are you to that particular pair/style? Swapping the covertibles for a $17, 4 oz pair of dancepants to layer over your shorts would save you ~10 oz.
I wore Patagonia Houdini wind pants on my thru last year. Really liked them. But I also picked up some thermal leggings for the high Sierra.
The usual budget friendly recommendation for wind pants if you don't want to spend $100 are Body Wrappers Dance Pants.
Get these instead: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Wrappers-Ripstop-Pants-701/dp/B0002UR7SQ
Sizing chart here: https://www.discountdance.com/dancewear/style_701.html
~3 oz, <$20, relaxed fit to layer over tights, dries super quick.
Wind pants > rain pants for most 3-season conditions because the heat generated by your legs hiking needs to vent somewhere, otherwise you're going to sweat & wet out anyways. Plus getting wet on your legs doesn't matter as much as your body core for warmth.
I'm a female in the bay as well and about your size.
I love my REI Flash 45! I just got it about a month ago and have taken it on one trip but I'm in love. Definitely check it out in the store and throw some of their weights in it. The price is nice as well!
These TNF shorts rock. I can't say enough good things about them. I think my thighs/butt are standard/athletic and the medium size that I have is definitely too big. They go up to XXL and they have short/regular/long inseam choices.
I carry the amazon dance pants as an emergency layer for hiking and for layering with my base layers at camp if it's chilly. Medium fits with room to spare.
Camp sandals! I just bought some Xero Shoes DIY Sandals. You will measure your feet to order the right size. I'm a size 8 normally. I cut the soles to size since I have less wide feet. I did a slightly heftier lace pattern. Total weight ended up being 148g. I'm pretty pleased with that. I haven't put them to the test yet though.
On long distance hikes, your gear needs to be lightweight and durable. Analyze absolutely every piece of gear that you plan to take. Even a few extra ounces can add up to bodily wear-and-tear over hundreds of miles. I recommend you head over to r/Ultralight and read some PCT shakedowns to get a sense of what people bring. Or, try HalfwayAnywhere to peruse the gear surveys of former PCT hikers.
I struggle with acne, and sleeping on a dirty pillow (aka "a bug head net stuffed with my daytime hiking clothes") sure doesn't help matters. Before I go to bed each night, I make sure to wash my face, and then I apply a little Clearasil from a tiny eye dropper bottle. (For all you scoffing right now: acne is painful, and it gets infected. It's not a purely cosmetic issue.)
There are many UL tents to choose from. I think most people buy an expensive Dyneema tent to hike the PCT, but you can also find cheaper silnylon versions which are still quite light. I love the roominess of my Lanshan Pro 1P by 3F UL Gear. I also hear good things about The One by Gossamer Gear and the Nemo Hornet, but I haven't personally tried them. There are also "two-person" tents if you and your friend plan to share, however many of them aren't wide enough to accommodate two sleeping pads side-by-side. Check the dimensions before you buy.
I don't use a footprint. If I'm setting up on gravel or desert pokey things, I'll lay my poncho under my sleeping pad for some added protection.
As for shorts, I wear Sandy River 5" inseam by Columbia. I don't particularly love them, but they have a lot of pluses: no inner liner, they don't ride up, there are three pockets, and they dry quickly. On cold days, I wear Body Wrapper dance pants.
I take two pairs of undies: one to wear and one to wash at night.
ECWCS long john bottoms are cheap; I run on the warm side and dance pants are enough for 30F
You can order these dance pants everyone loves from the US, cost me 22€ incl. Shipping to Germany. Worth it!
Try the dance pants for $20. Wind pants were a game changer for me. https://www.amazon.com/Body-Wrappers-Ripstop-Pants-Black/dp/B0002UR7SQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=body+wrappers&qid=1613963875&sprefix=body+wrapp&sr=8-3
I am starting April 15. Estimating reaching KM by June 1...? My clothing plans are:
Day time: running hat, l/s button down hiking shirt, running shorts
Insulation: R1 fleece for active insulation, puffy jacket for resting/camp insulation, winter hat, buff, insulated gloves, thermal base layer top and bottom for sleep
Rain: OR Helium jacket (also good for added insulation), Amazon rain wrap/skirt
Sierra considerations: I'm concerned about my lower-half insulation for day time hiking, specifically deep snow. I am considering adding another thermal base layer or some sort of wind pants for my legs to slog through any deeper snow. I am waiting until time gets closer and I can get some first hand reports of snow conditions and recommendations. I know there is a popular/cheap Body Wrappers ripstop pants on Amazon. What do others do for deeper snow? Extra tall gaiters? Pants? Frozen bare legs in shorts?
My plan is to always keep a set of base layers (top and bottom) and sleep socks dry for the end of the day. That's why I am thinking about adding a second base layer or pants.
I'm also considering swapping out my trail runners for my hiking boots for the Sierra too.
I've read about Showerspass waterproof socks on Halfway Anywhere that sound pretty sweet too. Does anyone have experience with these? They only work as long as the top of the sock stays above water though. So great for shallow crossings only.