5 Pieces of Gear you NEED for the Pacific Crest Trail

There were 5 pieces of gear that really resonated with me when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail without them I would have NOT had a good time.
#backpacking #pacificcresttrail #hiking
1. Mosquito Suit: www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Suit-...
2. My puffy: enlightenedequipment.com/mens...
3. Waterproof Socks: www.amazon.com/Waterproof-RAN...
4. My poncho: www.amazon.com/longsinger-Wat...
5. Down Booties (don't have any but you can find them on Amazon for a decent price!)

[@memathews]

Agree 100%! I've hiked the PNW since 1965 and everything top you have is perfect. The poncho is the only way to keep everything dry with enough breathability for summer and it's useful as a quick shelter or a sunshade or signal device or water collector, or many other uses. A headnet and light leather gloves are essential to beat mosquitos, and either your suit or woven fabric shirt/pants (I like REI Sahara shirts/pants, knit fabrics are NOT mosquito proof). You're right, synthetic insulation is the only way to beat the weather, my sleeping bags are also synthetic to avoid losing their loft.

[@martinjcamp]

Thank you very much for the excellent advice. VERY helpful.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Glad it helped :)

[@duanehundley]

I went over Donahue in similar conditions as you. I remember hiding next to a boulder getting hailed on with lighting striking around us. It was fn epic. I've never felt so alive.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

one of the craziest days Ive ever had in the mountains glad you made it through all good!

[@SigfridSWE]

We had a pretty unique year in 2023 😅 I also hiked the PCT23 and did a true NOBO hike. And I mean we was in the snow for like 6 weeks after entering the Sierra (and all the snow in the desert starting 24 of March like I did was crazy).It was relentless. (Started 20th of may from Kennedy Meadows south and was nr35 in the book in Kennedy meadows north/Sonora pass but had snow well North of Taho & Donner). So mentally it was the snow for me. This meant I was pretty late into Oregon so didn't have the Mosquito problem. So it all depends. But if you flip or a normal year and you are early into Oregon, yes the mosquitos will be brutal. It was also a record year for rain our pct year. So a normal year its not like that. But I agree with your points, weather can always change fast 🤘🏻

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Badass dude respect for taking on the sierra like that!

[@DartmoorPaul]

Some great suggestions 👍 thanks for sharing

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Anytime brothaaa

[@THEGAINCAVE]

Great content! Thank you!

[@HitTheTrailJack]

thanks!

[@billpowell5207]

Excellent advice. never even heard of a mosquito suit. Getting one

[@HitTheTrailJack]

you wont regret it lol

[@sdsadventurer]

VERY useful

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Thank you!

[@ucspearo]

Very helpful 👍 Thanks

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Glad you found it useful!

[@janmariolle]

Nice review. You did such a fabulous job sharing your hike. I really enjoyed your videos.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Thanks Jan :) as always!

[@Glazehikes]

Thanks Outlaw. Great stuff as usual. I’m a recent convert to down booties- I feel like they add 5 or so degrees to the comfort rating of my quilt (maybe that’s all in my head). But hey, I feel better wearing them for sure. 😀 Peace and happy trails.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

yeah I could see that! Because when your feet are cold you feel like the quilt isnt working lol

[@kristymoore7052]

Super helpful comments. I bought a mosquito suit after coming home from a miserable backpack trip in the Oregon Cascades. I often use the headnet and pants. I will be hiking the JMT this summer and your comment about the synthetic vs., down made sense. I have both, but my down is warmer and better quality so planned on that, but perhaps I'll re-think.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

all it takes is one trip with the skeets to know how important the suit is 😂😂

[@gregmortonoutdoors]

I've become a fan of synthetic puffys, too. Going through the Smokies I had on a mid layer under my rain shell due to snow storms. When I stopped at a shelter, the only way you can dry out your gear is to keep it on you. I took off the rain shell and put on my down puffy but after about an hour I could tell the down was starting to get damp and lose the insulation property. Everything worked out, however, a synthetic fill would have done a better job at trapping warmth. I recommend the Decathlon synthetic puffy. It's a couple of ounces heavier than the down version but only $70.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

that sounds like a really sick puffy especially for the price

[@miken7629]

I hike AT every spring so some of the stuff you mentioned is useful. I once had 8 days of rain on trail so I bought neoprene dive booties that work well and keep my feet dry. I have a mosquito head net and carry Deet which works fairly well, the Mosquito is the State Bird of Texas. Most people do not know how to wear a poncho, the key is to pull it over your pack and there are grommets at the bottom of poncho, tie a cord to the back grommets then bring that cord to your front and secure with a knot, will keep the pack covered plus stop the poncho from flopping around. Got rid of my down puffy a couple years ago after it got wet & useless, now have a polyester hoodie + a polyester bomber jacket (the kind with orange liner if I need visibility for rescue).

[@csn583]

The entire point of neoprene material is that it doesn't keep you dry. It's right there in the name "wetsuit". It traps a layer of water near your skin so it can warm up.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

I never had to use Deet cause the mosquito suit is the BOMB! yeah I have never had a down puffy for that exact reason. I am from oklahoma originally so S/O to Texas!

[@dgio5052]

Excellent tips. Who makes the best lightweight waterproof tent in your opinion?

[@HitTheTrailJack]

I think there’s a few, hyperlite has come out with a good one, but personally I love the zpacks duplex!

[@jeraldheinrich3589]

Some good tips, the mosquitoes can make or break a hike.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

This is the truest statement of all time

[@gregoryoutdoors]

Same here in Scotland with the small but sooo insanely annoying midges, headnet is a must in summer. Ive got all other you mentioned as well.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

headnet is a bare minimum those little buggers in your ears.. AH HELL NA

[@gregoryoutdoors]

@@HitTheTrailJack I had over 100 bites on my legs last time and used a special cream for bites its like an allergy after 2 or 3 days and itch from hell...

[@trevorjansma8513]

good stuff! one thing you didn’t have on your list which i loved having was a sleeping bag liner. it allowed me to sleep comfortably without a shirt on in my sleeping bag, which was especially nice on nights i couldn’t wash before bed. some warm nights i didn’t use my bag at all, just the liner. and of course it adds a few degrees of warmth for cold nights, and prevents the sleeping bag from smelling foul! it’s much easier to wash the liner than the sleeping bag/quilt. also it doubled as a towel after every swim and would dry incredibly fast (as fast as my sun hoodie - which is a true necessity imo). i had the rab cotton sleeping bag liner, got it for $25. it’s all sorts of stained and ripped now, but better that be blood stained and ripped than my expensive sleeping bag

[@HitTheTrailJack]

YOOO!!! whats up STONEHENGE! hope everything has been going well post trail, and yesss amazing call my sleeping bag liner was essential for the exact reasons you listed although it was this funny nylon material but super light so I cant complain.

[@landonthings]

The mozzy pants are hilariously “sexy” due to their sheer, see through fabric lol. BTW- My mom watched your videos as I went Nobo in 2023. Started just behind you. Look forward to meeting you someday man! -Bob the Builder

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Lmaooo right?? Those pants were everything to me. Ahh yes I remember her mentioning you! Yeah same here brotha!

[@freedompanda9438]

I didn’t have the booties, the waterproof socks, the synth puffy or the mosquito suit when I hiked the PCT (Rawhide, 2011). I had a down puffy and a mosquito head net, which was fantastic (bought from Skurka from his Great Western Loop trek). If you’re going to add ounces, add them to the parts of your kit that are vital - and by vital, I mean that even if you only use them 2-3 times total, that those 2-3 times are VITAL to have that kit. The old “better to have 4WD and not need it, than need 4WD and not have it” idea. Just be prepared. Good video!

[@freedompanda9438]

The synthetic puffy I swear by now : Enlightened Equipment ‘Torrid’ hoodie. I have the zip up but the pullover is great as well. Been using that the last 4.5 years, and love it. Used it on a S to N hike of Ireland, and even in the freezing rain I was soaked but warm. Adds degrees to your sleep kit as well, if you sleep in it or drape it over yourself in the bag.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Thank you Rawhide appreciate the love 🤘🏼

[@dangaspar1707]

The Indian Heaven Wilderness in S. WA is notorious for huge numbers of mosquitoes. Every time through there has been swarms for me.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

That’s where we got destroyed

[@trexinvert]

Yes, mosquitos. Ive watched some hikers quit because of them. That bad. Cant stop, cant poop. Deet useless.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Yup it’s hell lmao

[@wolfeadventures]

Great stuff here. Were the tents you saw with water intrusion issues freestanding like Big Agnes or Nemo?

[@HitTheTrailJack]

It was mainly the six moon designs, but personally I would stick to a tent that is dyneema. I did see big agnes wet through too, but if you have dyneema you can pretty much sleep in a puddle and keep the inside of your tent dry

[@pursang0904]

What brand of waterproof socks do you prefer??? Great video!!!

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Thank you! Mine were Randy Sun i got them on Amazon! The link is in the description

[@miketroutman7365]

Great gear video and ideas. You make great points on some comfort items that make the trail a little more enjoyable. On another note, anymore Japan hike coming?

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Yes! More Japan videos to come as well!

[@billcolombo6913]

Great recommendation! Curious…what month/weeks did you hit the skeeters in WA? Planning SOBO too. Thx!

[@HitTheTrailJack]

It will largely depend on snowpack, something the locals told me was about a week after most snow is melted is when they really start to die off since there just isnt as much water!

[@memathews]

The mosquitos hatch and die with the snow melt, so they are most ravenous at whichever elevation is having its melt. Mosquitos can be a problem for a month or more, it all depends on how long the melt takes and which elevation the trail goes through that day. Pro-tip: Tuck your pants legs into the tops of your socks and wear lightweight leather work gloves (elk or deerskin are best).

[@mountaincat8]

Regarding the mosquito pants; Are the mosquitoes able to bite you through the pants on any sections of the pants that are pressed up against your skin at any particular moment?

[@HitTheTrailJack]

They tend to fit quite baggy on purpose so it’s pretty tough for them to ever make contact with the skin. Only if you are sitting down on your thighs occasionally but you can see those and just protect that one area haha

[@alexmills2043]

Constructive criticism: should be timestamped per item and highlight the time itself at the beginning of the explanation.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Thanks for that! I’ll try to get some timestamps on future videos

[@expatadventureturkey9324]

On the topic of essential gear what are your thoughts on a quilt “in relation to temp rating” 10 vs 20 vs 30 etc…what bag would work for the entire PCT temp wise? Thanks in advance

[@HitTheTrailJack]

If you are a cold sleeper most likely 15 degree would be fine, and I’m sure you are aware but most of your warmth will come from how insulated you are from the ground so I recommend R level 3 and above with your pad!

[@expatadventureturkey9324]

@@HitTheTrailJack Thanks much appreciated, not how well I’ll be able to ship boxes and receive different items along the way so I wanted 1 sleeping bag for the entirety of the hike. I currently have a Katabatic 22 and yes I’m a cold sleeper so bag with pad will be crucial. Again thanks for what you do for our hiking community really enjoying your content. Subscribe ✅

[@HitTheTrailJack]

thank you! I hope you have the best time ever and with that quilt and proper pad I believe you will be quite toasty on trail! @@expatadventureturkey9324

[@csn583]

What good are waterproof socks when you're sweating from the inside? And do you duct tape them to your legs or do they just turn into tiny swimming pools as soon as you step into anything deep? Never seen anything "waterproof" that wasn't a lie.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

yeah I can definitely see where you are coming from, but with snow hiking they stay tight enough to keep water from getting in and your feet will sweat but they wont be freezing cold and completely drenched. Trust me walking 20 mile days in snow they are 100% something you want

[@Henning_Rech]

I agree with you for PCT2023. I would not agree for PCT2022. And noone knows yet how 2024 will become - probably not another 2023.

[@HitTheTrailJack]

Very true but I’m taking the mosquito suit no matter what year it is haha

[@tomnoyb8301]

Links?

[@HitTheTrailJack]

just updated the video you can find them all in the description! good catch haha

[@pursang0904]

Don’t see links

[@HitTheTrailJack]

@@pursang0904 1. Mosquito Suit: www.amazon.com/Mosquito-Suit-... 2. My puffy: enlightenedequipment.com/mens... 3. Waterproof Socks: www.amazon.com/Waterproof-RAN... 4. My poncho: www.amazon.com/longsinger-Wat... 5. Down Booties (don't have any but you can find them on Amazon for a decent price!)