jupiterhikes
Gear

Gear

The Gear I Use

This is the gear that I will be using on the Hayduke Trail starting around April 15th!

The Hayduke is an 800 mile desert hike across the state of Utah, dipping into Arizona briefly. Passing through very remote areas, involving a lot of route finding in and around canyons. There will be tricky and long water carries, as well as long distances between resupply. Temperatures can be above 110* during the day and below freezing at night.

All together my baseweight is 8.5lbs, but that is including 1.8lbs of camera gear. So this is much closer to a 7lb kit, with a massive camera. Everything here is similar to what I carry on other thru hikes, though there are certainly some changes which reflect the conditions expected.

This is a trail that I have long dreamed of doing for it’s beauty, remoteness, and challenge. I hope my past desert hiking experiences have prepared me for what many say is the hardest thru hike in the United States.

Hayduke Trail Gear List

Packing

Sleeping

Water / Eating

  • 4oz – Water Bottles – Random Brand 1L // x4
  • 1.3oz – Water Bladder – Platypus 2L
  • 2.2oz – Water Filter – Platypus Quickdraw
  • 1.3oz – Food Bowl – Peanut Butter Jar
  • 0.8oz – Food bag – Sea to Summit 15L
  • 0.3oz – Spoon – Plastic

Clothing (Carried)

Miscellaneous

Electronics

  • 0.6oz – Flashlight – Rovyvon Aurora A5
  • 8oz – Cell Phone – Google Pixel 6a
  • 12.8oz – External Battery – Ravpower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh 60w
  • 2.9oz – Wall Charger – Ravpower PD Pioneer 30w 2-Port
  • 0.4oz – Headphones – Cheap Earbuds
  • 1.2oz – USB Cords – 2x USB C
  • 0.1oz – Watch Charger – Coros Dongle

Camera Gear

Total Baseweight

8.5 lb / 3.8 kg

Clothing (Worn)

Thanks for following along!

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64 Comments

  1. Andrew

    Did you miss not having a puffy jacket? Also, how do you deal with wind chill while sleeping under a tarp?
    Your articles and videos are a great inspiration and thank you so much for sharing!

    1. jupiterhikes

      I personally did not miss having a puffy, but that also goes with how I hike. I am either in my quilt sleeping or I am moving and hiking so the fleece added to that warmth and was more than sufficient. If you like spending more time hanging around camp than I do or if you take long breaks, a puffy is probably a more appropriate choice for you. As for my tarp, during the entire PCT I only used it 4 times. 3 of those times were for wind where I pinned it lower to the ground. Most days however I would pick spots that are naturally good spots, and cowboy camp. Trees above, bushes or rocks surrounding, not exposed, avoiding valleys water or tops of mountains. I never felt a desire for a shelter larger or more robust than my tarp. Campsite selection is key

  2. Nick Mountain

    What is the material of the button down shirt? And underwear? No underwear?

    What iis polycryo? I it the same as space blanket plastic or packaging plastic? The link is sold out.

    Doesn’t your bamboo toothbrush get gross after 3 days? Mine did.

    So, no bandaid, antibiotic ointment, tp, soap, no 2nd pair of socks, underwear, scrubie, gear repair tape, no tic / bug problems sleeping without tent mesh, no deet or incaridin and no mosquito problems, no ice axe, spikes, tums, diareah pill, no mole skin, mirror.. I’m on my way to your level but man there’s got to be some pain involved. Lol

    Is the 30w charger any faster than 2.4 volt. I got anker USBc and its only 5 min faster to charge my phone.

    Good luck with editing the rest of the videos. Can’t wait to watch them all, over and over.

    1. jupiterhikes

      The shirt is polyester of some sort. Very lightweight, airy, and comfortable.

      No underwear as my shorts have a liner built into them.

      Polycryo is a thin insulating film used typically to cover windows. But in backpacking I use it as a ground sheet. I place the polycryo down on the ground, then my sleeping pad on top, etc. Since my shelter (a tarp) does not have a floor, the polycryo acts as my floor keeping me dry and clean.

      My bamboo toothbrush has not gotten gross yet!

      I do have a second pair of socks. But you are correct that I did not carry any of those other items you mention. And there also was no pain involved, instead I was very comfortable walking with my very lightweight pack! Many of those items could be improvised, many of those items aren’t needed with certain skills, many of those items could be gotten in a town should I find I do need them, or many I wouldn’t need at all given my extensive research before leaving for the trip, and knowing the conditions I will face.

      1. David Berhenke

        Found a 4-pack of replacement heads for an electric toothbrush at Dollar Tree. They weigh 0.1 oz, measurably less than the bamboo option, even with sawing off the handle. They have softer bristles as recommended by my dentists, and don’t have the annoying wood handle sensation to overcome. The bamboo option was an improvement over my previous kit, but the replacement heads (by themselves) are a further upgrade.

    1. jupiterhikes

      I cut all sorts of stuff off of it! I think next time I will just leave the doodads be, but hey some one has gotta try. I removed the hipbelt, I shortened straps, I cut off clips, etc. Don’t think I would recommend.

  6. salumsden

    Love your videos and wisdom. Your pack weight is quite low, even with the camera, phone and backup power. I do however see a hiking pole in the videos, but not in the pack list. I must have missed something. Apologies.

    1. jupiterhikes

      I only carry the hiking pole for snow, so it isn’t something I normally have had on any past hike. Usually I just found a broken one in town and used that for a section, then ditched it as soon as I could in a next town.

    1. jupiterhikes

      It would be more difficult of course but yes, knowing a few people in their 50s who do so I think so. My dad for instance in his 50s is in the best shape of his life! But that came with a lot of effort, more so than for those younger.

    1. jupiterhikes

      The lighter is for an emergency should I need a fire for warmth. One time when I wasn’t carrying one I got into a really bad potentially hypothermic situation and since then it just feels stupid to not have something so small and potentially life saving. The safety pin is for blisters.

      1. Dave Foster

        Hey Jupiter, I’ve been getting so much useful info from you in all your videos. Im not a long distance hiker but it’s given me lots of ideas for slimming down. I thought because I’ve learned so much from you, it’d be good to share with you one bit of info that I know of. Fire required for hypothermia often happens in less than optimal conditions ie wet or snowing, when lighting a fire can be really hard. I know you’re experienced but having some emergency tinder for the cost of a handful of grams is worth its weight in gold. Mini infernos from pathfinder are great, I never carry the whole tin, just 1 or 2 in a ziploc, they give a substantial burn time enough to dry out small sticks and other tinder you may’ve found.

    1. jupiterhikes

      If you look back at old photos, I wore the same exact shirt for most of my AT thru hike as well. So yes! long sleeves are great for bugs, the button up is great for ventilation

    1. jupiterhikes

      I have a video coming out within the next month about how to use a bear can with an ultralight backpack, I recommend checking that out soon! On the PNT I used an even smaller pack, the palante joey. And as for the extra weight, a bear can weighs as much as one liter of water, so the weight is less a concern and more so dealing with the bulk or size of the can.

  11. Royal Lyon

    I really enjoyed your series on the PCT! I have followed you for a long time and appreciate your appreciation of the trail and nature and people.
    Your colors, especially blue skies, are different/better from probably every other video. You use a Sony ZV1 like me, but my blues and greens are different from yours. What settings and/or color editing do you use?

  13. zhangchangya

    我是一位中国的徒步爱好者，在YouTube上看到您的视频，对我非常有帮助，感谢分享的这一切，也祝您在路上安全抵达终点。加油。

  14. Sydney

    Your videos are beautiful and you are so inspiring, thank you for providing so much useful information! I hope to hike the PCT in a few years after I get more hiking experience.

      1. jupiterhikes

        I mostly use natural materials. Spawned from early days in backpacking, I would just forget to pack TP and got pretty good at finding alternatives. When it comes to leave no trace, it is recommended people pack out their TP and throw it out. While using natural plants and things I do not have to do such a thing, and I am being LNT conscious.. As for hand sanitizer, it doesn’t kill norovirus, or giardia! So I kind of think most people use it thinking it helps to avoid those, and really it does not. I do wash my hands often with just water, it is the friction that removes most germs and things.

  19. Cosimo Cencetti

    I have a strong doubt in buying a tent and I would love to have your opinion about that.
    I personally don’t like trekking poles: they are just there in my hands and i kind of drag them around. The only time when i use them is uphill and i think they are very very useful if you have a heavy backpack to carry, which is not the case here. So the fact that i need a trekking pole in order to use a tent bothers me a lot. What do you think? Chances to use a wooden stick found on site?

    1. jupiterhikes

      I think regardless of pack weight trekking poles are useful and worthwhile. I don’t use them because frankly I am stubborn and set in my way, but would still benefit greatly from them, and should use them. They take stress off your joints, muscles, and legs. They aid in balance, can be used for river crossings and on snow for safety. And as you mention, most tents these days require them! So if I was you, I would continue to ‘give them a try.’ If it’s still not your thing, maybe consider a tent that only uses one trekking pole, and then just carry an extremely light one in your pack to use occasionally for the reasons above, and for setting up your tent. I do this as you’ll see in many of my videos. Otherwise maybe you could carry a single tent pole, get a semi freestanding tent instead, or find a tent that could be setup with sticks. The majority of the time I use a tarp, which can be setup with sticks and never have a problem with that, but tarps aren’t for everyone.

        1. jupiterhikes

          Sprocket made the pack herself! She has been doing that for a few years now. Taking elements she likes from other manufacturers and then trying to throw her own twist onto it. A fun hobby in the MYOG world that she has inspired me to try as well.

  21. AJ

    Hi Jupiter,

    Thanks for all the advice, tips, and inspiration! I’m originally from FL and now live in Colorado. I’m hiking around 100 miles on the CT this summer and have a few questions for you:

    1. Why don’t you put your sleeping pad inside your pack liner? I have an ultraweave V2 that has started to delam and will seep moister, especially if I’m hiking without a shirt, seems like my back sweat goes right through my pack.
    2. Have you ever tried using the 1/8 pad without a groundsheet?
    3. Do you carry extra guy lines? Or ever have one break?

    1. jupiterhikes

      1. Sometimes I do put my pad in my liner, but typically I don’t find it necessary and also marginally more difficult to do so in the morning while packing. So aside from a big downpour expected, I mostly choose the ease. Either way works though, if you’d like to avoid it getting wet in any way at all!
      2. I have not tried camping without a groundsheet, while using a tarp or cowboy camping. My sleeping pad is only torso length so I would get quite dirty quite fast! I think given how thin my pad is to begin with, and how little it does, I would probably sooner ditch the pad than the groundsheet. The groundsheet keeps me clean, and it keeps me dry, same for my gear! Over the years, occasionally I’ll have a groundsheet rip at an inopportune time, and will be forced to sleep with giant holes and rips, but I’ve never in those moments thought to just ditch the thing entirely.
      3. I do not carry extra and have never had one break. I had a guyline come close to breaking, but at that point the tent was so destroyed in every other way that the guyline itself was the least of my worries. Generally when using a tarp if I plan to be changing configurations throughout a hike which would require me to remove and reattach lines, I may have a spare line or two in my pack while the tarp is in one configuration. Still those lines would be required for another config and I am not sure I would consider them extra. An instance of this would be that a half pyramid pitch is less storm worthy than an A frame pitch. The Half pyramid is more comfortable and easy to setup, requiring less lines. The A frame requires more lines but would be necessary if a big storm was expected. Most of the hike I may have my tarp pitched as the pyramid, but occasionally might change it depending on conditions expected. Are those extra lines? Or are those there because the hike dictates that more storm worthy pitch. Some hikes I may never need to do that, and truly I tend to (and prefer to) keep my tarp in one config for an entire hike and never once change it. From the start to the end, leaving it in what I expect to be the most needed. A frame would be the safest option, in that case.

  22. richardj

    Hi, new subscriber. Looking into backpacks. I am gravitating towards Ultragrid/gridstop over Ultra 200x. It’s cheaper, seems more durable (in the long run) and looks like a nicer fabric (softer). Downside is a bit of water weight that’s gained in heavy rains but I think that shouldn’t be too bad?

    It doesn’t look like Ultra fabric is really worth the extra cost.

    What’s your opinion? I read you preferred gridstop at some point too. But that was a year ago it seems.

    1. jupiterhikes

      I personally have never cared much for the waterproof fabrics. They often cost significantly more, and then don’t last very long! Add on diffuclt to repair. By comparison gridstop is my favorite of the fabrics as far as backpacks are concerned. Long Lasting, easy to repair, and very light weight. Want it waterproof? Put a trashbag in there, which can be easily replaced once it starts to wear down. All around, I am still team gridstop.

  23. jessica

    Hi Jupiter – I just got a Pa’lante Pack (ultralight model) and I’m curious where you put your Peak Design camera clip on any of their packs. I can’t really find a place to attach it where I’m reasonably able to grab it on the go. The extra attachment point on either strap doesn’t seem to be enough to securely hold a camera, and on me (I’m 5’4″) that attachment point is directly above my shoulder and doesn’t make sense for attaching a camera. I’m almost wondering if I should just try to sew another attachment point on myself. I saw one video where you mentioned putting a camera in the bottom pocket, but I’m using that for snacks. Thanks!

    1. jupiterhikes

      Hello! Maybe you can see it in one of my videos lately where I am using the camera clip, or if you email me directly I could send you a picture of where I secure mine. But I attach the camera clip to the shoulder strap directly, one metal piece on the top of the shoulder strap, and one on the backside of it, squishing it together to screw the camera clip into place. Actually on my instagram in one of the recent photos showing my entire gear spread out before the Wind River High Route, you can see the clip on my strap and where it is exactly. So it sandwhiches the strap, and I place it on my left shoulder, about 1/3rd of the way up the shoulder strap pocket, covering a small chunk of that pocket in the process. Not ideal you would think but I’ve found that it doesn’t hinder the use of that pocket and I can still access it, and get things out of it while the camera is there. I hope this helps, if not send me an email and I can send some pictures to better illustrate what I mean. I got the idea from a friend, Heaps @wilderbound and another friend who do the same thing.

  24. AJ

    Hey Jupiter,

    Hope you’re doing well and recovering smoothly from your injury. I had a bout of plantar fasciitis last year, so I totally feel your pain.

    I left a comment on your blog last year with a few random questions (I’m based in Colorado), and was looking forward to your Colorado Trail gear video. I noticed you haven’t been doing trail-specific gear videos lately, but I always found them inspiring. If you’re still on track to hike the CDT this year, it’d be awesome to see a new gear video.

    Also, I wanted to ask—have you ever tried using an emergency blanket as a ground sheet? I got the idea from Ray Jardine and tested it on the CT last year. It felt a little warmer (maybe placebo?), and it’s crazy light, but the durability definitely wasn’t great.

    Thanks again for all the inspiration over the years. And if you’re ever out in Colorado and want to go rock climbing, feel free to hit me up!

    AJ

    1. jupiterhikes

      Hey AJ! I haven’t done as many trail-specific gear videos lately because often times what I carry on one trail to the next is so similar, and so it *feels* redundant. At least to me, though I am not sure. Maybe this comment will inspire more!

      For the Colorado Trail it was basically the same gear from what I used on the Hayduke Trail, except less water capacity, and I brought a tent instead of a tarp (the Zpacks Altaplex). Other than that and the gear was more or less the same. 20 degree sleeping bag, frogg togg rain jacket, foam sleeping mat, I found a pillow in a hiker box and used it, palante packs desert pack.

      I don’t think I would have done anything different! Even if I did it again.

      Still I think I should do more videos along the lines of ‘what worked and what didn’t’ or ‘what I might change’ or ‘what I would recommend’ as I think those can have a lot of value. Thanks for the inspiration!

  25. peter swan

    Thanks for your wonderful and sensible videos and advice, Jupiter. What do you do at the end of the day when your shirt is all wet and sweaty – you don’t seem to carry something else to change into and keep warm?

    1. jupiterhikes

      She does not wear a particular brand, but instead buys them from thrift shops! They are dresses, and she looks for a synthetic material like polyester, longer in length to accommodate for wind, and pockets would be a bonus. Then on top of that she wears a sun shirt. This combo is fun as you get to shop around looking for something fun at the thrift, but then on trail allows for modularity. If it is hot, sunny, cold, whatever you can add and remove layers.

  27. Sarah

    Backpacking is freakin’ amazing!!!!! I love just being out in nature day after day and carrying everything you need….it really does feel liberating!

    Ok, but how do you sleep inside a quilt with a stinky body (& esp feet!)???! lol, you’re probably going to say, just do it! But have you smelled my feet??? I always have either a sleep clothes set or a liner to keep my sleeping bag stink free…But, now that I’m cutting even more weight, having gear you carry all day only to use at night does drive me crazy. …I’ve been mercilessly looking thru your gear lists…. For ultralight backpacking, do you just get in with stinky feet? Any “sleep quilt and dirty body” tips?

    I may have to cross a boundary I never have before.

    Thank you for all that you post and write about! Happy backpacking!

    1. jupiterhikes

      Hey Sarah! Some options…

      1. Try using a sleeping bag liner! It is easily washed, and will help to keep your quilt clean (which is no easily cleaned otherwise!) Of course this adds weight, but may allow you to sleep in colder temperatures, or use a lighter quilt. Not really much, but if the stink bothers you a lot then voila.
      2. My friend carries a small sponge on trail, and then uses that to clean themselves at the end of the day. Their feet, or wherever else may need it. No need to go crazy, but can help to scrub and get grime off.
      3. Baby wipes. A little baby wipe bath can go a long way to feeling clean!

      So anyway, those are my thoughts, some heavier than others. Sponge probably the lightest. Just make a nightly routine of it. 5-10 minutes.

      I personally just wash my feet at some point in the day, but I am getting the idea that this dirty thing may be more bothersome to you than to me. Which is all good! Maybe it is me who is terribly tooooo comfortable with being not the most clean.

  28. roger

    Do you have a shirt alternative now that columbia has discontinued the silver ridge lite? I know they make the utility lite but the fabric of the utility is substantially thicker making it less breathable and slower drying. I own a utility, It’s ok but I really wish it were lighter.

    I remember you mentioning you find most of your shirts at thrift stores, unfortunately I have not been as lucky in this department.

    I’ve been looking at the Kuhl airspeed but I’m still not sure. basically I’m looking for the most breathable option I can find that still has some UPF.

    if you have any ideas or insights I would love to hear them.

    1. jupiterhikes

      Tough question as it’s hard to find something as affordable, and widely available as columbia. One shirt I’ve liked recently is the Roark Bless Up lightweight short sleeve, but it’s expensive (I got it on sale at REI). This does make me think though, just go to REI if you have one close, or a gear store… and physically feel the fabrics. What feels comfortable, what feels soft, lightweight, and breathable. You will typically know before even putting it on. REI is nice in this regard as you can just return items after testing, if you don’t like it. Still though, I would keep checking thrift stores, as it’s hard to beat a 5$ columbia

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