My PCT thru hike clothing:

[burntoutphilosopher]

okay so i am hiking as a couple and we got it all down to shared baseweight of 23.5 pounds. pretty good i think, but i noticed i have a ton of clothing compared to what most other hikers here post, so i thought i'd break it down here and see what you guys think; maybe save 6 or 8 ounces.

- Montbell down jacket
- Tilley hat
- smartwool beanie
- Buff neck gaitor
- MHW typhoon rainshell
- button up shirt (REI Sahara)

- adventurers pants (limited options i have short legs)

- running shorts (1 ounce target 5$ special )

- 3 X socks
- lightweight gloves (marmot softshell)

- capilene 3 sleepwear
- packtowel

so a total weight of 44 ounces ( 2lb 12 oz) of clothing stuffs.


is this in line with what most bring ?

[BrianLe]

I had a lot more clothing than that; under two pounds sounds pretty good.

Consider some sort of "sun glove" --- you get a lot of sun on your hands in the first bit, especially if you use trekking poles. I used Coolibar gloves for this, which worked okay.

You don't specify which type of socks, but include one pair of warm wool socks, even from the start. In the Sierras, two pairs --- one to walk in, one to sleep in.

You might find you want more warmth on your head at night than a smartwool beanie, but maybe you'll be okay with that.

Underwear, or do you just always go commando? One pair only worked for me, with running shorts as backup and town wear.

Although you have a rainshell, FWIW I really liked having a windshirt as well.

Have you thought through "town clothes" vs. "hiking clothes" ? The running shorts will be good for that, and maybe the "capilene 3 sleepwear", so maybe you'll be okay there.

Personally, I'd want more than just lightweight gloves, even from the start, and definitely in the Sierras. I like a light glove and a warmer outer mitten combo.

I have no idea what "most other hikers" carry, really, but my best guess would be that if what you list is really all your clothing then you would be carrying less than average.

The great thing about a lot of this stuff is that you can adjust the little items en route, mailing things home or bouncing.

[Sly]

Seems like a good overall weight for all your clothing especially since you'll be wearing most of it at any one time. I suppose you could get rid of the sleepwear but I've worn similar doing laundry.

[Moose2001]

okay so i am hiking as a couple and we got it all down to shared baseweight of 23.5 pounds. pretty good i think, but i noticed i have a ton of clothing compared to what most other hikers here post, so i thought i'd break it down here and see what you guys think; maybe save 6 or 8 ounces.

- Montbell down jacket
- Tilley hat
- smartwool beanie
- Buff neck gaitor
- MHW typhoon rainshell
- button up shirt (REI Sahara)

- adventurers pants (limited options i have short legs)

- running shorts (1 ounce target 5$ special )

- 3 X socks
- lightweight gloves (marmot softshell)

- capilene 3 sleepwear
- packtowel

so a total weight of 44 ounces ( 2lb 12 oz) of clothing stuffs.


is this in line with what most bring ?

Your list is pretty close to what I carried as well. I did add a pair of rain pants and a wind shirt as well. Used them in both the Sierras and WA.

Not sure what type of shoes you are wearing at the start but most people use something light and very breathable. The amount of dirt that gets in your shoes is incredible! You'll wear socks out pretty quick. I might add a couple of pair of socks to your list. You'll thank yourself!

[burntoutphilosopher]

brian, under 2 Lbs would be great, mine is 2lb 12 oz... : ( i lose.

this yeah i did the southern section and year my hand were straight up crispy after 3 weeks. i was considering some sunscreen and if it's that bad my softshell gloves aren't too warm. i've seen the coolibar gloves though, they only weight like .4 of an ounce.

underwear... i've been commando for the last 12 years. i've worn boxerjocks maybe 5 times in the last dozen years, can't stand the feeling. tmi ?

for town clothes, if i add a short sleeved shirt to go with my running shorts i'd be set. the running shorts were for laundry time, as well as swimming like in warner springs.

about ditching sleepware, since my wife and i share a top quilt; the capilene protects me from the odd breeze when she hogs the blankets ; )

i love my smartwool beenie, i sleep in it whenever it's 30F or lower. We've used our top quilt smartwool beenie and capilene sleepware down to 21F and storms. this last spring, i left campo on april 13'th, and i never wore it while actually hiking. i love it's feel Vs fleece on my ears.

Seems there almost a consensus that i'm not out of my mind with what i have... and could actually get away with a second shirt thrown in there ; )

Thanks everybody... love the feedback

[burntoutphilosopher]

btw, this yeah carried a second shirt; a wool shirt, and i wore it one day in 25 days.

[leaftye]

It seems okay to me. I would personally go with full ecomesh clothing because I get very hot, but that's just me. Last Tuesday I finally walked to the top of San Jacinto wearing the same type of clothing I might wear on the hottest days.

As for crispy hands, you may want to consider using an umbrella for the first part of your hike. I think that helped my hands. I didn't use any sunscreen and my hands were fine. Eventually I got enough of a tan that I didn't need the umbrella.

[Trailbender]

If you are good at sewing, you can cut your sleeping bag down to a quilt and save probably half a pound. I cut the head off mine and the zipper. I wrap my down jacket around my head if it is really cold. I did this on my thru and I was good down to about 10 degrees.

[garlic08]

My packed clothing for the PCT was essentially the same weight, a few minor different choices in there (like underwear). Now it's down to 38 oz because I now have some homemade silnylon rain gear.

[burntoutphilosopher]

Trailbender ... i'm proficient at sewing, and my top quilt is made by myself. but what does it have to with the thread?

in the home made gear forums i have photos of my quilt. it's differentially cut double baffled, made of momentum XP and 900 fill down. i've used it in the low 20's and it's good for the two of us together. weighs 2 Lbs (for two people to share that's very good). it is virtually the same size as a queen sized comforter.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=65514

[sbhikes]

I had close to the same clothing as you describe.

One night I was so tired I fell asleep in my clothes. I realized I slept fine in my clothes so sent home the sleeping clothes.

I also didn't have a towel. I used my PCT bandana instead.

I only wore pants. No shorts.

I had a down jacket and a wind jacket.

Otherwise, my list was the same.

[Miner]

My clothing was pretty similar to what you propose:
-Montbell Ex.Light Down Jacket
-Tilley hat until I left it in a car going into Independence off Keasarge Pass and bought a ballcap with those capes on the back.
- MH powerstretch Balaclava (more versatile for various temps in my opinion, plus my quilt doesn't cover the head)
- OR Zealot paclite Rain Jacket
- a 2.5oz wind jacket with no hood
- Golite Whim Wind Pants (added a ULA Rain Skirt for Washington)
- Railriders Oasis LS shirt
- Railriders Eco-mesh Pants
- Ex Officio brief
- 3 X socks
- MLD Event Rain Mitts
- Marmot silkweight thermal bottom and top

I needed those thermals for more then just sleeping for late Sept in Washington. I switched out the Eco-Mesh pants for Railriders Weatherpants for Washington since the venting was no longer needed in colder Washington (plus I had split the crotch out). I also switched the shirt out for another LS one that didn't have the side vents for the same reason.

[Trailbender]

Trailbender ... i'm proficient at sewing, and my top quilt is made by myself. but what does it have to with the thread?

in the home made gear forums i have photos of my quilt. it's differentially cut double baffled, made of momentum XP and 900 fill down. i've used it in the low 20's and it's good for the two of us together. weighs 2 Lbs (for two people to share that's very good). it is virtually the same size as a queen sized comforter.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=65514

You were asking about ways to save on base packweight. Another good one is wearing women's underwear. They are usually half an ounce, men's generally run 2-3 oz.

[leaftye]

That would add half an ounce per pair to his base weight.

[burntoutphilosopher]

i got my mont bell alpine line down jacket today... couldn't be happier with it thusfar... warm, comfortable... ill take it out this wekend as it's in the 20's F here.