Introduction
This is a comprehensive list of all of the clothing that I, Amy, take on backpacking trips, including the rationale for choosing each item.
I care a lot about keeping my pack weight as light as possible but I care even more about being comfortable. I first search for models that meet my comfort and function requirements, and then choose the lightest option. If I find an item that is perfect I monitor several websites and when there is a great sale price, I buy multiples for my reserves. I am very disappointed when a perfect item is no longer available.
The total weight of all clothing is 104.7 ounces (6.54 pounds, 2.97 kg). While hiking I always wear shoes, insoles, socks, shorts, shirt, and Tilley hat, so those 51.3 ounces are not included in my base pack weight. The remaining 53.4 ounces is heavier than what ultra-light hikers carry, but is substantially lighter than most novice backpacker’s loads. This selection of clothing has served me well for thousands of miles in a wide variety of 3-season conditions.
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| Item | Weight: Oz. | Why this model? | Compare Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoes: La Sportiva Ultra Raptor (not GTX model) | 25.2 | What matters to me: trail-running shoe; durable enough to last 600-800 miles; not waterproof; blister-free fit; tongue is fully attached to the body so dirt and seeds can't come through the gap; quick-drying. My beloved model, the Montrail AT+, is no longer made, and I am now using the La Sportiva Ultra Raptor. It has the grippiest sole I have ever used and I love that aspect. I walked 630 miles Across Utah with no blisters or sore feet, and they held up very well for that distance. In a second pair I hiked a similar distance through the Italian Alps with no sign of wearing out. On the downside, the fabric upper is a loose weave so fine silt comes through and accumulates between my toes. Loose weave is very popular in trail running shoes, and it is proving difficult to find durable, comfortable, non-waterproof shoes with a tight-weave upper. | Amazon |
| Insoles: Superfeet Green | 3.6 | Shoes are generally sold with a simple cheap foam insert which is not comfortable for long-mileage days. The Superfeet inserts have a heel cup and arch support that work for my feet. Superfeet Green is the go-to model amongst long-distance hikers. As far as I can tell one pair will last forever. | Amazon |
| Gaiters: Dirty Girl | 2.6 | I am happy with my colorful lycra Dirty Girl Gaiters. They are effectively held in place with velcro glued to the back of the shoe. Be sure to add the velcro to brand new shoes to ensure that the velcro sticks well. | Dirty Girl Gaiters |
| Socks: Darn Tough 1/4 Sock Light Merino, 3 pairs | 1.7 * 3 = 5.1 | Darn Tough merino wool socks are hands-down the most comfortable and durable hiking socks, and they are guaranteed for life. Jim and I both wear 1/4 height, I wear "Light" and Jim wears "Light Cushion". Commonly worn by long-distance hikers, but not well known outside that community since they are not carried by most brick and mortar stores. I carry three pairs. | Amazon, Darn Tough |
| Warm weather hiking shirt: Patagonia Short Sleeve Island Hopper | 5.9 | I have been using this model for many years and it is perfect for my needs; I no longer look for other options. It is 60% cotton so it is not clammy like the synthetic shirts. The chest pockets are 6" x 12", with a vertical side opening; the configuration makes it so things don't fall out and it's possible to securely carry an iPhone, passports, airline tickets, sunglasses, etc. I shorten the hem 4-5" so that there's more airflow. I also stitch closed the horizontal opening on the chest pockets (makes sense if you look at the shirt). | Patagonia |
| Light Hoodie: Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie | 4.1 | The Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie is durable, light and fast drying; this is the model I currently use. I've also used numerous brands of wool zip hoodies. In my opinion, any of the very light hoodies make excellent base layers. | Amazon |
| Windshirt: Montbell EX Light Wind Jacket | 1.6 | This is the lightest windshirt on the market, and is compact enough to stuff in a shorts pocket. The beauty of a windshirt is that it adds so much warmth at so little weight. | Montbell |
| Vest: Patagonia Nano-Air | 7.1 | This vest has hand pockets, which I like because I store my hat and gloves/mittens there. It is warm for its weight and I like the way the collar fits my neck. I wear my vest during the day when it is cold and rainy so I don't use down vests, which lose their insulation value when wet. | Patagonia |
| Warm Evening Coat: Nunatak Skaha Down Sweater | 9.1 | This is a fantastic down sweater because it is baffled instead of sewn-through. Outrageously expensive. I bought it used and I take good care of it; I expect it to last my lifetime. | Nunatak |
| Raincoat: Marmot Essence | 6.7 | I've been using this minimalist light weight raincoat for many years. The hood fits well and when fully cinched either over or under my Tilley hat it gives me great face protection. The girth at my waist is very wide so I can wear it outside my pack belt and it will drape loosely over the fully loaded belt pockets; this helps with ventilation and reduces condensation. I always buy raincoats in size men's XL even though I generally wear men's small because I want the sleeves to extend beyond my hands. Sadly this model is no longer available. | |
| Shorts: Arcteryx Palisade Shorts | 8.5 | I much prefer the comfort of shorts so I don't carry long pants. I add long johns if the weather is too cool for shorts. When it's cold I'll put on rainpants for additional warmth. In addition to zippers on the cargo pockets, this model has zippers on the hand pockets and on the rear pocket, for a total of five secure pockets, all of which I use. The hand pockets have vertical openings, making it very easy to insert and remove a large-size iPhone. The fabric is light, quick-drying and durable. They are pricey, but I continue to buy this model because it is important to me live in shorts that meet my needs. 2025 update: The Palisade model is no longer available; the Gamma model is very similar but with three pockets instead of five. | Amazon |
| Boxers: Ex Officio Give-N-Go Sport Mesh | 1.7 | I wear Ex Officio Give-N-Go Sport Mesh boxers. They are very light weight, dry almost instantly, and available in different lengths in both men's and women's models. | Amazon |
| Long Johns: various brands | 5.6 | The models seem to change from year to year, so my brand of long johns is not consistent. I use the lightest wool long johns I can find. | |
| Rainpants: Outdoor Research Helium Pants | 5.3 | To the best of my knowledge these are the lightest nylon rainpants on the market today. I buy size XL so the fit around my hips is loose enough to easily reach inside to extract large items from my shorts pockets. I remove the elastic from the waistband and replace it with a simple light shock-cord drawstring; I have done this on all models over the decades to reduce both weight and bulk. | Amazon |
| Hat: Tilley LTM8 Airflo Mesh | 3.8 | After trying many models of lesser hats I finally got a Tilley. I have never looked back. What a hat! Store it flat and don't put it in the washing machine or the brim will warp. | Amazon |
| Warm hat: Smartwool 250 Cuffed Beanie | 1.8 | I have used this model for many years. It's long enough to pull down over my nose when sleeping. The fit is snug but not tight. The weight and warmth is just right. Our Love Bird Quilt does not have hoods, so I wear my base layer hoodie and this wool hat and I'm warm enough on frosty nights. | Amazon |
| Fingerless sun gloves: Outdoor Research ActiveIce Spectrum Sun Gloves | 0.7 | There are several brands of minimalist fingerless sun gloves; these are just fine but I'm not sure they are any better than other brands. I combine these with mittens for a versatile combination of warmth and sun protection while retaining the ability to use my fingers. | Amazon, |
| Mittens: Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Wrist Warmers | 1.2 | Combined with the fingerless sun gloves these provide modest insulation while giving me full use of my fingers at a very light weight. If the trip will include temps below freezing I carry the warmer OR Flurry Mitts instead. Sadly not currently listed at Outdoor Research site, but still available from Amazon. | Amazon |
| Rain mitts: Outdoor Research Helium Rain Mitts | 0.8 | These are lightweight waterproof overmitts. | Outdoor Research |
Hullo! When do you start wearing waterproof boots? Obviously for the winter, but for summer high mountaineering, you still stick to “trainers”? Isn’t it a problem if there is some snow (say, 5cm)?
Kerem,
We don’t do any hiking or skiing in winter conditions. That’s a benefit of living in the San Francisco Bay Area, where we have mild conditions year round. I wear trail runners in three season conditions that include occasional snow. Our deepest snow in the past few years was 40-50 cm. It’s not unusual for my shoes to get saturated during river crossings, hiking through wet grass, or hiking in snow. I don’t worry about hiking in wet feet, it’s just not a problem. The advantage of hiking in non-waterproof shoes is that they dry much faster than waterproof shoes. Nearly all long-distance hikers I’ve met have opted for the same choice.
That said, James often hikes in light-weight waterproof boots. But his rationale is different; he’s got arthritis in one foot and it is difficult to find any footwear that works for him. He’ll wear any low boot that can accommodate the golf-ball joint in his great toe, be they waterproof or not.
Will be nice if you can share a gear list for women! 🙂
Cristina, the clothing list is for me, and I am a woman. At some point we’ll add more articles about other gear, all of which is shared by a male/female couple.
Hey! If you need a replacement for that Nunatak down sweater, or other insulated backcountry gear, I would like to extend a discount in exchange for the fabulous trip reports. Great adventures! Jan, owner Nunatak.
Thanks Jan, that’s a nice offer.
You carry three pairs of socks in addition to the ones you wear, but only one extra pair of undies? That’s what the photo looks like. Why so many socks and so few underwear?
Socks take longer to dry. Those ExOfficio undies dry really fast. I can rinse and dry them while stopped for lunch.
And I sleep in my long johns rather than undies, so they count as a second pair of undies.
Karen
I should clarify that my kit is 3 pairs of socks and one pair boxers total. When I rinse my boxers I’m either in long johns or shorts, but no undies. And while I’m at it, I’ll admit I wear men’s 9″ boxers because they fit better than the women’s model and I like the length. Go figure.
Thanks! I love your website!
Hello. Im also a small woman (in the market for rain protection) and am having difficulty picturing how you benefit from an xl raincoat. Do you wear it Over your pack? I also wonder if and how you’ve changed your kit in the years since this was originally posted? I greatly appreciate your practical approach.
Hi Older Hiker, With an XL size the girth at my waist is very wide so I can wear it outside my pack belt and it will drape loosely over the fully loaded belt pockets; this helps with ventilation and reduces condensation. Smaller sizes have a smaller girth and will not drape on the outside of my pack belt when the belt pockets are fully loaded. When the raincoat is underneath the belt then there absolutely NO convective airflow and condensation is severe. Also, I want the sleeves to extend beyond my hands, and they do not do so on a smaller size. And, amazingly, my clothing kit has not changed at all since I wrote the post! Some of those models are no longer made, but when I find something I love I get spares at closeout sales, so I still use exactly the same models.