Hungry Cat's 2021 Benton MacKaye Trail Thru-Hike Gear List

Category Weight
Pack, Shelter, & Sleep System
4.98 lb
Cooking & Food Storage
1.29 lb
Water Filtration & Storage
0.55 lb
Core Electronics & Navigation
1.58 lb
Camera Gear
1.48 lb
Clothing & Layers
3.3 lb
Toiletries
1.07 lb
Other
3.31 lb
Total
17.56
lb
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
Worn 2.95 lb
Base Weight 14.61 lb

This represents all of the gear I took on my Benton MacKaye Trail thru-hike. Base weight includes everything (including fuel canisters) except the gear I wore or carried in my pocket while hiking (phone for quick navigation, trekking poles, clothes on my back). Of course, I didn't include food or water, but I do include the vessels that I carry those items in (food bag and Smartwater bottles).

- Pack, Shelter, & Sleep System
  Weight qty
- Zpacks Arc Haul pack with 2 hip pouches
  25.5
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks Plexamid (Old beta version) Tent
  13.6
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Tent Stakes 2 Big Agnes tent stakes and 8 Zpacks red shepherd hook stakes
  3.56
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Enlightened Equipment custom Revelation down quilt
  19.98
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Thermarest NeoAir Xlite sleeping pad
  12
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks Down Hood I use this to keep my head warm at night
  1.3
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Sea-to-Summit Aeros inflatable pillow
  1.78
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks medium+ dry bag for quilt, hood, and pillow
  0.8
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks Shoulder Pouch I use this to hold my camera's external mic or my phone
  0.6
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Patch kit for sleeping pad/tent & tenacious tape
  0.56
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 4.98 lb
  
  10
- Cooking & Food Storage
  Weight qty
- SnowPeak Trek700 titanium pot (without lid) I leave the lid at home. This is my pot and cup.
  3.21
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Sea-to-Summit Aluminum long-handle spork
  0.39
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- BRS Stove
  1
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Bic mini lighter
  0.51
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks bear hang rope and rock sack
  1.76
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks DCF Food Bag
  1.66
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Opsak For minimizing stored food odors. 12"x20" size.
  1.52
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Large fuel canister Had this partially full 8oz canister laying around. If you aren't using up an existing canister, do yourself a favor and get a small one (3.5oz / 100g). Cheapest to get in person at store, but I've included an Amazon link to a reputable brand I've personally used for those who can't.
  10.11
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Aluminum foil pot lid Heavy duty aluminum foil disc (homemade) to help water boil faster
  0.05
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- extra bic mini lighter Not sure when either of these will die!
  0.51
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 1.29 lb
  
  10
- Water Filtration & Storage
  Weight qty
- Sawyer Squeeze Filter I always get the regular Sawyer Squeeze now. The Micro and Mini models have too painful a flow rate.
  3.1
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Sport Cap that comes with Sawyer Squeeze for Back flushing Sawyer now includes one of these with their filter, but you can also use a sport cap from a smart water or life water sized bottle.
  0.23
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Two 1L Smart Water Bottles
  2.77
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- CNOC Vecto 2L water storage bag
  2.68
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 0.55 lb
  
  4
- Core Electronics & Navigation
  Weight qty
- Farout app (formerly Guthook) Hiking App on my iPhone 8 - makes airplane mode navigation possible
  0
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Anker 15,000 mah power bank, recharge cord, and case They don't appear to make this model anymore, so I linked to what I would probably get instead, which is a little heavier but 20,000 MAH and I would get a quick charger to be able to charge the battery bank more quickly.
  10.3
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Anker dual USB wall charger
  3
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Apple phone charging cord came with phone
  0.63
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Apple headphones Came with phone. As an alternative, check out these bluetooth bone conduction headphones. I run with these and love them. They don't cover the ears so you can still hear things like, ummmm, rattlesnakes! Very weather and sweat resistant.
  0.46
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Nitecore NU25 Rechargeable Headlamp Removed the headband and made my own lighter version.
  1.25
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Osprey 3L dry sack for electronics and miscellaneous stuff Mine came with an old Osprey pack. Zpacks is a little lighter, but these are definitely cheaper and it has worked great over a long period of time for me.
  0.86
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Additional dual USB wall charger I had an extra basic dual USB wall charger laying around and since I have many things that need charging and only one overnight stop on this trip, I want to make sure I can plug as much in as possible for the two or three times I'll pass small stores on trail. If getting something new, get something that has better power delivery capability, like the one in the link here.
  1.18
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- charging cable for Nightcore headlamp comes with headlamp - also works with my camera!
  0.71
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- iPhone 8 in Lifeproof case I hike with this in my pocket so it doesn't contribute to base weight.
  6.83
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 1.58 lb
  
  10
- Camera Gear
  Weight qty
- Sony RX100 VII compact camera For shooting photo and video
  10.7
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Rode Video Micro External Microphone Amazingly light, compact, and durable for the sound quality it delivers!
  2.87
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 2 extra camera batteries You can get knock offs (e.g. Wasabi), but they don't last as long as the Sony batteries. It's worth it to pay for Sony in my opinion as I charge them less.
  1.62
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Nitecore Camera battery charger Durable, compact, lightweight, charges 2 batteries at the same time with useful readouts - very happy with this.
  1.92
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Pedco Ultrapod Tripod
  1.89
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- MagFilter 42mm UV filter and case RX100 does not have a built in UV filter. This removable magnetic version is awesome and helps eliminate glare and color wash out.
  1.09
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Extra 256GB SD Card in protective case I use a 256GB SD card and carry another as a backup so that I don't run out of storage given I take a lot of 4k video.
  0.32
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Silica moisture absorbing packet I save these when they come in packages and add one to my electronics bag to help absorb moisture. Useful during extended rains to help make sure electronics don't get too damp.
  0.19
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Headlamp charging cable I have a very short cable that came with some old headphones. Link takes you to a commercially available option.
  0.26
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- small lens cloth I use this for my sunglasses & camera
  0.14
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Ulanzi Uurig cold shoe camera microphone mount cage Enables attaching external mic to camera. Model I have isn't sold anymore, but link goes to another even lighter option at 1.27 oz.
  2.72
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 1.48 lb
  
  11
- Clothing & Layers
  Weight qty
- Sea to Summit Ultra-sil Nano 13L dry bag for clothing
  1.02
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Zpacks Vertice rain jacket
  5.6
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Enlightened Equipment Torrid Apex Jacket (small, custom) Size: Small. 10D exterior, 7D interior.
  6.5
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Enlightened Equipment Copperfield Wind Pants
  1.1
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Wool beanie Bought in Cusco when I hiked to Machu Picchu. Check out the Icebreaker Merino wool minimalist beanie if you need a compact, lightweight one. Haven't used it but it looks good!
  1.09
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Buff I'll always hike with this!
  1.41
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Silk base layer (top) For extra warmth when sleeping.
  3.23
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Long sleeve smartwool shirt for camp/sleeping
  6.44
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- North Face Warm Tights
  6.63
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 1 pair of darn tough socks for hiking
  2.38
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 2 extra pairs of darn tough socks
  4.76
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Nike Challenger 5" running shorts (w/ liner) mine are old, but the link will take you to a similar model 5" short that I would probably get now. I would get the back zippered pocket only if you want to use them for running where you need to hold a credit card or key.
  4.9
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Mask (due to Covid 19)
  0.19
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Hungry Cat Hat with 2 safety pins I affix two safety pins to my hate for pinning wet socks to the mesh on the back of my backpack.
  2.53
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Running technical t-shirt I hike in a basic short-sleeved running shirt for shorter hikes when the weather is warm.
  4.96
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 3.3 lb
  
  15
- Toiletries
  Weight qty
- Deuce of Spades trowel
  0.58
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Toilet paper
  4.78
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Hand Sanitizer (full)
  2.36
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Lip Balm (Burt's Bees)
  0.3
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Toothbrush (sawed off handle) When i have extras, I just saw off the handle. For a different approach, check out this link to GUM's folding travel toothbrush. Perhaps a more hygienic approach.
  0.3
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Travel toothpaste & plastic ziplock bag to hold toothpaste/toothbrush
  1.1
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Dental Floss I'm a flossing fanatic so I carry a specific, larger floss than most would. The link will take you to a more prudent, hiker-friendly choice.
  0
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- First Aid Kit I compiled this in a ziplock bag - ibuprofin, tylenol, anti-diarrheal, benadryl, moleskin and leukotape. The link will take you to Leukotape, which is less-commonly known. Obviously you can just make a small roll of it for your kit since you have to buy a bigger roll..
  1.11
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Ben's 100% deet I hate using 100% deet, but it was the only thing that worked on the AT when the mosquitos and flies got bad. Picaridin wasn't enough.
  3.79
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Small sunscreen stick I picked mine up at Target, but linked to something similar
  2.2
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Backcountry Bidet As soon as I used this, I knew I would always use it moving forwards. What a difference it makes!
  0.65
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 1.07 lb
  
  11
- Other
  Weight qty
- Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles I count these as worn weight since I use them most of the time. Even if I don't really need them, they take some of the burden off my legs.
  17.53
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Trail Wallet a quart ziplock freezer bag with some cash, my ID, credit card, and any required permits
  1.53
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Swiss Army Victorinox knife/tool Perfect knife for long-distance backpacking. Very effective components and all that you really need.
  0.74
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Thermarest Z Seat sitting pad
  2
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Altra Olympus 4.0 shoes
  24
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Waterproof matches I was gifted these so I am bringing them for fun and for ease of starting fires in damp Appalachian conditions (these have high burn heat and long burn time).
  0.88
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Dirty Girl Gaiters
  1.62
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- Dollar store flip flops these literally cost a buck at Dollar General or Dollar Tree. Not the best flipflops quality wise, but if you just want something for camp and town so you can air out your feet and let your wet shoes and socks dry, these are great for the price and easy to find during resupply trips if they break.
  4.69
  oz
  - oz
  - lb
  - g
  - kg
  1
- 3.31 lb
  
  8

Hungry Cat's 2021 Benton MacKaye Trail Thru-Hike Gear List

Pack, Shelter, & Sleep System

Cooking & Food Storage

Water Filtration & Storage

Core Electronics & Navigation

Camera Gear

Clothing & Layers

Toiletries

Other