The Best Comfort Thru-Hiking Gear

There’s no way around it: thru-hiking takes a toll on you. But plan your recovery and practice self-care, and you’ll keep going strong. This gear is a good place to start.

Western Mountaineering UltraLight

It weighs less than 2 pounds and I never once slept cold on the PCT.

Thermarest Neoair XTherm

With an R-value of 5.7, this pad is warm enough for sleeping on snow.

Swing Trek Liteflex Umbrella

Carrying a reflective umbrella keeps the desert sun from baking you to a crisp in addition to keeping the rain out of your face.

Osprey Atmos AG 65

The Antigravity mesh backpanel is probably the main draw over most lightweight packs because of the added ventilation between the pack and your back.

Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka

The 800-fill down kept me warm in the evenings and early mornings, and the hood cinches snug to keep heat in. And it still packs down to the size of a Nalgene.

Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2

This tent is easy to set up compared to trekking pole shelters, and its taut pitch is weathertight.

Black Diamond Trail Back

The locking mechanisms were bulletproof and never broke. Foam grips were soft on the hands, too.