The Equipment
I already had a good and light equipment before my PCT hike, just unfortunately not light enough. I exchange my Osprey Aura AG 65 (2.1 kg) for a ULA Circuit (1.2 kg) and my sleeping bag (comfort temperature of +2 °C) I prefer to replace with a warmer sleeping bag with a comfort temperature of -4 °C. One day before departure I also know that I have to buy a new tent. Three weeks ago, I spontaneously sent my beloved MSR Hubba Hubba (1.9 kg) to Ireland for a warranty claim – well, the plan didn’t quite work out and the tent didn’t arrive back in Germany until my departure. But I can save another 800 g with the new tent from the USA. Together, the backpack, tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad are the Big 4 for long-distance hiking with which the most weight can be saved.
Accordingly, I come to a base weight of about 9 kg without food. Of these, 800 g are luxury items, such as the relatively heavy rain jacket, the camp shoes and the seat pad. Depending on the region, things are dropped or things from the “shed” are added, like the ice axe and microspikes in the Sierra Nevada. With food for several days and at least 4 liters of water, the backpack should then clearly be too heavy and I fall over backwards like Reese. Well, Hallelujah!
