Long-Distance Hiking Gear Guide

Below is listed almost everything I carried on my 7-day hike of the Omine Okugake Trail. Excluding water, my total pack weight was ~11 kg, of which ~4.5 kg was food.

Although I could probably go even lighter on some items, there’s always a question of cost, comfort and how often you will use things. I wouldn’t change much though the hunt for food which is both tasty, nutritious and light is ongoing!

Note: I get small commissions for purchases made through Amazon links in this post.

Pack system

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Gossamer Gear Gorilla 40 Ultralight Backpack (2017)They don’t make this model anymore but all their stuff is excellent.★★★★★
Zpacks Large Food Bag43★★★★★
Zpacks Medium Dry Bag (for clothes)20★★★★★
Zpacks Small Dry Bag (for electronics)14★★★★★
Zpacks Front Utility Pack Accessory46Fiddly to take on and off but very convenient to hold frequently needed items.★★★★
Sea to Summit Ultra-SIL Waterproof Backpack Cover (large)96★★★★★
Wallet + Money + Cards80
Notebook + Pen40Field Notes make a good waterproof expedition notebook.★★★★★
Paper Map33Don’t leave without this, as a backup at minimum.
Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trek Walking Poles x1I only carried 1 as a walking aid and to hold up my tent.★★★★★

Sleep system

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Zpacks Plexamid Tent435Fantastic single-walled ultralight tent but expensive. Easy to set up and I had no condensation issues.★★★★★
MSR Tent Stakes x10100
Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad + repair kit400Crinkle sound can be annoying. Takes a lot of puff to blow up.★★★★
REI Co-op Magma 10 Sleeping Bag + compression sack934Affordable but fits a little snug.★★★★
Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow (regular size)75Very compact but a little firm.★★★★

Cook system

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Platypus 1 Litre Ultralight Collapsible SoftBottle x2 (full)2050★★★★★
Sawyer MINI Water Filtration System85Convenient but the water flow is slow and requires considerable pressure.★★★
Jetboil MicroMo Cooking System365One of my favourite pieces of kit. Super fast to boil and well designed.★★★★★
Primus IP-110 Gas Canister (~24 Boils)200
MSR Folding Spork10★★★★★
Cleaning Sponge5Could have lived without this since I was mostly only boiling water.

I’ve not listed out all the food that I carried but if you’re in Japan I recommend Izameshi for some tasty camping meals (especially the ramen). MUJI is also good for curry and snacks.

Electronics

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Apple iPhone 12 Mini + lightning cable180Apparently, the 13 Mini has much better battery life.★★★★
Apple AirPods (2nd generation)47★★★★★
Ricoh GR III + spare battery + sd cards + lens wipes + USB C cable330I borrowed this from my wife and it exceeded my expectations for a camera of this size.★★★★★
Petzl e+LITE Headlamp34Battery lasts forever.★★★★★
Anker PowerCore Essential 20K PD Power Bank345Kept my iPhone Mini and camera charged for a whole week.★★★★★

Washing & care kit

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Washbag15
PackTowl Ultralite Microfiber Towel35Attach to the outside of your backpack to dry during the day.★★★★★
Toothbrush + Toothpaste27
Washing Line Cord5
Toilet Roll100
Deuce of Spades Trowel17Aside from at Misen, there are no toilets along the trail so you need to bury your waste.
Wet Wipes45
Sunscreen20
Tape (for feet) + extra plasters46
Antihistamines + painkillers5

Emergency

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .5 First Aid Kit130It’s amazing how much useful stuff is packed in here.★★★★★
Spot Gen 3 GPS Messenger135Potential lifesaver but the Gen 3 takes ages to establish a satellite connection. Useful to let people know you’re alive!★★★
Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife33Amazingly versatile small knife, even with scissors.★★★★★
Lighter14
Compass28
Whistle14

Clothes

NameWeight (g)NotesRating
Outdoor Research Sun Runner CapKeeps the sun off your neck/ears.★★★★★
Warm Hat34
Patagonia Capilene Midweight Zip-Neck Top177Super comfortable and warm.★★★★★
Arc’teryx Remige Shirt Long Sleeve (day wear)Great to keep the bugs and sun off your arms.★★★★★
Arc’teryx Remige Shirt Short Sleeve
(night wear)
85★★★★★
Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody380Great warmth to weight ratio.★★★★★
Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket320The jacket is a little heavy. I would get something lighter next time.★★★★
Patagonia Quandary PantsGreat warmth-to-weight ratio.★★★★★
Shorts133
Underwear x380
Injinji Outdoor Midweight Crew Nuwool Socks x3150Toe socks are great for reducing blisters.★★★★★
Arc’teryx Venta Glove60Comfortable but doesn’t work well with smartphone screens.★★★★
Merrell Moab 2 Hiking ShoesI’ve had 3 pairs of these. Comfortable and more durable than a trail runner.★★★★★

Feel free to leave me any suggestions in the comments below.

David avatar

2 responses

  1. David, you and I have a lot of the same gear. For the Gossamer Gear bag, I’d recommend replacing the back pad on the pack with the sit-lite pad they offer. It’s easier to get in and out and does wonders for breathability and back sweat (though you will still sweat plenty). Very comfortable as well.

    1. Thanks Sam, great recommendation!

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