This article originally appeared on The Trek, which you can read here.
The PCT wasn’t my first thru-hike. By the time I arrived at the Southern Terminus in 2025, I’d already thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, logged 460 miles on the Arizona Trail, wandered through Scotland on the West Highland Way, and spent three seasons working as a backpacking guide. For the most part, I thought I had my gear dialed in.
But that’s the thing about long trails: no matter how experienced you are, they’ll still teach you something new. Thru-hiking exposes your blind spots, tests your assumptions, and reminds you that flexibility is one of the most valuable items you can “carry.” I may not have been the wide-eyed beginner I was on the AT, but the PCT still taught me plenty about what worked for me, and what didn’t.
If you’re curious what gear I started the PCT with, you can read Magic’s 2025 PCT Gear List. Here’s how my gear list evolved as I made my way from Mexico to Canada.
Gear I Upgraded on Trail
Battery Bank(s)
I started the trail with an old, heavy Anker 525 Power Bank (the same one I’d bought used on the AT in 2021). It took forever to charge. If I stayed in town overnight, no big deal. But if I was going in and out of town on the same day, even an hour or two wasn’t enough to charge it 25%.
Before entering the Sierra, I ordered a new power bank and charger: the Anker 20K Power Bank and Anker 735 Charger. With the built-in USB-C cable, the 20K charged from 0% to 100% in under an hour. I added the bigger charging block so I could plug in multiple devices at once.
Early on in Julian, CA, my husband/hiking partner added a Nitecore 10K Power Bank to our setup. We each carried our own 20K, but the extra 10K was perfect for longer stretches between towns, especially in the Sierra. Between using our phones constantly for FarOut, music, and audiobooks, plus rechargeable headlamps, having extra juice meant we never stressed about dead batteries.
Rain Pants
I am a firm believer in Frogg Toggs. No piece of rain gear is truly waterproof. Why would I spend hundreds of dollars when I can go the cheap route? They’re inexpensive, effective enough, and I don’t feel bad replacing them since they’re affordable.
But the Sierra exposed their weakness. We were glissading a lot, basically sledding down mountains on our butts, and I always put my rain pants on before sliding for a little extra protection. The thin Frogg Togg material shredded quickly on snow and ice.
In Bishop, CA, about halfway through the Sierra, I stopped at Mammoth Mountaineering Supply and lucked into a used pair of sturdier rain pants for just $10. They were definitely heavier, but they held up great against snow and ice. I carried them the rest of the trail as an extra insulating layer and for the occasional thunderstorm.
Headphones
I began the trail with a cheap pair of wired headphones. I debated bringing my nice Shokz Bluetooth headphones, but worried about damaging or losing them. By South Lake Tahoe, CA, I was over dealing with wires. I bought the cheapest pair of Bluetooth headphones I could find at Target (I think I paid $35 for a pair of JLab headphones) and they worked flawlessly the entire trail. I just charged them each night and never had an issue.
Gear I Added Along the Way
Maine Train Gear Zipper Wallet
I’ve always kept cash and cards in a Ziplock bag in my fanny pack, but in Cascade Locks, OR I upgraded to an actual wallet and immediately wondered why I waited so long. Maine Train Gear’s Dyneema wallet weighs just 0.18 oz, has a water-resistant zipper, and keeps everything organized and dry.
Alpenglow Gear Alpenblow Micro Inflator
I was gifted Alpenglow Gear’s inflator and fuel transfer valve in Mammoth Lakes and carried both the rest of the trail. The inflator is definitely a luxury item, but it was pretty great not having to blow up my pad every night. At only 0.3 oz, it plugged right into the USB-C cable on my power bank. It was slower than my friend’s FLEXTAIL, but much quieter.
Alpenglow Gear Alpenflow Fuel Transfer Valve
I’ve tried other fuel transfer valves with little success, but the Alpenflow made it easy. We’d put the donor can in the sun and the recipient can in a creek to create a temperature difference, and it worked like magic. I couldn’t believe how simple it was to use, even in the backcountry! I rarely had to buy fuel after that. We just refilled from the nearly empty cans in hiker boxes. I’d recommend this to anyone.
Town Dress
I love a town dress! I was gifted my dress in Idyllwild, CA and carried it the rest of the trail. On the AT, I grabbed one from a thrift store and quickly realized how luxurious it felt to have something clean to wear while doing laundry. It also made me feel pretty and a little less like hiker trash.
Gear I Abandoned and Sent Home
Physical Journal
I’ve journaled every night on all my thru-hikes. I brought a paper journal to the PCT but switched to digital after my first night. I used the Hiker’s Logbook app—it tracked my mileage, how many times I cowboy camped, my longest stretch without a shower, zeroes, and other fun stats. When writing blogs for The Trek, I just copied my journal entries and added photos. No extra weight!
Sleeping Bag Liner
I sleep cold and usually carry a liner. I started with it for the chilly desert nights and kept it through the Sierra. There were many nights where the temperature dipped near freezing, so I was glad to have it early on. I mailed it home from Quincy, CA, along with my ice axe and microspikes. I probably could have sent it home earlier, but I didn’t want to risk cold nights.
Sierra/Snow Gear
Most hikers don’t carry snow gear for the entire trail. Many pick up microspikes, ice axes, and bear cans at Kennedy Meadows South (KMS). Conditions and personal comfort dictate how long you hold onto them. Here’s what we did:
Microspikes
We weren’t sure what conditions to expect on San Jacinto. After reading about the Trevor Spikes Program, we decided to have our microspikes mailed to Warner Springs, CA. We carried them until Mammoth Lakes, CA, where most of the snow was behind us.
Ice Axe
We bought our ice axes before starting the trail and had them mailed to KMS. We didn’t use them much, thankfully, but they gave me peace of mind on high passes. We sent them home in Mammoth Lakes, CA, along with the microspikes.
Bear Can
There was a lot of confusion about where exactly bear cans were required. Without a doubt, they’re required in the Sierra. Some hikers ditched theirs at Kennedy Meadows North, but the Desolation Wilderness also requires one. Because of that, we carried ours to Quincy, CA.
Things I Carried the Whole Way That Other People Ditched
At the end of the day, you carry your pack and you get to decide what’s worth the weight. Hike your own hike! Here’s what I kept from Mexico to Canada that other hikers only carried for sections:
Puffy + Midlayer
After the Sierra, lots of hikers ditched either their puffy OR midlayer. I think it’s important to have one or the other as a backup layer. I kept both because… again, I get cold easily.
Down Hood and Booties
More insulation for cold nights. I carry a down hood and booties pretty much year-round. I didn’t use them much in NorCal or Oregon, but they came in handy again in Washington.
Base Layers
I slept in my base layers when it was cold, and I used them as a backup outfit while doing laundry if my town dress was dirty. Many hikers sent their base layers home after the Sierra, but I packed my fears.
Rain Gear
A lot of people rain gear home after the Sierra since NorCal and Oregon are typically dry and hot. Honestly? I was too lazy to deal with mailing my Frogg Toggs home and then having them mailed back to me in Washington, where we expected wet conditions. They lived at the bottom of my pack for months until I needed them again as I neared Canada.
Gloves
Most hikers mailed their gloves home after the Sierra. Mine didn’t weigh much, and I forgot they were buried in my pack until I needed them again on chilly Washington mornings.
Umbrella
I love my umbrella! It was invaluable in the desert, but many hikers dumped their umbrellas in the hiker box at KMS. I’m glad I kept mine because it was super helpful through burn scars in NorCal and Oregon. I didn’t use it in Washington, but I liked having it ready for a downpour. Umbrella clamps made it hands-free.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I hope future hikers take from this, it’s that your gear list doesn’t need to be perfect before you start. It won’t be (and that’s okay!) The beauty of a long trail like the PCT is that you grow into your gear. You figure out what matters, what doesn’t, and what you’re willing to carry simply because it brings you comfort, confidence, or joy.
Small trail towns, quirky outfitters, generous hiker boxes, and the magic of General Delivery make it easy to adjust as you go. Some items will surprise you with how long they last; others will be gone within the first hundred miles. Sometimes the best piece of gear you add is something you didn’t even know existed before stepping onto the trail.
So assemble your gear list, arrive at the terminus, and let the trail teach you the rest. In the end, the most important gear you carry is the willingness to adapt and the belief that you’ll figure it out one step, one resupply box, and one unexpected gear swap at a time.
Magic in the Mountains 
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