High Sierra Backpacking Gear
List
The gear section, like the whole website, my gear kit, and I are all under Active Construction.
This is the March 2017
IMPROVEMENT!
What Improvements?
Member's Favorites are now linked to the various categories of gear. The member's favorites lists are linked to their product pages.
The gear named on this list below is linked to its image and further descriptions where available.
I am not suggesting "my" gear, just offering my selections as examples as grades, levels, or types of gear. You should find the gear that fits you!
As Always,
This gear list is additive, beginning with the basic requirements for Summer backpacking in the High Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Spring and Fall gear is typically a combination of Summer Gear with thicker insulation bits added in, maybe with a thicker shell, depending on seasonal trends.
The requirements of Winter demand that most lighter elements be changed out for the heavy gear necessary for Winter conditions. Some of our layers remain, but additional layers are added & heavier layers are switched-in.
The list below shows how Summer Gear is the basis of the year-round gear kit.
We just add or replace gear elements with heavier pieces to accommodate the specifics of each year's transition through Fall into Winter then back to Spring conditions.
During the depths of Winter most of our lighter Summer Gear is finally switched out, but starts sneaking back into the pack as the warmth of Spring begins rising.
Gear Forum |
On This Page |
Upper Body
Lower Body
Head
Hands
Boots-Feet
Sleeping Gear
Travel Aids
Food Prep
Water
Miscellaneous
First Aid
Personal
Pack
Electrics |
Forum and Feedback
Note the links to the Gear Forum for each type of gear.
I'd like to hear what you use, how it works, and how you like it.
I want your gear tips, advice, experiences, and even your gear reviews to supplement and expand this gear list.
Post up your feedback in the
Gear Forums.
Supplemental Topics
Winter Gear Video
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Al's Basic
Four Season
High Sierra Backpacking Gear List
Upper Body |
Upper Body |
Summer |
Spring and Fall |
Winter |
Base Layer
Shirts
This is our "wear all the time" Layer against our skin. |
Two 100% poly thin upper insulation layers:
Thin Poly Tank Top for days.
Thin Poly Long Sleeve added for bad weather and at night.
Option
Long Sleeved Lightweight
Sun & Skeeter Shirt |
Same 2 Thin Summer Poly layers used 24 hours, except during hard work.
1 or 2 upper base layers depends on daily temps. |
2 thin Poly layers
+
Medium Weight poly thermal.
Three base layers-depending on daily temps.
Outer 2 layers can come off during periods of warmth & heavy hiking. |
Insulation Layers
Insulation layers are added and subtracted depending on temp.
They live between Base and Shell Layers.
Vital in camp, when in stationary, & Very Cold Conditions. |
Medium Weight
Fleece Coat
Options
Medium Poly thermal
or
Light Down Coat |
ADD
Medium
Poly thermal
Option
Light
Down Coat |
REPLACE
Medium Poly thermal with heavy Poly Thermal
ADD
Quality Heavy Down Coat |
Shell Layer
This is our outer wind and rain protection. |
Very Light weight water/wind proof shell upper.
Option
Medium weight shell upper. |
Medium Weight
Shell Upper |
REPLACE
Medium weight Shell with
Heavy
Winter
Mountain Jacket |
Notes: |
Our "base layer" is our minimal layer of insulation that never comes off, without creating sweat while working.
During Summer this layer may be a tank-top. During Winter it will be a layer substantial enough to handle low temperatures while hiking hard without sweating.
Our base layer is a perfect balance between ambient air temperature and work-generated heat. |
Upper Body Insulation Gear Forum |
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Head
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Head |
Summer |
Spring and Fall |
Winter |
Head |
Breathable Nylon Hat, big rim
100% poly skin-tight head cover
Fleece ear warmer head band |
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Add
Full Coverage Tank Commander's Hat. |
Notes: |
As important for sun protection as heat retention. |
Head and Face Gear Forum |
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Hands |
Hands |
Summer |
Spring and Fall |
Winter |
Hands |
Light weight wool gloves |
Add/Option
Heavy Insulated Gloves |
Add
Heavy Insulated Gloves.
Add
Poly Glove Liners |
Notes: |
My light wool gloves are missing the tips of the "pincher fingers" to perform camp tasks. |
Gear for the Hands Forum |
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Top of Page |
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Sleeping Gear
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Sleeping Gear |
Summer |
Spring and Fall |
Winter |
Sleeping Gear
Tent
&
Sleeping Bag |
Micro Tent
2 50' lengths of parachute cord, 5 MSR Ground Hog Stakes
40° Sleeping Bag, with Killer Water Proof stuff sack
Option
20° Sleeping Bag:
(Pick your Grade!)
Closed Cell Foam Pad |
Replace
(Rain Conditions)
Micro Tent replaced by Half Dome large tent.
(I use a big tent for rain)
Tent Selection
Replace
40° bag with 20° bag. |
Replace
Half Dome with Micro Tent.
(I use a small tent for snow.)
Replace
MSR Stakes with Snow Stakes.
Add
Extra Tent tie-downs.
Replace
20° bag with 0° bag. |
Notes: |
I will only bring my lightweight 20° sleeping bag during periods of Summer when I anticipate cold Summer nights.
Temps in the Sierra are rising radically. The 20° bag is a DRAG during Summer heat waves, but is really nice during cold Summer nights.
If we bring the 20° bag and it's hot we will be bummed out. If we bring the 40° bag and it turns cold we will be bummed out.
The kicker is that nighttime temperature averages can change rapidly and radically.
I adjust by wearing more or less layers at night. |
Sleeping Gear
Forum |
Member's Favorite
Backpacking Tent |
Member's Favorite
Sleeping Bags |
Member's Favorite
Sleeping Pads |
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Top of Page |
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Travel Aids |
Travel |
Summer |
Spring and Fall |
Winter |
Travel |
Balance-Rhythm-walking Stick optional. I am not impressed with two sticks, but each to their own style... |
Add
Snow Sticks.
Add
Snow Shoes.
Add
Gaiters
(If necessary) |
Add
Snow Sticks.
Add
Snow Shoes.
Add
Gaiters
Add
Crampons, if required for route.
Add
Ice Axe, if required for route. |
Notes: |
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Travel Aids Forum
Member's Favorite Snow Sticks & Trekking Poles
Member's Favorite Gear Bits |
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First Aid |
First Aid |
All Seasons |
First Aid
Your first aid kit should be custom tailored for your own personal physical needs.
The number of each type of drug and bandage depends on the length of the trip, how sensitive your feet are to blistering, previous injuries and objective dangers.
I've seen folks try to break themselves every way possible... |
DRUGS
Aspirin
Ibuprofen
Codeine for me
Morphine
for
catastrophe |
Knee brace
Wide ace bandage
Two or three rolls of sports tape
large Telfa Gauze pads: 3 in x 8 in
Large self-adhesive bandages: 4 in x 3 in
Medium Self-adhesive bandages: 4 in x 2 in
10 band aids |
3M steri-strips, 1/4 x 4 in
Band Aid Butterfly closures, medium
Triple antibiotic cream
Domeboro: Burn Dressing
Hypergel wound
dressing
Sterile wipes |
Notes: |
I generally use up and give away substantial first aid gear to blistered, rashed, sprained and strained backpackers every season of every year.
I don't like to give away my ace bandages (due to my previous injuries) so I generally "unwind" or cut the injured backpacker's clothing to make support bandages and wraps. You should see their faces when I pull out the knife... haha...
The key is to anticipate your previous injuries acting up, anticipate a sprained ankle, and assume that blisters will appear.
Our first aid motto:
"Shit Happens. We're Ready." |
First Aid Forum
Feel the Wisdom
of
Cayenne's approach to First Aid
why?
16 Things at Once |
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Personal |
Personal |
Summer |
Spring and Fall |
Winter |
Personal Care |
Moisturizer
tiny bottle
Baby Oil
tiny bottle
Mini-toothpaste & Brush
Comb
Lip Balm
Suntan Lotion
tiny bottle
Option: Square Piece of backpacking towel
Bandana
Nature/tree guide, doubles as journal
Balls: Don't freak out.
Ibuprofen and Codeine |
Same
as
Summer |
Same
as
Summer |
Notes: |
We will pack our liquids in small plastic travel bottles, and we will send ourselves resupplies of all consumables.
In addition we will send small bottles of shampoo and small bars of soap to the resupply spots that have showers. |
Personal Gear Forum
Member's Favorite Gear Bits |
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Top of Page |
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This Gear List |
This kit composes my basic
HOPP
setup:
The
Harness of Pain and Pleasure! |
SPRING-FALL
This kit has proved adequate for all High Sierra early Spring and late Fall conditions I've encountered. |
WINTER
This kit has proved adequate at 10° with a 50 mph standing wind, properly set, mid-Winter |
Disclaimer
These are only basic guidelines from which you must determine your own specific gear requirements for the potential range of conditions you can experience.
Backpacking in the High Sierra presents serious potential dangers that may exceed the scope of gear, experience, and fitness. |
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High Sierra Backpacking Gear List |
Our
Goal
is
Comfort and Safety
The object of the above gear list is to provide us with the information so that we can select the basic level and range of personal insulation necessary for us to work hard during the day and rest warmly during night.
Variable Playing Field
What specific bits of gear creates your range of comfort is specific to you. It differs from person to person, and it will vary with the season and local weather, the level of fitness we maintain, and the level of fatigue we are experiencing.
Gear is blind
Gear is blind, and cannot suit itself to the weather. We must select the proper gear for our specific needs and the specific environmental conditions we must endure.
Your Vision
Proper gear selection requires internal and external information. We need solid information about our cold and heat tolerances and an idea of the range of temperatures and weather we could possibly experience.
Without these two key pieces of information our gear selection will be a shot in the dark. In practical terms this means we will either be packing too heavy or going a bit cold.
I don't like either long end of this bell curve of brutality.
I'm hunting for "just right."
Internal Vision
You must look within yourself to find your personal capacities for work and cold, which is best done before you hit the trail. Information about the environment can be researched, but how your body finally responds to the range of conditions we encounter can only be found on the trail.
Inform Thyself
Don't put yourself into situations where you are not properly informed about how you and your gear will stand up if and when things get weird.
Why? Because I want Skittles!
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Backpacker Forums
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TahoetoWhitney.Org
The Forums are broken down to cover High Sierra Backpacking Trails and Topics:
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Anyone can post up comments. Members can post up images, maps, and videos in their own posts in the forums.
Have a great or terrible Sierra Nevada gear experience to relate?
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Backpacking Gear Forum |
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