In 2024 I hiked the Appalachian Trail southbound and thought I’d share what I packed! The main difference when packing for a northbound hike vs a southbound hike is weather. For a northbound hike you want to start with all your cold weather gear, whereas for a southbound hike you won’t really need it until late September. I started in Maine at the end of July, picked up my cold weather gear in Maryland from a friend, and finished mid-December in Georgia.
I definitely did not have an ultralight setup. My base weight was around 22 pounds when I first started, and it ended up around 26 pounds with my winter gear. People spend a lot of time debating whether they want to invest in ultralight gear, and my one piece of advice is to only get an ultralight pack if you are going to fill it with ultralight gear. Most ultralight packs don’t have much suspension and won’t distribute weight very well. Traditional packs are designed to make heavy packs feel lighter. I’m only saying this because I met someone early on who stuffed his ultralight pack with 40 pounds of gear and he didn’t make it very far.
What I packed:
Camping Stuff/Main Gear
- backpack (I used a Gregory Amber 55. Would not recommend Gregory. Get an Osprey/something made with quality)
- trash bag to line backpack (instead of a rain cover)
- trekking poles (cork grip prevents blisters)
- maps/farout app
- tent (one person)
- sleeping bag (20-degree F bag)
- sleeping bag liner
- sleeping pad
- sleeping pad patch kit
- inflatable pillow
Clothing
- hiking shoes (I really liked these Topo trail runners)
- flip flops
- buff
- 2 pairs of wool socks
- undergarments
- hiking shorts
- hiking pants
- short sleeve merino wool hiking shirt
- long sleeve merino wool hiking shirt
- sleeping clothes (shorts + merino wool shirt)
- warm layers (thermal long underwear)
- raincoat
- warm gloves
- warm hat
- light puffer jacket
Safety
- water filter (sawyer squeeze is the way to go)
- 2 smartwater bottles
- garmin inreach
- food
- bear bag + rope
- sunscreen
- first aid kit (advil, tums, bandaids, tweezers, super glue, hand sanitizer)
- whistle + pepper spray
- orange vest (only needed if you’re hiking during hunting season)
Other Stuff
- headlamp
- cooking stove
- propane
- lighter
- cooking pot
- spork
- microfiber cloth
- food
- toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, comb, nail clippers, etc.)
- ear plugs
- phone charger + lightweight portable charger
- toilet paper
- trowel
- small amount of duct tape
- cash
- airpods
- garmin watch + charger
It’s very important to test out gear before you buy it/take it on the trail!
If you’re like me, you might end up with an absurd amount of food at times and maybe even a license plate!
“You’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So… get on your way!”
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