Granger's Gear Guide

Based upon hundreds of days / miles / kilometers of wilderness travel and experience with both youth and adults

Checklists

Recommended Gear

For a typical 3-season backpacking trip the following items are suggested:
 
General

  • Backpack

  • Pack cover for rain (when>2mm/hour)

  • Headlamp with extra batteries

Eating and Drinking

  • Two 0.7-1.0 liter water bottles

  • Water filter

  • Isobutane stove with fuel

  • 0.5-1.0 liter pot for boiling water

  • Cup or Mug

  • Spoon (long handle preferred)

  • Small folding knife

  • Sandwich-size Ziploc for trash

Clothing (Adjust to the Season)

  • Hat

  • Mosquito net (summer)

  • Sunglasses

  • Rain jacket shell / poncho

  • Shirts (polyester, not cotton)

  • Warm flannel / jacket / puffy

  • Underwear

  • Shorts or swim trunks

  • Lightweight pants

  • Socks (1 pair per day)

  • Crocs/sandals for river crossings

  • Ziploc for dirty/wet items

Hygiene

  • Deodorant

  • Soap or hand sanitizer

  • Hand towel

  • Toothbrush + paste + soap

  • Toilet paper and wipes

  • Hand trowel for burying poop

Basic First Aid

  • Personal medications

  • Insect repellent

  • Sunscreen

  • Chapstick

  • Band-aids

  • Waterproof first-aid tape

Advanced First Aid

  • Tweezers

  • Scissors

  • Latex Gloves

  • Super glue (not gel)

  • Burn gel

  • 6" gauze pads

  • 2" gauze roll

  • larger band-aids

  • hydrocortisone

  • safety pins

  • sewing kit

  • ace bandage

  • butterfly closures

  • eye drops

  • irrigation syringe

  • antacids

  • paper first aid tape

  • ibuprofen 200mg (Advil)

  • acetaminophen 500mg (Tylenol)

  • loperamide 2mg (Imodium)

  • pseudoephedrine 30mg (Sudafed)

  • diphenhydramine 25mg (Benadryl)

Sleeping

  • Sleeping bag (15-25F) in dry bag

  • Dry clothes to sleep in + beanie

  • Option 1: Tarp, Hammock, Underquilt

  • Option 2: Tarp, Bivvy, Sleeping Pad

  • Option 3: Tent, Rain Cover, and Sleeping Pad

  • 10-20 meters of paracord

Other items

  • Cell phone

  • Satellite communications

  • Group first aid supplies

  • Saw for firewood

Bring something to enjoy

  • Aerobie, nerf football, etc.

  • Kindle, scriptures, a book, etc.

  • Playing cards, etc.

  • Fishing gear

  • Ukulele, ocarina, etc.

  • Art supplies, etc.

Packing Tips

  • Think “last in, first out”: Load sleeping and camping gear in the bottom of the pack

  • Put sleep clothes in a waterproof bag so they’re dry no matter what

  • Sleeping bag in a waterproof bag

  • Easy access to your rain jacket

  • Use a small bag for hygiene items

  • On-the-trail items like snacks, headlamp, in the hip pouches

  • Keep water filter, first aid, sunscreen, in the top/brain pouch

  • Pack weight can be up to 20-30% of your body weight

  • Dress in layers; make sure you can easily access and stow them

  • Bring gaiters for snow, sand, or dust

  • Hiking poles = four-wheel-drive

  • Leave a small bag with clean clothes, socks, and drink in the car.

Ideas for food:
 
Breakfast

  • Oatmeal packets (2-3)

  • Granola or granola bar

  • Freeze-dried meal

  • Single-serve cereal

  • Cocoa or cider

Lunch

  • Tortillas or bagels

  • Peanut butter or Nutella

  • Tuna/salmon/spam pouches

  • Summer sausage

  • Hard cheese

  • Applesauce

  • Pretzels

  • Freeze-dried meal

  • Ramen / Cup-O-Noodles

Snacks

  • Candy (is good for energy)

  • Snickers bar = balanced fuel

  • Trail mix, nuts, etc. = salty

  • Clif bars or Z-bars

  • Peanut M&Ms

  • Beef jerky = protein

  • Dried fruit (mango) = fiber

  • Honey stingers

  • Gu blocks

  • Wheat thins & cheese

Dinner

  • Freeze-dried meal

  • Instant potatoes, rice, or couscous

  • Instant noodle dishes

  • Cookies, nutter-butters, Oreos, etc.

  • Cocoa or cider

Tips

  • You don't always want a hot meal

  • Variety is nice for most people. Freeze-dried meals can be boring.

  • Chocolate melts. Plan accordingly.

  • “Freeze-dried” could be any brand, but we find Mountain House to have good quality and taste, even for picky eaters. Peak Refuel has more sophisticated, great-tasting meals, for a bit more $$.

BackpacksInternal frame, lightweight, durable material, comfortable straps.
Women should try out the women's versions for a better overall fit.For Adults 55-60L is sufficient. For 10-12 year-old kids 45-55L.Avoid packs with too many pockets or poorly made zippers.

Water FiltersThe Sawyer squeeze system works really well with standard bottles of all kinds, especially the more durable Smartwater bottles (and many other types).In winter, a Nalgene bottle can withstand the heat of boiling water, which can be used to help heat up your sleeping situation. Put a sock around the bottle to help the heat last longer.When traveling with a larger group, sometimes a gravity filter is nice because it does not require much attention.

Cooking and EatingAn isobutane stove is essential. Cheap doesn't mean poorly made though. Don't fall for the speed of a JetBoil.Avoid propane, aluminum, picnic plastic, or enameled metal.The MSR Dragonfly is only needed at altitudes above 2000 meters or 6500 feet, or temperatures below 30F.

Light and FireSeeing in the dark and creating a fire for warmth are easier with these items.Avoid sheathed knives because kids eventually injure themselves or others.Avoid AA battery headlamps because everyone else has AAA.

Other Items
For wet trips, dry bags for the items in your backpack are vital. Keep your first aid, clothing, and sleeping bag in separate dry bags.Paracord or guyline comes in handy for tarp situations and for gear failures.

Sleeping BagsA down bag with a rating of 20-25F is comfortable year-round. 550-750 fill-power is recommended, the higher the better.Sierra Designs let me down by changing their excellent 20F sleeping bag to 35F. I'm looking for some new models. Come back later!Avoid synthetic bags since they are very bulky and heavy.

Hammock ModeWhen camping in reasonably dense forests, a hammock is extremely comfortable. Get yourself off the ground and enjoy both sleeping and sitting modes. A tarp is required for rainy weather and can shield up to two stacked hammocks. Wise Owl and ENO are the best brands.Avoid "single" hammocks since they don't have enough material to entirely close up to avoid bugs and breezes.

Bivvy Mode
Sometimes the best place to take in the view is not in the trees, but in the open plain, the high peak, the mountain meadow. If you have trouble sleeping in a hammock, this is a similarly lightweight option.
You need a pad, a bivvy sack, and a tarp.

Tent ModeA tent feels safe. You can escape the bugs a bit easier. You have your own space. However, it comes at a cost. Most lightweight tents are very expensive, and lightweight is not very sturdy. I use one several times a year.When it comes to tents a 2-man tent is really 1.75-man tent. Best for family or close friends. Try sleeping with feet at opposing ends if the tent is square.

Mountaineering in the alpine zone and above has unique challenges. It can be wet, cold, windy, whiteout, and unpredictable anytime of the year. You'll need extra space to carry gear. Food sometimes tastes differently at altitude, with a preference for more savory food.Changes from the backpacking list

  • Backpack (60+L)

  • Ice Axe (fit to you)

  • Boots with crampons, or trail shoes with microspikes

  • Day pack for water, snacks, first aid

  • Three 1.0L Nalgene bottles

  • Glissading: 6mil bag, Tyvec, etc.

  • Blue bag kit (to poop in)

  • TBD: specific gear for your expedition

Clothing differences

  • No cotton

  • Polyester shirts

  • Polyester underwear

  • Wool socks

  • Wool beanie/hat

  • Warm fleece jacket

  • Warm puffy jacket

  • Waterproof rain jacket shell

  • Waterproof gloves

  • Lightweight pants

  • Rain pants

  • Ziploc bags to separate wet gear

Building an igloo or digging a snow cave requires the right conditions, and some additional gear because you're more in contact with the snow than you would be snowshoeing or mountaineering.

Specific Gear Needed

  • Short-handled shovel

  • A blue 8x6' or 8x10' tarp to sleep on

  • For an igloo, an snow saw is required.

  • A long-handled shovel or grain shovel is helpful

  • It is always possible to be stuck for an extra day. Bring extra clothes and food.

  • There is no limit on gear weight in most cases but plan to hike your gear 2km/1.25mi

  • Definitely bring a complete change of clothes to keep in the car

Differences from the backpacking list

  • Snowshoes

  • Snow boots

  • Ski/hiking poles w/baskets

  • Three 1.0L Nalgene bottles

  • A closed cell foam pad

  • A wool blanket (above blue tarp, beneath foam pad)

  • Blue bag kit (to poop in)

  • White gas stove with fuel

  • Extra cocoa

Clothing differences

  • No cotton

  • Polyester or wool shirts

  • Polyester underwear

  • Wool socks

  • Wool beanie/hat

  • Warm fleece jacket

  • Warm puffy jacket or snow jacket

  • Waterproof rain jacket shell

  • Waterproof gloves

  • Handwarmers

  • Lightweight pants

  • Rain or snow pants

  • Ziploc bags to separate wet gear

Tips for wet weather camping, especially in the Pacific Northwest, where the rain is kind of endless. This picture could be very different just a few hours later.

  • It’s better to stay dry than to dry out

  • Put up your tarp first. Mind the wind & runoff

  • Waterproof shoes fill with water; lighter, non-waterproof shoes dry more quickly

  • Gaiters can keep your feet drier and cleaner

  • Wear synthetic running socks or thin wool socks

  • Minimize jacket condensation by starting cold and hiking cool

  • Keep your sleeping bag dry at all times

  • Use individual dry-bags and Ziploc bags to separate wet gear from dry gear

Olympic Coast Notes

  • You need to have the tide predictions

  • Some headlands can only be rounded at low tide

  • Tides may require hiking unusual hours

  • Sometimes you should wait out the rain

  • When it’s slippery or the beach is rocky you’ll hike a lot slower

  • Take advantage when it’s dry. Build a fire. Explore.

  • Be ready to change plans if weather changes

  • Beach fires can be really big

  • Fresh water may be tea-colored. It’s safe to drink when filtered or boiled.

  • Secure your food - bear canisters are mandatory for racoons, not bears

  • High and Low tide are relative:

  • Tides vary in size by season and moon phase and wind

  • Low tide exposes creatures!

  • Sneaker waves are dangerous

  • Rip currents are dangerous

A few of my favorite trips I don't mind sharing. They're fairly popular so I'm not sharing any of my secrets here. ;)

OuterwearWhen it comes to rain, Goretex isn't too good. It's the DWR that counts. To stay actually dry, try PVC.I'm still on the hunt for a lightweight jacket with DWR that does not saturate and fail.Mittens are warmer than gloves any day. Get a size larger than you need.

Comfortable Things

Shoes and SocksLook for a stiff sole which does bend or twist too much. Compare to a typical cheap tennis shoe and you'll see the difference.I avoid waterproof varieties because they typically take longer to dry out in the field.