A Gaysian’s Guide to the John Muir Trail

Equipment and Supplies

I will be the first to admit that I am probably not the best person to give advice on how to properly pack for a multi-day backpacking adventure. Since the JMT was my first time doing any sort of long distance hiking, I ended up overpacking and taking a lot more things than I actually needed. The result was a backpack that weighed over 50 pounds at the beginning of my journey! This led to very grueling ascents of mountain passes and drastically reduced the miles that I was able to cover each day due to exhaustion.

I recommend doing a search on Google or YouTube on how to pack lightly to get better information from “experts” with more backpacking experience.

What I can offer is a list of equipment and gear that were so useful to me during my JMT adventure that I will always include them on future backpacking trips.

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Air Pump & Air Mattress

I used the Flextail Gear Tiny Pump X air pump and I absolutely loved it! This device became one of my most loved pieces of equipment on the JMT.

Imagine that you found your campsite after a long day of hiking. You are physically exhausted and would love to just eat your dinner and go to bed. You finish setting up your tent. Now you have to inflate your air mattress. Unless you have an air pump to inflate your mattress, you will be spending a lot of time and breath inflating your mattress to a suitable firmness, making you even more exhausted.

This tiny rechargeable device inflated my air mattress in less than 5 minutes!!! It also doubled as a lantern which helped preserve my cell phone battery at night. I highly recommend this device for all backpacking trips.

For my air mattress, I used the Nemo Quasar 3D Insulated Air Sleeping Pad. This is probably one of the most comfortable air mattresses that I’ve used. It provides great lumbar support and easily inflates with the air pump. I highly recommend this air mattress.

Sleeping Bag

A sleeping bag is another crucial piece of equipment that you will be using every night on trail. Having a good sleeping bag will help ensure that you get a restful night’s sleep. As such, picking the right sleeping bag is one of the most important equipment decisions you will make for the JMT. Hiking the JMT in the late-summer/early-fall means that you will need to prepare for some pretty cold nights. Overnight temperatures can reach the low-40s F to mid-30s F. I used the Nemo Forte Sleeping Bag. This sleeping bag was very comfortable and provided good insulation and warmth during the cold evenings in the Sierra Nevada.

Inflatable Pillow

An inflatable pillow was crucial to ensuring that I had a restful night’s sleep. Some people may consider this a luxury item, but anything that helps you sleep well at night should be considered as an important piece of equipment. I used Nemo Fillo Elite Pillow. This pillow is very comfortable and fits in the palm of your hand when deflated and stuffed inside of its sack.

Tent

My tent was one of the most important pieces of equipment on the JMT. The tent was going to be my home for a month, so I needed something that would be sturdy and comfortable while not adding too much extra weight to my backpack. I purchased the Nemo Osmo Hornet Elite Ultralight tent. I was amazed at how light the tent was, weighing less than 1 pound! The tent is well-designed and well-built as it was able to withstand a night of very strong wind gusts. My only complaint is that the rainfly and shelter are made of a really thin material. My rainfly accidentally got caught in the zipper, which ended up tearing and leaving a big hole. Luckily it didn’t rain while I was on trail, otherwise I would’ve experienced significant water leaks. The tent is also very expensive. I recommend buying a cheaper tent that is slightly heavier but with stronger materials for the rainfly and shelter.

Hiking Poles

Hiking poles are a crucial piece of equipment that I use for every hike. Hiking poles act like two extra legs that give me the support to hike up high elevation passes while carrying my heavy pack. There were several instances where I almost lost my balance, but was saved from falling by my hiking poles, which also helped prevent injuries. I used the Black Diamond Carbon Z Foldable Poles. These poles were very lightweight and made from strong and durable carbon fiber. I also love how the poles fold up to make it easier to pack away when I’m not using them. These are the poles that use on every hike.

Hiking Shoes

The shoes you bring are probably one of the most important equipment choices you will make for your JMT journey. You will be hiking over 230 miles over various types of terrain, while ascending and descending high elevation mountain passes. Your shoes are like the tires for your body. Choose the wrong pair, and you may run into issues while on trail.

I have tried several hiking shoes over the years, and the ones that I highly recommend are The North Face VECTIV Fastpack Mid FUTURELIGHT Hiking Boots. These shoes provide the perfect combination of comfort, support, quality construction, and durability.

Camping Stove & Fuel

I used my camping stove and fuel everyday to prepare my meals, make coffee every morning, and brew tea each night before bed. These are two very important items if you plan to do any sort cooking. I highly recommend the MSR PocketRocket stove. The stove has these wind barriers to prevent the flame from burning out in windy conditions. It was tested on several occasions with several instances of very strong gusts, and my flame never blew out.

Cooking Pot

This was another important piece of equipment that I used everyday on trail. I used my cooking pot to prepare my breakfasts and dinners. It doubled as my serving bowl and coffee cup which allowed me to save some weight and space in my backpack. I used the Sea to Summit Lightweight Cooking Pot. I love how the handle folds over the lid of the pot which makes it easier to pack away after each meal.

Utensils

In order to maximize space in my backpack, I brought the UCO 2-piece spork set. This was another piece of equipment that I used everyday. It was very convenient to have my spoon, fork, and knife integrated with each other so I didn’t have to keep fumbling through my backpack at every meal.

Body Wipes & Deodorant

These are two luxury items that were essential to me. Several backpacking experts emphasize the ethos of “embracing the stink”. Essentially, it means that since you’ll be out in the wilderness with no way to shower, the best thing you can do is accept and embrace the fact that you will smell at the end of each day. This is something I just couldn’t do. I needed to feel fresh and clean at the end of each day so I brought Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Wipes and a travel size deodorant stick. It felt so good to be able to wipe the sweat and dirt off my body after a long day of hiking, and to not have to smell my body odor throughout the day.

Trowel and Toilet Paper

It is crucial to practice the Leave No Trace principles to help protect and preserve our natural resources. One of the principles is the proper disposal of our waste, and yes, this includes your poop! This was a process that initially took me some getting used to. In order to poop in the wilderness, you will need a trowel to dig a hole at least 6 inches deep. You do your business in the hole and use the trowel again to refill the hole. You also need to pack out your toilet paper. Do not bury your toilet paper with your poop. You need to place it in your trash bag and carry it out with you. Yes, it will seem gross at first, but you will get over it real quick knowing that you’re doing your part to help protect and preserve our environment.

Flip-flop Sandals

This was another luxury item that I ended up using every single day. After a long day of hiking, the first thing I wanted to do once I found a campsite was to take off my shoes and allow my feet to breathe. Having flip-flop sandals allowed me to walk around my campsite without the hassle of having to put on and take off my shoes. This also allowed me to air out my socks and shoes at the end of each day.