Appalachian Trail Gear List: A 10.9 lb Kit Built From What AT Hikers Carry
How we did this: we started from the gear Appalachian Trail hikers actually used, as reported by 279 hikers in The Trek’s 2025 AT Thru-Hiker Survey, then took every weight and price from the makers’ own pages, checked on 3 October 2026. Where a maker’s store blocked us, we used its most recent page in the Internet Archive. We have not field-tested this kit.
The average Appalachian Trail hiker in The Trek’s 2025 survey started with a 20 lb base weight and finished with 18 lb. The gear list below comes to 10.9 lb using the gear AT hikers chose most: the Durston Kakwa pack, the X-Mid 1 tent, an Enlightened Equipment quilt, the NeoAir XLite pad and a Frogg Toggs rain suit. Two upgrades take it to 9.5 lb.
The Appalachian Trail gear list: a 10.9 lb base weight
Base weight means everything in the pack except food, water and fuel. Shoes, socks, trekking poles and the clothes you hike in are not counted.
| Category | Pick | Weight | Price | Note (2025 survey) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pack | Durston Kakwa 55, M | 31.5 oz (893 g) | $279 | Joint most common model with the ULA Circuit |
| Shelter | Durston X-Mid 1, with sack and 6 stakes | 29.4 oz (833 g) | $269 | Most common 1-person tent; highest satisfaction (9.45) |
| Quilt | Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20°F, Regular | 21.19 oz (601 g) | $295 | No. 2 quilt; price is EE’s lowest option |
| Sleeping pad | Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT, Regular | 13 oz (369 g) | $199.95 | Most common pad |
| Insulated jacket | EE Torrid Jacket | 7.6 oz (215 g) | $200 | EE’s “starts at” weight |
| Rain gear | Frogg Toggs Ultra-Lite2 suit | 12.8 oz (363 g) | $32.99 | Most common rain gear; jacket and pants |
| Fleece | Senchi Designs A90 Half-Zip Hoodie, M | 4.4 oz (125 g) | $115 | |
| Stove | MSR PocketRocket 2 | 2.6 oz (74 g) | $49.95 | PocketRocket is the most common stove |
| Pot | Toaks Light 650 ml cup with lid | 2.7 oz (77 g) | $36.95 | Weight and price from Zpacks’ listing |
| Water filter | Sawyer Squeeze | 3 oz (85 g) | $45.95 | Sawyer’s field weight |
| Water bag | CNOC VectoX 2 L | 3.25 oz (92 g) | $26.99 | |
| Headlamp | Nitecore NU25 UL | 1.59 oz (45 g) | $36.95 | |
| Battery | Nitecore NB10000 Gen 4 | 4.9 oz (139 g) | $69.95 | 99% of hikers carried a power bank |
| Satellite messenger | Garmin inReach Mini 3 | 4.3 oz (122 g) | $449.99 | Garmin is the most common GPS brand |
| Everything else | Phone, cables, first aid, toiletries and trowel, food bag and hang line, pack liner and stuff sacks, spare socks, sleep clothes, beanie, gloves | 32 oz (907 g) | — | Our allowance, not a measured weight |
| Base weight | 174.2 oz (10.9 lb) | $2,107.67 |
Sources: weights and prices from Durston Gear, Enlightened Equipment, Therm-a-Rest and MSR (via Cascade Designs), Frogg Toggs, Senchi Designs and Zpacks, checked on 3 October 2026; Sawyer’s field weight and Garmin’s weight from authorised retailers. Survey figures from The Trek’s 2025 reports on backpacks, tents, sleeping bags and pads, footwear and stoves, rain gear and more.
Two upgrades to get under 10 lb
| Swap | Weight saved | Extra cost |
|---|---|---|
| X-Mid 1 to X-Mid Pro 1 (Dyneema, 17.6 oz typical setup) | 11.8 oz | $340 |
| Kakwa 55 to Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 60L (21.8 oz) | 9.7 oz | $120 |
| Result | 9.5 lb | $460 |
The Arc Haul swap is the better value, 9.7 oz for $120. The X-Mid Pro 1 is the same Durston layout in Dyneema, and costs $340 more for 11.8 oz. The AT has shelters and frequent resupply, so many hikers stop at the cheaper kit; for the full under-10 lb approach, see our PCT gear list.
Pack: Durston Kakwa 55
The Kakwa 55 tied with the ULA Circuit (38.5 oz, $299.99) as the most common model in the 2025 survey, at 24 responses each, behind the Osprey Exos/Eja at 33. It is 7 oz lighter than the Circuit and $21 cheaper. The average pack among 2025 thru-hikers was 52 L, so 55 L is typical.
Check price →Shelter: Durston X-Mid 1
The X-Mid 1 was the second most common tent on the AT in 2025 and scored the highest satisfaction of the top tents, 9.45 out of 10. Durston includes eight stakes, and it pitches on two trekking poles.
Check price →The most common tent was the Zpacks Duplex (25 responses), a 2-person Dyneema shelter that Zpacks lists at 17.8 oz for $749. Against the complete X-Mid 1 (26.2 oz) that is 8.4 oz lighter for $480 more.
Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20°F
67% of AT hikers used a quilt in 2025, and 70% chose down. Enlightened Equipment’s Revelation (50 responses) and Enigma (35) were the two most common. The Revelation has a zippered footbox that opens flat; the Enigma’s sewn footbox is lighter. We use the Enigma because Enlightened Equipment’s weight for it is confirmed by independent reviews.
Check price →Sleeping pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT
The NeoAir XLite was the most common pad by a wide margin, ahead of the NEMO Tensor Ultralight Insulated (47).
Check price →Rain gear and insulation
Frogg Toggs was the most common rain gear on the AT by far: 59 hikers used the Ultra-Lite suit, against 16 for the next model. Frogg Toggs lists the Ultra-Lite2 suit at 12.8 oz for jacket and pants, $32.99. The Montbell Versalite, at 5.9 oz, was among the top five rain jackets; see our Montbell Versalite vs EE Visp comparison.
For insulation we use the EE Torrid, which uses Climashield APEX synthetic fill that Enlightened Equipment says keeps its warmth when damp. That matters on a trail as humid as the AT. EE lists it from 7.60 oz, $200.
Appalachian Trail shoes
Shoes are worn, so they are not in the base weight, but they are the most searched AT gear. The Altra Lone Peak was the most common shoe in 2025 (54 hikers, 19.4%), followed by the Topo Traverse (32) and Altra Olympus (25). Altra lists the men’s Lone Peak 9+ at 11.55 oz per shoe, $160. Altra regained the top brand spot in 2025 after Topo Athletic took it in 2024.
Check price →Rules that change the list
- Bear canister in Georgia: required for camping between Jarrard Gap and Neels Gap from 1 March to 1 June. A BearVault BV500 weighs 41 oz; the ATC runs a bear canister lending program.
- Katahdin: Baxter State Park requires a free Long Distance Hiker permit, picked up in person at the Katahdin Stream Campground ranger station, up to seven days before you summit.
- Time: completed thru-hikes in the survey took 153 days on average, and hikers’ quilt ratings rose from 22.3°F at the start to 34.0°F at the finish, so many swap to lighter sleep gear for summer.
FAQ
What base weight do Appalachian Trail hikers carry?
In The Trek’s 2025 survey of 279 AT hikers, the average starting base weight was 20 lb and the average finishing base weight was 18 lb. The most common starting range was 15 to 20 lb, and only a small handful started under 10 lb. The kit on this page comes to 10.9 lb.
What is the most popular backpack on the Appalachian Trail?
By model, the Osprey Exos/Eja (33 of 279 responses), followed by the ULA Circuit and the Durston Kakwa, tied at 24 each. Osprey was the most common brand.
What tent do most AT thru-hikers use?
The Zpacks Duplex (25 responses), then the Durston X-Mid 1 (20), which had the highest satisfaction score of the top tents at 9.45 out of 10. 88% of hikers used a tent and 9% a hammock.
Do you need a bear canister on the Appalachian Trail?
Only in one stretch: hard-sided canisters are required for camping between Jarrard Gap and Neels Gap in Georgia from 1 March to 1 June. The ATC runs a bear canister lending program and recommends bear-resistant food storage along the whole trail.
What temperature rating should my quilt be for the AT?
Hikers in the 2025 survey started with quilts and bags rated 22.3°F on average and finished with 34.0°F on average. A 20°F quilt matches what most hikers start with.
Do I need a permit to finish at Katahdin?
Yes. Baxter State Park requires every AT hiker to get a free Long Distance Hiker permit in person at the Katahdin Stream Campground ranger station before climbing Katahdin, up to seven days ahead.
The bottom line
The gear most AT hikers chose in 2025 builds a 10.9 lb kit, about half the 20 lb the average hiker started with. None of the big items is exotic: the Kakwa 55 and X-Mid 1 cost $279 and $269, and the Frogg Toggs suit $32.99. Spend on the Arc Haul Ultra and X-Mid Pro 1 only if you want under 10 lb.
