Zpack duplex 2 person tent

When the Duplex arrived in the mail, I thought they’d sent me an empty box. It is the lightest two-person tent in the world at 550 g, and by far the most expensive gear item in my pack. It empties your wallet at 600 USD, but makes up for its (remarkably low) weight in gold by How Great It Is! It uses trekking poles instead of tent poles, which already saves you weight and make your poles a multi-use gear item. It’s made of a material called cuben fiber/Dyneema composite fabric, which is the strongest fiber in the world. In the beginning I was afraid that its light weight meant it would rip to shreds if a pine cone fell on it, but it can take a beating from rain and scratches. After 3000+ km it’s still as good as new.

The Duplex can be tricky to set up if you are one person and it is windy, but with practice you shall overcome. We had very little rain on our JMT hike, but it withstood the occasional thunderstorm with flying colours. You can use both stakes and rocks to keep the guy-lines grounded, and they are all super easy to adjust. They are made of bright reflexive material, so are easy to see at night. Ultralight tent stakes can also be ordered from the ZPacks website.

Even with Adrian’s large Thermarest, we both fit comfortably inside, for one person it is a palace. You can easily sit up and get dressed inside, and despite cuben fiber being slightly see-through, you can close the vestibules for privacy. Like all single-wall tents the Duplex has some condensation issues, so I usually sleep with both vestibules open. This way I can also watch the stars all night!

Injinji Toesock liners & Darn Tough socks

These garments are the heroes of this hike, and of all my hikes ever since. I was traumatised by blisters on the West Highland Way and did a lot of research on textile chemistry before the JMT. Blisters are one of the main reasons why people quit thru-hikes, so don’t underestimate the importance of good socks. Of course my beloved boots deserve some of the credit, but having used this sock combination on all my hikes since 2017, I declare it unbeatable.

The toe socks eliminate blisters between toes, and my feet would never overheat no matter how hot the day was. Pairing the Injinjis with Darn Toughs gives me the perfect cushion and ventilation between the two layers. Darn Tough also has an amazing warranty, my two pairs have almost 4000 km on them and show no signs of wear. The Injinjis need to be replaced a little more often, I typically like to start big hikes with two fresh pairs and replace them after about 500 km. I know this particular combo is a favourite amongst thru-hikers, give it a try and never look back!

Icebreaker longsleeve top

I’ve always loved Icebreaker. Not just because I love all things from New Zealand, but the fabric is so soft and thin, and it withstands countless washes. This top doubles as sun protection (that’s why I opted for the white one) and base layer at night/on colder days. I found that it keeps me cooler than a short sleeved t-shirt, that’s the magic of merino wool… The only downside? It doesn’t look as pearly white after a few thousand miles. But before you get to that stage you can enjoy it in your everyday life as well as in the wild, I used to wear mine to university. Since the faded colour is the only thing wrong with it after all my thru-hikes, I can’t justify replacing it. Any new ones would eventually suffer the same fate. So for now I still enjoy my dusty Icebreaker, and look back fondly to its glory days on the JMT when it was new.

Patagonia trucker hat

When hiking in sunny climates, it’s important to protect your face by wearing some sort of a hat. Personally I feel about 40 years too young to sport one of those wide-brimmed hats, so I settled for the cutesy option. I was okay with my hair frying in my never-ending quest for blondeness, and opted for this white and pink Patagonia cap. Any time I didn’t need it, I could easily strap it to my backpack – it doesn’t take up extra room and is easily accessible. I usually opt for light-coloured clothing to reflect the sun’s heat, but I am faced with the same downside as always: that hat doesn’t look so great anymore. This Patagonia trucker hat has great ventilation and has lasted for thousands of km with no tears.