Read Katie’s John Muir Trail profile here
Hiking the John Muir Trail is unlike lower-elevation trips. This wilderness is known for unpredictable weather, and while we love quality, lightweight gear, I recommend ditching the “as light as humanly possible” mentality for the JMT. Most nights you’ll be camping above 8,000 feet elevation, with dramatic temperature swings possible in any month. Furthermore, resupply options are far apart, and many hikers carry 6-10 days of food at a time. Because of this, I suggest a pack that carries more weight comfortably, as opposed to a frameless or ultralight pack.
I hiked the John Muir Trail in September. Daily highs were around 65-75F, and the lows were 15-30F. June and September have similar temperature ranges, while July and August are typically 10-15 degrees warmer. Because July and August are the peak JMT months, my gear recommendations are tailored to that temperature range. I was a new thru-hiker during my JMT trip. Since then, I’ve honed my system and spent more time in the Sierra. This gear list combines my own JMT hiking gear and what I’ve learned since then.
This John Muir Trail gear list is aimed toward hikers who plan a trek of 14+ days on the JMT. Faster hikers will have shorter food carries, and might swap a few camp comforts for a lighter pack. Also, I’m not going to list out the toiletries and electronics, as those are the same for pretty much any backpacking trip. You can find the 10 Essentials here, the BPR UL gear list here, moderate gear list here, and luxe gear list here.
John Muir Trail Tent, Sleep System, and Pack
John Muir Trail Tent Overview
Trekking-pole shelters can be a hassle in the Sierra. Expect to frequently pitch your shelter on rocks or solid-packed dirt that is pretty challenging to dig stakes into. I recommend either a freestanding or semi-freestanding shelter, so you won’t find yourself precariously balancing your entire shelter with a few well-placed rocks. These tents are all also available as a one-person option.
Big Agnes Copper Spur: Best All-Around Option
This is an incredibly roomy and versatile two-person tent, and it weighs less than 3 pounds. This tent has 29 feet of interior space, two doors and vestibules, and a pole hub redesign in the past few years means more head and shoulder room for no weight penalty.
REI Co-op Flash Air 2 Tent: Best Lightweight Option
The REI Flash Air rules for its versatility. You can use either tent poles or trekking poles for pitching, so in rocky terrain you’re not dependent on the tension between your trekking poles and stakes. Furthermore, it weighs just under 2 pounds and is one of the more affordable options at $299 (the one-person is $249).
MSR Hubba Hubba NX2 Tent: Best for Early/Late Season Storm Conditions
One of our best friends on trail used this tent and had a significantly better time on windy nights than the two of us did. The doors and vestibules are designed to keep wind, rain, snow, and sand out of your shelter while the rainfly still cross-ventilates even when fully shut. Because storms and high winds are fairly common in the High Sierra, this fully freestanding option may be worth the extra weight.
John Muir Trail Pack Overview
I recommend choosing a pack that comfortably carries 30-40 pounds of gear. The weight of a bear canister, extra layers, and long food carries adds up and can make for some pretty uncomfortable climbs if you don’t have the proper pack.
Osprey Eja 58 Pack (Women’s) / Osprey Exos 58 Pack (Men’s)
This is one of the lightest fully featured packs around. It’s big enough to fit a bear canister and all your gear + layers on the inside, without having too much unnecessary space. It has an internal frame and suspension system in the hip belt to carry weight comfortably, while weighing under 3 pounds. Also, Osprey products have a lifetime warranty. We love to see it.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest Pack
If you don’t mind minimal padding on the hip belt and shoulder straps, this is a great lightweight pack. The top can be rolled down so you can strap your bear canister onto the outside of the pack. Though this may require a bit of shifting to find a comfortable weight distribution, the pack does have an internal frame to relieve pressure on long food carries.
John Muir Trail Sleep System Overview
A 20-degree sleeping bag is the perfect sweet spot for the Sierra backcountry. For the summer months, you’ll be comfortable even on colder nights. For June or September, you may want to pack a sleeping bag liner, or pair a 20-degree bag or quilt with a warm sleeping pad and/or extra layers.
Enlightened Equipment 20 Degree Revelation
Hands down my favorite piece of gear. The thought of snuggling up with my quilt gets me so friggin excited to get into the backcountry. I have the Rev-HOLE-ation (same quilt but with poncho capability) and it’s comfortable on its own down to 30-35 degrees. I’ve also used it down to 25 degrees paired with a sleeping bag liner and was mighty toasty. This is a lightweight option as well, weighing just about 20 ounces depending on custom features.
Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20-Degree Sleeping Bag
For those who prefer a full sleeping bag, I still recommend a 20-degree bag. In September more than half our nights were below freezing, and compromised sleep can ruin a trip. This Marmot bag is one of the more affordable options, at just $158 for a regular length. The fill is synthetic, and the women’s regular weighs 2 pounds, 11 ounces. If you sleep warm or want to put your fate in the hands of the Sierra weather gods, there is also a 30-degree version for $10 less. Hikers concerned with weight and looking for down fill should check out the Sierra Designs Spark.
Sleeping Pad: Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus
I’ve found sleeping pad preferences to be incredibly personal, so don’t come at me for this heavier pick. I took a Therm-a-Rest ZLite on the JMT and it single-handedly ruined my sleep (and caused subsequent emotional breakdowns) for the entire trip. A hundred times over I would rather carry an extra pound and get a good night’s sleep than skimp on my sleeping pad. I now carry the ProLite and have zero complaints. It’s warm enough for Utah winter, easy to inflate, and super comfortable. The lighter option (but arguably less durable) is the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite.
John Muir Trail Camp, Food, and Water System
We took the heavier JetBoil Flash on the JMT, and didn’t regret it for one single night. Warm dinners and hot coffee in the morning were life savers, and often the only reason I crawled out of my sleeping bag. Now that I have the lighter Stash cook system, my decision to forever carry a stove is solidified.
Hard-sided bear cans are 1000% required for most of the JMT, and there’s not really a way to ditch it for the few days in the middle when you only need a bear bag. I definitely recommend getting the larger bear can. Even with the bigger size I still had trouble finding room for seven days’ worth of food inside.
Water Filter: Katadyn BeFree 3-Liter System
*GASP* but why not the Sawyer Squeeze?! Because water is so frequent on the trail, we pretty much always stopped for lunch and dinner at a water source. It was SO convenient to just fill up the bladder and let it filter our water while we ate nearby, and we did not envy our hiking partner who had to squeeze out every liter. Also, it’s still only 3.5 ounces. However, I will say that it definitely got pretty slow by the end of the trail and the replacement filters are expensive.
John Muir Trail Clothing / Footwear
I brought a similar pair of waterproof North Face shorts, but now I like the baggies more. The 5-inch length is long enough to stop chafing, and they dry quickly enough to handle a midday swim in the sun.
Long-Sleeve Sun Shirt: Backcountry Tahoe Sun Hoodie
Any sun shirt will do, and this is the one that I have (and love). The high elevation makes sunny days really strong, and taking a long-sleeved shirt with UPF will save you from lathering up sunscreen every few hours. I don’t see the need to bring along a tank top or T-shirt; just hike in your sports bra or shirtless if you want to tan.
Hat: Arc’teryx Logo Trucker Cap
I did not buy this for myself but it’s a damn good hat. I find myself reaching for this more often than not when I head out on an adventure. Any ball cap or similar will do, but I do recommend some kind of hat for protection from sun exposure.
Midlayer: Melanzana Micro-Grid Hoodie
If I’m telling you about this company for the first time, welcome to the cult. Melanzana hoodies are ubiquitous among thru-hikers for their warmth to weight ratio, comfort, and unique design. I brought a Melly dress on the JMT, which I loved, but if you’re not able to get your hands on one this Outdoor Research Pullover is a close competitor.
Down Jacket: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer
This is a popular down jacket among thru-hikers, weighing in at just under 8 ounces. On the JMT, I took an ultralight Arc’teryx down layer and it did not hold up. I now have the Ghost Whisperer as well, and choose this one every time to put in my pack as an extra layer. If you’re going in June or September, you might want to bring a heavier down jacket, like the Feathered Friends Helios or the Montbell Alpine Light Down Parka.
Shell/Rain Jacket: Mountain Hardwear Exposure 2 Jacket
An ultralight 2 or 2.5 layer outer shell will be just fine for the JMT. Though afternoon thunderstorms roll in (and we even got snowed on in September), the majority of the trip will be dry. Comparable jackets are the Outdoor Research Helium or the Enlightened Equipment Visp.
Base Layer/Sleeping Shirt: Smartwool Merino 250 Crew
The mornings in the Sierra are chilly, and you’ll likely want to start out hiking in a warm base layer as opposed to your sun shirt. For me, Smartwool rules this category.
Base Layer Pants: Smartwool Intraknit 200 Merino Bottoms
These pants are WARM. I would choose these for the JMT over Smartwool’s 250 bottoms because these are easier to move in. I ran through the Utah winter in the Intraknit bottoms, and never needed another layer (down to ~10 degrees). Though they may be warmer than needed for July/August, I would still choose them because of how well they stretch and wick sweat.
(Optional) Rain Pants: Enlightened Equipment Visp
I do not think rain pants are necessary on the JMT, but if you really want them, go as light as possible.
(Optional) Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net
If you’re hiking in July or August, I recommend having a bug strategy. In September we only had a handful of bites from a few lower campsites, but backpacking in the Sierra in July showed me what I wasn’t missing.
If you don’t have boobs, this one obviously isn’t for you. I brought this sports bra backpacking in the Sierra last summer, and I’m never going to stray. It’s not the most supportive bra, but it does just fine for hiking, climbing, skiing, and other low-impact activities. It dries quickly and is great for swimming in alpine lakes as well.
ExOfficio Give n Go 2.0 Bikini Briefs
These are what I brought on the JMT, and one of the only pieces of gear I was 150% satisfied with. Two pairs were plenty for the entire trip because they’re easily washed in any water source and dry quickly. It was usually too cold to leave them out overnight, so I would wash a dirty pair in the morning and let it hang off the back of my pack during the day.
ExOfficio Give n Go 2.0 Boxer Briefs
I don’t have much to say about these, but I’m guessing they’re as good as the women’s underwear.
Altra Lone Peak 5s: Best Zero-Drop Shoes
You just can’t beat the all-day comfort of these shoes. My one complaint is that because of their wide fit, they can be a bit sloppy on technical terrain. The John Muir Trail has a few rocky sections on the high passes, but for the most part the trail is fairly even. You don’t need anything with crazy traction or an extremely snug fit to feel secure on the trail.
Hoka One One Challenger ATR 6s: Best Mid-Drop Shoes
If you’re not a fan of zero drop shoes, these are another great option for all-day comfort on the JMT. They’re lighter than the Lone Peaks and have a snugger fit, so they feel more secure on varied terrain. However, the traction isn’t quite as good as the Lone Peaks or many comparable trail runners.
Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Socks
Simply the best. I brought two pairs of Darn Toughs on the JMT, and I had no hopes they would be the same afterward. However, after just one wash they were as good as new. These are my favorite socks, and they’re also my go-to for activities when I know I’m likely to blister.
(Optional) Camp Socks: Smartwool Trekking Heavy Crew Socks
I love having a fresh pair of cozy socks designated for camp time. These Smartwool ones are my go-to.
Gaiters are something I wish I’d brought. My socks were absolutely disgusting by the end of the trail, much of which could have been avoided with this extremely light and inexpensive piece of gear. There are some rocky and dusty sections of trail on the JMT, so I highly recommend summer gaiters.
