This durable backpacking gear survived 10,000 miles

Backpacking gear is built to withstand tough use, but that doesn’t mean it’s indestructible. Spend enough time on the trail, and you’ll experience some form of gear failure, whether it’s a broken tent pole, crushed sunglasses, or a malfunctioning zipper. No one puts gear through their paces like thru-hikers, who rely on the same few items for months at a time and ride through all kinds of conditions. For a piece of gear to survive hiking is a testament to its durability and usefulness. But to survive three long hikes? This gear is tantamount to achieving immortality.

I talked to Triple Crown hikers—those who have completed the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails—to find out what equipment it takes to get through it all. Some of it is still kicking, even after thousands of miles have piled up. If you’re not interested in minimizing your hiking gear, these sturdy items deserve a place in your pack.

a reliable quilt

Jeff Garmire is almost always outside walking, running or sleeping: he has FKTs on long trails across the country, and has completed the Triple Crown in one calendar year. As such, they have seen their fair share of gear come and go over the years. “I think almost everything from the early days has returned to its maker during the 40,000-mile journey,” he says. There is one exception: “I have two Katabatic Flex 22°F Treated quilts have been made over the years and each of them has covered over 10,000 miles. He has done a great job for me.”

A versatile cookpot

Is it a bottle or a vessel? Yes. virgo bot It has a cult-like following among ultralighters due to its light weight and versatile capabilities. And most of all, it is extremely durable. Triple crowner Grayson Haver Currin’s bot has survived 10,000 miles of camp cooking and on-trail water carrying. “Once, when I was living in South Dakota between long-distance trails, I left my Vargo Bot on top of our van that doubled as our house while leaving the laundromat,” he says. “I looked in the rearview mirror just in time to see it fly off the highway. I swerved into traffic, putting my entire little family in danger. The bot got dented but was unharmed. I would do it again.”

a durable seating pad

Barney “Scout” Mann’s Triple Crown hike lasted an entire decade, with a lot of hikes in between, and a few things endured it all. A full-brim hat from Sunday Afternoon, below flight jacket And the MegaLite 30 sleeping bag and a Lucky Penny from Western Mountaineering are among the longest-lasting bags.

“But my absolute favorite Triple Crown survivor is my one-ounce, two-square foot, Insulite Sit-Up,” he says. “In snow, slush, gravel, and dirt, I put that puppy under my rear, and it’s like a little bit of heaven. In 2021, I left it near a waterfall and actually mourned for a day. But that night a young woman started camping near me and announced, ‘Look what I found.’ “That little pad now has my name, phone number and email on it.”

a reliable spark

Liz “Snorkel” Thomas has hiked more than 20,000 miles on long trails and in cities across the country, and set speed records on the AT. The one thing that has seen it all? “My spark! Miraculously, I didn’t lose it over the entire Triple Crown and in fact I still have it.”

A backcountry bathroom accessory

“People will tell you that ultralight gear doesn’t last long. I’ve found that most things last if you put your mind to them,” says Tina Haver Currin, a park ranger and backpacking guide who has hiked seven National Scenic Trails. Four items in Currin’s pack have lasted 10,000 miles, including the discontinued Therm-a-Rest UberLite sleeping pad, a DCF ground cloth from HyperLite, and a Shakedry rain shell. And finally, “the styleA small plastic device that allows me, with a woman’s physique, to urinate while standing,” she says. “It has made its way into every expedition I have undertaken since its discovery, a significant testament to someone with a base weight of six pounds.”