How to Hike the PCT on a Budget: A Practical Guide for Lower-Income Hikers
Let's be honest: most gear lists you'll find online are written by people with a lot of disposable income. You'll see $300 quilts, $600 packs, and $500 tents stacked up into a kit that runs $2,000 or more before you've bought a single granola bar. That picture is skewed. People have been hiking the PCT since the 1970s with gear that weighs far more than any budget setup today. The trail doesn't check your brand labels. If you're looking for cheap hiking supplies that'll actually hold up, you have more options than most gear influencers will show you. Here's what to know. The actual cost breakdown According to the Halfwayanywhere PCT Hiker Survey, the average gear kit before starting the trail costs around $1,700. Total trip spending averages closer to $10,000. That means gear is roughly 1/6 of what most people spend. The bigger numbers are food, accommodation, and town stops. Worth keeping that in mind before you stress over titanium cookware. Gear: wh...