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Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

A review of gear to help hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

Last updated:
November 25, 2025
|  5 min read

Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

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A review of gear to help hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

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Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

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3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

In March of this year my partner and I and our then five year old son hiked out of Campo with the loose notion of thru hiking the PCT. Since we were unsure how far or how long we would be on trail we didn’t over think our gear selections, rather grabbing what we had already in the garage or what we could beg off of friends. Our “big 3” gear selection was quickly complete and we headed south for Campo.

Most gear lists for thru-hiking and backpacking focus almost exclusively on the “big 3” which makes sense as they make up the bulk of your weight. Backpack, shelter, and sleep systems are critical for a safe and enjoyable hike (which is why they get called the “big 3”). However, this list is going to ignore those three and instead focus on three pieces of gear that were total surprises and genuinely made my hike more successful (and way more enjoyable).

Continue reading to learn more about gear that helps with hiking, written for Purple Rain Adventure Skirts.

Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

In March of this year my partner and I and our then five year old son hiked out of Campo with the loose notion of thru hiking the PCT. Since we were unsure how far or how long we would be on trail we didn’t over think our gear selections, rather grabbing what we had already in the garage or what we could beg off of friends. Our “big 3” gear selection was quickly complete and we headed south for Campo.

Most gear lists for thru-hiking and backpacking focus almost exclusively on the “big 3” which makes sense as they make up the bulk of your weight. Backpack, shelter, and sleep systems are critical for a safe and enjoyable hike (which is why they get called the “big 3”). However, this list is going to ignore those three and instead focus on three pieces of gear that were total surprises and genuinely made my hike more successful (and way more enjoyable).

Continue reading to learn more about gear that helps with hiking, written for Purple Rain Adventure Skirts.

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Purple Rain Adventure Skirts
Purple Rain Adventure Skirts was founded by Mandy ‘Purple Rain’ Bland in 2014.
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Purple Rain Adventure Skirts: 3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

3 Pieces of Gear That (Surprisingly) Made My PCT Hike

In March of this year my partner and I and our then five year old son hiked out of Campo with the loose notion of thru hiking the PCT. Since we were unsure how far or how long we would be on trail we didn’t over think our gear selections, rather grabbing what we had already in the garage or what we could beg off of friends. Our “big 3” gear selection was quickly complete and we headed south for Campo.

Most gear lists for thru-hiking and backpacking focus almost exclusively on the “big 3” which makes sense as they make up the bulk of your weight. Backpack, shelter, and sleep systems are critical for a safe and enjoyable hike (which is why they get called the “big 3”). However, this list is going to ignore those three and instead focus on three pieces of gear that were total surprises and genuinely made my hike more successful (and way more enjoyable).

Continue reading to learn more about gear that helps with hiking, written for Purple Rain Adventure Skirts.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Website
Purple Rain Adventure Skirts
Purple Rain Adventure Skirts was founded by Mandy ‘Purple Rain’ Bland in 2014.
Media Mentions
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