Overland Track Gear List

By Mark J Kitto on September 2, 2019 • ( 0 )

October 2018, somewhere towards Hobart show day I stood at Ronny Creek ready for a Spring stroll along the Overland Track.

The same time the year before, I also stood in the same spot; the only real difference was 10kg of pack weight. That year prior I set off with 24kg of equipment, food and gadgetry. All of it “essential” to a successful Overland Track journey, or so I thought.

I started walking nearly 20 years ago and much of my thinking had remained the same “Weight equals safety, have a back up for your back up” and so on. It was a nice trip, I enjoyed the views and people I met on the Overland Track, the banter and comradery but the one thing I enjoyed the most was taking my pack off each day. It was, well, the favourite part of my day and that’s a bit of a drag when you are surrounded by million dollar scenery.

When I got home from that trip I looked at everything I took, I weighed it both psychically and by the benefit it offered me. I took those weights and started to search online for lighter options. I read Mike Clellands “ultralight Backpackin Tips” about five times. Some of the ideas I took onboard, some such as wiping your bum with a pinecone were not only impractical in Tasmania but also didn’t appeal to me.

So, back to October 2018, standing in the same spot at the start of the Overland Track with my pack weighing only 13.7kg with food. Not bad I thought, considering I planned a few side trips and had ten days of food in my pack.

I had a good-ish weather window (as good of a window as one gets on the Overland Track), the back up of huts close by and nearly 20 years of experience to fall back on. I slept in my tent on all but the first and last night.

Anyway, enough of the diatribe, the gear list is below.

Item	Product	Use
Pack	Osprey Levity 60	Carry everything
Tent	Nemo Hornet 2p	Shelter
Sleeping bag	Sea to Summit Ember III Quilt	Warmth
Sleeping Mat	Sea to Summit Neo Air	Comfort and warmth
Pillow	Sea to Summit Aeros Premium	Comfort
Stove	Furno 360 stove and pot set	Cook and drink
Cutlery	Sea to Summit Long handle spoon	Put food in mouth
Knife	Victorinox Escort	Cut food, repairs, etc
Torch	Black Diamond Spot	See in the dark
First Aid Kit	Home Made	Treat minor injuries – Note #1
Toilet Kit	Home Made	Sanitation – Note #2
Power Bank	10000Mah	Charge electronics
Camera/end of track communication	I Phone 6	Memories, organise pick up
Sunscreen	Cancer Council	That harsh Tassie sun
Bug Spray	Bushman’s Aerosol	Keep the annoying bugs at bay
Clothing Carried
Insulating Jacket	Cederberg Down Jacket	Insulation in the evening
Mid Layer	100w Fleece Pullover	Layer under Down Jacket
Thermals	Macpac Pro-Thermal top and bottom	Layer under Fleece
Pants	Columbia Silver Ridge	I prefer pants around camp
Gloves	Black Diamond Softshell	Keep the hands warm
Waterproof Gloves	Bunnings PVC chemical gloves	Keep the hands dry
Warm Headwear	Fleece Beanie	You lose a lot of heat through your head
Sleep Socks	1 Pair	Extra warmth for the feet
Underwear	1 Spare, wash one/wear one	Self-explanatory I hope
Rain Jacket	Marmot Precip	See note #3
Rain Pants	Northface Venture II	Keep legs dry
Clothing Worn
Shorts	Northface (no longer made)	I prefer to walk in shorts
Shirt	Columbia Silver ridge LS	Keeps the sun off, dies quick, easy to vent
Hat	Under Armour cap	Again sun protection
Socks	Mountain Designs Merino Light Hiker	I find Merino keeps the sock smell at bay longer
Liner Sock	Mountain Designs Merino Liner	Reduced friction, reduces blisters
Underwear	Regular Sport style long Boxer	Again Self-explanatory I hope
Buff	RAB model no longer produced	Sun, Rain, Sweat mop, Quick beanie.
Thermals	Macpac Pro-Thermal set	Carried if not worn

Note 1- First Aid.
Below is what I generally pack for a multiday trip
Band-Aids
Compression Bandages x 4
Non-Adherent Dressing x 2
Splinter Probe
Alcohol swabs
Emergency Blanket
Elastoplast strapping tape
CPR shield

Note 2 – Toilet Kit.
Toilet Paper – I don’t ration it into squares per day or anything. 1 Roll for 4 days or so, 2 rolls for longer.
Hand sanitizer
Body Glide anti chafe rub on. With the pants already down its a good time to apply it.
Snow Peg, strong, sharp and lightweight for digging toilet holes. bonus, you can use it for your tent too if needed.
Antibacterial body wipes, 2 Wipes per day.

Note 3 – Rain Jacket.
The mentioned jacket is far from a full Gore-Tex jacket, I had a good reliable forecast and was confident in the gear choice. However weather is not always favourable or dependable and your selection of gear must suit your adventure. I would have taken a “proper” waterproof jacket had the forecast looked questionable and in most cases I do take one. This is Tasmania after all.