Four years ago (or so) on the Appalachian Trail. With the hat I wore for rain since I wasn’t wearing a sun hoody. Win wearing one of our first fleeces. On the Appalachian Trail we used them constantly. On the PCT we wore long sleeve sun hoodies and our rain jackets as wind breakers when it was cold
Gear: Rain jackets. There is a lot (and so little) to say about rain jackets. In warm to hot weather, anything will do. Sweat or rain are your choices. Many people learn to just hike without rain gear at all. Colder weather? Hypothermia will get you. My Arc’tryx handled heavy cold rain very well. But. It is heavy. I still love it, I just don’t backpack with it anymore. Instead I use lighter gear. Which lighter gear depends on the trail. So much of life is a “it depends” situation. Rain gear isn’t any different from anything else.
Sierra Permits six months out https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passes-permits/recreation?mibextid=Zxz2cZ I had no idea. If only there was accurate weather forecasting that far out. Sierra resupply notes for the section we need.
Pacific Crest Trail: useful links So. On review I’m probably not going to spend more than $12 on gear before we do the Sierra section. Yogi on bear canister requirements in California Sierra resupply options by Yogi NOBO resupply KMS to KMN 1.6 ounce wind shell (awfully pricy). https://www.triplecrownoutfitters.com/pct-local-permits (includes how to get Sierra section local permits). Drink from your water bottle hands free (I’ve purchased one of these but now I need to drill a hole in a bottle cap so it will work). Gloves for cold weather and rain (yep. I’m about to change again—but probably not to these—too expensive). https://sectionhiker.com/lightheart-gear-rain-jacket-review-silpoly/ —I’m thinking that I may just get another one and abuse it as a windshell too. https://www.mountainhardwear.com/p/mens-crater-lake-hoody-1982411.html (my favorite). I’m going back to mine. It has some wear but I think it will last long enough. $12.99 sun hoody (can’t beat the price). Recipes for backpacking food (lots of them here). Repair shops for your Dyneema tent. Nylofume pack liners for under $2.50 (my current choice for pack liners). I’m using one ever since my Dyneema pack liner started wicking water into my sleeping bag instead of protecting it. Better water bottle push/pull caps (I should have bought more of these the first time. I’ve ended buying them several times). Skurka on rain gloves (an alternative — one that is reasonably priced). Altitude Training Mask. I’m still learning about these. But they don’t work. https://www.airofit.com/blog/elevation-masks-do-they-really-work/