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Sunshine Coast Trail packing list

My 2026 thru-hike packing list: what I used and what I would leave home.

I overpacked and left extra clothing at Shingle Mill. This list separates what I used from what I would leave home.

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Packing for the Sunshine Coast Trail

◆Containers for 4–5 litres of water. Carry the full capacity for dry camps and the Tin Hat dry stretch.
◆Water filter and backup treatment. Sources include lakes and creeks. Some are seasonal and many remain unchecked.
◆Your own food-storage setup. Some huts have no bear cache. Existing caches may be full or damaged.
◆A sleeping pad and tent. Hut platforms are first-come and may be full.
◆Weigh the loaded pack. Include food and dry-camp water. Three litres of water weighs 3 kg (6.6 lb).
◆Plan food by hiking days. Reroutes make some marker intervals longer or shorter than 1 km.

Checklist

Six categories, 34 items: pack and sleep, water and food, clothing and feet, navigation and safety, camp and hygiene, and dog gear. Adjust it for your route, season, group and dog, then print it or save it to your phone.

Download the checklist (PDF)

What I carried

This was my setup for a 2026 thru-hike. Choose gear for your fit, season and route.

Pack and sleep

  • I carried an IX INOXTO 55 L pack and a two-person tent for me and my dog.
  • I used a −7°C (20°F) sleeping bag, liner and inflatable pad. Hut bunks are wooden platforms.
  • My pad was heavy and loud on hut platforms. I would replace it with a lighter, quieter one.
  • I carried a tent because hut platforms are first-come. Check camping options for each planned stop.

Water and food

  • I carried containers with 3 L total capacity and filled them according to the next dry stretch. That is less than this trail asks for. Manzanita and Tin Hat are dry camps, and the note on Tin Hat says 4–5 L, or 6 L above 24°C, because the top is exposed. Carry the larger number rather than mine.
  • I filtered water from lakes, creeks and hut barrels, and carried a backup treatment method for when a filter clogs or freezes.
  • Some huts have no cache. Existing caches may be full or damaged. Bring your own food-storage setup.
  • Plan food by days and include one extra day. Confirm any resupply arrangement directly before leaving.

Cooking

  • I cooked on a canister stove and carried one fuel canister for the trip. Stove, pot and fuel came to about 1.5 lb.
  • I carried a second cook pot and never used it. One pot is enough for one person.
  • The only fuel stocked anywhere near the route is in Powell River. Carry what the whole trip needs, and buy the canister after you land — airlines do not carry them in checked or cabin baggage.

Clothing and feet

  • Quick-dry hiking layers, dry sleep layers, a rain shell and a thin insulating layer.
  • I carried two or three pairs of wool socks. Carry blister care and treat hot spots early.
  • I wore Merrell Moab 3 waterproof mids. Break in your footwear before the hike.
  • I used gloves in July and carried a swimsuit for lake swims.

Navigation and safety

  • Download offline maps before leaving signal and carry backup route information.
  • Much of the trail is under tree cover. Carry a battery bank and do not rely on solar charging.
  • Carry a headlamp, first-aid kit, repair kit and your own medications.
  • Carry bear spray where you can reach it and know how to use it. Bear spray and fuel cannot travel on a commercial flight, including checked baggage.
  • I used a watch to record my route. A satellite communicator can send an SOS without cellular service. Confirm its subscription is active before leaving.

Small items

  • Trekking poles, a quick-dry towel, trowel, hand sanitiser, sunscreen, insect repellent, lip balm and a hat.
  • Pack liner, dry food bag, cord, tape, blunt-tip scissors and a small sewing kit.
  • Use small amounts of biodegradable soap at least 60 m (200 ft) from lakes and streams.

Dog

  • Bring the dog’s food, water capacity, bowl, leash, sleep setup and first-aid supplies. DEET repellents are toxic to dogs. Ask your vet about nutrition, medication and insect protection.
  • I carried dog paw wax. Check paws during road and rock sections.
  • I also brought a mini tube of super glue in case he got injured. Ask your vet how to use it on a cut pad before you go.
  • As of August 2026, BC Transit allows only small pets in a secure handheld carrier. Confirm each shuttle, taxi, boat and accommodation will accept your dog.
Two panels. 1, check the pads: a hiker kneels on a rocky trail holding up her dog's paw, with a close-up of a small cut on a pad. Check paws on road and rock sections. 2, protect them: she rubs paw wax on the pads, with a first-aid kit and a small tube of glue beside her. Wax before rough ground. Carry a small kit.

My 2026 base weight

These are approximate weights from my pack before food and water. Weigh your own gear.

ItemDetailsWeightRunning total
TentTwo-person tent shared with my dog~5.0 lb5.0
Sleeping padInflatable sleeping pad~0.9 lb5.9
Sleeping bag−7°C down~2.8 lb8.7
Pack55 L, empty~4.0 lb12.7
ClothingPacked clothing~3.0 lb15.7
Stove, pot, fuelStove, pot and one fuel canister~1.5 lb17.2
Bear kitspray, dry bag, hang cord~1.5 lb18.7
Hygiene and camp itemsToiletries and small camp items~1.5 lb20.2
Filter + bottlesempty~1.0 lb21.2
First aid + repairkit, glue, sewing kit~1.0 lb22.2
ElectronicsBattery bank, headlamp and cables~1.5 lb23.7
Rain jacketpacked most days~0.8 lb24.5
Base weighteverything except food and water~24.5 lb

Food and water were additional. A litre of water weighs 1 kg (2.2 lb); a full 3 L carry adds 3 kg (6.6 lb).

Gear list

Gear for this trail, with links. The pack and boots are what I used.

Pack and sleep

IX INOXTO 55 L packThe pack I carried. Rain cover included.See it on Amazon › Osprey Renn 50 L women's packSee it on Amazon › Night Cat 1–2 person tentSee it on Amazon › Kelty Discovery Trail tentSee it on Amazon › Kelty Cosmic 20 down sleeping bag−7°C (20°F) rating.See it on Amazon › JAICOM sleeping bag linerSee it on Amazon › Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT padSee it on Amazon › NEMO Tensor All-Season padSee it on Amazon › 6-inch camping pad with pillowSee it on Amazon › Wise Owl camping hammockSee it on Amazon › Pocket picnic blanket and tarpSee it on Amazon ›

Water, food and cooking

SimPure gravity water filter, 3 L bagSee it on Amazon › MARCHWAY collapsible soft flaskSee it on Amazon › Foilswirl bear food-hanging kitSome huts have no cache.See it on Amazon › JIUSAIRUI odour-proof food bags, 3-packSee it on Amazon › Odoland stove and cookware setSee it on Amazon › Mountain House meal assortmentSee it on Amazon › Backpacker's Pantry peanut butter oatmealSee it on Amazon ›

Clothing and feet

Merrell Moab 3 Mid waterproof bootsThe boots I wore.See it on Amazon › ANJOUFEMME waterproof hiking bootsSee it on Amazon › Juclise compression hiking socks, 3 pairsSee it on Amazon › AFITNE quick-dry hiking shortsSee it on Amazon › CRZ YOGA biker shortsSee it on Amazon › UPF 50 long-sleeve hiking shirtSee it on Amazon › Ocean Treasure windproof glovesI used gloves in July.See it on Amazon › goodr polarized sunglassesSee it on Amazon ›

Navigation, power and safety

Garmin inReach Mini 2SOS without cell service. Needs an active plan.See it on Amazon › Garmin vívoactive 5 watchSee it on Amazon › 20,000 mAh power bankMuch of the trail is under trees. Don't count on the solar panel.See it on Amazon › SABRE Frontiersman bear sprayBuy it after you fly. It can't go on a plane.See it on Amazon › Collapsible trekking polesSee it on Amazon › Meta smart glassesSee it on Amazon ›

Health and camp

Repel 100 insect repellent98% DEET. DEET is toxic to dogs. Keep it off your dog.See it on Amazon › BAND-AID hydrocolloid blister bandagesSee it on Amazon › Motrin Dual ActionSee it on Amazon › Panama Jack SPF 45 lip balmSee it on Amazon › Kiehl's SPF 50+ face sunscreenSee it on Amazon › Bar-D biodegradable body wipesSee it on Amazon › Sierra Dawn biodegradable soapUse it 60 m (200 ft) from water.See it on Amazon › Quick-dry microfibre towelSee it on Amazon › Ultralight trowelSee it on Amazon › Waxed-thread repair and sewing kitSee it on Amazon › Wet Brush mini detanglerSee it on Amazon ›

Dog

Rhino Wax paw waxCheck paws on the road and rock sections.See it on Amazon › NatureStop mosquito spray for dogsFor the dog. Never use a DEET repellent on dogs.See it on Amazon ›

Loading the pack

Heavy things go in the middle, against your back. Weight that sits far from your spine pulls you backward on the climbs.

A packed backpack cut open: phone, snacks and headlamp in the lid; rain shell, warm layer, filter and first aid on top; food, cook kit and water in the middle; sleeping bag and camp clothes at the bottom; tent strapped below; bear spray in the hip-belt pocket.
◆Bottom. Sleeping bag and camp clothes. Bulky, light, and not needed until camp.
◆Middle, against your back. Food, cook kit and water. On a dry stretch the water is the heaviest thing you carry: 4–5 L is 4–5 kg.
◆Top. Rain shell, warm layer, filter, first-aid kit and toilet kit. Things you want before camp.
◆Lid and hip-belt pockets. Phone, snacks, headlamp, sunscreen and repellent.
◆Where your hand can reach it. Bear spray, on a hip belt or shoulder strap. Not inside the pack.
◆Line the pack. A pack liner keeps the sleeping bag dry when the coast rains. Fill gaps with soft things so the load doesn’t shift.

Wearing the pack

The hip belt should carry most of the weight. Your shoulders steady the load. Loosen every strap, put the pack on, then tighten in this order.

A hiker wearing a pack with the fit steps numbered: 1 hip belt centred over the bony ridge at each side of the waist, 2 shoulder straps wrapping the shoulders, 3 load lifters at about 45 degrees, 4 sternum strap an inch below the collarbones, 5 small adjustments while walking.
1Hip belt. Feel for the bony ridge at each side of your waist. Centre the belt over it and pull it snug.
2Shoulder straps. Snug, not tight. They should wrap your shoulders with no gap at the top.
3Load lifters. The short straps above your shoulders. Pull gently, to about a 45° angle.
4Sternum strap. About 2–3 cm (an inch) below your collarbones.
5Adjust as you go. Loosen the load lifters a little on the descents, and snug the hip belt again after a break.
Fit your hip belt. 1, find the ridge: feel for the bony ridge at each side of your waist and centre the belt over it. 2, buckle and tighten: pull the belt snug so it grips your hips while you can still breathe and move comfortably.

A pack only fits if its torso length matches yours. Have it measured before you buy.

What I’d leave behind

I carried gaiters, a second cook pot, spare town clothes and a hammock. I did not use them.

Ask Shingle Mill Pub before leaving gear there.