Originally Posted By: bacpacjac
Originally Posted By: Jolt
Sounds like a great trip! As far as gear goes, have you considered a quilt instead of a sleeping bag? The insulation under you gets compressed anyway, so the theory is that you might as well eliminate that to save weight. There are quite a few small manufacturers of backpacking quilts, and none of them are cheap, but check out Enlightened Equipment. They make both down and synthetic insulated quilts, and for the wet environment you will be in I would probably go synthetic (it's also much less expensive) even though it is heavier and bulkier. Actually, these quilts are made to order--you get to pick the temperature rating, length (nice for a short person like me), width and colors! Thinking about places to get gear less expensively once you know what you want, check out www.geartrade.com and of course Ebay. As far as shoes go, personal preference plays a big role--some people (and I am one of them) prefer to hike in trail running shoes rather than heavy boots…with waterproof boots your feet will probably still be wet from sweat, and lighter lower-cut shoes help you be more nimble. Wool socks are good since they lose less insulating value when they get wet.


Great ideas, Jolt. Thanks! I'll definitely look into quilts. I'm a mid-style boot wearer, so I'm on the hunt for a new, lighter pair. I need a new pair anyway so it's the perfect time to test some new ones!

Socks for the win! Always!! laugh


Again, waterproof and breathable boots are key. The WCT is not a typical developed trail that some may think it is and there will plenty of wet and muddy sections along with some river crossings and you will thank yourself for having the proper boots that shed water but also dry quicker if you are wading through deeper water. I forgot to mention in my 1st post that having a set of gaiters will help a lot to keep mud and moisture off your lower legs. The MEC nylon gaiter would suffice for this trip but make sure you have extra under arch straps for them. These straps are easy to make ahead of time so don't wait until you are on the trail to stop and make a new one.

As for sleeping, a synthetic sleeping bag that is rated down to at least 32F is required as the night time temps on the west coast of the Island in May can drop down to the low single digits. Couple this with the fact that the Parks Canada strongly discourages forest camping and specifies that tents and sleeping be done on the beaches. These beaches get a lot of wind straight off the ocean so a good quality tent and a tent fly is required. The good news though is that early mornings and evenings are the low wind times but don't count on it though as the wind can blow nonstop for days on end.

Also bring a stove as the only wood you can burn is beach driftwood and it is usually wet that time of year and you don't want to spend time getting a fire started and maintaining it. Believe me, it gets very old after a couple of long days of hiking.
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Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock