Adventurers @ Large: PEI Gear Overview

The Stuff in my Pack

My pack is the Hyperlite Elevate 22L. This is my third pack from this company (I have a 55L and a 17L); I like the material and that it is ultralight. I use Ultra-Sil dry bags from Sea to Summit mainly for compression.

To keep my passport safe, I added a pouch to my backpack (it doesn't have any secure internal or external storage pockets). The pouch was a win and I liked being able to unclip it and carry it in my pants/shorts pockets. It is super roomy and I had all kinds of little souvenirs tucked inside with my passport.

I don't think the PEI red dirt will ever come off of my pack!
Sandals and $2.99 rain poncho not shown.

Essentials vs Non-essentials

Before leaving Eugene, I met with Heather Kelez who had done the walk two years ago. Her advice for a summer walk: leave your coat and raincoat at home. You won't need them...and it is so muggy that if you have a raincoat on, you will be just as wet as if you aren't wearing one at all. So we left them all behind. There was one day when I was a little chilly, but I layered up and all was fine. The first time it rained, I used a trash bag as rain protection. I picked up a cheap poncho in Souris at the drugstore. It worked great.

As for my clothes, I brought a few items too many and had my friend Billy saved them for me in Charlottetown. I've winnowed down what I took to the lists below, which I think would be perfect for my next trip.

My Essential PEI Summer Items

ultralight hiking umbrella (6oz) — I also ordered an umbrella holster from zpacks (they work nicely if you have daisy chains on your pack).
Kula cloth — ladies, this is a must carry item!
mosquito net and repellant
sunscreen

Hiking Clothes/Shoes

lightweight hiking shorts
Icebreaker 125 Cool-Lite™ t-shirt (men's because the sleeves are more comfortable)
wool socks (2 pair minimum)
underwear (2 pair) — Deluth Trading Buck Naked dry relatively quickly
gaiters to keep gravel out of your shoes
arm sleeves for sun/bugs
bandana
walking shoes
lightweight sandals

Other Clothes

clean outfit: lightweight shorts, shirt and pair of socks
cool weather clothes: Woolx Base Camp hoodie and REI Trailmade pants
PJ shirt (which could be worn if needed as an extra layer)

Personal Items

Kelty line — travel essential for drying clothes, securing bags to your bike, etc.
phone, charger, noise cancelling earbuds (for sleeping)
tiny carabiners
small velcro straps (like the kind you use for wrapping computer cables)
inflatable Klymit sit pad — lightweight and can be used on a plane, on the ground or as a pillow.
hydration bladder (2L)
sunglasses/strap and/or case

Toiletries

Chapstick
toothbrush/paste
comb
Chamois Butt'r or other anti-chaffing
basic first aid (moleskin, needle, bandaids)
medications

Finally, my feet seemed to be wet a lot of the time. It was either condensation on the grass (a good reason not to walk on the "grassy shoulder" of the road), rain, or humidity. It was rough. I didn't know about the newspaper trick, but it would have helped. Unfortunately, the newer Darn Tough socks are just not the same as they have more synthetics in them and they were not a good match for me. I picked up some SmartWool socks in Summerside, but the only ones they had were pretty heavy. They worked out ok, but were not optimal for summer.

Stuff I'd Leave Behind

hat — my umbrella was way better than a hat; plus hats are just too hot in humid conditions
dice — too tired to play games
bra — it was too humid and I gave it up on the third day
Anything not on the lists above!

If you are tempted to take other stuff, remember that you will probably be carrying 4L of fluids on those really long days where there are no services along the way. When Heather told me that, I didn't really believe her. But guess what? I ended up carrying 2L water, a liter of Gatorade, a jug of chocolate milk and a jug of tomato juice or similar. Heavy stuff, but I needed it on a walk like this, especially given the hot humid days.