The Adventure Gene

AAWT Ultralight Solo Gear List (4.1kg/9lb)

Here is what we would take if we walked the AAWT solo assuming an early summer walk (and not chasing the FKT!). This gear list could also be a good starting point for your own trip. Whilst it is a bit heavier than our normal 3 season gear lists as we think it’s important to have a higher level of redundancy on the AAWT. This is because of how remote the track is, and the lack of towns to fix problems that could arise.

Total weight in list: 5168g/183.30oz
Worn weight: 1020g/35.98oz
Individual base weight: 4148g/146.32oz

Sleeping

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
TentZpacks Plex Solo Tent0.75oz/yd2 instead of 0.50oz/yd2 for extra durability (adds about 40g we guessed). Make sure your poles go to 132cm or get a pole jack. If you are over 6ft take a look at the Altaplex.435/15.34
QuiltEnlightened Equipment Enigma -6°C/20FWeight is for 950fp regular width and length with 10d fabrics.506/17.85
Sleeping matNeoAir Xlite RegularNoise hasn’t bothered us. Can use earplugs if too crinkly. Uberlite is not durable enough.350/12.35
GroundsheetPolycroFor protecting sleeping mat when in huts. Cut to size of sleeping mat.20/0.71
Tent stakesDAC J Stakes and Shepard’s Hook Ti stakes6 DAC J Stakes for apex tie outs (10g each), 2 Shepard’s Hooks for head room tie outs (5g each).70/2.47
Total1381/48.71

Kitchen

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
Water bottles1L Balance bottleCarry 3. Nice shape (Smart water equivalent in Australia). Swapped out lids for push pull tops. Note that you might want to carry 4 bottles for long water carries (put extra bottles in food drops).108/3.81
SpoonToaks titaniumShort.10/0.35
Scent proof food bagOPSAC 20×12Food bag for reducing scent profile.34/1.20
Rehydration containerPeanut butter container. Spoon fits inside.48/1.69
Total200/7.05

First Aid

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
Pocket knifeSwiss Army Knife WegnerKnife, scissors, tweezers. Better scissors than classic.21/0.74
Snake bandageAero form94/3.32
Blister tapeFixomull2/0.07
Duct/electrical tapeFor repairs and blisters.3/0.12
Repair tapeDCF and tenacious.3/0.12
Antihistaminesx6 for mosquito bites etc.2/0.07
Ibuprofenx6 for pain relief and inflammation.2/0.07
Caffeine tabletNo-Dozx4.2/0.07
Anti-diarrhoea TabletsImmodiumx4.2/0.07
Hikers woolFor blisters.Not much
Safety pinFor blisters.2/0.07
Sewing needle and thread3 needles. For repairs and popping blisters.3/0.11
ToothbrushGenericCut short.2/0.07
SuperglueFor large cuts and repairs.4/0.14
Alcohol padx4 for cuts and mat repair.3/0.11
Tear Aid type A patchFor mat repair.1/0.04
Glue dotsx3 for mat repair.1/0.04
CordZpacks1.3mm, reflective.3/0.11
MatchesRedheads (short)1 pack.10/0.35
Ear plugsTo help with sleep. Two sets, one as spare.Not much
SleepmaskTo help with sleep.6/0.21
HairlackiesSpare for tying stuff.4/0.14
Total170/6.00

Consumables

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
SunscreenIn 20ml tub. Resupply in food drops.40/1.41
Lip BalmCarmex Squeeze TubeSPF15 and stops lips/under nose cracking.14/0.49
Water purification tabletsAquatabs40 x 5 L tabs.6/0.21
Anti-chafeGurney GooIn 15g tube.20/0.71
Hand sanitizerIn 20ml tub. Resupply in food drops.24/0.85
Toothpaste dropsLushLots of flavours.10/0.35
Toilet paper10/0.35
Total124/4.37

Electronics

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
PowerbankNITECORENB 10000King of the power banks currently. Two outputs is very useful. Swap out with a fully charged one in some food drops.150/5.29
PlugHomeKit Australia Dual Port GaN Charger20w, AU plug (only needed if heading into Thredbo or Hotham to recharge/resupply).45/1.59
iPhone cableGenericUSB C – Lightning. Short 10cm length.5/0.18
Microusb cableGeneric7g each. Carried two for redundancy (USB A and USB C). For inReach Mini and NU25.14/0.49
USB C cableGenericFor fast charging powerbank.10/0.35
PhoneiPhone 13 ProWaterproof case. Good battery life and efficiency, excellent camera with zoom and macro lens.279/9.84
HeadphonesAirpods ProWith case.55/1.94
Satellite device/safety beaconGarmin inReach MiniFor safety, texting, weather forecast.100/3.53
HeadtorchH600w Mk IV Zebralight1400 lm. XHP35 Neutral White LED (nicer on eyes than cool white). Excellent battery life. Super bright for remote nav on AAWT. Can swap batteries.45/1.59
Headtorch battery18650NCR18650GA 3500 mAh 10A drain. Good high capacity cell with enough drain for 1400 lm. Swap out in food drops.48/1.69
USB battery chargerNitecore LC10Used to either charge headtorch battery or charge smartphone from headtorch battery.28/0.99
Spare phone/GPS deviceServes as backup navigation device if phone fails.150/5.29
Total929/32.77

Clothing Carried

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
Wind jacketMontbell TachyonAdds heaps of versatility and warmth. One of our favourite items. For sleeping if everything else is soaked.41/1.45
Wind pantsMontbell UL Stretch Wind PantsAdds heaps of versatility and warmth. For sleeping in every night.70/2.47
Rain jacketKathmandu Zeolite ShakedryDurable shakedry jacket but the pocket is annoying (it is inside and inaccessible). We think the track is too overgrown for the thinner shakedry material (e.g. Gore R7 Shakedry).190/6.70
Rain pantsMontbell VersaliteFor warmth in wet weather. Not super durable but good enough. Water seeps through eventually.104/3.67
Synthetic jacketEnlightened Equipment Torrid JacketIf walking outside summer, or you generally run cold, consider taking a fleece (Macpac Nitro) & down jacket (e.g. Timmermade SUL 1.5 or Montbell Ex Light Down Anorak). Combo adds ~130g/4.6oz.215/7.58
BuffOutdoor Research Echo UbertubeVery thin and breathable. Keep ears warm under hat walking and sleeping.20/0.71
Warmth glovesZpacks Possum GlovesOnly touch screen compatible possum gloves we’ve seen.33/1.16
Rain glovesZpacks Rain MittsSeam taped so no dodgy seam sealing job (unlike MLD, Borah etc).28/0.99
Spare undiesExOfficio Briefs23/0.81
Spare socksIcebreaker Lifestyle39/1.38
Total763/26.91

Miscellaneous

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
Hiking packWilderness Threadworks Obi 38L totalUltra 200 (constructed the right way with excellent seam taping). Spacer mesh hip belt. Might need bigger volume depending on how frequent your food drops are.500/17.64
Water bottle holderJustin’sUL2 x 1L bottle holders for shoulder straps. Mesh not super durable but otherwise fantastic product.27/0.95
Dry bagZpacks DCF Large Food Bag14L. Fits very nicely at the bottom of ~40-50L packs. Big enough for sleeping bag, clothes etc. 1.6oz/yd2 for extra durability as the 1.0 oz/yd2 will degrade after a couple of months of use.43/1.52
Zip lock bagsFor compartmentalising and keeping things dry.1/0.04
Debit cards10/0.35
Total581/20.49

Clothing Worn

ItemProductNotesWeight (g/oz)
Long sleeve shirtOutdoor Research EchoGood collar. Zip for ventilation. Super breathable. Thumb holes.104/3.67
Running shortsNike Trail ShortsGood length for sun protection. Three zipped pockets.127/4.48
UnderwearExOfficio Briefs31/1.09
HatOutdoor Research Sun RunnerStylish. Also use cape as towel for drying things.80/2.82
Trekking polesNaturehike ST10 Ultralight Telescopic Poles130cm. Carbon. Telescopic. Flip lock. Super light. Carbon is strong, but I have broken the straps.312/11.01
SunglassesJulbo Shield MCat 2-4 photochromic sunglasses. Love them.27/0.95
SocksIcebreaker lifestyleThin merino socks.44/1.55
Running shoesNike Pegasus 36 Trail255/8.99
GaitersDirty Girl GaitersGreat for keeping dirt and stones out of your shoes. Increases lifetime of socks.40/1.41
Total1020/35.98

The above gear list is a good starting point for an AAWT trek, but it is likely you might want to make changes depending on individual preference. Below, we outline a few main changes you could make considering your comfort levels.

Cooking

We didn’t add a stove to the list to encourage people to try no cook (because we like it so much!) however if you are keen to take a stove we would take an MLD 850mL Ti Mug with a Trail Designs Caldera Cone and Kojin Alcohol Stove (we like the Trail Designs alcohol stove setup the best). Due to the unpredictability of the weather on the AAWT and lack of towns, it may be nice to have the option to cook something warm in poorer conditions.

Note that if you decide to take a stove, you will need to add fuel to your food drops, and keep on top of total fire bans.

Insulation

As mentioned briefly in the gear list, an alternative to taking a synthetic jacket is to take both a fleece and a down jacket. This could be an attractive option if you are walking in spring or autumn, or simply if you tend to get cold easily. We would recommend the Macpac Nitro Polartec Alpha (90g/m2) alongside either the Timmermade SUL 1.5 or Montbell Ex Light Down Anorak (easier to source for those living in Australia).

By taking a fleece & down jacket combo, you will have more flexibility when it comes to active layering, and can rest assured that you will have a warm, dry down jacket to put on when you stop or get into camp! This will add approximately 130g (4.6oz) to your carried clothing. Either way we would recommend taking a wind jacket!

Sleeping mat

An alternative to taking an inflatable sleeping mat would be to take a foam mat. The benefits of this gear choice would be its simplicity (you wouldn’t have to inflate your mat for sleeping), and no risk of punctures. Additionally, foam mats can double as a sit pad during the day, as well as a pack frame (if you choose to carry it that way and are using a frameless pack). The downsides of taking a foam mat are that they tend to be less warm, and are less comfortable than an inflatable mat. Additionally, they don’t pack as small and can therefore be more annoying to carry if not used as a pack frame.

If taking a foam mat, we would recommend either the Nemo Switchback or Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol (depends on if you like orange or yellow!). If taking the full length mat, this would add ~60g (2.12oz) to the gear list.

It’s also possible to try out a 3/4 mat. This would save ~45g (1.59oz) if using a foam mat cut to 10 panels, or ~120g if taking the short NeoAir Xlite inflatable mat.

Long hiking pants

The track quality on the AAWT is quite varied, and it is common for some tracks to be overgrown. As such, you might prefer to take long hiking pants rather than wind pants as they will be significantly more durable. Whilst we have been surprised at how tough our wind gear is (and have yet to tear a hole in them), we would personally not wear them through thick scrub. If you would prefer to have a layer to protect your legs when walking through overgrown trails, it might be worth taking a more durable bottom layer!

Taking hiking pants over wind pants would add ~150g (5.29oz) to the gear list.

Electronics

Quite a lot of the weight in this gear list comes from electronics (nearly 1kg!). This comes down to a few choices:

  • We would take a heavy phone (iPhone 13 Pro w waterproof case) as we value having good cameras (and multiple lenses).
  • Walking solo, our risk tolerance is relatively low and we would want to have a back up method of navigation (e.g. a spare phone or gps), on top of the emergency nav using the inReach Mini.
  • We would want to have two methods of recharging electronics (if one breaks, you can’t go into a town to buy another easily)
  • We would want to have a bright head torch as we tend to walk at night frequently and it’s useful for overgrown and off-track sections.

You could easily save ~400g by taking a lighter phone, not taking a spare gps/phone, taking a Nitecore NU25 head torch, and buying a charging plug if you go into towns.

If there is some part of your gear you are unsure about, or wonder why we chose X instead of Y, drop us an email! In our opinion, the AAWT isn’t a great walk to be pushing ultralight limits due to its remote nature, patches of thick scrub, fickle weather, and difficulty.

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