I hiked less than 200 miles on the GET, but I can still tell you two things:

1. The section I hiked was incredible, and you should definitely hike it.
2. The GET should probably not be the first trail you thru-hike.

My previous CDT experience with navigation and resupplying and paying attention to water sources made the hike so much more enjoyable. And since there aren’t a lot of people thru-hiking the GET (although you might meet more thru-hikers on the section of the GET which overlaps with the Arizona Trail), and you’re likely going to find yourself hiking alone. Prior experience just makes sense.

Actually, add a third point to that list:

3. Bring hiking pants.

The trails the route follows haven’t always been recently maintained, and the desert is full of prickles and spines. I promise you’ll want pants in some sections.

Now for my post-trail gear review. Below is the list of gear I took, with any pertinent thoughts in bold next to the item.

Big Three

• Backpack: Osprey Exos 58 – This was the same backpack I’d taken on the CDT. It’s lightweight and big and I really like it.
• Tent: Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL 1 mtnGLO tent and footprint – I snatched this tent up when it was deeply discounted and ended up really liking it. It kept me dry during an entire night of torrential rain. And while I thought the built-in LED lights were an unnecessary feature at first, I actually found I really loved them. Some luxury items are worth it.
• Sleeping System: REI Magma 17 sleeping bag, Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol, Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Ultra Light – The sleeping bag had a colder rating than perhaps I needed, but I’d rather err on the side of caution. Plus, this bag is the softest, puffiest thing in the world and I absolutely loved it. The sleeping pad worked just fine – I prefer not having to inflate anything at the end of a day of hiking. And the pillow? I liked the idea of it, but in the end I found a rolled down jacket to be so much more comfortable. The inflatable pillow ended up being too…blubbery…for my taste. (I know that’s a weird description. Just go with it.)

Clothes Worn and Packed

• REI Savanna Trails Pants – These were lightweight and kept my legs protected from all the thorns. Enough said.
• Walmart leggings – Used to sleep in.
• Showers Pass Body Mapped Base Layer Top – Never wore it.
• Uniqlo ultralight down jacket – Never wore it – used as pillow.
• Walmart rain jacket – Never wore it. Still glad I had it.
• Darn Tough socks (two pairs for hiking, one pair for sleep socks) – If I were to choose one piece of my gear to recommend for everyone, it would be these socks.
• Brooks Cascadia 12 shoes – These have always worked well for me.
• Running shorts – Only wore these a couple of times – most of the times I needed the protection of pants.
• Columbia Silver Ridge Lite Long Sleeve Shirt – If you can overlook weird tan lines, this is a great shirt for the desert. Super lightweight and comfy even on the hottest days.
• Sports bra
• Exofficio underwear – Dries quickly!
• Outdoor Research Swift Sun Hat
• Sunglasses
• Cheap flip-flops for camp shoes – I actually didn’t use these as much as I did on the CDT
• Buffs

Water and Food Gear

• Sawyer squeeze – This is my favorite Sawyer filter.
• Two Sawyer Squeeze 1 L water bladders – I was happy with the water capacity.
• Two Platypus 2 L water bladders
• Water treatment tablets (emergency back up option)
• Life Wtr plastic disposable water bottle
• Talenti jar for cold soaking food – I’d read about lots of hikers using these and decided to give it a try. Turns out these jars are a great size, lightweight, and honestly pretty perfect for cold soaking. (Plus they initially come with ice cream.)
• LOKSAK OPSAK bag for food storage
• Plastic spoon

Everything Else

• Trash Compactor Bag for pack liner
• Camp Soap
• Bandana
• Outdoor Products dry sacks – I love roll-top dry sacks. These have always worked well for me.
• Lighter (as an emergency fire source)
• Battery bank – I had the Anker PowerCore II 10000, and having the capacity to recharge my phone and listen to music/podcasts was really nice.
• Toiletries
• First aid kit – This included leukotape, which is my favorite for taping feet and blisters. Comfortable walking for the win!
• Pepper spray
• Pocket knife
• Ziplock bags
• Phone, Sansaclip MP3 player, earbuds – Music! Podcasts!
• Shining Buddy LED Headlamp – This was one I already had, and it worked well.
• Paper maps, town guide, and water report (used in conjunction with GPS) – I used these all the time. Unlike the CDT where I just used the Guthooks app, I actually found the paper maps a super useful resource.
• TruArc 3 compass
• Rite in the Rain journal, 2nd small notebook, pens
• ResQLink+ 406 Buoyant Personal Locator Beacon – Small, compact, less expensive than similar devices with a subscription. Especially for remote sections, it was good peace of mind.
• Duct Tape