Gear List: Arctic Circle Trail (Greenland)

I hiked Greenland’s Arctic Circle Tail (ACT) in early September 2022. The total distance was 200 km (124.4 mi), including the 35 km (21.7 mi) “Icecap” extension between Point 660 and Kangerlussuaq. Overall, temperatures were fairly typical for that time of year, ranging between the mid-teens Celsius (low 60s F) and just below freezing (-2°C/28°F).

My base weight for the six-day hike was 13.8 lbs (6.3 kg), with a total weight of 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg). On the food and water fronts, I never had to carry more than a liter of the latter and began the hike with just under 5 kg (11.1 lbs) of provisions.

Overall I was happy with my gear choices for the ACT. I was never uncomfortable during the trip and felt prepared for any meteorological or environmental scenario that may have occurred. My base weight was quite a bit heavier (in the neighbourhood of 30%) than some of my other long hikes in cold/wet/snowy conditions. Regarding the increase:

• Camera: After years of exclusively using my phone or pocket-sized cameras (e.g., Sony RX100 III), I picked up a Sony A6400 (with an 18-135 mm lens) before an extended trip to Alaska’s Brooks Range in 2021. Since then, I’ve only used it periodically and am still very much in the novice category when it comes to all things DSLRs. Though the increased weight is definitely noticeable, it’s been awesome for wildlife shots and capturing details on distant landscape photos

• Upsizing: Given the expected conditions for a late summer hike of the Arctic Circle Trail, I generally would have gone with lighter and smaller equivalents for some of my big ticket items. However, my gear selections reflect the fact that I still had six more weeks of Scandinavian hiking remaining after the ACT. That meant progressively colder temps and quite a bit of traveling between hikes, which necessitated a larger pack to cart all my extra stuff around on buses, boats, and trains. If I were to do the ACT as part of a standalone summer hiking trip to Greenland, I would make the following changes:

1. Quilt – Katabatic Alsek 22 or Palisade 30 instead of the Sawatch 15;

2. Sleeping Mat – Thermarest NeoAir XLite rather than the Thermarest XTherm;

3. Backpack – Mountain Laurel Designs Burn (38L) rather than the SMD Swift X (50L).

4. Shelter – Although I could make do with the MLD SoloMid instead of the DuoMid, for a minimal weight penalty, it’s always nice to have some extra space when hiking in cold and wet conditions. I think I would have stuck with the DuoMid.

(Note: For planning information on the ACT, see A Quick and Dirty Guide to the Arctic Circle Trail).

Gear List: Arctic Circle Trail (2022)

ITEM	WT. (OZ)	SUB (oz)	SUB (kg)	COMMENTS
BACKPACK
Six Moon Designs Swift X	38			Review: https://www.thehikinglife.com/2023/02/review-six-moon-designs-swift-x-backpack/
Pack Liner (Trash Compactor Bag)	2			Cheap & effective
		40	1.13
SHELTER
MLD Duomid (with Solo Inner & Pole Jack)	27			Over two months in the Nordic region, the DuoMid held up like a champ in testing conditions. I’ve been using Mid-style shelters from MLD—namely the SoloMid and DuoMid—for over a decade. I like the no-fuss design and the stormworthiness-to-weight ratio.
Stakes—Combination of different models, including MSR Groundhogs, Easton “Nails,” and shepherd’s hooks.	2.6
		29.6	0.84
SLEEPING SYSTEM
Pad – Thermarest NeoAir XTherm NXT	15			Review:   https://www.thehikinglife.com/2017/10/review-therm-a-rest-neoair-xtherm-sleeping-pad/
Quilt – Katabatic Sawatch (Long / 900fp)	24			Conservatively rated at 15°F (-9°C) / I picked up the Sawatch in 2011, and after hundreds of nights, it’s still going strong. Review of Katabatic Quilts
		39	1.11
KITCHEN
LokSak 20×12 (Food Bag)	1.2			Food storage bag of choice since the 2000s. Opinions vary, but I’ve always found them to be fairly durable (4 to 6 weeks of daily use) if you don’t overfill them.
Toaks 700ml Titanium Pot	3.1
Stove – SOTO Windmaster	3			Light, stable, compact, and reliable. The Windmaster was recommended to me a few years ago by Naomi and Mike from Treeline Review, and it’s been a staple of my cold/wet-weather kit ever since.
Titanium Long-handled spoon	0.7
SmartWater Bottles 1 LT (2)	2.6
		10.6	0.3
FIRST AID / HYGIENE
Sunscreen (repackaged in tiny bottle)
Hand Sanitizer (repackaged in dropper bottle)
Aquamira (repackaged in dropper bottles)
Mini Toothbrush
Toothpaste (mini tube)
Dental Floss				Doubles as sewing thread
Antiseptic Wipes (2)
Gauze
Triple Antibiotic Cream (tiny tube)
3M Micropore Medical Tape				Breathable, paper tape / Adheres well.
Ibuprofen (6)
Sewing Needle
Tenacious Tape, Mini Tube Super Glue (repairs)				To compensate for lack of sewing skills.
		4	0.11
CLOTHES
Rain Pants – Montbell Versalite	3.2
Thermal Underwear – Montbell Super Merino Middle Weight Tights	5.8
Rain Jacket – Montbell Peak Dry Shell (discontinued)	7			Current equivalent – Montbell Super-Dry Peak Shell Jacket
Insulation – Montane Allez Micro Hoodie (Discontinued)	6.8			Uber-light grid fleece with hood and a quarter zip. One of my favourite active layers in recent years. Has been replaced with the slightly heavier Protium Lite.
Insulation – Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka	9.1			Great warmth-to-weight ratio.
Extra Socks – Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew	2.6
Buff (Original Polyester)	1.4			Beanie, neck/face protection, condensation wipe, convenience store holdups if low on cash.
Montbell Chameece Liner gloves	0.9			Almost five years of regular use and still going strong / The best liner gloves I’ve used.
Mountain Laurel Designs Rain Mitts	1.2
		38.3	1.09
MISCELLANEOUS
Phone – iPhone 13	6.5
Phone Case – Otterbox Commuter for iPhone 13	1.6
Power Bank – 10,000 Nitecore	5.3
Camera – Sony A6400 (w.18-135mm lens) + Mega Neoprene Case	28
Satellite Messenger – Garmin inReach Mini	3.5			Amazing battery life – about a month between charges (Note: I don’t use the tracking feature and tend to limit messages mostly to the “In Camp” note at day’s end).
Tripod – Pedco Ultrapod Lightweight/Mini	1.5
Stuff sacks – HMG Cuben Fiber (2)	2.4
Headlamp – Nitecore NU25	1.8			Excellent rechargeable headlamp. Most of the time I tend to use the low red setting to preserve night vision.
Montbell Slim Wallet	0.9			Love this little wallet. Use it both on trail and off.
Swiss Army Classic	0.7
Compass – Suunto M-3G Global Pro	1.6			Adjustable declination and globally balanced needle
Deuce of Spades potty trowel	0.6
Map Bag – Quart Size Ziploc	0.2			Keeps maps clean, dry & organized.
Trekking pole – Montbell Alpine Carbon Pole Cam Lock	6.7
		61.3	1.74
BASE WEIGHT		13.8 lbs	6.3 kg
ITEMS WORN
Shorts – Patagonia Baggies 7″	6.7			Hiking shorts of choice since 2014/15. See Review.
Base layer – Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody 2 (Discontinued)	7			Light, airy, and good sun protection when combined with the cap. Patagonia Cool Daily Hoody is similar, just without the thumb loops and button.
Hat – CDT Baseball Cap	3
Shoes – La Sportiva Ultra Raptors	25			Trail runners of choice in rugged terrain since 2020. Impressively durable……..600 miles plus (1,000 km) per pair in testing conditions. Double thumbs up
Socks – REI Merino Wool liners	1.6
Dirty Girl Gaiters	1.2			Handy for keeping out dirt and mud. I’ve been using DG’s since 2007.
Watch – Suunto Ambit 3 (discontinued)	3
Sunglasses	0.8			Polarized lenses, 100% UV protection, wrap-around.
		48.5	1.37
TOTAL WEIGHT		16.8 lbs	7.6 kg

 

 

Related Posts

• A Quick & Dirty Guide to the Arctic Circle Trail
• Review: Katabatic Gear Quilts
• Review: Thermarest XTherm Sleeping Mat
• Review: Six Moon Designs Swift X Backpack
• Review: Patagonia Baggies Shorts
• Trail Runners Vs. Hiking Boots: A 30-Year Perspective

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