Last updated on October 18th, 2023 at 10:45 pm
For many people backpacking the West Coast Trail is a bucket list trip but knowing what you should be packing to backpack the West Coast Trail can make or break the trip. For many, including myself, used to backpacking in the mountains, the West Coast Trail includes many conditions I wasn’t used to encountering.
The mud on the West Coast trail rivalled that of my first trip to Tonquin Valley in Jasper but covered much bigger distances and was completely unavoidable. The ladders are non stop and some of them are huge, then there is the beach walking and….of course….the unavoidable rain Vancouver Island is so known for.
The trail is also 75 kilometers long and most people take 6 to 8 days to complete it. That is a lot of food friends! Luckily you don’t need to pack clean clothes for every day on the trail. This is something you can keep to minimum.
Not over packing when you are going to encounter so much is hard but it is important to keep your pack weight down as much as possible when you are packing to backpack the West Coast Trail.
A lighter pack will mean more enjoyable days on the trail as well as easier climbing on the ladders.
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Packing To Backpack The West Coast Trail
Paperwork
When it comes to backpacking the West Coast Trail, there is a lot of paperwork you need to have on you while you hike. When you attend your orientation you will be given your trail permits, you need to keep these safe as you need them for your ferry crossings! No permit, no ride.
During orientation we were also given a trail map and tidal chart, these are key items you’ll want to keep safe as you’ll use them every day to make decisions about whether to take the beach trail or inland trail as well as what time you might want to start hiking in order to get in the most beach hiking.
Since the trail is in the Pacific Rim National Park, you’ll need to pack your National Park Discovery Pass. Unlike anywhere else I’ve hiked, they want to see this at orientation and you are expected to carry it on the trail with you and not leave it displayed in your car at the parking lot. If you don’t have one beforehand you can also purchase one when you check in for the trail.
I can’t express how important it is to keep all these items safe and dry, when you are packing to backpack the West Coast Trail, always make sure you have a few zip lock bags, these can keep important paperwork dry as well as other small items, like toilet paper, cell phones and even underwear.
Backpack
There are a lot of choices when it comes to picking a backpack for the West Coast Trail. I’d recommend anything between 60 and 75 litres for capacity. Obviously if you have super lightweight gear you may be able to use a smaller pack.
I have the Osprey Ariel 65 pack and love it. It is super comfortable and the perfect size for all my multi day trips. I will say I had to wear in the hip straps. When I first got it, they rubbed a little bit but now they have softened up they are perfect. I love the fact that it has a lower zipper for the sleeping bag, the standard top drawstring opening and then the front zipper opening, making it really easy to access anything in the pack.
Even when this pack is full, once I have it on and done up it spreads the weight out and makes carrying weight easily.
Packs are different for everyone though, it is worth going into a store like MEC and trying out a number of different packs and finding out which one suits you best.
Regardless of which pack you choose, make sure you have a good quality rain cover which fits it! You will need this on the West Coast Trail.
Shelter
While we were backpacking the Brazeau Loop, we met a man who had backpacked the West Coast Trail twice and swore he had a better time using a tarp shelter on the trail as he got less sand in everything. I’m personally not a fan of being so exposed to the elements, so we took a tent. I’d say it comes down to personal preference but knowing how much it can rain, I’d rather the security of a full tent.
We have had the same backpacking tent for five years and love the fact that it is solid, waterproof and reliable. The Marmot Tungsten two person tent also has a great amount of floor space, fitting two large sleeping pads in, with room at the end to store a few items. The vestibules make great storage too. This isn’t the lightest tent on the backpacking market but it has withstood many storms and a lot of wind, so it felt like a great option for coastal camping on the West Coast Trail.
We did rip a seam on the tent on this trail so when packing to backpack the West Coast Trail, I’d recommend packing some tenacious tape, just in case. This tape can repair a tent fly or a lot of other gear in a rush.
The rain on the West Coast Trail is notorious and therefore one thing you could definitely consider packing to backpacking the West Coast Trail is a tarp. This isn’t a necessity but it sure is nice to have the extra shelter if it does rain for a consistent period. You have to decide if the weight to reward is worth packing for you. If you do decide to pack a tarp, make sure to bring plenty of paracord, the tarp is useless if you can’t tie it up.
Sleep System
After a long, exhausting day on the trail, you’ll want to make sure you have the perfect sleep system packed for backpacking the West Coast Trail.
Let’s start with what kind of sleeping bag you should be packing for backpacking the West Coast Trail. Many people will tell you to take a synthetic bag, they still keep you warm even when wet. This is what we packed, it is a solid and reliable option, however can be bulky and heavy. We both packed the Mountain Hardware Lamina sleeping bags, I have had mine for almost 10 years and it is still going strong.
While we were hiking the trail, we did see a number of people with down sleeping days as well. These don’t tend to loft and keep you warm once wet, so on a trail known for its rain, it may be a risky choice. However, if you have a waterproof stuff sack and a rain cover for your pack, along with a solid waterproof tent, there isn’t any reason you can’t take a down sleeping bag. They are, after all, typically much more packable and lightweight.
When it comes to which sleeping pad you should be packing to backpack the West Coast Trail, I would say, go with what you feel most comfortable with but also consider size and weight! I really like my Neo Air Topoluxe by Thermarest. It is so comfortable but definitely not the most packable or light mattress on the market.
For a more lightweight option, check out the Thermarest NeoAir XLite, this is similar to the topoluxe but slightly smaller and more lightweight. That being said, this is an expensive mattress and is known for being noisy when you sleep.
Another popular option is a closed cell foam sleeping pad. A reliable option, but not the most comfortable for many. I wouldn’t recommend this for backpacking the West Coast Trail. Because it sits on the outside of your pack, it can get snagged easily and may end up destroyed. I also find it prevents my backpack rain cover from fitting nicely which may be an issue if it’s raining.
An optional item you might consider packing to backpack the West Coast Trail is a pillow. I honestly never leave home without my Sea To Summit Aeros Premium Pillow. It is a necessary item but since it packs down small and weighs almost nothing, I’ll always chose to pack it.
Cooking
Backpacking the West Coast Trail is known to be wet and at times cold. Having a warm drink or food can be a real lifesaver if the weather turns bad! Consider a lightweight stove like the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 when packing to backpack the West Coast Trail. This lightweight stove takes up very little space and is easy and reliable. When it comes to how much isobutane gas to take, we went through two medium sized canisters, however we were blessed with excellent weather. Had it been raining and cold, we likely would have used three.
You’ll also need a pot and a plate, cup and cutlery. We find the GSI Bugaboo Backpacker set has everything we need. We particularly like the frying pan for cooking up pre-cooked bacon but also it comes with nesting cups and bowls. It isn’t the lightest pot set on the market though. Another option we own is the Sea To Summit Sigma 2.1 set. This is a lightweight pot set which also contains two plates and two cups. You can also buy this set for one person. Cutlery, you can’t beat a spork for size and weight.
Water
When packing to backpack the West Coast Trail you’ll need some kind of water system, we use a water filter, our go to is always the Platypus Gravityworks 4 liter. It is the perfect in camp filter system to have enough clean water for everything you need for a meal and hot drink.
I also love our Katadyn BeFree, it is super light, packs small and is really easy to use. We particularly like using this for on the trail water filtering. But if you are filling a pot for a hot drink and dinner, it might get a little tedious.
There are many other filters on the market but we love both of the above. You may prefer water purifying tablets. I’ve never used them personally but have had friends that prefer them.
Food
What food you choose when you are packing to backpack the West Coast Trail is a very personal choice. Consider weight and calories when picking foods. We personally had dehydrated meals for dinner every night, our favourite brand is Peak Refuel, we also love Alpine Aire. Make sure you like what you bring because it’s a long way to pack out a nasty meal.
We also tucked in to single packet oatmeal for breakfast everyday. We took a selection of flavours to try and avoid it getting too boring. Also for breakfast we love the pre cooked packets of bacon you can pick up in grocery stores.
Snacks we ended up packing to backpack the West Coast Trail were trail mix, dehydrated fruits and cereal bars to snack on during the day.
Make sure to pack all your food in a dry bag as you’ll need to store it on a bear hand or bear proof locker at camp each night.
Clothing
This was the hardest part of packing to backpack the West Coast Trail for me but I think I wore everything I packed so I’m calling that a win!
Two shirts is more than enough, I like fishing shirts for their sun protection and the comfort. One pair of hiking pants is more than enough plus one pair of shorts. I packed underwear for every day but I have read of people cutting down on that too. Three pairs of socks was enough too, you can dry them overnight if need be.
Rain gear is super important and not something to skimp on, we packed both a rain jacket and rain pants.
I also think Gators are a must have although when we hiked the trail only maybe half the people we saw had them. They help in the boggy sections and then also prevent sand getting in your boots on the beach.
I saw lots of people with gloves and I regretted not having a pair, for the ladders, they can be cold and wet and also when navigating the boulder field, I used my hands a lot and they got pretty cut up.
Footwear
You will need hiking boots to backpack the West Coast Trail. I have a lightweight pair by the North Face and these were perfect as if they got wet, they dried out overnight while a heavier leather boot likely would have still been wet in the morning. I appreciate goretex boots for their awesome waterproofing and you’ll also want great grip as you will often be navigating slippery rocks and roots.
Make sure you have worn in your boots before hiking the West Coast Trail. It is a long trail to have sore feet for.
I am a fan of taking off my boots at the end of the day, so I also packed flip flops for wearing around camp and for water crossings. Make sure your sandals can be done up so you don’t lose them on water crossings or bring water shoes. I like the Teva Universal Original flip flops since they are lightweight and can be secured to your feet.
Health and Safety Including Toiletries
It is really important to consider safety when packing to backpack the West Coast Trail, you’ll want a fully stocked first aid kit, check the dates too.
We also took our Garmin InReach Mini 2 in case of an emergency but to also let us keep in contact with people off the trail and allow them to track our progress.
For toiletries you don’t need much, toothbrush, toothpaste and musts. You also need to pack your own toilet paper, I’d pack this in a zip lock bag to prevent it getting wet!
There is lots of wildlife on the West Coast Trail, we saw many fresh signs that a bear had been in the area and one campground was closed due to bear activity. You will need to pack bear spray!
Electronics
There are lots of electronics you may want to take on the West Coast Trail, we stuck to our phones as well as our camera. We also took charging packs and spare batteries to make sure we weren’t worried about any of our gear running out of battery.
You may also want to consider packing a headtorch, not a necessity but very useful if you find yourself stuck on the trail at night, or just needing to use the washroom in the dark. We also woke before sunrise one day to get on the trail early, so packing that day we needed a head torch.
