When I attempted my first Lone Star Trail thru-hike, I packed the best gear I had at the time and went into it knowing that my setup would continue to evolve. Gear upgrades are gradual. They’re often expensive, and long-distance hikes are where you really learn what works for you and what you’d like to refine over time.

For my second Lone Star Trail thru-hike, I made several intentional gear changes based on experience, seasonal differences, and small adjustments aimed at improving comfort and reducing pack weight. This post isn’t a full packing list. Instead, it’s a breakdown of what I chose not to bring, what I swapped or upgraded, and what I added to my pack for my second attempt — along with why those changes made sense for me.

If you’re planning a Lone Star Trail thru-hike or slowly dialing in your own backpacking setup, I hope this look at how my gear evolved between hikes helps you approach your own packing decisions with confidence.

Want to see my original packing list? I wrote a full blog post about it here:
My Complete Packing List for a Lone Star Trail Thru-Hike

Notice: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking through one of my links, I may receive a small commission for your purchase to help maintain my blog. Thanks in advance!

Why I Changed My Gear for My Second Lone Star Trail Attempt

On my first attempt, my pack weighed just under 30 pounds, and it felt heavy! Going into my second thru-hike, I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to lighten my load and make longer mileage days feel more sustainable.

Reducing pack weight is something most backpackers think about often, but it usually takes time, experience, and financial flexibility to figure out what’s actually worth changing. Lighter-weight gear can add up quickly, so any upgrades I made were intentional and gradual.

Thankfully, I already had a few ideas about what I wanted to change, and with both my birthday and Christmas passing since my last hike, I was able to ask for some of those items as gifts from friends and family.

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Gear I Didn’t Bring This Time

There were only a few items I entirely ditched from my pack from last time, most due to hiking in winter vs. summer, but some others were just luxuries I didn’t need.

• Yexati Flint and Steele Fire Starter Kit (not necessary)
• BodyGlide Stick (changed to deodorant lotion and used it as an anti-chafing)
• Sunscreen (not needed in winter)
• Insect Repellent (not needed in winter)
• Mosquito Net (not needed in winter)
• Mascara (definitely not necessary)
• Notepad & Pen (not necessary)
• Extra headband (not necessary)
• Eye Mask (not necessary)

Leaving these items behind saved me 1.18lbs.

I should have ditched my Kindle and my headphones, but I still chose to take them along this entire hike. The Kindle adds quite a bit of unnecessary weight, and I never had time to actually read. I got to camp, did my camp chores, ate, and was ready to sleep every single night, but I just can’t get myself to leave it.

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Gear I Swapped or Upgraded

Many of the items I originally packed were still valuable, but I was able to swap several for lighter-weight or more functional alternatives to reduce pack weight and improve comfort.

Gear I swapped to lower pack weight:

• Bluu camp stove (22.08 oz) → MSR PocketRocket Deluxe Stove (2.8 oz) + Toaks 750ml Pot (3.9 oz)
• Hikeknture UL Pillow (5.6 oz) → Outdoor Vitals UL Pillow (2.6 oz)
• Foxelli Headlamp (2.47 oz) → Nitecore Headlamp (1.6 oz)
• WolfYok Microfiber Towel (7.4 oz) → Elite Trail Magic Microfiber Towel (0.7 oz)
• Knife, Nail Clippers, Tweezers, etc. (1 oz) → Swiss Army Multi-Tool (0.7 oz)

It’s not a ton of weight, but these swaps saved me almost 2lbs.

Gear I swapped for comfort, usability, or durability:

• FroggToggs Rainset (17.6 oz) → Patagonia Torrentshell 3L (12.7 oz – Jacket only)
  • My FroggToggs ripped the first time I wore them, so I upgraded to a more durable jacket and ditched the pants.
• Tamelands Sleeping Pad (17.6 oz) → Nemo Thermarest Sleeping Pad (20 oz)
  • The Tamelands pad was noisy and narrow; the Nemo pad is wider, quieter, and rated for colder weather. I’m still not convinced this is the one for me, though.
• Sawyer Water Filter Bag (0.89 oz)→ Cnoc Water Filter Bag (2.8 oz)
  • The Sawyer Water Filter Bag is hard to use and was only a 1L bag. The Cnoc bag is much easier to use and holds 2L.

These swaps added 1.79 oz to my pack. I’m very happy with those decisions.

In addition to swapping gear, I was more intentional about my clothing choices. On my first hike, my summer shorts had a thick drawstring that sat right under my hip belt, causing friction and bruising. This time, I opted for shorts with a flat waistband, and that made a huge difference in my comfort level.

I also changed my sports bra. My previous one had metal clasps that rubbed under my shoulder straps, causing discomfort. For the second hike, I wore a CRZ Yoga racerback bra with no metal hardware, and it was perfect. Both of these small adjustments made a noticeable difference in comfort, and I’ll be sticking with these choices on future backpacking trips.

And, last but not least, I added some Superfeet insoles to my trail runners. Unfortunately, I had a lot of issues with my feet last hike. I’d just purchased my Altra Lone Peak 9’s the week before getting on the trail, so not only were they new and not broken in, but it was the first time I’d worn zero-drop shoes. I quickly learned zero-drop is not for me. I invested in some insoles and wore them this time around, and they helped so much!

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New Gear I Added for My Second Thru-Hike

I never want to carry more than I have to (unless of course it’s my Kindle), but I do enjoy testing out new gear and products that may make my hikes more comfortable. Here are some of the things I packed for the second thru-hike attempt that I hadn’t packed for my first.

• Lume full body deodorant (3 oz)- I used this as a deodorant, but also as an anti-chafe
• Outdoor Vitals 1/8″ Closed Cell Foam Pad (2.5 oz)
• EUCOS 62″ Phone Tripod
• Zeropump airpump (1.2 oz)
• Water bottle holder for shoulder strap by Justin’s UL (find his shop on Etsy!)
• Winter Clothes:
  • Patagonia Puffy Hoodie (12.3 oz)
  • Neon yellow hat
  • Gloves
  • NatureHike UL Down Booties (2.8 oz)

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What I’m Still Wanting to Change

Even with my gear swaps, my overall pack weight is still heavier than I’d like for a thru-hike. There are a few big-ticket items I hope to upgrade in the future: my tent, sleeping bag, and backpack. I love my current gear; they’re excellent products, but lighter options would make long mileage days more manageable.

When the timing is right, I’m considering:

• Big Agnes TigerWall 2P tent and Enlightened Equipment Revelation quilt → would lower my pack by ~4 lbs
• A lighter backpack → could save another ~2.5 lbs

Together, these swaps could reduce my pack weight by around 5 lbs—a huge difference on a long-distance hike.

For smaller items, I’m also planning to:

• Carry my Outdoor Vitals 1/8th Foam pad instead of my sit pad
  • This time I brought both, and it wasn’t necessary. Neither of them weighs hardly anything at all, but it’s one less thing to pack.
• Carry a smaller fuel canister
  • The small 2-oz canisters should be enough for just dinner for a week-long trip. I don’t need the larger can. Save space and weight.
• Try a Katadyn BeFree water filter instead of the Sawyer Squeeze (faster filtration, easier to maintain, and cheaper to replace)
• Switch out my Apple Watch for a Coros or Garmin. The battery life on my Apple Watch never lasts a full day, and I rarely get to record a full hike
• Experiment with sock and shoe combos to prevent blisters
  • I recently got Injinji toe socks, lightweight Darn Toughs to layer, and Saucony trail runners, so I’ll be testing what works best over time

This is all part of the gradual gear evolution process. Small, intentional changes that add up to a more comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable hiking experience.

Food Supply

The food I bring on hiking trips varies every single time, but here’s what I chose to take on this trip if you’re looking for some ideas:

1 Mountain House Meal – Beef Stew
1 Asian Noodle Meal
1 Born Simple Bowl – Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
1 Premium White Chicken Packet + 1.5 Servings of Mashed Potatoes
3 Oatmeal Packets
3 Tuna Creations packets
8 Turkey Meat Sticks
3 Nature Bakery Fig Bars
3 pack Mini Oreos
3 Nature Valley Biscuits
2 Honey Stinger Gels
2 Kellogg’s Protein Bars
1 bag nerd cluster candies
1 peanut butter to-go cup
Mission Tortillas
Hydration Packets – Salud and Propel

I cached (which is just a fancy word for stored) a safe at Trailhead #8 to pick up when I arrived with a resupply of food, drinks, fresh clothes, and a fully charged power bank.

Since there are so many access points to the Lone Star Trail, it’s easy to cache food/water to pick up along your hike. Just make sure you label your cache so no one takes it or assumes it’s trash, and ALWAYS come back and pick up anything you put out in the forest. Leave no trace.

I used a Sentry safe, which is just something I had at home already, and put a label on it that said “thru-hiker resupply. Pick up between Jan. 2nd and 6th” so people knew it wasn’t just trash and knew when I’d be back to pick it up.

Here’s the food I put in my cache:

2 boxes Born Simple Soups
3 Tuna Creations packets
3 Oatmeal Packets
2 Wild Zora dehydrated meals
3 Nature Bakery Fig Bars
2 pack Mini Oreos
2 Nature Valley Biscuits
2 Honey Stinger Gels
1 Kellogg’s Protein Bar
1 bag nerd cluster candies
1 bag of cashews and chocolate-covered blueberries

You can see my entire food list for my last hike in this blog post.

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Final Thoughts on Dialing in Thru-Hike Gear

Thru-hiking the Lone Star Trail is as much about thoughtful planning as it is about getting out on the trail, and making intentional gear decisions can make a huge difference in comfort and enjoyment. These Lone Star Trail gear changes between my first and second attempts weren’t about fixing mistakes; they were about refining what I already loved and testing what could improve my experience.

If you’re planning your own thru-hike, I hope seeing what I swapped, added, and left behind gives you ideas for how to lighten your pack and hike more efficiently. Gear is personal, and small adjustments over time add up to a big impact. Keep experimenting, stay curious, and enjoy the process—you never know how much more fun your next hike will be!

If you’d like to print my first or second packing list for the Lone Star Trail, you can do so by clicking this link!