The gear that gets you there.
Only the best. Nothing else makes the list.
Trowel, bidet, and pack-out bags. The DirtSaw Deuce #2, a bottle-cap bidet, and WAG bags when you cannot dig.
Three picks. Updated weekly. That is the whole list. If it is not here, it did not earn a place.
· Top three updated weekly. Listed prices and shop ratings stay live.
Surveys 40% · independent tests 30% · merchant ratings 15% · relative street price 15%. Sources & method
Listed prices and shop ratings stay live once a shop page loads. GEAR UP has the current figure.
Built from published thru-hiker surveys and independent testing — not commissions. Sources & method · Disclosure
Swipe — three picks side by side
DirtSaw Deuce #2 · 0.6 oz
Listed price
8.9 / 10 Thru Picks
0.6-ounce DirtSaw Deuce #2. The trowel most thru-hikers carry in a hipbelt pocket.
Sources: Halfway Anywhere · Treeline Review · Garage Grown Gear · Thru Picks method
GEAR UP →Also at Garage Grown Gear →Affiliate link. We may earn a commission. Not a paid ranking.
Bottle-cap bidet · 0.42 oz
Listed price
8.6 / 10 Thru Picks
0.42-ounce cap that threads a smartwater bottle. Cuts toilet paper to nearly none.
Sources: Garage Grown Gear · Treeline Review · Halfway Anywhere · Thru Picks method
GEAR UP →Also at Garage Grown Gear →Affiliate link. We may earn a commission. Not a paid ranking.
WAG bag · 2 oz per kit
Listed price
8.2 / 10 Thru Picks
Pack-out kit for alpine, desert, and posted zones where a cathole is not allowed.
Sources: REI Co-op · Halfway Anywhere · Treeline Review · Thru Picks method
GEAR UP →Also at REI →Affiliate link. We may earn a commission. Not a paid ranking.
This slot is not required in a Pack Shakedown kit. The ten loadouts still start from the same independent lists.
A poop kit is a trowel, a way to wash, and a way to pack it out when you cannot dig. That is Leave No Trace. It does not belong in a first-aid pouch.
The TentLab DirtSaw Deuce #2 is first: 0.6 ounces, the trowel most thru-hikers actually carry. CuloClean is Best Value — a 0.42-ounce bidet cap on a smartwater bottle, which cuts toilet paper almost to zero. Cleanwaste GO Anywhere WAG Bags are Trail Tough: alpine, desert, and posted zones where a cathole is not allowed. Six to eight inches deep, 200 feet from water. Pack the paper out.
Rankings and kits are based on published surveys and independent analysis. They are opinions for informational purposes only. Users are responsible for choosing and using gear appropriate to their conditions and experience. Thru Picks is not liable for outcomes related to product use. Terms