View Full Version : my 1st 09 thru gear
ok i'm planning a 2009 thru hike maybe not all the way through but 70%+ thinking of starting out some ways before damascus virginia thats the place i've heard a lot start at right? and if i can make it to NY vear of to hang out with my brothers for a bit in NYC, then head on back if everything holds up right gear/money/weather plans subject to change
heres my proposed gear list so far
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/specs-expeditionasymwoodlandcamouflage.html
hennessy hammock (no sleeping bag or anything) cept for a couple E blankets
http://www.voltaicsystems.com/bag_backpack.shtml
1,800ci pack (hope it can accomodate seems a bit small by most peoples standards of huge supported packs)
-for my ham radio and cellphone emergency maybe a gps want one of those photon rechargable lights but.. maybe i could jimmy rig my own with the power sources i already have
one of those 2liter water bladders
opting for dried food stuffs (low space/weight)
penny stove ;) and single pot/cup to cook with
fuel your gonna love this i know i will when the time comes
near me in KY they sell 190 proof grain alcohol (everclear)
also will be one of my mail supplies to re-up also more dried goodness not to mention i'll probably pickup odds and ends in towns/stores whatever tea etc
FOODS
-tea/coffe? i hate coffee goes right through me
-bullion cubes
-summer sausage / any precooked meats with preserves ;)
-oats? :P but something high in calorie and low price/weight
-dehydrated foods! jerky the tried and true hiker food
(i'm doing this to loose some weight not gain it ;) )
thats pretty much it, 2pair of socks underwear long sleeve shirt pant/short combo (zip off leg) poncho?
a lil first aid supplies advill, fishing kit (no rod/reel) maps
*do i need a special fishing license so i dont have to get one for each state?*
and a few other misc odds and ends that i can stuff in the pack or on my person like knifes matches ;) salt ;)
think that 2,000 ci bag will hold all that? also wonder about howmuch fuel is enough considering i dont drink it all ;)
(rough draft)
i would get a bigger pack, the emergency blankets prob wont keep you warm enough in the hammock, rain gear? water bottles? filter/water tabs? i would refine your list alittle more i could add another 20 things that your missing but you said this is only a rough draft.
TheChamp
05-28-2008, 20:16
Keep reading and researching, look at other people's lists and compare to yours. No sleeping bag? Really? Take some time and re-evaluate your list before responding to this thread, do you really think you're taking enough? Do you think you have the right gear to not only survive, but thrive on your section hike?
Going ultralight is groovy, just do it right.
Check out the WB articles on packing lists. Have you loaded that gear in the pack OK?
well i havent bought the bag or hammock yet, if there was a solar backpack kit i could grab i'd get that and use and old rucksack i have lyin around the bag is pretty essential to me with its power generating
My osprey atmos at 3200 ci is less heavier than that, the cell phones are usually only work in town, really think if you are going to use the other elctronics, because if your not then they are basically like rocks in your pack, you should pick up a quilt or sleeping bag, if your are just hiking in the summer (june/July/august) than a 45 degree is fine. On the backpack suggestions, you may want to look at six moon designs, ULA. They are big and light weight, only about $200-250, my osprey atmos is only 250. for a good cheap bag, my dad picked up a Mountain hardware Sentinel for $150 45degrees, only about 2.5lbs
That my 2 cent, well a little more
88BlueGT
05-28-2008, 23:31
gear list seems shy of many important key items. Like posted above, I would do a little more research. 1800ci is very small for a trek of that caliber.
4eyedbuzzard
05-29-2008, 01:09
ok i'm planning a 2009 thru hike maybe not all the way through but 70%+ thinking of starting out some ways before damascus virginia thats the place i've heard a lot start at right? and if i can make it to NY vear of to hang out with my brothers for a bit in NYC, then head on back if everything holds up right gear/money/weather plans subject to change
heres my proposed gear list so far
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/specs-expeditionasymwoodlandcamouflage.html
hennessy hammock (no sleeping bag or anything) cept for a couple E blankets
http://www.voltaicsystems.com/bag_backpack.shtml
1,800ci pack (hope it can accomodate seems a bit small by most peoples standards of huge supported packs)
-for my ham radio and cellphone emergency maybe a gps want one of those photon rechargable lights but.. maybe i could jimmy rig my own with the power sources i already have
one of those 2liter water bladders
opting for dried food stuffs (low space/weight)
penny stove ;) and single pot/cup to cook with
fuel your gonna love this i know i will when the time comes
near me in KY they sell 190 proof grain alcohol (everclear)
also will be one of my mail supplies to re-up also more dried goodness not to mention i'll probably pickup odds and ends in towns/stores whatever tea etc
FOODS
-tea/coffe? i hate coffee goes right through me
-bullion cubes
-summer sausage / any precooked meats with preserves ;)
-oats? :P but something high in calorie and low price/weight
-dehydrated foods! jerky the tried and true hiker food
(i'm doing this to loose some weight not gain it ;) )
thats pretty much it, 2pair of socks underwear long sleeve shirt pant/short combo (zip off leg) poncho?
a lil first aid supplies advill, fishing kit (no rod/reel) maps
*do i need a special fishing license so i dont have to get one for each state?*
and a few other misc odds and ends that i can stuff in the pack or on my person like knifes matches ;) salt ;)
think that 2,000 ci bag will hold all that? also wonder about howmuch fuel is enough considering i dont drink it all ;)
(rough draft)
You'll need a pad and sleeping bag, or an underquilt and top quilt. Space bags/e-blankets ain't gonna cut it. You need to rethink food. Don't worry about gaining weight - you won't. You'll need a fishing license from any state you fish in. Aside from that, you need to research this a lot further. I highly doubt that pack will be big enough to hold hammock, sleep gear, food, cooking, clothing, water, etc.
spoke to the people at voltaic they said they might be able to hook me up with a what i call "converter set" for any pack <solar cells/battery pack> thats all i really want/need but they were saying something about how the AT is all wooded and no if any sun will get through to use solar, i'm sure there are spots i could leave it out to charge for a few hours while fishin etc dont need a charge 24/7 but i would like to jump on the radio every now and then sucker has a 2hr talk time :( depends on how manny hours of pure sun the cell needs to charge the bat pack
You are going to be walking alot, not much time to sit and fish really. At least thats what i hear. How much time do you have to complete the trail, and is that your goal.
What is the ham radio for? Will you have a lot of people to talk to? Maybe you should just bring ham instead :D
whitefoot_hp
05-29-2008, 16:53
you could get away with light blankets if you werent up off the ground.
Pete Moss
05-29-2008, 17:14
You are going to be walking alot, not much time to sit and fish really. At least thats what i hear. How much time do you have to complete the trail, and is that your goal.
What is the ham radio for? Will you have a lot of people to talk to? Maybe you should just bring ham instead :D
I agree here, do you really feel the need for a HAM radio?????
I prefer honey glazed over that metallic flavor the radio has!!:cool:
It can get pretty cold at night on the AT even in the summer. Once I thought I could get away with just a blanket in my hammock in Georgia in August, but just barely pulled it off -- curling up in a ball and wrapping it several times around me, I was able to stop shivering enough to get a few hours of sleep. You didn't say when you were going, but I've seen frost in New York in May. In those conditions, even a 20 degree bag won't be sufficient on its own -- in addition, you'll need an underblanket plus sleeping pad probably. I wouldn't recommend setting out for a long distance hike with a hammock unless you've done sufficient experimentation with the system to know that you'll be warm enough for the conditions you could experience. Given your apparent level of experience, I would recommend either doing a lot more research and practice hikes or just settling for a good sleeping pad and lightweight tent or tarp.
Trust me, you are going to lose weight, you will probably, if your hiking around 8-10 miles, you will spend 5000-6000 calories, so you do need to rethink your food, you also need to research the mountaintop temperatures from Va to NY, also the AT is not called the Green Tunnel for no particular reason, there are enough towns along the AT, that you can buy batteries and and extra set and be fine for awhile, with the solar panels, you are basically adding flashy "rocks", for me, i know after a day of hiking (10 miles), all i want to do is eat and watch time go by, not worry about fishing, you also need to find out about how many miles you'll be hiking and how fast, you may not have enough time to fish, you'll want to bring a watch so that you can have some sense of time, but you mostly follow the sun,
With a hammock, you for sure need a sleeping bag and pad/underquilt, even in all but the hottest of nights.
That pack most likely isn't going to be large enough. I've pulled of a weekend hike with a 1700ci pack, but that's with very little food, for a short distance, and with years of learning how to pack under my belt. For a thru-hike, or for any hike over 1 week length for that matter, I would use at least a 3000ci pack. Even that is assuming UL gear.
Ham radio? Well, OK... though I imagine you'll likely be sending it home first chance you get because of the extra weight involved.
More food, more food, more food. Oh and one more thing... more food.
Instead of a solar pack, get a normal pack and get a solar panel separate.
All that said... it's a good start. You're already trying to save weight and think light. Just do some more research into options. Also, for any of the lightweight gear, do some experimentation to see what works for you. And, never cut corners on warmth at night, a single cold nights sleep will really bring you down. And never cut corners on safety.
Good luck!
whitefoot_hp
05-30-2008, 12:36
nope. ender. you need to stop telling people what they "need" when it comes to hammocks. I have slept cold nights, in hammock, no UQ.
HikerRanky
05-30-2008, 14:27
I would suggest a pack in the range of 3000ci as a minimum.... I have a GoLite Pinnacle that weighs in at 25oz... 4400 ci capacity.
With regards to the hammock, I would also recommend more than emergency blankets.... Even if they were to keep you warm, you may wake up your neighbors when you move back and forth.... Not necessarily a good thing. I have a HH Deluxe Explorer, and I use my BA Insulated Air Core and a BA Crystal 35 bag as the quilt.... that's good for me down to about 30 degrees.... Of course, you didn't say if you are a warm sleeper or a cold sleeper, so YMMV...
As far as food goes, you should rethink that... Tea and coffee has caffeince, which is a diuretic, which means then cause you to lose more water than normal. Also, the 5k - 6k calories/day is correct... bullion cubes wont cut it... I recommend this site (http://www.freezerbagcooking.com) for a good way to handle cooking.... you shoudl have enough time between now and then to test various foods.... Oats can be spiced up with things like cinnamon and such.... there are single serving packets of that available at places like Costco or Sam's Club.... Super Walmarts and Target's may have them as well....
I also don't see a water treatment method listed in there.... I would also recommend that as well.
Hope that helps....
Randy
Kerosene
05-30-2008, 15:28
Don't buy your pack until you've had a chance to stuff it with all of the gear you'll be bringing with you. To me, the fact that you're asking the question means that you're going to need a lot more space (or you're not bringing nearly enough gear for your needs). It take a lot of repeated effort (meaning multiple trips in varied conditions) to safely pare your gear to that extent, but even if you were buying a 6000 cubic inch pack you'd want to make sure that it's the right size and fits you the right way.
Ideally your pack will weigh no more than 30 pounds with 3-4 days of supplies when you start off. As long as you can keep yourself dry, warm and fed in camp then you should be fine and can start the process of gradually paring down what you carry.
nope. ender. you need to stop telling people what they "need" when it comes to hammocks. I have slept cold nights, in hammock, no UQ.
Yes, so have I using a pad. That's why, if you actually read my email, I said pad/underquilt. Your pick. But no, you sleep in 30 degree weather without either of those, and yes you will become very cold. So, I reiterate, yes, you NEED a pad/underquilt in cold temps.
And quite frankly, I'm only trying to help this guy out, so cool yourself there chief. I'm passing along my experience, just like everyone else on this forum. If you feel like telling this guy it's OK to go out in freezing temps in a hammock with only emergency blankets... well, that's just bad advice.
Ok, as a fellow ham operator I have to ask exactly what type of radio you are planning on carrying, 2 m, 440, HF? Are you planning on trying to keep a schedule with specific people or just going to CQ? I'm just curious. I enjoy both backpacking and amatuer radio but I have to admit I've had no desire to combine the two. If its something you REALLY want to do then go for it!
just a lil 2 meter hand held "vx-150" i found this i wonder if its accurate http://www.fred.net/kathy/at/hamguide.html
crap i hate this forum doesnt have "edit" so i can change my post but hey 2009 is a long way away thanx for all the advise, also the dates i was thinking are along the lines of "whens the "best" weather" heh like i dunno... start at march or something? i really want to fish i'm in no hurry with goals or anything, jump on the trail hike all day, throw out a line and setup camp maybe catch dinner ;)
well i havent bought the bag or hammock yet, if there was a solar backpack kit i could grab i'd get that and use and old rucksack i have lyin around the bag is pretty essential to me with its power generating
if you really really want solar, goto a VW dealer and buy a solar radio kit. its lightweight for what it does. maybe 1lb.
cant tell you how well it works, ironically my car is always on when im lisetning to the radio in it..
4eyedbuzzard
06-07-2008, 01:48
crap i hate this forum doesnt have "edit" so i can change my post but hey 2009 is a long way away thanx for all the advise, also the dates i was thinking are along the lines of "whens the "best" weather" heh like i dunno... start at march or something? i really want to fish i'm in no hurry with goals or anything, jump on the trail hike all day, throw out a line and setup camp maybe catch dinner ;)
There aren't that many places on the AT where yu're going to be ale to throw out a line at the end of a day and catch fish. A few here and there. A few more in ME. But not many.