Gear List Critique...please!

[2009ThruHiker]

Hi! My wife and I would like some opinions/wisdom/ and general good heckling of our list of gear for our 3/21/2009 thru hike. We would especially like some suggestions on items we may be overlooking...or alternative/elimination of items for weight savings.
A few notes:
If something seems to be missing, the "significant other" may be carrying it!
Items with an * are non-negotiable...we've tested these items out thoroughly and have decided emphatically we will not part with these (until, of course, we find something we like better).
Weights are in oz. unless otherwise noted.
Tent towel is for wiping down condensation b4 packing the tent up...also in case of setting up in the rain and needing to wipe down the inside.
Will need to test my 30 degree bag in teen temperatures this winter ...may need to go to a 15 degree bag.
This list is obviously for the first leg of the hike...until we get past Mt. Rogers and for the last leg of the hike....the greens or whites.
MY PACK:

PACKING
Pack G. Gear Vapor Trail L3900ci. 39
Pack Liner Trash Compactor Bag (Cut-to-size) 3.9
Ziplock 1
Food Sack (Tree Bag) w/Trash Bag liner 3
Clothing Sack 1.3
Camera & Luxury Dry Sack 1.3
*Tent Towel 1.5

SHELTER
Tarptent – Double Rainbow 42.5
Tarptent Liner 4
Stakes 3.5
*Sleeping Bag Mont-bell Down #3 30degree 25
Warm Up Sheet & Bag Protector 8
*Exped Down Mat 7 40
Rope 1

CLOTHING

Socks 2 Pair 6
Outdoor Res. Option Backalava 1
Fleece 7.5
Int. Designs Rain Poncho 10
Gloves 2
Patagonia Bottoms 6.5
Montbell U.L. Down Inner Parka 8.5

NOURISHMENT
Bible Pages 2
Spork (2) 0.1
Steripen w/ batteries 3.6
Steripen Prefilter 1.5
Plastic Cup 8oz. 1
Naglene 32oz. 3.5
Gatorade Bottle - 32 oz. (2) 1.6
JET BOIL cup + stove 14.25
FUEL 13

LUXURY
Camp Towel 2
Camp/Town/River Shoes 11
IPOD/IPHONE 4.7
IPHONE CHARGER 2
Earphones 1
Journal + Pen 2.2
Extra Batteries 4

SAFETY
Sunglasses 1
Maps 2.5
Headlamp w/ batteries 0.95
MicroPur Backup Water Tabs 0.6
Firestarter Kit + Lighter 1.5
First Aid 2

TOILETRIES
Paper + Wet Naps 3
Toothbrush/Paste 2
Soap 2
TOTALS MAX 18.47lbs.
ON PERSON:
Boxers
Handkerchef
Bandana
NF Convertible Hiking Pants/Shorts
Patagonia Baselayer Shirt
Socks
Ballcap
Canon S3IS w/ batteries+memory cards
Knife
Guidebook Sections
Current Map

SONGBIRD's PACK:

Gregory Z Pack 34
Pack Liner Trash Compactor Bag (Cut-to-size) 3.9
Luxury Bag 1.3
Clothing Bag 1.3

*Sleeping Bag Mont-bell Down 15 36

*Exped Down Mat Air Pad 44

Socks 2 Pair 6
Outdoor Res. Option Backalava 1
Gloves 3
Int. Designs Rain Poncho 10
Patagonia Bottoms 6.5
Montbell U.L. Down Inner Parka 8.5

Bible Pages 2
jet boil cup 9
FUEL 13
Camp Towel Absorber 2
Camp & Town Shoes 8
IPOD 0.55
Earphones 1
Journal + Pen 2.2
First Aid 2
Toiletries 10

TOTAL 10.81 lbs:cool:

[corialice81]

STERIPEN * People I hiked sobo with this year had some many problems with their steripen. Battery went out really fast and it kept breaking...they ended up getting rid of it. Just giving you a heads up...alternatives...aqua mira or some sort of filtration.

[2009ThruHiker]

STERIPEN * People I hiked sobo with this year had some many problems with their steripen. Battery went out really fast and it kept breaking...they ended up getting rid of it. Just giving you a heads up...alternatives...aqua mira or some sort of filtration.

Thanks for looking and for the heads up! We've heard this from others, but personally have had great success with it on several overnights and a handful of 5 day trips. We have a backup pen on standby (the original, (heavier,) in case the first one breaks , and we have backup micropur tabs with us and we have a pro filter on standby to be shipped if needed. I hope we don't though....i really like the convenience of the pen!

[mountain squid]

Not too bad. Some observations:

2.5 pound sleeping pads:confused:
eliminate tent towel and use camp towel instead (you might not need any towels)
sun screen
needle (for draining blisters)
hand sanitizer
water bladder with hydration tube for drinking on the go
whistle
duct tape
hiking poles
are you sharing a headlamp? spork? water containers?

And, of course, don't forget ID and ATM/credit cards, etc.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[tomsawyer222]

nalgene 3.5 ? they are heavier then that i believe also if you have the gator bottle switch to platy bladders for the rest only really need on hard side to scoop water. i like the exped mats they are very comfy. maybe another pair of socks one more cant hurt two is kinda pushing if it gets cold and rainy. How heavy is your camara? only 3 oz of TP and wet naps? does not sound like much just dont run out dont count on privy having any. under an oz for a headlamp? which head lamp? remember when it is cold outside that the lamps that run on the little coin batteries dim considerably.

Maybe some trekking poles alot of people swear by them maybe give them a look. spork at a tenth of an ounce? i think my ti spork is half an ounce I have not seen one that light? also 2 ounces of first aid? seems like not much i could be wrong but maybe add some neosporin,tweezers? nail clippers are actually really handy. ALso are you bringing 2 jetboil cups? Since it is two of you maybe something to cook for bth at once? instead of switching off using the stove eating together is really nice me and my hiking partner love it.

[Panzer1]

nalgene 3.5 ? they are heavier then that i believe ....

My 32 ounce HDPE wide mouth Nalgene weights 3.6 ounces.

Panzer

[Nest]

I think it looks pretty good. If you don't want poles, don't carry poles. I was able to complete my entire thru hike without them, and my knees didn't hurt. All of the jobs for multiple towels can be done with just a bandana.

Ipods can be a pain to recharge since they require a USB. Maybe buy one of the wall chargers if you don't have one already. Just a small thing that can easily be overlooked.

The guidebook isn't too heavy, so I would just carry the whole thing. It makes it easier to plan ahead for mail drops, meeting freinds or family, or just seeing what's in the future. Remove the pages as you go and use for firestarter. A lot of people this year who tried to carry sections of it had to borrow others whole books a lot which annoys those who carry them.

An idea for the sleeping bag. Instead of paying all of the money for a lower rating bag, maybe just get a couple of bag liners for the 30 degree one you already have. A couple I hiked with had 35 degree bags with a silk liner and coolmax liner in each. Added a little more weight than a lighter bag, but saved some money and weight in the summer. Just remove the liners as it gets warmer and you can do the hike with one bag.

[River Runner]

Seems a little skimpy on the clothing. No extra dry shirt for camp/sleeping? The Montbell U.L. Down Inner Parka is a great jacket, but you might need a mid-layer also depending on start time.

I would cut out the 2nd jet boil cup and go with a lighter cup or bowl & cozy instead - boil water once & pour into the other cup/bowl then refill the original cup for the second serving. The jetboil is so fast the minute or three waiting on the second boil won't make much difference as the food rehydrates.

You probably don't need anywhere near 2 oz of soap at a time.

[garlic08]

Songbird could maybe go with a lighter pack, especially if you could get by with a lighter pad. 44 oz seems like a heavy load for a pad--I agree with Mt Squid on that. If you're carrying less than 10 lb, think about a frameless pack.

You didn't say what kind of shoes you're wearing. If you can use trail runners, you won't need the camp shoes. Good luck!

[Pokey2006]

A few thoughts...

Clothing sack? Just pack your clothes down, individually, into the empty pockets of your pack. Don't waste space by putting them in their own little bag.

Do you have rope to hang your food bag? How about a clothesline? I recommend something lightweight like Kelty triptease or just some string.

Lose the Nalgene. Just get some cheapie, light plastic bottles. You can replace periodically on the trail.

Bag protector??? Is that something you really need???

Consider switching from your Jetboil to an alcohol stove. You'll save weight, and lots of space in your pack.

Your camp shoes seem a bit heavy. What are you using? As great as Tevas and other such camp shoes are, you want to go with the lightest possible shoes. I love my Tevas, but when watching my weight, I pack my Wal-Mart knock-off Crocs.

Lose the firestarter kit.

Lose the first aid kit...though keep anything that you, as an individual or a couple, really need. If one of you is prone to blisters, keep the blister pads. If one of you is prone to headaches, keep the Ibuprofen. Otherwise, toss it.

You don't need soap. You can find suds in town. Though I do advocate bringing a small bar of deoderant...

Your gloves also seem kind of heavy. If you pack gloves, you should only need lightweight fleece gloves. You really won't need anything heavy duty.

You have bottoms to sleep in, but where is the top layer? Add a long-sleeve shirt for sleeping in.

[2009ThruHiker]

To all who have posted so far, thanks! I will definitely get a needle, hand sanitizer, tweezers, and thanks for the heads up on carrying the whole guide book...sounds like a plan. We will also swap out one of the Jetboil cups...makes great sense ! That will save us 5 oz. or so....keep it coming!!!
The mattresses are non-negotiable...if there ever was a luxury item for us, this is it...we both sleep much better on these than on any air mat we've tried. I have to go with a sleeping bag protector/liner to keep the down bag clean. I am using lightweight knock off crocs....they way at 11oz. a pair...i wasn't aware there was an option lighter than that...my wife's weigh 8oz. the reason for the 1 Naglene is for the steripen prefilter....but i don't know if that pre-filter will be necessary....maybe i can use a bandana??? and also i thought i needed the wider opening of the naglene to fit the steripen into...will the steripen work well in a gatorade bottle??? may have to test this. And speaking of 1 banana to do all camp chores....seriouslY? I'm thinking washing my face, wiping dishes, and wiping the tent down with one bandana??? Please advise.
I like the idea of lightening Songbirds pack to a framless pack, but I don't think this will work for her once she adds food and water weight.
Again, thanks to all for your thoughts and help on this.

[smaaax]

To all who have posted so far, thanks! I will definitely get a needle, hand sanitizer, tweezers, and thanks for the heads up on carrying the whole guide book...sounds like a plan. We will also swap out one of the Jetboil cups...makes great sense ! That will save us 5 oz. or so....keep it coming!!!
The mattresses are non-negotiable...if there ever was a luxury item for us, this is it...we both sleep much better on these than on any air mat we've tried. I have to go with a sleeping bag protector/liner to keep the down bag clean. I am using lightweight knock off crocs....they way at 11oz. a pair...i wasn't aware there was an option lighter than that...my wife's weigh 8oz. the reason for the 1 Naglene is for the steripen prefilter....but i don't know if that pre-filter will be necessary....maybe i can use a bandana??? and also i thought i needed the wider opening of the naglene to fit the steripen into...will the steripen work well in a gatorade bottle??? may have to test this. And speaking of 1 banana to do all camp chores....seriouslY? I'm thinking washing my face, wiping dishes, and wiping the tent down with one bandana??? Please advise.
I like the idea of lightening Songbirds pack to a framless pack, but I don't think this will work for her once she adds food and water weight.
Again, thanks to all for your thoughts and help on this.

You are right with needing the nalgene for the steripen. Also use the pre filter so you don't contaminate your threads (here come the flames).

[2009ThruHiker]

You are right with needing the nalgene for the steripen. Also use the pre filter so you don't contaminate your threads (here come the flames).

We;ll b4 the flames come, I agree with you on this. I didn't like the idea of using a gatorade bottle for this...it's settled. THANKS!

[JAK]

I thought it looked pretty good, but skimpy on clothing. I think there is too much shell material and not enough insulation. I would keep all the down in the sleeping bag, and add a light/medium wool sweater. The sleeping bag might be enough, but perhaps exchange the down park and warm up sheet and bag protector for a light/medium wool sweater. Something to try is to keep the sweater on all the time, hiking in just sweater and shorts when neccessary, and add you other layers only when needed. Skin layer last, rather than first, if you know what I mean.

[grumpypickle]

The only reason I carried a Nalgene was for my Steripen; I never did find a wide enough mouth on a Gatorade or Power Aide bottle. That being said, I used my steripen until DWG. Doing it again, I would probably carry Aqua Mira alone although I know several folks who got sick using Aqua Mira or iodine and I don't know anyone who got giardia using a steripen.

[JAK]

I thought the general consensus was that steripens are just gimmicks.

[JAK]

I didn't mean to just throw that out there like the troll that I am. I am doing some research into it now and see if I can find some good third party research and will report back soon. Cheers.

[JAK]

Well I did find this...
http://www.mainetechnology.org/content/4048/MTI_Clients_in_the_News_continued/
which leads to this...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/business/02novel.html?_r=1&ex=1205125200&en=e8ecdce2b77fbd06&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin
which more or less concurs with Steripens own study...
http://www.steripen.com/testing_safety.html

So it works as it should, as long as the water is reasonably clear and you give it the full 45-90 second treatment. 100 litres of water on one set of batteries. If you had to use brownish water you would probably boil the crap out of it anyway so its not a bad system for people that like cold water with less worries and don't mind carrying an extra 4.5 oz. The battery weight could be shared with another device too I suppose.

Myself, I drink tea mostly, so my Kelly Kettle is sufficient, and I don't mind taking my chances with a cold clear drink now and then in the places where I hike. I focus more on washing my hands and cleanup and the Kelly Kettle is very useful for that also, plus a little alcohol now and then, if I'm in a hurry. Recently I've started using cheap gin for mouth-wash and aftershave and a splash under the arms, so I might carry some of that into the woods also. Doesn't cost much more than the other stuff and is more versatile than carrying separate gels and wipes and rinses and washes and what not. I suppose it would be nice to get it more concentrated and then add water as needed, then it could be used for fuel also.

[Nest]

And speaking of 1 banana to do all camp chores....seriouslY? I'm thinking washing my face, wiping dishes, and wiping the tent down with one bandana??? Please advise.


Yup, one bandana a piece will do. I used my one bandana to wash up on the trail to get the sweat off, wipe rain and dew off my tarp in the morning, and used it as a wash cloth in town when I showered. Keep it hanging from your pack, and hang it up in the tent at night and it will be dry every time you need it. Rinse it out when you get it dirty, and wash it with your laundry in town. If you are gonna use a rag to help scrub your dishes then I would probably carry a seperate one for that. I didn't use one, but wouldn't want food particles in my bandana when I use it for other things. But using it to wipe them dry then again, a single bandana will do.

[Panzer1]

I always carry 2 bandanas, one for wiping my face and the other for cleaning my gear.

Panzer

[str8edjur]

...will the steripen work well in a gatorade bottle???

We have the steripen adventurer and it doesn't fit in a gatorade bottle, but I've used my jetboil cup to purify water in.

[JAK]

I always carry 2 bandanas, one for wiping my face and the other for cleaning my gear.

PanzerI use a wool scarf, the green military type thats thin a close woven. To clean it after I use it I soak it again in boiling water from the Kelly Kettle and hang it. Seems to be holding up. It's got a lot of carbon in it from a pot though. I wrapped the pot in it to keep everything else clean. I suppose I should soak it in something like that chaffing fuel, and then rinse in water. Maybe add some lanolin when I am done. Or maybe just get a new one from army surplus and use the old one for cleaning pots. LOL

[turtle fast]

You have gotten alot of advice....here is my 2 cents from someone who just hiked this year with my wife.
1. loose the tent towel and your camp towel...use a bandana. Your wife may want to keep hers though.
2. Hand sanitizer is necessary.
3. Your pack liners will get a tear...have backups ready in a maildrop.
4. Nalgene is unneccesary...unless you make hot beverages in it like us.
5. Firestarters are not needed...only bring a working lighter.
6. Why the jetboil? Its easy, but heavy and the cartridges are a pain to get in towns....use a alcohol stove. Etowah makes a great one and the fuel is available everywhere, we had no problems finding fuel.
7. Sunscreen necessary when the trees are bare....
8. Many of the people we hiked with in the beginning had steripens, but most were ditched as many failed and the batteries went fast so weight increased with extra batteries. most switched to Aquamira liquid drops. Lighter and easy to use.

[whitelightning]

You've already had some good advice. Based on my experience this past year I would suggest:

1. Use a bandana (or two), but you may want to keep a SMALL packtowel between the two of you. There were some tasks that I found a packtowel more effective than using a bandana.

2. Keep the Nalgene. The convenience is worth it IMO. And as mentioned in previous post, is good for hot beverages.

3. Keep the Jetboil. The fuel is not as hard to find as some think. It's so efficient it's worth the extra weight compared to alchohol or even other canister stoves. It worked very well for me on my thruhike.

4. Don't forget earplugs. The foam kind are adequate. I used Mack's and for a few dollars bought a 10 pair pack. I made several friends by giving the extras to other hikers that didn't have any. They weigh practically nothing. You'll most likely sleep better and be happier in the morning.

[flemdawg1]

8. Many of the people we hiked with in the beginning had steripens, but most were ditched as many failed and the batteries went fast so weight increased with extra batteries. most switched to Aquamira liquid drops. Lighter and easy to use.

Steripens will treat 200 pints of water on a single set of lithium batteries. On my recent section, both my buddies just bummed my steripen instead of going thru the tedium of pumping.

[Mags]

Steripens will treat 200 pints of water on a single set of lithium batteries. On my recent section, both my buddies just bummed my steripen instead of going thru the tedium of pumping.

I honestly think many people like to try the Steripen because it glows and lights up. Electronics = "scientific" = "safe" is the equation for many people.

It is why, esp. once the prices drop a little bit, I think steripens will become the "go-to" water treatment for most people.

I am not commenting on the effectiveness of the Steripen. I just think a big psychological factor (and perhaps marketing) is why steripens are becoming popular.

Not saying that is why this poster (or others) are choosing a steripen. But, I thin the "gee whiz" factor is a definitely a big factor for many people.

[2009ThruHiker]

I honestly think many people like to try the Steripen because it glows and lights up. Electronics = "scientific" = "safe" is the equation for many people.

It is why, esp. once the prices drop a little bit, I think steripens will become the "go-to" water treatment for most people.

I am not commenting on the effectiveness of the Steripen. I just think a big psychological factor (and perhaps marketing) is why steripens are becoming popular.

Not saying that is why this poster (or others) are choosing a steripen. But, I thin the "gee whiz" factor is a definitely a big factor for many people.

That is a point well taken. For me though, it is completely the opposite. I wanted lightweight, lighter than a pump. And I didn't like iodine and didn't know of other options available as far as water "treatments." For me the whole lighting up thing and science actually scared me. The pump parts reminded me of something I would put on the faucet at home....safe. The steripen made me go...that's it? That's gonna work? Um....ok...here goes nothing...
So I was a bit worried about the effectiveness of light...but after reading about the thing and a few trips and questionable water sources later...I'm pleased enough with it to take it along....albeit not without a backup.