I'm at your mercy - '11 AT gear list evaluation

[Sassafras Lass]

Alright . . . still have some odds n' ends to pick up, but what are your thoughts?

* Pack - Gregory Jade 50 (50 oz)
* Poles - Black Diamond Ergo Cork (17 oz)
* Bag - GoLite Venture 20 (33 oz)
* Pad - Big Agnes Insulated Air Core (mummy short) + Z-Lite (chair/xtra buffer against cold ground/buffer against my air mattress inflating) (32 oz)
* Bag liner - Cocoon Silk (5 oz)
* Blue running shorts (est. 3 oz)
* Ivanhoe merino wool baselayer top/bottom (11 oz)
* Outdoor Research Manifesto wool blend insulating layer (13 oz)
* Marmot DriClime wind jacket (8 oz)
* Packa rain gear (small 12 oz)
* Merino wool/liners (est. 8 oz altogether, maybe an overestimate as no one can tell me how much socks weigh!)
* Balaclava (3 oz)
* Wool mittens (3 oz)
* Boots - Keen Targhee II Mid (30 oz)
* Pop can stove (1 oz)
* Can - MSR Titan Kettle (4 oz)
* Cutlery - MSR Titan Spoon/Fork (1 oz)
* Water bottle - Nalgene 1 Liter (.5 oz)
* Water pump - MSR Miniworks EX (16 oz)
* Towel - MSR Packtowl Ultralite (3 oz)
* Headlamp - Petzl Tikka XP2 (3 oz)
* Camera - Panasonic DMC-LZ10 (5 oz w/ batteries)
* Hair ties/pins (1 oz)
* Burt's Bees chapstick (.15 oz)

= 306.65 oz

Husband is carrying AquaMira and tent . . .

[Sassafras Lass]

Haven't decided on shirt yet . . . nor do we have our First Aid kit together . . . haven't decided on hat nor camp shoes nor toiletries . . .

[Luddite]

When are you starting your hike? Looks like you're going to need some more clothing.

[Sassafras Lass]

When are you starting your hike? Looks like you're going to need some more clothing.

Mid-March - estimating the 14th. I've been considering a light baselayer to hike in - my legs and posterior get quite numb in the Great Outdoors in winter - but I'm trying to get away with the least amount of clothing possible and still be safe. You think I should bring something else?

[Mountain Wildman]

My exofficio Merino Wool socks weigh 3.5 ounces each.
Nalgene bottles weigh about 6.4 ounces each.
Looks pretty good so far.

[Sassafras Lass]

My exofficio Merino Wool socks weigh 3.5 ounces each.
Nalgene bottles weigh about 4 ounces each.
Looks pretty good so far.

Good to know, thank you! I need to borrow a postal scale to weigh our stuff, but Nalgene said my bottle is 6 oz. We're bringing 4 pairs of socks each - I love dry feet and like to switch out socks at lunch, plus a dry pair for sleeping and an extra for accidents (falling in a creek, dropping a pot of water on my feet, etc)

[bigcranky]

Not sure what a "wool blend insulating layer" is, but I don't see anything that will keep you warm in camp and/or extend the range of your sleeping bag. A nice down or synthetic puffy jacket would be great...

Plus, just like socks, hats and gloves get soaking wet and cold. I like to carry a dry set for camp in the winter.

[Luddite]

You might want to bring a jacket like the Patagonia Nano Puff or the Mont-Bell Thermawrap.

[Sassafras Lass]

Not sure what a "wool blend insulating layer" is, but I don't see anything that will keep you warm in camp and/or extend the range of your sleeping bag. A nice down or synthetic puffy jacket would be great...

Plus, just like socks, hats and gloves get soaking wet and cold. I like to carry a dry set for camp in the winter.

It's a 35% wool / 65% fleece insulating layer hoodie - very comfy and warm (haven't hiked in it yet). I figured I would have camp baselayers and just wear everything I owned for camp/sleeping - until spring arrives, anyways. Do you guys think this is unwise?

[Trailbender]

Good to know, thank you! I need to borrow a postal scale to weigh our stuff, but Nalgene said my bottle is 6 oz. We're bringing 4 pairs of socks each - I love dry feet and like to switch out socks at lunch, plus a dry pair for sleeping and an extra for accidents (falling in a creek, dropping a pot of water on my feet, etc)

I used a Gatorade bottle my entire thru. Nalgenes are dead weight. Get used to hiking with wet feet, that was one thing I had to learn on my thru this year.

[Trailbender]

Good to know, thank you! I need to borrow a postal scale to weigh our stuff, but Nalgene said my bottle is 6 oz. We're bringing 4 pairs of socks each - I love dry feet and like to switch out socks at lunch, plus a dry pair for sleeping and an extra for accidents (falling in a creek, dropping a pot of water on my feet, etc)

Use a gatorade bottle, it is lighter. Also, you might need more bladders for camp water. I was good with 4 liters, some of the water sources are in hard to reach areas later and you only want to get water once. For hair ties, all you need are a couple of ponytail holders.

[bigcranky]

Don't hike in your insulating layers. If it's so cold you need that to hike in, what will you do when you stop? Plus they get wet from sweat, and wet insulation is not good.

You'll find that you generate so much heat while hiking, you don't need much in the way of clothes down into the 20s or so. I go for shorts, l/s base layer, wind shirt, and a microfleece beanie.

Fleece is fine as an insulating layer, just be aware it'a heavier and bulkier than a puffy jacket, and probably not as warm.

[Suttree]

Bored, so thought I'd give this a shot :)

Comments are from an "Ultra-light Hikers Forum" perspective
ie. hike with whatever makes you happy, but if you decide to cut weight - here are some options

STUFF MISSING
*Pack Cover/Bag Liner*
Ultralite: heavy-duty garbage bag
Standard: Sil pack cover
*Guidebook/Maps/ID/cash + storage*
Expensive: opsac waterproof storage
Cheap: zip-loc baggie
*Knife or sharp edge*
Ultralite: razor blade
Standard: swiss army
*Stuff Sacks & Food Storage*
Bear bag?
*Fuel Storage*

As you already noted - hygeine, medkit, shelter, sunhat.

LIGHT WEIGHT OPTIONS
*bag liner (-5oz)
wear merino top/bottom and socks as substitute.
*pack towel (-3oz)
*petzl tikka(-2.5oz)
evaluate how often you use this gear. Unless you swim/wash-up daily the pack towel might be a luxury item. Unless you night hike regularly the tikka might be overkill (substitute .5oz LED for camp)
*Nalgene(-3oz) (assuming 1L Nalgene is 4oz)
substitute a 1L Platypus or just use a 500mL gatorade bottle.
*Water pump(-16oz)
water is nice on the AT (esp. in the south) - aqua mira is sufficient.
If you're really attached to the pump, and you're just using aqua mira
as backup - a few katadyn tablets are a lighter option
*Pack
probably not going to buy a new pack if you're already comfortable,
but at 50L you can probably go way lighter. (say ULA or frameless -
plenty of other threads)
*Socks
"I love dry feet and like to switch out socks at lunch, plus a dry pair for sleeping and an extra for accidents (falling in a creek, dropping a pot of water on my feet, etc" - Note that for long sections, the trail will be a creek, so three pairs might be sufficient. Dry socks are a wonderful luxury though :)

hope this helps
-ed

[Wags]

i'll reflect what others have said... drop the OR wool top. you already have a base layer and light midlayer (the driclime)... you need a down jacket or at least a down vest. this will likely be around the same weight and be much, much warmer...

[Sassafras Lass]

Bored, so thought I'd give this a shot :)

Comments are from an "Ultra-light Hikers Forum" perspective
ie. hike with whatever makes you happy, but if you decide to cut weight - here are some options

STUFF MISSING
*Pack Cover/Bag Liner*
Ultralite: heavy-duty garbage bag (going garbage bag route)
Standard: Sil pack cover
*Guidebook/Maps/ID/cash + storage* (bringing, just didn't include)
Expensive: opsac waterproof storage
Cheap: zip-loc baggie
*Knife or sharp edge*
Ultralite: razor blade (husband carrying main knife, I'm bringing my keychain Leatherman)
Standard: swiss army
*Stuff Sacks & Food Storage*
Bear bag? (still have to buy those)
*Fuel Storage* (husband carrying alcohol)

As you already noted - hygeine, medkit, shelter, sunhat.

LIGHT WEIGHT OPTIONS
*bag liner (-5oz)
wear merino top/bottom and socks as substitute. (I planned to wear them anyways - I'm a cold sleeper - plus easier to wash liner than whole down bag)
*pack towel (-3oz) (what do I bathe with and wipe condensation from the tent with instead?)
*petzl tikka(-2.5oz) (love it, not giving it up)
evaluate how often you use this gear. Unless you swim/wash-up daily the pack towel might be a luxury item. Unless you night hike regularly the tikka might be overkill (substitute .5oz LED for camp)
*Nalgene(-3oz) (assuming 1L Nalgene is 4oz) (the Nalgene mouth fits perfectly with the water pump)
substitute a 1L Platypus or just use a 500mL gatorade bottle.
*Water pump(-16oz)
water is nice on the AT (esp. in the south) - aqua mira is sufficient.
If you're really attached to the pump, and you're just using aqua mira
as backup - a few katadyn tablets are a lighter option (hate chemicals but they're a necessary backup, would rather use the pump)
*Pack
probably not going to buy a new pack if you're already comfortable,
but at 50L you can probably go way lighter. (say ULA or frameless -
plenty of other threads)
*Socks
"I love dry feet and like to switch out socks at lunch, plus a dry pair for sleeping and an extra for accidents (falling in a creek, dropping a pot of water on my feet, etc" - Note that for long sections, the trail will be a creek, so three pairs might be sufficient. Dry socks are a wonderful luxury though :)

hope this helps
-ed

Thank you for your thoughts Ed :)

[Spokes]

It's a good start.

Have you seen the Mountain Crossings Gear List (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4)? It's really all you need (18-19 lb base weight) plus you can tweak for summer

I would:
- Ditch the pump filter and suggest you carry an extra AquaMira

- Carry an extra 2L Platy for camp water

- Ditch the Nalgene and use a Gatorade/PowerAid/Smart Water bottle

- Ditch the Lip Balm

- Carry a First Aid kit that fits in a ziplock baggie

- Carry the Swiss Army Classic SD knife

http://www.swissarmy.com/images/ProductCatalog/vm/vm_53001_sol_a02.jpg

[Sassafras Lass]

Don't hike in your insulating layers. If it's so cold you need that to hike in, what will you do when you stop? Plus they get wet from sweat, and wet insulation is not good.

You'll find that you generate so much heat while hiking, you don't need much in the way of clothes down into the 20s or so. I go for shorts, l/s base layer, wind shirt, and a microfleece beanie.

Fleece is fine as an insulating layer, just be aware it'a heavier and bulkier than a puffy jacket, and probably not as warm.

I'm not planning to hike in it - bad choice of words on my part, I simply meant I hadn't worn it outdoors in my Michigan November weather to make sure it would insulate me well. :) But I'll look into the puffy camp jacket . . .

[Spokes]

You don't need a Leatherman!

[Sassafras Lass]

I would:
- Ditch the pump filter and suggest you carry an extra AquaMira (hate chemicals, only using those as a last resort)

- Carry an extra 2L Platy for camp water (husband has a platy too and we each have our Nalgene)

- Ditch the Nalgene and use a Gatorade/PowerAid/Smart Water bottle (don't like chemicals, don't want cheaper plastic leaking stuff into my H20)

- Ditch the Lip Balm (no can do :) my lips turn into the Sahara unless they're hydrated regularly)

- Carry a First Aid kit that fits in a ziplock baggie (check)

- Carry the Swiss Army Classic SD knife (have it, too flimsy for my taste, the tweezers are a joke)

[Sassafras Lass]

You don't need a Leatherman!

:confused: No? I heard from many hikers that they found it quite useful . . . .

[Sassafras Lass]

i'll reflect what others have said... drop the OR wool top. you already have a base layer and light midlayer (the driclime)... you need a down jacket or at least a down vest. this will likely be around the same weight and be much, much warmer...

I understand down for weight - but a jacket is so much more exposed to the elements, what do I do when I get it damp or downright wet?

[Sassafras Lass]

I'm going to bed - keep it comin', everyone, and thank you!

[Wags]

I understand down for weight - but a jacket is so much more exposed to the elements, what do I do when I get it damp or downright wet?

wear it under the packa when it's raining... if you take just a little bit of care this will not be an issue.

[Trailbender]

I would:
- Ditch the pump filter and suggest you carry an extra AquaMira (hate chemicals, only using those as a last resort)

- Carry an extra 2L Platy for camp water (husband has a platy too and we each have our Nalgene)

- Ditch the Nalgene and use a Gatorade/PowerAid/Smart Water bottle (don't like chemicals, don't want cheaper plastic leaking stuff into my H20)

- Ditch the Lip Balm (no can do :) my lips turn into the Sahara unless they're hydrated regularly)

- Carry a First Aid kit that fits in a ziplock baggie (check)

- Carry the Swiss Army Classic SD knife (have it, too flimsy for my taste, the tweezers are a joke)

Gatorade bottles are made of polyethylene. There is nothing to leak into the water. I wouldn't use a bottle made of polycarbonate, that is the only plastic you should have to worry about. Recycling stamp PETE or HDPE or LDPE is fine.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Just curious, is the 1L Nalgene your only water bottle? You'll probably want to carry more water than that. I'll let others with more experience weigh in on the best methods to do so.

Either way, have fun!

[Spokes]

Regarding the Leatherman:


:confused: No? I heard from many hikers that they found it quite useful . . . .


You'll be hiking not doing maintenance on a 67 Volkswagen Beetle......

[Spokes]

I would:
- Ditch the pump filter and suggest you carry an extra AquaMira (hate chemicals, only using those as a last resort)


I appreciate your passion.

Have you read the label of a Knorr's Sides or Mountain House meal package lately?

Cheers!

[burntoutphilosopher]

i use the black diamond ergo cork poles ... they are in actuality 19 ounces not 17... without baskets.

i've used a LOT of pads... here i am showing some of my latest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV51oFZfTWY

a Neo air really is a worth it investment. with a good bag like you have, and ESPECIALLY on the AT...
i use the Neo Air with a square from my ridge rest... i use the ridge rest square all the time as a seat etc. and can use it under my ankles on super cold nights. that will save you a pound and a half !!!

... about base-layers, i used smartwool and they shredded and were not resilliant like capilene. capilene 3 breathes pretty food (great for a synthetic). i do not know if ivanhoe is more strongly made than smartwool. i use a smartwool beanie etc, but for a baselayer; i would want something less prone to tearing.

about the MSR titan kettle... maybe the best thing i ever bought. LOVE mine.

about the nalgene ... there is no scientific evidence that a gatorade bottle leaches more chem's than a nalgene. gatorade bottles are just a strong, BPA free, do no crack in the cold etc.

if yo uwant to save some weight off the miniworks filter, i like my hyperflow... that would save you 8 ounces.



...hope some of this helped.

[burntoutphilosopher]

oh also, my wife and i are couples hikers, so there are a lot of tips and tricks you can save sharing gear. not sure how attached at the hip you tow are.

what kind of tent will he carry for you two?

[kyhiker610]

only a few suggestions from me...
a) i'd carry a larger water container. 1 liter is not a lot when it's 80degrees and dry--and you're not sure where the next water site might be. i did a section this spring and even with a 2L camelbak reservoir, and still felt sometimes i had to ration water. i even stopped at most fill-ups, too.

b) as far as your concern about down vs. synthetic: i carried a synthetic coat AND a down coat (in a dry bag, so it wouldn't get wet)... never once needed the down coat, my OR neoplume hoody did me just fine, even to about 20degrees or so. then i just got in my sleeping bag if it was that cold. http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/w_s_neoplume_hoody.html

c) people are correct in that you will get warm when hiking. i hike in wool t-shirt, a microweight wool long sleeve and found i was fine. if it was windy, throw your rain coat on--it's a shell that will be windproof.

good luck! : )

[kyhiker610]

or look at the mountain hardwear compressor jacket:
http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Hooded-Compressor%E2%84%A2-PL-Jacket/OL3647,default,pd.html

[Luddite]

"the Nalgene mouth fits perfectly with the water pump"

Thats not a good enough reason to carry a 4oz water bottle. The tube fits perfectly in any water bottle.

[mweinstone]

im unhappy with most of your gear. its fear based gear. two pads , dumb. wool of any kind other than sox, silly. chemicals in water, horrid. four pair sox, no.what u have here is a heavy hard to pack really chilly kit. and ichy. and fear based. start over and get all your advise from this site. never a store or book. youll be fine.

[The_Saint]

Sorry to be the one to say it, but there's alot of poor advice in this thread.

You are 90% ahead of most people in their preparation for the trail. Only after you've been on the trail for a week or two will you know what works best for you AND why.

Clothes can be the biggest weight savings or biggest burden to carry. Only when you leave and what the temperature is like at that time can determine what you need. I can tell you that most of the time you won't be hiking in heavy clothing, because you'll sweat to death.

[mweinstone]

simon templer knows nothing. after three days walk to neel gap you will learn what is common practice and that you have alot of things to change out at neel.classic re fit in the works. youll drop like a thou at nell gap outfitters after your shakedown. best to start with nothing and learn first. walk to neel gap with a bag and a pad and a few sandwitches and some fruit and nuts. cowboy a few nights. blowing up pads and rigging elaborate tents and wearing all new clothes is gonna be a bummer. get a foam pad and a warmer bag and a tarp and a bladder and loose the junk you got.

[burntoutphilosopher]

^^ you know this raises a good point,

why not go spend 5 to 7 days in a state park or something to really live out of your gear? before hte PCT my wife and i did that and it opened our eyes so much.

also, you will get a better feel for your style. we hike at 2.7 mph and shorter days. we kept thinking we were leaving this one person behind, then after dark every night she would show up and pitch camp. we all made the same mileagle but we did it in 11 hours and she did it in 15 ... those sorts of things really determine what camp life is going to be like for you. blowing up your mat is a lot less of a burden when you have extra camp time.

[StubbleJumper]

Regarding the Leatherman:




You'll be hiking not doing maintenance on a 67 Volkswagen Beetle......

+1

I'd carry the Swiss Army Classic, and use the weight savings to also carry an MP3 player.

[QiWiz]

You don't mention a shelter. Cannot always count on room in trail shelters. Need some kind of tarp or tent. Let hubby carry it. :)

Leaving in March, you will need to be prepared to be warm down to temps in 20's, potentially. Suggest a warm jacket.

Make sure you are not counting on wearing any trail clothes (may be wet from perspiration or precipitation or both) in camp.

[Slo-go'en]

+1

I'd carry the Swiss Army Classic, and use the weight savings to also carry an MP3 player.

Now there's an idea - a Swiss army knife with built in MP3 player :-?. Oh heck, might as well throw in a flashlight too. Everything you need in one handy tool.

[Sassafras Lass]

Just curious, is the 1L Nalgene your only water bottle?
~ No, I'll likely have one more; so 2 plus my 1 liter Platypus


Have you read the label of a Knorr's Sides or Mountain House meal package lately?
~ Nope, will have to, thanks!


... about base-layers, i used smartwool and they shredded and were not resilliant like capilene. capilene 3 breathes pretty food (great for a synthetic). i do not know if ivanhoe is more strongly made than smartwool. i use a smartwool beanie etc, but for a baselayer; i would want something less prone to tearing.
~ I heard many great things about merino wool performing as well as synthetic and being less stinky - plus I couldn't stomach dropping $80+ per piece, found my merino wool layers for $27 and change; you really think they won't hold up? Even long enough to get me out of late winter/early spring?


what kind of tent will he carry for you two?
~ Yes, we do all of our hiking together. We've got the TarpTent Double Rainbow, have yet to use it on the trail but works wonderfully in our backyard :p


b) as far as your concern about down vs. synthetic: i carried a synthetic coat AND a down coat (in a dry bag, so it wouldn't get wet)... never once needed the down coat, my OR neoplume hoody did me just fine, even to about 20degrees or so. then i just got in my sleeping bag if it was that cold. http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/w_s_neoplume_hoody.html
~ That was my line of thinking as well - we hiked last weekend in the Smokies and it was in the mid-20s that evening @ Icewater - I was comfortable in my baselayers, fleece vest and Old Navy wind jacket - if I had wind pants I would have been completely fine; hence my decision to go with a fleece/wool hoody and wind jacket instead of dropping serious $$ on a down or synthetic "camp" jacket.


The tube fits perfectly in any water bottle.
~ Wasn't aware of that, just going off of what my husband told me.


im unhappy with most of your gear. its fear based gear. two pads , dumb. wool of any kind other than sox, silly. chemicals in water, horrid. four pair sox, no.what u have here is a heavy hard to pack really chilly kit. and ichy. and fear based. start over and get all your advise from this site. never a store or book. youll be fine.
~ Fear based? Well, I admit that like any other human being, I have no desire to develop frostbite or hypothermia. But I was under the impression that my list resembles many other hiker's - it is a far cry from when we first blithely drew up our AT gear plans in February when we decided to go.

I stated my reasoning for 2 pads, if I find I truly don't use my Z-lite I'll of course mail it home.

Why is wool clothing silly? It's boiled merino wool, not itchy in the slightest - and I'm the kind of person who feels every loose hair on my body, who cannot stand mfg tags inside clothing.

Why are extra socks silly? Accidents happen, I'm a clumsy person, I'm living in the woods, how will I keep my feet warm and dry if I get my feet wet? And fresh socks halfway through the day are a real treat. Not to mention a pair to sleep in.

I HAVE gotten all of my advice from this site, with occasional snippets from other light/ultralite backpacking websites; I've done nothing but comb these threads for advice. Start over?? My household income is around $17,500 before taxes. Are you paying for it? :rolleyes:



simon templer knows nothing. after three days walk to neel gap you will learn what is common practice and that you have alot of things to change out at neel.classic re fit in the works. youll drop like a thou at nell gap outfitters after your shakedown. best to start with nothing and learn first. walk to neel gap with a bag and a pad and a few sandwitches and some fruit and nuts. cowboy a few nights. blowing up pads and rigging elaborate tents and wearing all new clothes is gonna be a bummer. get a foam pad and a warmer bag and a tarp and a bladder and loose the junk you got.
~ I have vertebrae issues and painful shoulders and hips - I sleep on my side - I cannot sleep on a non-cushioned surface and a flimsy 1" of closed foam does not cut it. My pad takes 12-14 breaths to blow up. How does that ruin my night, again? And how does a tarp keep out bugs?? I don't have $1,000 to spend @ Neel's Gap. We're scraping to save for the trail and buy gear as it is . . .


why not go spend 5 to 7 days in a state park or something to really live out of your gear? before hte PCT my wife and i did that and it opened our eyes so much.
~ We did bring our gear to our last Smokies trip (last weekend) but our clothes hadn't arrived yet. The clothing we had worked fine for the 63-degree windy days and mid-20s night - very bulky and heavy, but fine; we just bought lighter-weight and better material versions of what we already have and use.


You don't mention a shelter. Cannot always count on room in trail shelters. Need some kind of tarp or tent. Let hubby carry it. :)
~ He is :) We've got the TarpTent Double Rainbow.

Leaving in March, you will need to be prepared to be warm down to temps in 20's, potentially. Suggest a warm jacket.
~ I live in Michigan and am anticipating the same weather in GA/TN mountains just to be safe. You think baselayers, a fleece/wool hoodie and a wind jacket won't be enough for camp?

Make sure you are not counting on wearing any trail clothes (may be wet from perspiration or precipitation or both) in camp.
~ Oh yes - I've made that mistake before!

[Sassafras Lass]

I appreciate your passion.

Have you read the label of a Knorr's Sides or Mountain House meal package lately?

Cheers!

Wait, you mean because they're loaded with MSG and other junk? Yeah - I quit eating processed food for months 2 years ago - dropped 30 lbs, DH dropped 70 lbs - then for some reason we started eating Taco Bell and crap again, put all the weight back on. We are now eating natural foods again, and I plan to keep it that way on the trail, unless our only choice is between nothing and a Slim Jim.

[Sassafras Lass]

Sorry to be the one to say it, but there's alot of poor advice in this thread.

You are 90% ahead of most people in their preparation for the trail. Only after you've been on the trail for a week or two will you know what works best for you AND why.

Clothes can be the biggest weight savings or biggest burden to carry. Only when you leave and what the temperature is like at that time can determine what you need. I can tell you that most of the time you won't be hiking in heavy clothing, because you'll sweat to death.

Thank you - I didn't post this to just hear "Oh, you're doing fine" or people just agreeing with me. I am surprised at some of the suggestions, because I consider safety and real-world use first, and it appears my and my husband's idea of safety is not the same as others'. Why would it be? We're all individuals. But thank you everyone - I appreciate all of the viewpoints :)

[The_Saint]

Wait, you mean because they're loaded with MSG and other junk? Yeah - I quit eating processed food for months 2 years ago - dropped 30 lbs, DH dropped 70 lbs - then for some reason we started eating Taco Bell and crap again, put all the weight back on. We are now eating natural foods again, and I plan to keep it that way on the trail, unless our only choice is between nothing and a Slim Jim.


You are going to lose weight no matter what you do on the trail. That's assuming you're white blazing and not yellow blazing....don't freak out over what you're eating on the trail as much as how MUCH you eat.

After you're off is when you need to be concerned with calories and quality of food!

[Sassafras Lass]

You are going to lose weight no matter what you do on the trail. That's assuming you're white blazing and not yellow blazing....don't freak out over what you're eating on the trail as much as how MUCH you eat.

After you're off is when you need to be concerned with calories and quality of food!

No no - I'm not concerned with losing weight on the trail - I'll be in good shape before we go - but I am concerned with eating crap food that has no real nutritional value and doesn't provide enzymes and energy. I can feel the difference when I eat at restaurants and drink pop versus when I'm eating organic chicken and potatoes and whatnot.

[Montana AT05]

1. No matter what you start with, you'll switch it in and out at least once on your trip. So don't worry about dialing everything in at the start.

2. All you need is the small knife show in a post above. Also, I advise carrying a few safety pins to lance blisters. Unless you're a non-blister person in which case I am giving you an undeserved dirty look!

3. Consider trail runner shoes instead of boots. Footwear is HIGHLY personal--everyone has differently shaped feet, sweat differently, they carry weight on their feet differently, etc, but trail runners are: 1) lighter, 2) easier on the feet, 3) dry faster. I cringe at the heel blisters I see on boot wearers who are out on their first long distance backpacking trip (not sure if this will be your first).

Also, nothing will keep your feet dry. Nothing. Well, except a car. Don't go there even once or you will go there often! If your feet are prone to pruning in wet conditions, consider the pricey but helpful Hyrdopel cream (body glide, too, if you prefer, it works on thigh chaffing and I carry both).

4. Ditch the pack towel. If the inside of you tent is wet, oh well! Wait for a time to dry it out. A thru hiker gets dirty--I like to minimize that but find pack towels don't really help.

5. For personal hygiene--consider wet wipes. I am a late convert to wet wipes and umm...when I started using them, a certain chaffing in a certain area after a certain daily donation to Mother Gaia, went away. I love me my wet wipes now.

6. Aqua Mira over filter. Filters are volume and weight and effort. I carry an extra mixing cap so I can brew up two loads of purification at the same time.

7. Ditch the nalgene. Gatorade bottles (or your brand of choice) are the way to go.

8. Sleep systems are highly personal too, some folks need more than others. I know this past year I found the AT shelter floors very hard on me whereas five years earlier, I had no problems with them--so my ground padding went UP in weight and volume.

9. Oh--almost forgot: FOOD. Pack less than what you think for the first 3 or 4 days. Almost everyone overpacks food. Your food bag is often the heaviest thing in your pack, don't stuff it full to start. Please please trust me on this one!

Generally speaking, minimize everything you can, not just for weight reasons. The less you take, the less you worry about, the less you keep track of, the less you sort through, the less you unpack and the less you pack back up. It's also less volume which means your pack fits and moves better.

Fight the thought process that says, "You'll be in the woods, you won't have access to things you might want or need, so you had better bring everything, and two of many of those things."

The only time that thought process will come true is when you run out of your favorite candy bar and are left with only mud-and-sand health bars and the same old rice-pasta side dish selection.

As you look and parse through your items, remove everything NOT essential (this means comfort items too) and put them in a bounce box. Bounce that box up trail maybe 4 days. See how those days go. If you need something, put it back in your carry kit.

And rest easy! No matter your initial gear selection, you'll change things around as you go. As you start hiking, focus more on your goals--your daily and ultimal goal. Then move from one daily to the next.

Have a good hike.

[flemdawg1]

1st there is nothing "wrong" with your list, you're obviously a well seasoned hiker to get your weight down to this point. But if you want to get the weight lower here's a few suggestions.


Alright . . . still have some odds n' ends to pick up, but what are your thoughts?

* Pack - Gregory Jade 50 (50 oz) Golite jam2 20oz
* Poles - Black Diamond Ergo Cork (17 oz) Gossamer Gear LT4 8.2oz
* Bag - GoLite Venture 20 (33 oz) WM Ultralite 25 oz
* Pad - Big Agnes Insulated Air Core (mummy short) + Z-Lite (chair/xtra buffer against cold ground/buffer against my air mattress inflating) (32 oz) TR Neoair 9oz & 2oz of house wrap to sit on
* Bag liner - Cocoon Silk (5 oz)
* Blue running shorts (est. 3 oz)
* Ivanhoe merino wool baselayer top/bottom (11 oz)
* Outdoor Research Manifesto wool blend insulating layer (13 oz)
* Marmot DriClime wind jacket (8 oz)
* Packa rain gear (small 12 oz)
* Merino wool/liners (est. 8 oz altogether, maybe an overestimate as no one can tell me how much socks weigh!)
* Balaclava (3 oz)
* Wool mittens (3 oz)
* Boots - Keen Targhee II Mid (30 oz) Trailrunners <1lb
* Pop can stove (1 oz)
* Can - MSR Titan Kettle (4 oz)
* Cutlery - MSR Titan Spoon/Fork (1 oz)
* Water bottle - Nalgene 1 Liter (.5 oz) I normally carry alot more water capacity, at least 3liters.
* Water pump - MSR Miniworks EX (16 oz) Steripen 8oz or AquaMira 3oz.
* Towel - MSR Packtowl Ultralite (3 oz) Bandana?
* Headlamp - Petzl Tikka XP2 (3 oz)
* Camera - Panasonic DMC-LZ10 (5 oz w/ batteries) my cellphone has a good 4MP camera
* Hair ties/pins (1 oz)
* Burt's Bees chapstick (.15 oz) I found out the hard way my last trip that chapstick is an essential item.

= 306.65 oz

Husband is carrying AquaMira and tent . . .

[Sassafras Lass]

1st there is nothing "wrong" with your list, you're obviously a well seasoned hiker to get your weight down to this point. But if you want to get the weight lower here's a few suggestions.

Thank you - the only GoLite I tried didn't work with my body, though I so wanted it to work! Maybe I'll see if any other stores have more variety I could try before we go, I like my pack and it works well with my body but at 3+ lbs it's heavier than I wanted.

We don't have a cell phone . . . no really, we don't have a cell phone - plus I love photography and if I only do this once I want to record scenes I might otherwise never see again.

Forgot the 1 liter Platypus . . .

[Sassafras Lass]

1. No matter what you start with, you'll switch it in and out at least once on your trip. So don't worry about dialing everything in at the start.

2. All you need is the small knife show in a post above. Also, I advise carrying a few safety pins to lance blisters. Unless you're a non-blister person in which case I am giving you an undeserved dirty look!

3. Consider trail runner shoes instead of boots. Footwear is HIGHLY personal--everyone has differently shaped feet, sweat differently, they carry weight on their feet differently, etc, but trail runners are: 1) lighter, 2) easier on the feet, 3) dry faster. I cringe at the heel blisters I see on boot wearers who are out on their first long distance backpacking trip (not sure if this will be your first).

Also, nothing will keep your feet dry. Nothing. Well, except a car. Don't go there even once or you will go there often! If your feet are prone to pruning in wet conditions, consider the pricey but helpful Hyrdopel cream (body glide, too, if you prefer, it works on thigh chaffing and I carry both).

4. Ditch the pack towel. If the inside of you tent is wet, oh well! Wait for a time to dry it out. A thru hiker gets dirty--I like to minimize that but find pack towels don't really help.

5. For personal hygiene--consider wet wipes. I am a late convert to wet wipes and umm...when I started using them, a certain chaffing in a certain area after a certain daily donation to Mother Gaia, went away. I love me my wet wipes now.

6. Aqua Mira over filter. Filters are volume and weight and effort. I carry an extra mixing cap so I can brew up two loads of purification at the same time.

7. Ditch the nalgene. Gatorade bottles (or your brand of choice) are the way to go.

8. Sleep systems are highly personal too, some folks need more than others. I know this past year I found the AT shelter floors very hard on me whereas five years earlier, I had no problems with them--so my ground padding went UP in weight and volume.

9. Oh--almost forgot: FOOD. Pack less than what you think for the first 3 or 4 days. Almost everyone overpacks food. Your food bag is often the heaviest thing in your pack, don't stuff it full to start. Please please trust me on this one!

Generally speaking, minimize everything you can, not just for weight reasons. The less you take, the less you worry about, the less you keep track of, the less you sort through, the less you unpack and the less you pack back up. It's also less volume which means your pack fits and moves better.

Fight the thought process that says, "You'll be in the woods, you won't have access to things you might want or need, so you had better bring everything, and two of many of those things."

The only time that thought process will come true is when you run out of your favorite candy bar and are left with only mud-and-sand health bars and the same old rice-pasta side dish selection.

As you look and parse through your items, remove everything NOT essential (this means comfort items too) and put them in a bounce box. Bounce that box up trail maybe 4 days. See how those days go. If you need something, put it back in your carry kit.

And rest easy! No matter your initial gear selection, you'll change things around as you go. As you start hiking, focus more on your goals--your daily and ultimal goal. Then move from one daily to the next.

Have a good hike.

Yeah, we did 25 miles Halloween weekend in the Smokies, I always find it hard to eat when you're hiking, so I'll really have to force myself to eat on the trail.

And yes - I'm not generally a blister person ;)

[Luddite]

And yes - I'm not generally a blister person ;)

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3817/yodayouwillbe.jpg

You will be...you will be.

[The_Saint]

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/3817/yodayouwillbe.jpg

You will be...you will be.

False, I had one blister the entire trail. There are MANY thrus that don't have blister problems.

[Montana AT05]

Luddite, LOL

LMAO!!

I actually sat at my desk and, in my best Yoda voice, read the picture's caption aloud.

[Boo-shay]

I would also say a bladder for camp, and no need for 4 pair of socks. Your feet are going to get wet no matter how many pair you bring.

[RockDoc]

Yes, to what most others have said.

For March-April in GA-NC you definitely need good warm clothes for camp. Down sweaters are popular. We had merino wool from head to toe for camp/sleeping.

Staying warm is not so important while you are walking, you generate so much heat. But you can absolutely freeze in camp or shelters!

Regarding footwear I only recommend trail runners if you have a light body and a light pack, and even then they are risky. If you (and/or your pack) are big, I think a stouter foundation is a good idea. Maybe not leather boots, but consider a few notches above running shoes. You'll like them better when the water is running down the trail like a streambed as it was the cold, wet day we passed Clingman's Dome. Thru hikers in trail runners were drenched and had to hitch to town (Gatlinburg) to dry out. I remember the look of their wet muddy shoes as they stood their hitching.

We, in bigger shoes, had no problems and continued on.

[Chance09]

First off quit worrying so much about clothing. You have a warm layer; it's called your sleeping bag.

If you need all of the stuff you have to stay warm while hiking you should either A. be hiking in Antarctica or B. off the trail warm in a shelter. In waist deep snow in the smokies i hiked in my frogg togs rain jacket with a tshirt on underneath and I was sweating. I froze my rear end off when we stopped but I was hot while hiking. If there is ever any situation where you would need all that clothing I would put money on it that you will just hole up somewhere and wait it out. Making miles isn't that important.

Secondly around shelters, it's almost as easy, but obviously not as functional, to socialize from your sleeping bag. Take it out, lean up against a wall and chat away if you're cold. No need to have enough clothes to be warm standing around when you could just hop in your bag. Otherwise whats the point of the bag? If I had enough clothes to be warm all even standing around, why not skip the bag and just sleep in them.

Secondly your feet are going to be wet and they're going to be cold, frequently they'll be wet and cold. More socks won't help. Chances are 5 min after putting on a clean dry pair of socks to hike in they will be wet and cold just like your others. What makes a difference is having a clean dry pair to put on at the end of the day.
When you get to camp take your wet socks off, sleep in your clean ones. In the morning take the clean ones off and put the wet ones back on. You shouldn't need more than three pairs. One for sleeping, one for walking, and one hanging off the back of your pack to dry.

As far as shoes go, boots are a waste of effort. Rockdoc mentions how hikers had to hitch into town because their shoes got wet? It rained 80 days on my AT thru and my shoes were almost always soaked. I never hitched into town because of it. My trail runners even preformed admirably through the blizzard I mentioned above. You just need the right socks to keep your feet warm while they're wet. When you walk through a stream, boots or not they will get wet, unless you're wearing gaiters of course. If you're worried about ankle support then just take it easy at the start. I had horrible ankles from years of soccer. That's no longer the case. They're quite strong now and actually catch and right themselves like they're supposed too. I haven't had an ankle injury since my thru. knock on wood. Also boots supposedly put more stress on your knees because your ankle aren't as loose and can't flex like they usually would be able to (no idea if this is true, but i think it makes sense).

As far as safety goes, quit worrying about that so much too. If the proverbial **** really hits the fan you can be off the trail 99% of the time within a day. There are roads everywhere, 100 mile wilderness included. I imagine you could be off it much much faster if one simply walked downhill instead of using the trail.

Water capacity doesn't matter too much. It's so easy to change by picking up a soda or Gatorade bottle in town. I carried 2 1-liter bottles most of the time with another 2 liter bladder for camp. Most of the time i didn't use the bladder even in camp.

Things you didn't mention
-a camera charger
-extra headlamp batteries (it'll be cold so I’d highly recommend lithium, I would still recommend them even without the cold even though they're pricey)

Things I Would Leave At Home
-Your expectations. The trail is going to blow your mind (good or bad), be flexible about it. It seems you already have many preconceived notions about what you'll be facing, everyone does so no worries, but don't sweat it so much. You'll notice all things work out on the trail. (Not that i'm saying go in unprepared)

-Your attitude towards food. You mention getting essential enzymes and nutrients? I found i walked my best early morning after 4 to 6 poptarts. That would get me going for 6-10 miles. You'll find your body is the efficient machine that it was meant to be no matter what kind of fuel you give it. I ate 100 times better on the PCT than i did on the AT and didn't notice a tremendous difference in my hiking abilities, just that I was getting tired of poptarts. The most random combination I ever had for dinner was wine, 4 pieces of pizza and 3 raspberry jelly filled donuts. Don't be surprised if you find yourself eating such random combinations of "unhealthy" foods and really enjoying it.

On a side note and I can’t wait for the controversy this brings up :eek:, I think your philosophies might be better matched outside of the UL Forum, no offense. A 19+ LB base weight isn't very ultra light and it's not so much the gear differences as the philosophy behind the choices. I guess my point is that you are asking the wrong people. The UL people who don’t mind going without, just going with a little less comfort, or are perfectly comfortable with less might not be the best place to get gear list help.

[burntoutphilosopher]

i'm a real believer in enzyme rich real foods. but dont pack anything under 100 calories per ounce. lots of raw and live enzyme foods like goji bars fit this bill.

add in some peanut butter and whole wheat pasta and you can eat a completely balanced nutrition while on the trail easily.

we have a spreadsheet of all the different foods and we use it as we make resupply boxes, say the box is for 5 days, we will get four days in (24,000 calories, 2 ppl) and calculate, then say "oh, we're short protein" or "oh, we're short fiber" and add in foods rich in those to finish off our boxes.

i can send you the XLS if you'd like, it'll make planning a cinch. what i do is, the places we are mailing food, we mail ideal food. the places where we're buying we get by on whatever and don't sweat it. that way we know we will get our nutrition in due time.

[burntoutphilosopher]

^^ abotu what chance had said...

i hurt my ankle and the doctor specifically said the ten inch boots i wore for work CAUSED me to hurt my ankle because the muscles that hold it together had almost atrophied due to the footwear. i've been on running / trail running shoes ever since and am getting a doctors note to work in them.

i would say plan low mile days the first two weeks and don't worry about your ankles. IMHO.

[Don H]

I carry the Leatherman Squirt, less than 2 oz. and has a good pair of scissors, which I find is the most useful tool on it.

[Spokes]

......-Your attitude towards food. You mention getting essential enzymes and nutrients? I found i walked my best early morning after 4 to 6 poptarts. That would get me going for 6-10 miles. You'll find your body is the efficient machine that it was meant to be no matter what kind of fuel you give it. ....

Had to chuckle after reading what Chance09 wrote about food. He hit the nail head for sure.

By the end of my thru I was eating 2 jars of "JIF Peanut Butter with a Touch Honey" a week. Just spooned it right out the jar- YUM! It wasn't unusual to eat a quick breakfast consisting of Snicker Bars, Honey Buns, and cold oatmeal either. I still lost 27 lbs.

All that said, I think Gheparda will do just fine.

BTW, anyone know how many vegans have been converted after a visit to Whitehouse Landing?

[Sue_Bird]

BTW, anyone know how many vegans have been converted after a visit to Whitehouse Landing?

hahaha. :)

your gear list looks good. Had to weigh in on the sox question... i hiked in 09, second wettest year ever. i carried 3 pair the entire way. it was a BLESSING to settle in for the evening with a dry pair of socks in the sleeping bag. Made a lot of wet, rainy, sleety, cold days more liveable. Just commit one pair of socks for "only in camp" and rotate the others. But, yah, your feet will be wet most days if it's raining.

You'll figure out exactly what you need clothing-wise after just a couple of weeks. IMHO it's prudent to make sure you have at least the bare minimum of extra clothing to get completely dry in camp, i.e. one baselayer shirt and pants that stays in your stuff sack all day and then you only sleep in it. i got mild hypothermia in the smokies from hiking fast in an ice storm, sweating a lot, and then cooling down and being wet. it was okay but i would have been in a bad position if all my stuff was wet.

don't let anyone bully you into thinking pumps are stupid. yes, you'll probably be fine 98% of the time without treating at all. yes, aquamira does take care of it and weighs a lot less. aquamira also affects the taste of the water though, which seems counterproductive when most of us go into the woods for the "natural experience" :) dunno....I just laugh a little but when I hear people brag "I didn't treat my water for the entire trail!" and then later on "it took me seven months to hike....at one point I was curled up for three days on the side of the trail, puking my brains out" you probably won't die, but it sucks to get sick. full disclosure: I hiked with a pump for 1800 miles. I never got sick. I switched to aquamira at the end when i had had my fill of (pumped) pure mountain water and when my knees were giving out and i was desperately trying to shed weight.

you're going to have an incredible time. we're all jealous. that's why we're taking time out of our "busy" days to post extensively on this forum. :D

[Chance09]

i hiked in 09, second wettest year ever.

Was sue bird your trail name? I counted almost 80 days of rain out of the 155 of my hike. Wet feet should be an expectation for a thru hike in my opinion.

If you really do want to keep them dry though, and i used them on and off, Rocky makes a pair of waterproof socks that actually works, but are as uncomfortable as all hell.

Bout 50 bucks a pop if i remember correctly.

[Sue_Bird]

trail name is/was THE DARKNESS. I hiked with Steam from Neels to Katahdin. I think you were ahead of me.

[Sassafras Lass]

As far as shoes go, boots are a waste of effort ..... If you're worried about ankle support then just take it easy at the start. I had horrible ankles from years of soccer. That's no longer the case. They're quite strong now and actually catch and right themselves like they're supposed too. I haven't had an ankle injury since my thru. knock on wood. Also boots supposedly put more stress on your knees because your ankle aren't as loose and can't flex like they usually would be able to (no idea if this is true, but i think it makes sense).
This is one of my biggest concerns. I twisted my ankle about a month ago and it's just now feeling normal. I too played soccer for years - and track - and some cross-country - and wrenching my ankles is just one of things that makes me me - as much as my hair and poor eyesight, it seems.

Water capacity doesn't matter too much. It's so easy to change by picking up a soda or Gatorade bottle in town. I carried 2 1-liter bottles most of the time with another 2 liter bladder for camp. Most of the time i didn't use the bladder even in camp.
Yeah, I'm not too concerned. We'll each have a liter Platypus and 2 water bottles.

Things you didn't mention
-a camera charger (camera takes AA batteries, bringing extra)
-extra headlamp batteries (it'll be cold so I’d highly recommend lithium, I would still recommend them even without the cold even though they're pricey) (will bring some extra)

On a side note and I can’t wait for the controversy this brings up :eek:, I think your philosophies might be better matched outside of the UL Forum, no offense. A 19+ LB base weight isn't very ultra light and it's not so much the gear differences as the philosophy behind the choices. I guess my point is that you are asking the wrong people. The UL people who don’t mind going without, just going with a little less comfort, or are perfectly comfortable with less might not be the best place to get gear list help.

Refigured my gear - I'm at 13 lbs on my back (is that called skin-out?), is that more UL? :)

[Chillfactor]

I agree with Spokes about peanut butter. And a honeybun slathered in PB tastes awesome with lots of calories and protein.
What about pants? All I saw was running shorts. You're very focused on base and mid-layers but zip off pants are handy and cut the wind.
I started with waterproof boots and loved them until they got soaked around Hot Springs. Sent them home and got trail runners. Boots do strengthen your legs and I guess they give a feeling of security starting out but I walked farther in trail runners.
I bought Cap 3's at Neel's-my Cap 2's didn't cut it.
You'll get lots of opinions but ultimately you'll have to figure out what is best for you and adjust accordingly. My biggest gear goof was a rain cover. I didn't take one and garbage bags didn't stay put. I'd never hike without one.
Just remember, you have to carry all this stuff on your back all day long.

[burntoutphilosopher]

just FYI,

baseweight is your pack and everything in it,

skin out weight usually includes your clothing, and shoes, right down to your undies and watch

[Sassafras Lass]

What about pants?QUOTE]
I've got a pair of Adidas track pants - prob around 6 oz - I'll just bring those for snow slogging and cold rain - I imagine they won't fit anymore after a month or 2 so I'll just toss them; I haven't the $$ for better pants.

[QUOTE=burntoutphilosopher;1081222]just FYI,

baseweight is your pack and everything in it,

skin out weight usually includes your clothing, and shoes, right down to your undies and watch

Ahhh . . . . so my skinout weight is hovering around 19 lbs but my base weight is around 13 lbs - with a few other odds n' ends I won't be over 14 lbs. That leaves me room for 10 lbs of ribeye and some potatoes! :D

[burntoutphilosopher]

the more i read up on AT gear lists, the more jealous i get as a PCTer...

... "remember your 14 pounds of water" lol


i'm a little concerned about the 'i don't have the money for new pants' comment.
how do you plan on affording the trail?
for my PCT hike i figure a minimum of ten grand for my wife and i... that's after gear.

[Don H]

Was sue bird your trail name? I counted almost 80 days of rain out of the 155 of my hike. Wet feet should be an expectation for a thru hike in my opinion.

If you really do want to keep them dry though, and i used them on and off, Rocky makes a pair of waterproof socks that actually works, but are as uncomfortable as all hell.

Bout 50 bucks a pop if i remember correctly.

Have you tried SealSkinz socks?

[Sassafras Lass]

i'm a little concerned about the 'i don't have the money for new pants' comment.
how do you plan on affording the trail?
for my PCT hike i figure a minimum of ten grand for my wife and i... that's after gear.

Well, my household income doesn't exceed $18,000 annually - I'm sure it is wonderful to have $10,000 or even $5,000 for an adventure such as this - but we don't smoke/drink/own a TV or cell phone, and despite that still live paycheck to paycheck - we simply cannot save as much as others can. We're selling some things to go, in fact. I'm not waiting a year - we need to do this now, for many reasons.

[burntoutphilosopher]

Dude i've been there. lived 95% of my life bellow the poverty line.

... but i'd be really worried about costs of such a trip, the food itself is going to cost you 5 grand for you and your wife together... not including town hotel stops, new gear as things break etc.

gear can be quite cheap... but food is a static cost.

really though, more power too you, it'll be the adventure of your life. my family always says "you could just buy a car" but in 20 years that car will be worth nothing. . . in 20 years you will still talk about your thru hike.

goodluck

[CinciJP]

You might want to bring a jacket like the Patagonia Nano Puff or the Mont-Bell Thermawrap.

Hey Luddite,

If you had a choice, which would you pick? I'm torn between the two.

[Sassafras Lass]

Dude i've been there. lived 95% of my life bellow the poverty line.

... but i'd be really worried about costs of such a trip, the food itself is going to cost you 5 grand for you and your wife together... not including town hotel stops, new gear as things break etc.

gear can be quite cheap... but food is a static cost.

really though, more power too you, it'll be the adventure of your life. my family always says "you could just buy a car" but in 20 years that car will be worth nothing. . . in 20 years you will still talk about your thru hike.

goodluck

I'm the wife :) Thanks - it's very hard waiting these last few months, we've been chomping at the bit since last spring!

[Chance09]

Have you tried SealSkinz socks?

Haven't tried them but from what everyone I talked to about them said they stay waterproof for a few days at best.

Just what i've been told by 20+ people.

[Chance09]

for my PCT hike i figure a minimum of ten grand for my wife and i... that's after gear.

10 Grand is a lot for a thru hike. I think the AT is probably more expensive than the PCT too because the weather is absolutely beautiful on the PCT so I really had no desire to get a hotel room 99% of the time. On the AT i spent a lot of time in hotel rooms with 80 says of rain.

I spent about 3.5k this year on the PCT but I really like to cook when i'm in town instead of eat out and with tons of trail angels that was possible.

First thing i'd do in town was buy a dozen eggs a loaf of bread and a thing of bacon. Cost about the same for a two eggs, two bacon and toast at a restaurant.

[burntoutphilosopher]

the sections of the PCT i've done are MUCH more expensive than the sections of the AT i've done. i think the west coast is just more pricey for food.

ten grand basically includes, food, shipping of our boxes and 40 nights in hotels with 55 dinners in restaurants. for two people of course.

one thing i found on the PCT was the expense of the hotels, especially as you go further north.

i found a lot of hotels around the AT for 50 to 60$ and most i found on the PCT were 100 or more after taxes. 80 bucks was considered a good deal

K, sorry for the thread drift, getting back on topic...

... if you really want to save money stay in shelters for your zeros...
Try and go into town and back on a same day, maybe gorge on some food, but you can save huge amounts of money staying out of hotels, and abstaining from alcohol. a 6 pack on a trail town costs a LOT more than it does at walmart.