Clothes list

[pixel]

I have a question for women who completed the AT. What clothing did you use? Would like to try a skirt. Add leggings for cold days. :D seems I'm changing my list all the time. Am having a hard time settling on what to get.

[ashleigh22]

I have not completed the AT, but I am a woman and I've had about 500+ miles of hiking experience. I've worn a skirt before and you should definitely bring leggings if you plan on wearing one. Sometimes, your thighs rub together and could make it very difficult to walk after a few days. I prefer hiking pants that zip off into shorts. http://www.backcountry.com/exofficio-nio-amphi-convertible-pant-womens-exo0354 I like these pants, they are my favorite so far. Good luck and happy trails to you!

(Oh and if you are set on wearing a skirt, you should try the "skorts" such as this one: http://www.trailspace.com/gear/marmot/emerald-skort/ which I have but have only worn in Florida.)

[Fog Horn]

I'm also contemplating bringing a skirt. I want to hammock, which means I have to change outside of my tent and a skirt would make that so much easier. Then again I might just go with a larger towel or a non see through tarp.

There are so many choices! I'm tall so its hard for me to find those zip off pants in an inseam that fits me. I need a 35 inch inseam, and the longest I've found was 34" and they are men's pants. I ordered them anyway, and can't wait to try them on, but if any of you know a site with tall, durable hiking clothes, please let me know.

[pixel]

thanks for the comments. really like the skirt you gave me a link too. hadn't seen that one in my searches. looks very comfortable. :)

[pixel]

any thoughts on how a skirt would be an advantage/disadvantage for spotting ticks? was just speaking with a through hiker who lives near us who was telling my husband and i about his concerns over the increase in lyme disease along the trail.

[pixel]

here is my list: (feel free to give any ideas/opinions you have from your experiences)

smart wool short sleeve t
patagonia base layer 1 long sleeve
northface fleece pull over
montbell down jacket
3 pair socks
2 pair underwear
ball cap
toboggan
leggings

[Turtle Feet]

here is my list: (feel free to give any ideas/opinions you have from your experiences)

smart wool short sleeve t
patagonia base layer 1 long sleeve
northface fleece pull over
montbell down jacket
3 pair socks
2 pair underwear
ball cap
toboggan
leggings

Don't forget your gloves...;)

I'm a huge fan of ball caps - part of my daily wardrobe - but you might want to consider a polartec fleece type cap for cooler nights (one that covers your ears). I suppose it depends on your start date - what IS your start date rehersal???

TF

[pixel]

my husband and i are starting in va the end of april. our daughter is getting married in may and we are hiking to her wedding location, heading to katahdin, then returning to our starting point in va and heading to springer. (:) i guess we'll be sobonobo's)

[pixel]

oops! meant to add a skirt to my list too.

[Turtle Feet]

I bought a couple of "skorts" for the hike. I'm starting in GA in March, so my first skort is being shipped to me at Fontana Dam. I think I bought one of them at a Columbia store last spring, and the other from either REI or LLBean online (don't remember). I'm pretty short, so I wanted to avoid something with too long of an inseam (just the opposite problem of you Fog Horn).

I'm really looking forward to the skorts - goodbye undies!

rehersal - based on your schedule, I'm guessing you won't need things like polartec and gloves until you reach the Whites. Acutally, you're itnerary sounds pretty good as far as hiking with the seasons.

[Blissful]

I hiked in convertible pants. Smartwool makes great tops also for hiking in colder weather, they don't stink as much. Microfleece or smartwool tops and bottoms for camp and in your sleeping bag. I did use a skirt for the first part of my hike when I was with my hubby. But after that, I felt it drew attention to myself. Plus going up a steep incline, the person coming up behind can see up your skirt, or so I perceived. I felt much better in convertible pants hiking solo.

Oops just saw you are hiking with your hubby. Then a skirt is fine. :)

[Sassafras Lass]

here is my list: (feel free to give any ideas/opinions you have from your experiences)

smart wool short sleeve t
patagonia base layer 1 long sleeve
northface fleece pull over
montbell down jacket
3 pair socks
2 pair underwear
ball cap
toboggan
leggings

Don't see any kind of wind layer - what's a toboggan?

Ideally you'll want to hike in shorts (with a thin baselayer underneath if it's really cold) as well as a thin baselayer top and a windjacket. If it's really windy throw on wind pants. Add in a hat and gloves and you're good to go in winter weather.

You're doubling up on insulation, try to keep insulation around 1 lb. - for instance, I'm bringing my Outdoor Research Manifesto jacket ('bout 13 oz.) and I'm picking up a Montbell down jacket (EX Light or UL Inner, whichever is cheaper) - that will put me around 17-19 oz. which I'm comfortable with. (Truthfully, I'm being extravagent and I don't know how often I'll use my OR hoody - but I'm scared of hypothermia so I'm being overly cautious.) You really only need your Montbell jacket.

The 'ball cap' is likely made of cotton and will do nothing for insulating your head. One of the biggest destroyers of body heat is wind so your perogative should be shielding yourself from wind in addition to insulation. Get a proper fleece-type hat that is windproof and consider getting a balaclava as well - I just picked up the Komperdell Fleece UPF 50+ and we camped out in the woods under a tarp Christmas Eve - in Michigan. I couldn't believe how warm it kept me, I didn't even wear a hat, just the balaclava.

I see no baselayer bottom - you're going to want it. I have thin baselayer top and bottom for hiking and midweight for camp.

I'm undecided on underwear :p so no comments there.

[Stearman]

As a nurse, I would STRONGLY recommend underwear. One of the last things you will want is a yeast infection or even a UTI while trying to hike the AT. ExOfficio has great underwear that dry supper fast. Wash them at night before bed and hang them in the vestibule of your tent.

Link: http://www.exofficio.com/product_results.aspx?page=LIST&category|womens=Women%27s%20Clothing&canned_results_trigger=&category_id=womens&category|womens_underwear=Underwear&canned_results_trigger=&category_id=womens_underwear

[slpierce39]

I wear pants in a 35" inseam as well. I just bought these and they are the perfect length!
http://www.backcountry.com/columbia-silver-ridge-convertible-pant-womens

[Fog Horn]

I wear pants in a 35" inseam as well. I just bought these and they are the perfect length!
http://www.backcountry.com/columbia-silver-ridge-convertible-pant-womens

THANKS!!

I found another pair, don't remember where, but I have to wait and see how they fit before ordering these. Thank you though, this is awesome! I know fashion doesn't mean anything on the trail, but when you're tall, its so important not to look like you are waiting for a flood!

[skooch]

mine is a summer list. can't leave Springer until June '11 planning to come home late August. 1 tankini bathing suit top (found at home)
2 skirts ( short synthetic wrap-around found at goodwill)
2 running shorts (found at home)
2 long sleeve men's camp shirts (wear open or closed, sleeves up or down)
3 pairs of socks and liners
1 lightwt fleece (found at goodwill)
1 rain jacket (found at goodwill)
1 top and yoga pants (for dry sleeping found at home)
crocs or flipflops (camp shoes found at home)
1 canvas bucket hat (found at home)