Rate My Rack...

[YaZOO]

....of gear for the 09 AT

Pun un-intended. Im just curious to see what you think of the 1st round gearlist. Most of these items have worked for me through the years and everything is about 23 1/2 lbs - water and food add 12 lbs = 35 lbs total. Thats 5 days of dehydrated food, & 1 gallon of water

Now, I know that this is not considered Light weight, so im up to accept criticism. Please, rip it apart so that I can reduce my weight. Critics welcome & no, im not a hammock or tarp lover (forget it)!
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1. Pack: L.L. Bean North Col Expedition pack Expands from 3600ci to 5500ci. Extra room for food... in case I get hungry (im a bottomless eater)
2. Shelter: BA Seedhouse SL2 w/o necessary BS (pole bag, stake bag, extra tieouts, -4 stakes... gone)
3. Sleeping: MB UL SS Down hugger #3
Pad: Prolite 4 regular
4. Hydration: 2x48oz nalgene containers + 1x32oz same container (both wide mouth)
5. Eatery: Snowpeak Spork (titanium)
6. Bowls: Snowpeak Mini Solo cookset (titanium)
7. Stove: Snowpeak Gigapower stove (titanium Auto ignite version)
2 x 250 Gram Fuel caisters or 3 x 110 Gram canisters
8. Groundcover: emergency blanket
9. Shoes: Zamberlan Trek lite GT
10 Socks: Wigwam x 4
Merino Lite hiker - cold
Cool-lite Hiker Pro - cool
Cool-lite Pro Quarter - hot
Merino/Silk Hiker - butt A$$ cold
11 Thermals: 1 x Patagonia Capilene #3 long sleeve shirt
1 x Capilene #3 long underwear
12 Pants: Omni-Dry® Silver Ridge™ Convertible Pant x 2
13 Rain Gear: Marmot PreCip Pants
Marmot Minimalist Jacket
14 Shirts: TNF Veloci - Tee short x 2, Long x 1
15 Gloves: Manzella Fleece gloves
16 Towel: 2 x hankies
17 Face/headwear: Fleece hat x 1 & Balaclava x 1
18 Dry Sack for Cloths: Sea to Summit Big River Dry Bag - 8 Liter
19 Lights: Twin-Task® 1 Cell Lithium + 1 spare battery
Petzl TACTIKKA® PLUS + spare set of AAA's
Snowpeak Gigalantern Manual (optional)
20 Medical / Emergency / Hygene: Asprin (10 days), suchure kit, moleskin, band aids, medical tape, pencil, antibiotic ointment (Tube), deet, medical book, gauze roll, Aquamira tablets, Amoxicillin (10 Days), emergency blanket (groundcloth), Imodium AD, Buck-lite, 30' cord, Compass, Toothbrush, small toothpaste, Campsoap (bio degradable), small BIC lighter, waterproof matches, cotton balls w/h vaseline (tinder), iodine, shaving razor for my head & face, aloe, small mirror for signaling/shaving. 1/2 roll of TP, seamsealer, patch kit, needle & thread for tent or pack, Hothands warmers.
21 Keen Newport H2 sandals as a backup pair of shoes.
22 Food: Freezer bag cooking home-made meals.
23 Sweetwater Guardian (optional)
24 Hat

Let me know what you think

[bredler]

I'm not an experienced thru-hiker, but this is what I've found to hold fairly true:


You could cut some serious weight going to a DIY alcohol stove setup. My whole cooking setup weighs 8-10oz (depends on if I bring a backup of anything when I'm experimenting) that's: stove, primer dish, windscreen/potstand, pot, lid, pot grabber, two lighters, bandanna. Works great and you can get fuel for it anywhere.

If those nalgene containers aren't bladder style, then they're probably REAL heavy. Consider some bladder style or just old milk jugs if you still wanna go "rigid."

Probably don't need rain pants

fleece hat and balaclava?

Why two lights? The Petzl should suffice.

The Capilene long underwear...I used to wear longjohns like that until I got a pair of army surplus M-65 field liner pants...real warm and real comfy. Also cheap if you just wanna try 'em, $10 shipped on ebay or most retailers online.

Do you really need two pairs of convertible pants? You're gonna get stinky and dirty. Why put stinky, dirty pants in your pack? You may enjoy the clean ones for a bit, but your gear will end up smelling like your dirty pants and you're just going to wash them both anyway...

[freefall]

This is close to my pack weight. I carry with 7 days of food and 2L water, about 30 lbs. This would be a tremendous amount of weight to a UL. But you need to carry what is comfortable to you on a long distance hike. ( You NEED to read Tolstoy's "War and remembrance" on a hike to be happy- bring it. ) But if you only need to read Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451", all the better- you just saved about a pound.
Now- I am not a UL Guru at all. I just try to make my pack lighter but still maintain a level of comfort I like. And I know that Mtn Crossings in `06 was trying to help some people lighten their pack from 30 to 20 lbs. It is all a matter of what you are comfortable with. I have met people that say they have carried no more than 10lbs on their back. For them that might be great but for each individual, there is a certain necessity. The most important rule of thumb is be comfortable!
Your comfort range can vary greatly- make certain to pick a bag below your sleeping degree (comfort) range. This varies greatly if you are in a tent or a hammock.
How many towns will you come across? If the Trail pases close to any towns, go there! You can resupply and possibly hit a buffet to help w/ the calorie loss.
Some Users either have their food raw or cook on a campfire. This is mostly personal preference to the menu you choose. Some people can, some can't.
Nalgenes are heavy! Only carry a Naglene if you have/want to. Bladders are a much lighter way to go.
You don't sat when you plan to hike. If it's in the Spring, winter gear might be overkill. (balaclava, etc...)The again you might get a Spring storm and need it. In `06, I could have used crampons but didn't have them. Oh well- you do what you can!
Two lights? really? Carry one light and a backup fuel/light source. A backup headlight weighs 4-6 ounces. Matches or Magnesium weigh maybe .1 ounce. It is not that far to the next town where you can p/u batteries.
All in all- carry what you want to. But your comfort is paramount. If you aren't comfortable, chances are, you will bail somewhere short of Kathadin.
Best of luck to you! Hope you find the right balance.

[freefall]

I have contributed but it has not shown up yet- so editing is a problem. About Tolstoy- only bring it if you NEED it.

[Appalachian Tater]

When are you leaving? NOBO? What are the individual weights?

In addition to the other comments, three pairs of socks is enough, many carry two. The emergency blanket is not needed.
I'm not sure what some of your clothes are, but it looks like you have too much. Like Bredler said, forget clean and dirty, you just want to make sure you have base/insulating/shell layers and something dry to change into at night. It looks like a lot of shirts, you only need two, and a pair of convertible pants, or just shorts if you're carrying rainpants.
Do you have earplugs? Sunscreen? You can use floss for thread. Fingernail (toenail!) clippers? Guidebook? Maps? Compass?
Unless you know you like a titanium spork, go with a 79 cent lexan spoon--it works better as a spoon and you don't need a fork.
You may need two hats--a wool or fleece knit type cap for warmth and a baseball or other brimmed cap for rain.
You don't need a mirror. You will only shave in town.
Are you really planning on sewing yourself or someone else up without irrigation, local anesthetic, as a minimum? And you need a medical book? Why don't you just plan on duct tape and toilet paper until you can get into town. You'll probably need antibiotics and a tetanus booster anyway. Lockjaw is a fine way to end a thru.

[Hooch]

Ok, this is just my opinion, and you asked for it, so here goes. Drop the following items:

Suture Kit - I'm guessing since you have a medical book listed, that you're not formally trained in suturing. Leave that to the professionals.
Medical Book - You should have a solid working knowledge of first aid and CPR before you venture into the backcountry.
Medical Tape - Duct tape will work just as well, if not better.
Mirror - You won't need it except in town, and they have them there, too.
Amoxicillin - If you need antibiotics, you can get amoxicillin cheap from a doctor or hospital. It's an old antibiotic, but bear in mind that it may not necessarily work on an infection if the organism isn't susceptible to it. Too many people are too quick to want to take antibiotics for every little thing. That's part of the reason that there are so many resistant organisms out there today. Like suturing, leave prescribing medicine to the professionals.
Twin-Task light - All you really need is the headlamp.
Extra Fuel - Just carry one fuel canister at a time. Fuel is easily obtained at outfitters along the trail.

[saimyoji]

make sure you have a windscreen for that stove.

[rswanson]

I'm going to give my advice assuming that you have a year to assemble gear and hat budget is not a major concern.

1. Your pack is heavy and large, which it needs to be to carry all that stuff you've listed. But if you trim down your kit you'll open up a whole host of possibilities. If I were carrying this gear below, I'd look at the ULA Catalyst/Circuit, the Six Moon Comet/Starlite, or the Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus.
2. This looks fine.
3. Also fine. If you're starting in March/April, you might be cold in just the bag but if you supplement with extra insulating clothing it should suffice. Try this out for a few nights this coming fall/winter to be sure. As for the pad, I'd go closed cell to save weight but the Prolite will make shelter floors much more comfortable.
4. Ditch all of these. Carry just a single 32 ounce soda bottle. They're cheap (free), lighter than Nalgenes, and durable. Its rare on the AT to need more than a liter of water. If you're really concerned, carry a 1L or 2L collapsible Platypus container to supplement.
5. Spork is fine.
6. If you're only doing boil in the bag stuff, the cookset is overkill. Carry a single Ti mug with a heavy aluminum foil lid. The Snowpeak 600 single wall will cut this weight in half.
7. Stove: Snowpeak Gigapower Ti Auto. Don't bother with the Ti version unless you're on an unlimited budget. Don't bother with the auto igniter either as you'll be carrying a lighter. Carry one 250g canister and you'll be fine, for the most part.
8. Ditch the emergency blanket. Unless its a real emergency blanket (which is too heavy) it will shred pretty quick. Check out the Gossamer Gear polycryo groundsheet. Much more durable.
9. Shoes: Can't on the specific boot as I have no experience with Zamberlain but I haven't worn leather hiking boots in years. I also feel Goretex is inappropriate for a thru-hiker. If you can make the leap, try out some trail runners.
10. Carry two pairs of socks. When one is dirty/wet, wear the other.
11 Thermals, good here. Carry one top and one bottom.
12 Carry only one pair of pants. Unless you're a clean freak (not compatible with hiking) you'll never wear the second pair.
13 Fine here. There are lighter options but most are more expensive. I use DriDucks but you'd need multiple sets to see you through the entire trail. Look at Froggs Toggs if you want something lighter without spending a lot.
14 Shirts are just as good as any other, but just bring one Tee, maybe two. Leave the L/S at home as you have the Capeline long sleeve.
15 Fine.
16 I find microfiber towels more useful than cotton bandanas/handkerchiefs.
17 You can probably get by with just the balaclava.
18 I'd get the Sea to Summit ultra sil bag instead; it's lighter.
19 If you carry anything other than one headlamp, you'll be sending it home before you know it. Just take the headlamp. If you feel insecure with just one light, get a small LED keychain light as a backup.
20 That's a lot of emergency stuff. You're never going to use most of it and on the AT, you won't need it. Here's what I carry- flint striker, tinderquick tabs (your cotton balls will work), mini bic, naxopren (Aleve), anti-diarrheal (Immodium), a few band aids, hand sanitizer, large sewing needle, some dental floss, and duct tape. Sometimes Tylenol PM is nice to knock you out at night if you're in a shelter with snoring hikers.
21 If you use trailrunners, you can probably ditch the backup shoes. In any event, those Keens are really heavy. Can you make due with just flip flops or Crocs?
22 Food is fine.
23 I use chemical purification but some people can't abide by the taste. I've never used this filter. If I felt I had to carry a filter, I'd definitely use a gravity filter like ULA's H20 Amigo.
24 Hat, sure why not.

Things I'd bring you don't have listed here: a windshirt, a pack liner or pack cover (I use trash compactor bags), a camera, some toilet paper (I'm sure this was just an omission), some type of food hanging system (lightweight stuff sack, cordage, carabiner).

[hopefulhiker]

This is not an ultralight set up. but it is doable.. I know you need a tent but I would look at getting a used tarp tent to save a lb. , and a lighter pack... You could cut back on the other stuff as mentioned in the above posts...

[rswanson]

I forgot to pack something! I'd bring some type of synthetic or down insulated jacket like Patagonia's Micropuff pullover or Montbell's Thermawrap or Down Inner Jacket. You will need it around camp and to augment that sleeping bag early in the hike. This is one of the few things you might switch out mid-way through (for an insulated vest).

[minnesotasmith]

An emergency blanket is far too easily torn to serve as a groundcloth for more than a night or two. Get a Tyvek sheet, or a least a piece of thick plastic tarp.

[Appalachian Tater]

You don't need a groundcloth at all. How much did your pack weight when you finished your hike, minnesotasmith?

[minnesotasmith]

You don't need a groundcloth at all. How much did your pack weight when you finished your hike, minnesotasmith?

1) I still used a groundcloth my last night in a shelter or camping. If you use a hammock (or van ala W. Doyle), no need. If you tent, cowboy camp, or sleep in a shelter, they're invaluable IMO. (Who wants their expensive tarptent or sleeping bag against the rocks/roots/mud, or their Thermarest against the shelter floor splinters? Not me...)

2) Still over 50# at the end.

[Appalachian Tater]

1) I still used a groundcloth my last night in a shelter or camping. If you use a hammock (or van ala W. Doyle), no need. If you tent, cowboy camp, or sleep in a shelter, they're invaluable IMO. (Who wants their expensive tarptent or sleeping bag against the rocks/roots/mud, or their Thermarest against the shelter floor splinters? Not me...)

A tent is made to use as a tent. If you're worried about getting dirty, set it up in your living room. Vacuum first. Splinters? Never had a problem with that. Never worried at all about my Thermarest and didn't carry a repair kit.

2) Still over 50# at the end.

Did that include food, fuel, and water? This guy's pack weighs 35 pounds and he wants to reduce the weight and that's why he posted his list. Do you have any advice to help him with that?

[Wags]

unless you're planning on just keeping your food in your tent all the time you'll need a bag to keep your food in to hang it...

[Wags]

i also keep a spare shoelace in my pack. i mean, i guess you could use some of your parachord, but for the 1 oz it weighs, it's worth having imo

on that note, i don't see any chord at all. i'd carry some (hang food, fix shoelace if broken and don't have spare, improv belt, ect)

[Appalachian Tater]

He did list 30 feet of cord and I see now that what I thought might be shirts are specialized socks. My guess is your feet will mostly be hot and damp no matter what kind of socks you're wearing--unless they're hot and soaking wet.

[Wags]

ahh i see it now. i still recommend the extra shoelace

[flow]

All good recommendations in the previous posts. Go with an alcohol stove. I cut 4 lbs when I went to a lighter pack alone. I learned how to "see the light" at backpackinglight.com. Check out the gear lists under forums. It is viewable to non members.

[general]

2) Still over 50# at the end.

brilliant, absolutely brilliant. you didn't learn much did you. how bad did your knees hurt at the end?