captains pack list-pick apart

[Captain]

as follows is what i have trimmed my pack down to carrying i tired to get it down to close to bare bones with a few comforts thrown in because i heard alot of people send alot of gear home when they use generic packing lists so please, pick apart critique scrutinize and tell me how stupid i am, im used to it

3 piar hiking socks
nylon shorts
home made gaiters (made from plastic coated polyester and nylon skin , not a lick breathable but more concerned about keeping water out of my boots)
convertable hiking pants
spare shirt
adidas wind breaker
north face fleece jacket
frogg togg jacket
neoprene diving gloves ( helps fight off cold hands in the morning and seals the wrist of rain poncho better than the loose snap that is has )
foam sandals
smokey the bear campaign hat
2 bandanas

coleman max inflatable pad
coleman 20 degree rated mummy bag W/ fleece liner
eureka gossamer solo tent
katahdin pro water filter
iodine tablets
coleman blue enamel steel cup and bowl
vergo titanium spork
blue skull 1L SIGG bottle
hydration 3L bladder
nalgene 1L bottle

long curve fixed blade knife ( looks fierce but i cut carpet with it and it was still razor sharp)
knife sharpener
snake bite kit
first aid kit
duct tape
mini AA flashlight
collapsing trekking poles
Appalachian pages guide book
cellphone (only plan to use in town ofcourse)
crank charger for ipod and cellphone
camera
alphasmart journal
shooting range ear phones (loud thunderstorms like to rumble when im trying to sleep)

[Skidsteer]

What are you going to cook your food with?

[Captain]

not cooking... mostly having cold oatmeal and ready to eat packed foods like zatarains jambalyia im planning on "trading" services for hot water for hot cocoa and cider like i will pump/filter the persons water for the next day for a cup of hot water , if not i can always drink them cold thats right even hot cocoa can be made cold

[Skidsteer]

If you think you might want some hot water at some point, you should plan to carry your own stove and not rely on someone else.

What's your main goal in posting your list? To get lighter suggestions or just to make sure you're not missing anything?

If you want to go lighter, it helps to post weights by item for the stuff you already have.

[Summit]

Eliminate one pair of socks, one bandana, and one water bottle.

The coleman blue enamel steel cup and bowl sounds heavy. Consider a single titanium pot, and with the weight saved you could add a complete alcohol stove cooking system and for heavens sake, eat some hot food! I don't know about you, but hot food is so very much appreciated after the toil of a full day of hiking. I couldn't imagine foregoing that!

[russb]

I highly suggest you include a means of heating your own water. One should never have a gear list predicated on others. Of course unless you are with someone and it is shared gear. Heating water is not just for making meals, it is also a safety device since it can disinfect and be used for washing. Others have already mentioned the excessive water bottles and the likely high weight of the coleman blue dishes. Swapping out the blue bowl with an aluminum pot and a plastic cup and adding a stove would probably be the same weight. I would also ditch the snake bite kit and add an lightweight knit (of fleece) hat. regulating your temp via your head is much easier.
In summary:

Subtract: coleman blues, 1 water bottle, snake bite kit.
Add: plastic cup, aluminum pot, stove/fuel, knit hat

[mountain squid]

Some observations:

assume you will carry all this in a backpack
consider a silk liner instead of fleece
consider a small swiss army knife w/ tweezers/scissors instead of long knife and sharpener (if you intend to have a pirate theme going, get a cheap 'light', plastic knife)
wind breaker, fleece and frogg toggs might be excessive - do you have a poncho also?
concur with Summit - cup and bowl sound heavy
hand sanitizer
TP
tooth brush and other toiletries
maps
whistle
needle
sun screen
insect repellent
food stuff sack
50' rope
concur with Skids and Summit - take a stove

And, of course, don't forget ID/atm/credit cards...

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[bigcranky]

Trading "services" for time on someone else's stove might work -- once or twice -- in an emergency. But it's likely not to work on a daily basis. An alcohol stove and fuel will add less than 8 ounces to your load.

Nobody is going to tell you how stupid you are (well, mostly no one -- this is Whiteblaze after all ). Your list is your list, and you have to carry it. Every single hiker on the trail is carrying the lightest possible pack -- lightest for that hiker at that time anyway. As you gain more experience, you'll learn what you can leave behind, what you really need to carry, and what you can trade out for a lighter version.

Is this for a thru-hike? Or a summer section or weekend hike?

[4eyedbuzzard]

"Trading services"?

1)You aren't offering the goods I or many others would be interested in trading for.
2)Bad trail etiquette.

Cook on fires or bring a stove.

[workboot]

Those Zatarain pre packed cooked rice/meals are heavy .Ditch them and bring lipton type dinners,and, a small stove (pocket rocket or alcohol)I prefer the PR,ditch the enamel bowl and cup and bring a small 1 liter pot of some type, Campmor sells or used to sell a affordable aluminun "Open Country" brand for under $10 thats very light as well. Dont rely on other people to heat your water for you is a good rule of thumb and just smart trail ettiquetteAlso and this is just a personal thing for me, you might consider ****canning the spork and bring a spoon instead, I hate sporks.And last trade out the nagalene bottle for a gatorade bottle.YMMV

[sofaking]

snakebite kit is useless, gaiters don't sound functional, need a stove, and i hope you don't mean ear muff type shooting range ear phones? that would be too funny, with your smokey hat and earphones you will leave an impression...

[doggiebag]

I'd consider dumping the addidas windbreaker in exchange for wet weather bottoms. You can wear the frogg togg's as your wind jacket.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Foam earplugs would probably be a much lighter weight replacement for shooter's muffs.

[Captain]

ah wonderful responses , love tehm, main comment seems to be toward carrying a stove and fuel to heat my own water, i wont ever really "want" hot water, heck after i made oatmeal with cold water to see if it would work i actualy prefer that now and wont make it any other way so im not "relying" on someone else honestly im fine with cold hot cocoa went on a two monthbase camping trip up passed missagawua in the winter (canada) and everyone else was drinking and cooking hot but i felt fine with cold water and ill probably end up filtering other peoples water anyway, must be something wrong with me cuase i actualy enjoy it :-P as far as the ear plugs go i dont kowi must be one odd person when i put a pair in i feel like im getting sick... so i have to use muffs rather than plugs, i carry the snake bite kit for the iodine inside it,which for its weight is never useless IMO to answer another question yes this is for a thru hike and not really looking for anything in particular posting this just input from others never hurts incidently if i WAS to carry a stove would a white box alcohol stove be fine? cuase it wouldnt really be used to tell you the truth and lastly just to make sure its clear im not "reyling " on others stoves.. i know what im packing and im fine living with the "consequences" no sweat off my back dont worry im not oen of those guys who does not pack a tent then in a down pour insist someone in the shelter move cuase " well i didnt bring a tent you did!"

[sofaking]

you're not really going to try starting with a 90lb pack weight are you?

[Captain]

goodness no id want it about 40 pounds, thats fully loaded with food

[sofaking]

whew! thank goodness...have a great hike.

[Foyt20]

That load is not going to be 40 lbs... no ifs ands or butts. And What do you need a large curved blade knife for? Bear wraslin?

[sofaking]

bear wrasslin' is best done nekkid, unarmed...bare wrasslin.

[Foyt20]

On a bear skin rug right?