View Full Version : newbie hiker - gear/general questions
heya everyone...first post.
real quick background about me: im 26, quit my desk job cause i hated it, decided i wanted to hike part of the trail (solo). i've only hiked overnight once...haha! had no gear, so i bought everything. probably going from at least hawk mtn to harpers ferry. but i would like to go all the way to dragons tooth, since i went to school down there.
here's a quick list of the gear i bought. i didn't want to be the poser type hiker that had all the newest gear...but alas, i couldn't find anything used quicky, so i had no choice:
Aether 75 Pack
MSR Hubba Tent
Marmot Trails Long (summer sleeping bag)
Therm-a-rest Prolite 4
Montrail Torre GTX Boots
MSR Duralite Mini Cookset
MSR Whisperlite
Hiker Pro Microfilter
Petzl Headlamp
lekis (have leg issues)
i know the aether pack is nice, but im regretting the purchase a little since it weighs almost 5 lbs by itself....oh well. i was young and impressionable a month ago. :)
ok, so here are my main questions. they aren't simple yes or no type questions...i just need some opinions from the experienced people.
is my summer sleeping bag warm enough to hike in pa/va in september?
would it be worth the extra weight to carry a pair of running shoes (21oz) to use as camp shoes (and trail shoes if i get sick of the boots)? or should i just pick up some flipflops/crocs?
is it realistic to bring an mp3 player that doesn't take regular batteries (i.e. i would have to plug it in)?
could a down vest (8.5oz) be used instead of a fleece (so i dont have to spend more money)? i figure its a more comfortable pillow too!
are convertible pants a good or bad idea? it seems to me that the zippers could get annoying or chafe after a while.
and most importantly. how many miles, do you think i should expect to cover per day. i know this is one of those questions that really depends on the hiker. but generally, i'm in shape (but skinny 6', 145lb), but in no hurry. since i've never done this before, im trying to get an idea of how far i can go between resupplying. i figure 10 miles per day for the 1st week, then maybe 12-15 miles per day after that would be reasonable.
any help would be appreciated or you can just tell me to buzz off. either way, thanks for reading! :D
Whistler
09-01-2005, 23:46
I'll offer my ideas, I'm sure you'll get more. I'll add the caveat that I tend to carry less weight and walk more miles than most, but from my perspective:
1-I'd get a warmer sleeping bag. My move would be to get a simpler, lighter sleeping pad [like a RidgeRest, or other pad less than 10oz], and a simpler, lighter backpack [like a Granite Gear or ULA pack]. You can reinvest the money and the weight into a warmer sleeping bag [which is probably the best area to invest in high quality].
In fact, I think you could save quite a bit of money and weight with a few changes, with negligible loss of comfort. The Hubba could swap for a Tarptent or a Six Moon Designs [save $25-50, 1.5lbs]. The cookset and stove could be swapped for an alcohol stove and a small 1L aluminum or titanium pot [save about $100 and maybe 2lbs!]. Swap filter for chemical treatment [save $50-60, 10oz or so].
Be sure to do a lot of research first. I'd highly recommend using the SEARCH button in the dark green field at the top of this page. Tons of info here.
2-The shoes will not be worth the extra weight, IMO. If you have your complete load light enough, say 35 pounds or less with all your food and water and gear, consider dumping the boots and just hiking in shoes. If you feel compelled to bring footwear for camp, get some flip flops.
3-The mp3 player shouldn't be too much trouble, it just depends on battery life and how much time you want to spend waiting for it to recharge. I'd vote for a player with a common power supply, ideally one that uses the same batteries as your headlamp [and camera, etc]
4-The down vest should work fine if you keep it dry.
5-I don't like convertible pants. For my legs in spring, summer, and fall, I'll use running shorts, light long underwear, and a pair of light windpants. The total weight is comparable to a single pair of zip-pants, but much more versatile, temp- and weather-wise.
6-Physically, I'll wager you could do 15-20 miles fairly easily if you were willing to spend the day walking. Most people can. It just depends on how you like to pass your day. Are you an early riser, or a nooner? Do you like to set up camp and chill during late afternoon, or would you eat a quick dinner and move on? Either way, you'll figure out what you like when you're out there, and have a blast doing it, I'm sure.
Have fun!
-Mark
Alligator
09-01-2005, 23:46
is my summer sleeping bag warm enough to hike in pa/va in september?
What temperature rating is the bag?
would it be worth the extra weight to carry a pair of running shoes (21oz) to use as camp shoes (and trail shoes if i get sick of the boots)? or should i just pick up some flipflops/crocs?
No. Either hike in the sneakers or the boots. Crocs are good, you can wear socks with them.
is it realistic to bring an mp3 player that doesn't take regular batteries (i.e. i would have to plug it in)?
Plug it in to charge it?
could a down vest (8.5oz) be used instead of a fleece (so i dont have to spend more money)? i figure its a more comfortable pillow too!
I think a warm shirt underneath might do it (polypro). I would have a microfleece shirt with a vest, especially later Sept. though. And a hat.
are convertible pants a good or bad idea? it seems to me that the zippers could get annoying or chafe after a while.
The zippers usually have material behind them to prevent this. I can go lighter with shorts and a microfleece pants, so I leave mine home. But other folks like them.
and most importantly. how many miles, do you think i should expect to cover per day. i know this is one of those questions that really depends on the hiker. but generally, i'm in shape (but skinny 6', 145lb), but in no hurry. since i've never done this before, im trying to get an idea of how far i can go between resupplying. i figure 10 miles per day for the 1st week, then maybe 12-15 miles per day after that would be reasonable.
This sounds very reasonable.
Hi, and welcome...
I'll give it a try. My responses are in between your bold text.
ok, so here are my main questions. they aren't simple yes or no type questions...i just need some opinions from the experienced people.
is my summer sleeping bag warm enough to hike in pa/va in september?
everyone's metabolism is different. what's the 'degree rating', if you know it? (i know some bag's ratings offhand, but not your particular one). that would help someone figure the answer out for you. there's an average temperature" guide at http://www.cloudwalkersatpage.com/index.html, i think. i couldn't get the link to open when i was looking just now, and i don't remember how to get to it exactly... seems like there was a weather tools tab. anyway, it shows the average temp, with historic highs and lows, for each section of the trial. (if i'm all messed up, will someone please help us out? i know it's on one of these AT websites)
would it be worth the extra weight to carry a pair of running shoes (21oz) to use as camp shoes (and trail shoes if i get sick of the boots)? or should i just pick up some flipflops/crocs?
i personally wear a 40 oz. pair of $70 hi-tecs i got on sale for $40. (for comparison, my running shoes are 34 oz.) i don't carry a second set of shoes, but then i don't do much more than a week or 10 days at a time, and my feet can deal with it for that short a time. that said, other than a pair of homemade flipflops made from insoles, the lightest pair i've ever seen was a pair my wife brought home from a pedicure... foam rubber, disposable, and weighed almost nothing.
is it realistic to bring an mp3 player that doesn't take regular batteries (i.e. i would have to plug it in)?
nope. maybe mail it to yourself in the towns where you are staying in a hotel/hostel, but there aren't (m)any places to recharge it.
could a down vest (8.5oz) be used instead of a fleece (so i dont have to spend more money)? i figure its a more comfortable pillow too!
that seems to be lighter than a lot of fleece jackets i've seen. good idea to have it serve a second purpose as a pillow.
are convertible pants a good or bad idea? it seems to me that the zippers could get annoying or chafe after a while.
i don't use them, but then i hike in swimming trunks. $6 at walmart. nylon, built-in liner so i don't need separate underwear, dry fast, cheap to replace if i tear 'em up. i use my rain pants over my polypro longjohns if it's that cool. (note where i'm from... seldom need pants down here. i know a green beret who don't wear pants, (just shorts) even in sub zero weather... they (his teammates) get too hot humping those huge rucksacks, and just hop into their sleeping bags when the hit a rest stop. a little extreme, but it works for them. wouldn't do that myself. but then, my pack doesn't weigh 80-125lbs... they have to carry a lot of stuff that i don't.
and most importantly. how many miles, do you think i should expect to cover per day. i know this is one of those questions that really depends on the hiker. but generally, i'm in shape (but skinny 6', 145lb), but in no hurry. since i've never done this before, im trying to get an idea of how far i can go between resupplying. i figure 10 miles per day for the 1st week, then maybe 12-15 miles per day after that would be reasonable.
not sure what to say here. the only thing that will get you into shape for walking with weight on your back is, well, walking with weight on your back. i've heard of hiker's in great cardio shape who don't have the stamina to hike all day, and injure themselves quickly when on the trail. my dad could outwork me and my brother well into his 50s. we were young, i was in the army, my brother is a cop, and we were both in great 'shape'... but i was a sprinter. dad was a plodder. and when it came time to dig a ditch or spade the garden, he could go slow and steady all day. i burned out faster. make sense?
i think a more realistic goal would be to make sure you do a lot of conditioning hikes before you hit the trail, and plan on just 5-6 miles a day until you see how you feel. then up it to 10 or so. a lot of this will also depend on your pack weight.
stonewall jackson's "foot cavalry" and WW1 & WW2 german infantry travelled 'light' (for soldiers) and accomplished feats of 40+ miles per day for weeks at a time. the roman army under marius did away with large baggage trains and expected each soldier to carry about 100# of equipment (and remember, they weren't the largest men in the world either), but only about 15 miles a day. point is, pack weight controls everything. the less you carry, the farther you can go on the same energy. the more you carry, the slower you go. somewhere in between, as with most things, is "The Truth". lighter is not always better, IMO, but if given the option, i usually try the lighter option.
hope that helps.
any help would be appreciated or you can just tell me to buzz off. either way, thanks for reading! :D
ok. did some research.... still haven't found the site i'm looking for, but this one had some info on temperatures.
http://www.trailplace.com/portal/display.php?page=weather_index
i know the aether pack is nice, but im regretting the purchase a little since it weighs almost 5 lbs by itself....oh well. i was young and impressionable a month ago. :)
Where did you buy the gear? Did you buy it all at one place? You may be able to trade the pack and bag if they are unused.
Where did you buy the gear? Did you buy it all at one place? You may be able to trade the pack and bag if they are unused.
yeh, i bought all the gear in one place. but unfortunately, that place was in ann arbor, mi and im currently in pa.
plus ive done a couple day hikes with the gear, so its not quite new. but im sure i could sell some it on ebay or craiglist if i needed to change.
I'll offer my ideas, I'm sure you'll get more. I'll add the caveat that I tend to carry less weight and walk more miles than most, but from my perspective:
1-I'd get a warmer sleeping bag. My move would be to get a simpler, lighter sleeping pad [like a RidgeRest, or other pad less than 10oz], and a simpler, lighter backpack [like a Granite Gear or ULA pack]. You can reinvest the money and the weight into a warmer sleeping bag [which is probably the best area to invest in high quality].
In fact, I think you could save quite a bit of money and weight with a few changes, with negligible loss of comfort. The Hubba could swap for a Tarptent or a Six Moon Designs [save $25-50, 1.5lbs]. The cookset and stove could be swapped for an alcohol stove and a small 1L aluminum or titanium pot [save about $100 and maybe 2lbs!]. Swap filter for chemical treatment [save $50-60, 10oz or so].
Be sure to do a lot of research first. I'd highly recommend using the SEARCH button in the dark green field at the top of this page. Tons of info here.
2-The shoes will not be worth the extra weight, IMO. If you have your complete load light enough, say 35 pounds or less with all your food and water and gear, consider dumping the boots and just hiking in shoes. If you feel compelled to bring footwear for camp, get some flip flops.
3-The mp3 player shouldn't be too much trouble, it just depends on battery life and how much time you want to spend waiting for it to recharge. I'd vote for a player with a common power supply, ideally one that uses the same batteries as your headlamp [and camera, etc]
4-The down vest should work fine if you keep it dry.
5-I don't like convertible pants. For my legs in spring, summer, and fall, I'll use running shorts, light long underwear, and a pair of light windpants. The total weight is comparable to a single pair of zip-pants, but much more versatile, temp- and weather-wise.
6-Physically, I'll wager you could do 15-20 miles fairly easily if you were willing to spend the day walking. Most people can. It just depends on how you like to pass your day. Are you an early riser, or a nooner? Do you like to set up camp and chill during late afternoon, or would you eat a quick dinner and move on? Either way, you'll figure out what you like when you're out there, and have a blast doing it, I'm sure.
Have fun!
-Mark
thanks for the advice. yeah, im kicking myself for buying the gear i did. and i would consider changing it, but it im leaving so soon, i dont really think i have time. the weight does worry me a bit, since im not the biggest person and i have a little issue with my leg. but i did hike about 8 miles with the pack over the very rocky section of the trail near bake oven knob (in PA) and did ok. but i wont lie, the pack was heavy, and i was only carrying two days worth of food (and 2L of water). so i dunno...
soulrebel
09-02-2005, 11:19
is my summer sleeping bag warm enough to hike in pa/va in september?
a 45deg bag/liner doesn't seem like it's enough unless you're really hot natured-- I predict you'll be wearing all the clothing you have w/ a knit cap by morning's. So if that's the case--make sure you have a good layering system.
would it be worth the extra weight to carry a pair of running shoes (21oz) to use as camp shoes (and trail shoes if i get sick of the boots)? or should i just pick up some flipflops/crocs?
Wear tennis/running shoes if your feet and ankles allow it, if not-i'd still try to strengthen the lower leg/foot before the trip, so I could forego the boots. With that said, camp shoes for me are a worthwhile luxury--
I have nothinz/crocs b/c they can double as comfort hikers if my feet get tore up and my feet sweat A LOT --so I like the toe box that keeps me from slipping on downhills when I wear toe thong flip flops. However, these things weigh 12oz versus 4 oz for some walmart flips---that sucks!!! Think I might drill out some foam. OH ya it's a lil more comfortable wearing socks when the bugs are out versus flips.. but once again they're heavy...
is it realistic to bring an mp3 player that doesn't take regular batteries (i.e. i would have to plug it in)?
thoroughly investigated this cuz i'm a gadget geek and the answer is NO! If it can't run 4-12 hours on a replaceable AA battery--then you don't want it. Rio Cali and others go for about $80 and if something happens you won't cry like it's an ipod--besides it's solid-state (no moving parts) and that's better for anybody active.
could a down vest (8.5oz) be used instead of a fleece (so i dont have to spend more money)? i figure its a more comfortable pillow too!
Yes, I took my micropuff vest this weekend aka pillow and ended up wearing it in the morning.
However, it is a layer system--don't take more than you can wear at once. add a -long sleeve wool/polypro shirt, short sleeve wool/polypro shirt, nylon shorts, uncoated nylon windpants, uncoated nylon windjacket, wool/polypro longjohn-bottoms, wool/poly gloves, knitcap, and a waterproof top layer (jacket, trashbag, $3 poncho). If you're wearing all that and you're down vest-you're sleeping bag might be adequate-best check into an overnight meat locker to find out... :)
are convertible pants a good or bad idea? it seems to me that the zippers could get annoying or chafe after a while.
IMHO there are better options--Great item for luxury camping but for the weight, approx 10-14oz, you can have 2 pairs of shorts and a pair of breathable windpants. My windpants Large 3.3oz and shorts L 4.4oz are more versatile than my single pair of convertible cargo pants and come in at half the weight.
and most importantly. how many miles, do you think i should expect to cover per day. i know this is one of those questions that really depends on the hiker. but generally, i'm in shape (but skinny 6', 145lb), but in no hurry. since i've never done this before, im trying to get an idea of how far i can go between resupplying. i figure 10 miles per day for the 1st week, then maybe 12-15 miles per day after that would be reasonable.
For GA mtns I'd say 2 mph is a steady clip with a couple of 5minute breaks. 2.5mph is doable but only if you hike in the mornings/evenings. I'd figure on walking maybe 5-6hours a day at first, then later possibly hiking 8-10 hours. This is with a 20-30lb packload. One can certainly hike a 3mph or even a 4mph pace but the ground would need to be relatively flat, minimal breaks, and/or sub 20lb load.
Hope you're leg gets better or more bionic perhaps..
GL
Hey,
is my summer sleeping bag warm enough to hike in pa/va in september?
Probably not, unless you have a lot of extra clothing to wear at night. Maybe buy yourself a fleece liner to supliment the bag, as well as a silk liner.
would it be worth the extra weight to carry a pair of running shoes (21oz) to use as camp shoes (and trail shoes if i get sick of the boots)? or should i just pick up some flipflops/crocs?
Not really, I don't think. Just get a light pair of sandles.
is it realistic to bring an mp3 player that doesn't take regular batteries (i.e. i would have to plug it in)?
No. It'll annoy the pants off of you. There aren't many places to recharge easily.
could a down vest (8.5oz) be used instead of a fleece (so i dont have to spend more money)? i figure its a more comfortable pillow too!
That will certainly be a good item to have. It'll probably do OK for september.
are convertible pants a good or bad idea? it seems to me that the zippers could get annoying or chafe after a while.
Good idea. They don't chafe... at least the Ex Officio that I have don't .
[b]and most importantly. how many miles, do you think i should expect to cover per day. i know this is one of those questions that really depends on the hiker. but generally, i'm in shape (but skinny 6', 145lb), but in no hurry. since i've never done this before, im trying to get an idea of how far i can go between resupplying. i figure 10 miles per day for the 1st week, then maybe 12-15 miles per day after that would be reasonable.
Sounds about right. You'll probably get a number of 20's in there as well.
Have fun!
the goat
09-02-2005, 12:43
convertables are money, no chafing on me from them. rather, look for your serious chafing issues to occur in the upper-thigh/ taint area rather than lower thigh. take some a+d diaper ointment or vaseline if you'll want some chafe-easing. have fun dude!
ok. did some research.... still haven't found the site i'm looking for, but this one had some info on temperatures.
http://www.trailplace.com/portal/display.php?page=weather_index
ok. found it... even had it flagged as a favorite and forgot where i put it.
http://www.thru-hiker.com/temporal.asp
hope it helps.
squirrel bait
09-02-2005, 14:59
Have fun going southbound over Dragons Tooth. If that is your last day/night you should be able to cut your wieght down so that the climb is let's say less strenous. Have fun and let us know how the trip went.
Pants:
I just got a pair of Ex-Oficio Amphi pants. These are awesome...very lightweight and fast drying. They come with built in "underwear". I wore them for a 5 mile yesterday and did not have my usual problem of chafing in my more "unmentionable" areas.
Shoes:
I wear Hi-techs that I got on sale. It's a personal choice, I've never had a blister with these boots so i put up with the extra weight. Some flip flops would be welcome for camp, though.
BackPack:
I use a Gregory Acadia which also weighs 4 or 5 lbs empty. I willingly chose this pack because it fits me more comfortably than any other pack I tried, and I tried every one on the market.
Tent:
I use a Texsport 2 man that weighs under 1.5 lbs. and cost under 30 dollars. It has survived cold, heat, and most recently a rain-storm. It does require some seam-sealing though.
Daily Distance:
Don't over-do it. You may feel funny pulling in to a shelter a little earlier in the day but you'll be FAR happier if take it easy at first. THere's nothing worse than hiking your assets off one day and being so sore and beat down that you dread the next day of hiking. Stop and smell the hiker stink...err...the flowers.
ok. found it... even had it flagged as a favorite and forgot where i put it.
http://www.thru-hiker.com/temporal.asp
hope it helps.
thanks for the info Seeker. i decided to bite the bullet and get a warmer bag. who needs money, right?!? :D
thanks for the info Seeker. i decided to bite the bullet and get a warmer bag. who needs money, right?!? :D
money was invented for us to use... actually, just my opinion here, but i've always bought the best gear i could afford, even if it meant waiting to save it up... took me a whole year to find the extra money for a WM bag, but it's a quality item that will last me a long time... so don't feel bad... if backpacking is your sole "vice", as it is with so many of us, spend away... you won't regret it on the trail...