View Full Version : Mailing home gear at Neels gap
I always read in journals of people mailing home gear at neels gap. I am starting to plan a through hike (early March departure) and would like to know what gear people have found unnecessary by the time you reached Mountain Crossings.
Cheers!
John
Slo-go'en
03-20-2014, 12:45
A machette.
Seriously, all kind of little odds and ends one thinks would be good to have but aren't or totally inapproperate gear. It's amazing what some people start out carrying. You say early March start, which is long gone so we can assume this is next year? Read all the suggested gear lists and do some practice hikes before hand so you can learn what you really need. It's typically the inexperianced, first time hikers who send the most junk home at Neels. If your already an old pro at hiking, then this does not apply to you.
If you start early to Mid March do not send any thing home until Pearisburg VA cause cold weather has a way to creep up on you, you think it's spring but it really is just late winter, unless it's just stupid to carry like a Crossbow or Lawn Chair, But do keep you Cold weather gear until Pearisburg VA, but to skip sending stuff home start the trail in April then that way you can start with a Summer set up then you want have to send anything home. Good Luck and Happy Hiking. RED-DOG:dance
flemdawg1
03-20-2014, 13:30
All the "backup" and "spare: items. No you don't need 6 pairs of undies.
Or 7 pairs of socks.
Or a backup roll of TP.
Or an extra flashlight.
Or stove.
Or pot.
Or a big 1st aid kit.
Or an extra knife.
Or more than one extra piece of any clothing item (shirts, pants, etc).
mountain squid
03-20-2014, 14:01
Check out my 'observations from fs42 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail)&highlight=)' thread for some observations of this over the last several years.
A couple of things to consider:
ounces add up to pounds
on a long distance hike - you hike - all day, every day ** 'camp' comfort items just add weight to your pack
See you on the trail,
mt squid
how to hike (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?73587-how-to-hike)
Blissful
03-20-2014, 14:18
Many times hikers are carting things that are too heavy - heavy tents, parkas, the wrong sleeping bag. Or things that are not working out (for me, I had to buy new pants as my other ones were not working out). Hopefully hikers have budgeted for gear changes they find they must make
WingedMonkey
03-20-2014, 14:21
would like to know what gear people have found unnecessary by the time you reached Mountain Crossings.
Cheers!
John
Never sent any gear home from Mt Crossings.
Never bought any gear from Mt Crossings.
I actually bought a pair of Waldies from MC on my hike last gear...... only b/c my boots were filled with water from the huge storm the night before and I didnt have camp shoes.
Camp shoes are super nice to have after wearing boots all day.
Prime Time
03-20-2014, 17:00
Best I heard was a 16oz hammer for driving tent stakes and an electric coffee brewer (for when in towns). They really should inspect everyone's pack at Amicalola and stop these people before they hurt themselves!
Hill Ape
03-20-2014, 17:05
i've seen an e-tool in the box, circa 70s style, duck cloth case and everything. makes one wonder what they thought they were going to bury
Prime Time
03-20-2014, 17:54
If you start early to Mid March do not send any thing home until Pearisburg VA cause cold weather has a way to creep up on you, you think it's spring but it really is just late winter, unless it's just stupid to carry like a Crossbow or Lawn Chair, But do keep you Cold weather gear until Pearisburg VA, but to skip sending stuff home start the trail in April then that way you can start with a Summer set up then you want have to send anything home. Good Luck and Happy Hiking. RED-DOG:danceSo True! I sent home my gloves, knit cap, and warm mid layer from Damascus in early May, after it topped 80 degrees for a couple days. Two days later I got stuck on White Top Mountain just out of town in cold rain driven by 70 mph winds, and 38 degrees and had to bail off the mountain. The next day I ran into wind driven snow and hail on Pine Mt. and froze my butt off. My hands and ears were numb the entire time. Wait until Pearisburg and after mid May to send homw winter gear!
Mailed home from Suches: large stainless pot, jeans, belt, spare sunglasses, exposed film (!!!), A.T. Data book, Audubon book on Trees, some plastic bags. Left a some (food) goodies at Gooch Gap shelter, that might have been uncool of me. There was more unloading down the line...
Pendragon
03-20-2014, 23:41
No matter WHAT the shakedown guy says, do NOT send home your bug head net, because there may not be Mosquitos, but there WILL be gnats!
daddytwosticks
03-21-2014, 07:13
No matter WHAT the shakedown guy says, do NOT send home your bug head net, because there may not be Mosquitos, but there WILL be gnats!
Winner! Same is true about people telling you that sunscreen is not needed. At this time of year there is no leaf cover and if you are prone to sunburn like me, take the sunscreen until leaf out. :)
Winner! Same is true about people telling you that sunscreen is not needed. At this time of year there is no leaf cover and if you are prone to sunburn like me, take the sunscreen until leaf out. :)
Ugh.... I left my sunscreen, somehow, at Neels Gap...... that was a painful few days in April till Hiawasse.
I would not rule out the lawn chair. Met one hiker who carried a foldable back rest thingy for sitting up in the shelters. Looked pretty comfortable. A crossbow? Not so much.
dandelionwine
03-23-2014, 13:25
I sent home stuff sacks and wind proof matches and water bottles like Klean kanteen -- too heavy use empty Gatorade bottles!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
irishlover
03-23-2014, 21:04
Mountain Crossings is over rated!!! They prey on the hikers that come to them for help.
Mountain Crossings is over rated!!! They prey on the hikers that come to them for help.
They provide a service to hikers that chose not to do the proper homework and test their gear properly prior to leaving. No preying involved.
There will be some kind of bug trying to get into one of your bodily openings!!! Haha!!!
No matter WHAT the shakedown guy says, do NOT send home your bug head net, because there may not be Mosquitos, but there WILL be gnats!
SunnyWalker
03-23-2014, 21:48
MC is great. I loved it there and I did not send anything home. They went through my pack and told me "good" so it was good. I did buy a pair of hiking shoes though. I still use the same exact brand all these years later. I was not on a thru hike but section hike. I start my thru hike of CDT this June 2014. I did hang off the rock wall on the porch and kind of stood on a wobbly shack thing they had about 4-5 feet below the surface of the wall. I hung on like I was falling and it was a great gag photo opp. Good memories.
Jack Tarlin
03-24-2014, 09:07
I object very strongly to Irishlover's comment above, and I challenge him to corroborate it with factual evidence. His claim is an ugly one, and without corroboration, it should be removed.
While I agree with Jacks first statement, people are allowed to express invalid opinions. Seems like the chorus of positive replies negates teh bad damage and actually helps. A tribute to a good business. :)
I have personally always found Mtn. Crossings to be a great place with a staff of very knowledgeable individuals ready to help. My wife and I visited there years ago when we first started backpacking. They helped fit us with packs and shared a lot of long distance hiking tips. We have subsequently made many trips to Mtn. Crossings for gear and info. and always come away pleased. They provide different levels of service for different people and skill/ knowledge levels. If you don't like their services then don't use their facilities. But I already have my next visit there planned next week for an adjustment to my wife's pack. Thanks to the owners and staff of Mtn. Crossings!
Hill Ape
03-24-2014, 11:25
irish must not have gotten any love, not even a hug, the brogue failed him causing cognitive dissonance. but i'm a thru hiker hero, with an accent, WHAT?! :bse
Jack Tarlin
03-25-2014, 09:22
I appreciate Mag's comment above, but I truly believe that when someone goes out of their way to slag a business, hostel, or other Trail facility, especially under the cloak of anonymity, they should back up with what they're saying. To baldly state that a business is a rip-off, or that it "preys" on hikers, well these are strong words, and if the remarks can't be backed up, perhaps it is best that they simply not be made at all.
They provide a service to hikers that chose not to do the proper homework and test their gear properly prior to leaving. No preying involved.
I agree with this statement. However it is up to the hiker if they choose to listen to there advice or not.
mountain squid
03-25-2014, 10:21
I would not rule out the lawn chair.Why carry any type of chair for 10-12 hrs a day and maybe get one hour of usage out of it?!? Sit on a rock, log, picnic table, shelter floor or even just sit on the ground.:eek: It doesn't make sense to me . . . .
Here's another thread on the Neels Gap (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?20301-what-happened-at-neels-gap&highlight=) question. I think it would be beneficial if future hikers would take a pre-trip to Mountain Crossings. Maybe the year before (hint to all you 2015ers) your hike when the current hikers are going through. You'll have done very good Homework as Malto suggested.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
(http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?100363-2014-Norovirus-Awareness)some observations (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?14493-observations-from-fs42-(advice-for-first-week-on-trail)&highlight=)
Tennessee Viking
03-25-2014, 11:42
The Nat Geo Channel had a special on about the AT. And a segment was all about Neels Gap mail outs.
Books
Extra tents
Extra gear
Extra food
bigcranky
03-25-2014, 12:02
I like Mountain Crossings. They are one of the few outfitters in the country dedicated to long distance hiking. Many hikers show up at Springer with, shall we say, suboptimal gear, and those hikers have an opportunity to fix any issues only 30 miles up the trail. Just enough time to figure out what isn't working. Any hiker who doesn't want help or doesn't need any food or gear doesn't have to walk in the door.
I would object to anyone who claims that MC "preys" on hikers. Unless you want to make that claim about any business near the trail, from restaurants to convenience stores to bars or even hostels, all of which offer goods and services to hikers that the hikers gladly consume.
Harumph. :)
Here's another thread on the Neels Gap (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?20301-what-happened-at-neels-gap&highlight=) question. I think it would be beneficial if future hikers would take a pre-trip to Mountain Crossings. Maybe the year before (hint to all you 2015ers) your hike when the current hikers are going through. You'll have done very good Homework as Malto suggested.
I think a much more practical solution for most hikers would be the take the gear you've got, and head out on the trail (ANY trail with some decent hills on it) and just feel comfortable that it all works and does what you want it to. Learn how it works, or doesn't. Deal with any shortcomings -- before you head out for your once-in-a-lifetime, six month hike.
What I mean is: enough with the shopping and spread-sheeting and basement tinkering. What matters is, do you know if your stuff works, as a package, on the trail? The only way to know is to try it.
bamboo bob
03-25-2014, 13:04
A machette.
One year. I think 2000 the Hiker Box at Neels Gap had a Machette, Condoms, and a Flare Gun. But no flares, we wondered where the guy shot them and if he got rescued.
bamboo bob
03-25-2014, 13:12
Mountain Crossings is over rated!!! They prey on the hikers that come to them for help.
That is so unfair to say. You think they should say nothing and just let them suffer? Don't replace that metal canteen or coleman stove ? No one forces people to buy stuff. I never needed to buy a thing but I was happy to eat some of their food. And they were very friendly whether you buy something or not. I was surprised they don't sell liner socks. I would have bought a pair!
fastfoxengineering
03-25-2014, 13:15
Mtn Crossing's is a great resource for anyone who did not do their hmwk. Believe it or not, more people than you think start an AT thru hike without actually treating it like a thru, more so, they treat it like an extended backpacking trip. They go to EMS/REI or any retail outfitter, and the salesperson sells them heavy, inappropriate gear they don't need. Sure that full mess kit sounded great in the store, but you don't need it and will not use it. That 4.5lb 70L pack is also inappropriate. And yes, you'll see funny stuff sent home. Cross brows, chairs, radios, and things to that nature.
Less is WAY more on the AT. Some peeps just dive into it head first without spending hundreds of hours researching it through the internet and books. All the power to them. Now that's a sense of adventure, not knowing what your getting into. But it sucks when they do realize it is best for them to exchange most of their gear at MC early in their hike, spending a lot of money.
But either way, prepared or unprepared, anyone who makes it to Khatadin, is a very knowledgeable, very experienced, lightweight thru-hiker.
bamboo bob
03-25-2014, 13:17
They provide a service to hikers that chose not to do the proper homework and test their gear properly prior to leaving. No preying involved.
Some people are so uneducated about backpacking they simply don't know enough to do any research. " It's "camping" right. What's to know? I went camping in the Whites with my grandpa out of his old Mercury station wagon. Hey, I bet I can use that same gear, its in the barn. This will save me a lot of money down at Dicks. Off a go!"
Prime Time
03-25-2014, 19:18
I found Mountain Crossing and the NOC to be the two best outfitters on the trail. Professional, helpful staff that were willing to go above and beyond to help you. They are in a unique spot to do what they do at MC, and I think they do it very well. Some folks just see any place that's doing business as preying on people. A strange way to view the real world if you ask me.
Some people are so uneducated about backpacking they simply don't know enough to do any research. " It's "camping" right. What's to know? I went camping in the Whites with my grandpa out of his old Mercury station wagon. Hey, I bet I can use that same gear, its in the barn. This will save me a lot of money down at Dicks. Off a go!"
Amazing thing is, some of those fools will get to Katahdin. And other experienced, well-prepared hikers will not. Go figure!
Prime Time
03-25-2014, 19:34
Amazing thing is, some of those fools will get to Katahdin. And other experienced, well-prepared hikers will not. Go figure!
Yeah, at the end of the day it's a lot more about the hiker's will than about his gear. My hiking buddy did his thru last year with 15 plus year old LL Bean everything. His pack must've weighed 45 - 50 pounds most of the time. He was an animal and probably could have kept hiking north to the Arctic Circle.
Yeah, at the end of the day it's a lot more about the hiker's will than about his gear. My hiking buddy did his thru last year with 15 plus year old LL Bean everything. His pack must've weighed 45 - 50 pounds most of the time. He was an animal and probably could have kept hiking north to the Arctic Circle.
This was basically how it was done 'till maybe 15, 10 years ago. We (well, some of us) just didn't know any better.
Hill Ape
03-25-2014, 22:48
somebody needs to get alex jones involved here, i for one would LOVE to hear his analysis of Mountain Crossings
The current year record for shipping box weight without purchase of major new gear (No pack, sleeping bag etc. to swap or replace) just stuff out of 2 packs. Ship weight 32lbs. A very nice couple from Luxemburg, still humping 40+ each. There might have been heavier, but not that I saw.
Prime Time
03-25-2014, 22:57
This was basically how it was done 'till maybe 15, 10 years ago. We (well, some of us) just didn't know any better.
You're right. 15 years ago if I didn't have over 40 pounds in my pack I added something so that I did. I thought of it as load balance or ballest or something.
I just went through there about a week ago and the staff was very helpful and courteous. I mailed back about five pounds of stuff. Mostly spares and extra clothes that I would maybe need later, but as they so eloquently put it, why carry your summer stuff in the spring. Also down sized some stuff from the larger size to a more backpacker friendly size. Gear prices were full retail, but that's to be expected. Food prices were reasonable and they accept drop boxes, so by the time you buy your food, mail it and get it, it's cheaper to just buy it on the trail.
Hill Ape
04-15-2014, 20:44
i've lived near blood mountain my entire life. the thing that i've never understood about thru hikers and neels gap, its only 3-4 days into a huge hike thats been in the planning stages for sometimes years. seems like piss poor planning and not enough real life shakedown hikes to me. a hiker should know what they need for week, first time out. the store, through all its owners, has always provided a service. and yeah, it is a huge money maker. more from the driver tourists than preying on hikers though, i don't but that angle at all. but the box, and the gear shakedown, and bragging about how much weight you sent home, all just feels like part of the script these days.
Slo-go'en
04-15-2014, 21:09
i've lived near blood mountain my entire life. the thing that i've never understood about thru hikers and neels gap, its only 3-4 days into a huge hike thats been in the planning stages for sometimes years. seems like piss poor planning and not enough real life shakedown hikes to me.
Piss poor planning and no shake down hike is unfortunetly fairly common. The number of people who decide to go on a 2200 mile hike with little or no prior experiance is pretty amazing.
I used to live in North GA and would swing by Mountain Crossings whenever I happened to pass by on my way somewhere. I can't say that I ever felt "prayed on" or taken advantage of in any way. They were always willing to chat for a few in the off season when things were slow and everyone that I ever spoke with who worked there was knowledgeable.
I guess I'm guilty of piss poor planning. I've hiked close to 6,000 miles on the AT (including one thru). On a recent section hike, I mailed several duplicate items home that I found in my pack, plus my Kindle which I wasn't using. They didn't amount to much, but still didn't need them. I thought that the fee to mail was reasonable. I have no complaints about Mountain Crossing and feel they offer a valuable service to hikers.
Altarboy
04-29-2014, 08:52
I sent back a pair of crocks and maybe five pounds of food that I had sent in my drop-box. I couldn't eat as much as I expected-my appetite had dropped to almost nothing for some odd reason.