Newbie gear mistakes

[squeezebox]

Ive been surfing here for a while but have yet to step on the AT. So when I started I felt a big need to gear up so that I would be a real hiker, (resist the urge), Of course the 1st thing one needs is a sleeping bag. I bought Kelty Cosmic 5 * and 40* , way heavy. 4 lb & 2 lb.
$ 150 each or so.
So now I'm looking at Zpack , (or others at your suggestion), 10* & 40* 1 2/3 lb & 1 lb.way different in wt. but $500- $600 each
I'm an old guy so I can handle the cost if need be.
Traded my canister stove in for a better one.
Darn tough socks rather than army surplus. etc. etc
Interesting a while back I asked if I should bring my whole packlist , The main answer was bring it all and send it home when you see you really don't need it.
So what did you learn when you started??
Hoping you save me some postage!
Should I drill some big holes in the machette or leave it at home ??? (just kidding)

[kayak karl]

sent home clothing, stuff sacks, extra what-if stuff, half my camp kitchen; pretty much everything that i was told i didn't need....,but i knew better :)

[MarkCevoli]

Now I won't be able to gear up super expensive, does anyone else hike army navy store style and splurge on a few items?

[kayak karl]

goodwill, salvation army, thrift , etc.

[johnnybgood]

does anyone else hike army navy store style and splurge on a few items ?


This is exactly what I do. Having resisted buying items on a whim has saved me money and possibly " buyers remorse " later.
I target one major purchase item at a time., and the rest I look for bargains at Goodwill type outlets.

* disclamer * I'm just a section hiker, probably for life ,with other more important obligations to meet.
Hiking purchases are well thought out in advance after researching first the need , then the options of gear in question.

[garlic08]

You're right on about the sleeping bag--don't skimp on that. That's a mistake I made and it sounds like you'll avoid that. Watch for sales on Marmot Helium bags--sometimes they're available for well under $300 and that's an excellent bag for that price. I found mine on Steepandcheap.com for under $250.

Keep an open mind to "unconventional" ideas. Like going stoveless. Or using a tarp or single-wall tent. Or wearing trail runners or using poles, now common but very rare when I started backpacking 30 years ago.

[Old Hiker]

http://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Cosmic-20-Degree-Sleeping-6-Feet/dp/B009PRNUM4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409414661&sr=8-1&keywords=marmot+cloudbreak

Cloudbreak was too cold for me.

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Marmot-Trestles-Synthetic-Sleeping-Long-Left/dp/B0058TXZIW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=marmot+trestle+sleeping+bag

Even at 30* and synthetic, it seemed warmer than the Trestle. Have a long: 3 pounds, 7 oz. It's been down to 22* (?) or so and I was warm with a t-shirt and shorts, plus hat of course.

[OCDave]

Ive been surfing here for a while but have yet to step on the AT.

squeezebox,

While this site is "A Community of Appalachian Train Enthusiasts", the info and knowledge found here would apply to the closest trail to your front door and vice versa. Get yourself and your gear on any trail enough and you will know what works and what doesn't before attempting the AT. You don't need to be a "Newbie" when you take your first steps on the AT.

Disclaimer: I have not hiked the AT, nor have I an imminent plan to hike the AT; I don't have that kind of time to commit. However, I do hike several multi day trips close to home. While I have learned much online, here and elsewhere, it is nothing compared to what I have learned on the trail.

Good Luck and good hiking

[MuddyWaters]

Now I won't be able to gear up super expensive, does anyone else hike army navy store style and splurge on a few items?
You don't need to spend a lot of money. You do need to buy serviceable items that will do the job. I don't think there is much useful from an army navy store. Most would be wasted money. Used gear is a great way to go. There are inexpensive serviceable items as well. There have been threads about outfitting for minimal $.

[Dogwood]

Pertaining to gear, new backpackers tend to take heavier, bulkier, and more stuff than possibly absolutely required. Whether that's a mistake is based on individual situations and requires a judgement call I'm not in the best place to make. Gear mistakes are definitely not strictly limited to new backpackers either. I don't consider myself a new backpacker but I make gear mistakes regularly but hopefully not as many as I did when I first started backpacking long distances.

Even though I backpack with an IMHO advanced UL style owning several Zpacks pieces and believe Zpacks pieces can be suitable to a wider range of backpacking styles than just those with a complete/advanced UL/SUL kit I will caution that Zpacks gear is IMHO designed based on a somewhat extreme UL/even SUL hiking philosophy. Since Zpacks has some of the most extreme lightest wt gear available it receives much ink but I sincerely believe that more than a few mentioning and considering Zpacks gear purchases aren't fully aware of what that entails in practice.

I evolved into my current advanced UL kit through incremental stages and I'm still evolving. From what I've seen, IMO the vast majority of UL/SUL backpackers have also taken this path to reaching where they now are often as they acquired greater trail experience, increased skill set, and increased knowledge base involving much more than gear. Here's where I will make a judgement call; I believe that path making incremental changes to hiking style and kit best serve the most number of backpackers. I can't tell you what's currently right for your kit and backpacking but do carefully soberly consider where you currently are and what you are ready for not allowing yourself and backpacking to narrowly be stigmatized by gear wt obsessed enthusiasts.

[Broken Butterfly]

I need advice related to what type of container to carry your food. Please help.

[kayak karl]

I need advice related to what type of container to carry your food. Please help.
here's a start http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?105736-Advice-needed-on-stuff-sacks&highlight=food+bag

[q-tip]

I have a number of gear lists (u/l, summer Lt. Wt and 3-season) with weights and costs. Total weights for kits between 11.5 and 15 lbs. If interested send me a PM with your email address and I will forward.

[DatFLhiker]

Pertaining to gear, new backpackers tend to take heavier, bulkier, and more stuff than possibly absolutely required. Whether that's a mistake is based on individual situations and requires a judgement call I'm not in the best place to make. Gear mistakes are definitely not strictly limited to new backpackers either. I don't consider myself a new backpacker but I make gear mistakes regularly but hopefully not as many as I did when I first started backpacking long distances.

Even though I backpack with an IMHO advanced UL style owning several Zpacks pieces and believe Zpacks pieces can be suitable to a wider range of backpacking styles than just those with a complete/advanced UL/SUL kit I will caution that Zpacks gear is IMHO designed based on a somewhat extreme UL/even SUL hiking philosophy. Since Zpacks has some of the most extreme lightest wt gear available it receives much ink but I sincerely believe that more than a few mentioning and considering Zpacks gear purchases aren't fully aware of what that entails in practice.

I evolved into my current advanced UL kit through incremental stages and I'm still evolving. From what I've seen, IMO the vast majority of UL/SUL backpackers have also taken this path to reaching where they now are often as they acquired greater trail experience, increased skill set, and increased knowledge base involving much more than gear. Here's where I will make a judgement call; I believe that path making incremental changes to hiking style and kit best serve the most number of backpackers. I can't tell you what's currently right for your kit and backpacking but do carefully soberly consider where you currently are and what you are ready for not allowing yourself and backpacking to narrowly be stigmatized by gear wt obsessed enthusiasts.

so true.. ive learned alot from my recent section hike and there was alot of equip. i didnt use or could have bought of better quality to suit my needs and lower pack weight. was having alot of hip pain

[Broken Butterfly]

Thank you good site to read.

[Rolex]

Ive been surfing here for a while but have yet to step on the AT. So when I started I felt a big need to gear up so that I would be a real hiker, (resist the urge), Of course the 1st thing one needs is a sleeping bag. I bought Kelty Cosmic 5 * and 40* , way heavy. 4 lb & 2 lb.
$ 150 each or so.
I bought a 0degree mountain hardware on sale for 109 bucks. Then turned right around and got a super small Marmot always summer 45 degree bag that with a liner has kept me good so far to 40 degrees temp. I'm on a neoair xlite pad and sleeping only in shorts so far.

So now I'm looking at Zpack , (or others at your suggestion), 10* & 40* 1 2/3 lb & 1 lb.way different in wt. but $500- $600 each
I bought the Alps commander external frame pack and then promptly replaced it with a ULA catalyst for 250 bucks after seeing one on the PCT this year. Can't say enough good about this pack.

I'm an old guy so I can handle the cost if need be.
Me too but hate wasting it also.

Traded my canister stove in for a better one.
I haven't given up my Trangia alcohol stove yet but have eyed the the whisperjets and dragonflys over and over. I got a few good years out of my first homemade cat food can "Pepsi can" stove.

Darn tough socks rather than army surplus. etc. etc
Yes on the Darn toughs. I got my first two pair. I work construction in steel toe boots climbing and they have been nice. And the lifetime guarantee is awesome.

Interesting a while back I asked if I should bring my whole packlist , The main answer was bring it all and send it home when you see you really don't need it.
I think now with a different perspective. I go with the adage that a hiker should not carry but around 25% of their body weight. For me at 170 lbs I figure 45 lbs MAX starting out.
ULA Catalyst Pack = 3 lbs
I carry minimum 2 liters water. thats 4.5 lbs.
Food = 2 lbs per day counting condiments,coffee, tea sugar and fuel to cook and warm it. 5 days=10 lbs.
Tent is heavy but midstream what most people have at 5 lbs. I too can afford the others but afraid of tearing up the delicate floors.
Sleeping bag is the next heavy item in mine. Don't remember exactly the specs say 3.5 lbs roughly on the winter one.

Added all that up and I'm at 26 lbs. Cooking system and all the other stuff now HAS to fit under the 19 lb remaining.

So I start picking and choosing. Do I really need a 2nd headlamp as back up? Kindle & Iphone both necessary? pot kit AND snow peak mug really need both? Extra batteries necessary or just put fresh ones in and resupply down the road. Duct tape can replace bandage tape in first aid kit? That kinda stuff.

I carry a notebook and everytime I'm on the trail/camp and miss or wish for something I write that down. When Packing for a new trip, I look back through that "I wished I had" page listing everything I have missed to date and adjust accordingly. I try to see if there's something that never got used that can get the boot also. Except the first aid kit of course.

So what did you learn when you started??
The eye opener for me was getting a little kitchen scale at Walmarts and actually weighing and writing down "everything"'s weight that I wanted to stuff in the pack. Mine came up to 58 lbs on the first trip after I checked it all later.

Hoping you save me some postage!
Should I drill some big holes in the machette or leave it at home ??? (just kidding)
Cut the handle off like on a toothbrush (I haven't went that far yet) or the spoon handle (I did do that but only to make it fit in my pot kit.) <laughing>
My two cents,
RoleX

[LittleRock]

Couple items I swear by:

1) Hiking poles: Ended up hiking 12 painful miles w/ a knee injury on the last day of my first section hike. Been using poles since then and never had any more knee problems, and they have saved me from falling many times. Recommend spending the extra $$$ on Black Diamond poles over Leki... the grips don't rub when you sweat.

2) Footwear: I used to wear boots, tried several different sock/in-sole combinations with them but they always hurt my feet and gave me blisters. So I switched to running shoes and lightweight synthetic blend socks, and my feet have been comfortable ever since. Current preference is New Balance all-terrain shoes, which have the weight of running shoes with the grip of hiking boots, and Wigwam synthetic blend socks.