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wdanner
09-24-2014, 20:34
I'm planning my gear list and second guessing my clothing choices with cold weather in mind. I want to travel light and I hike "warm" to begin with. In the summer months I hike in a sleeveless shirt or none at all. At 32 degrees and no wind I can be comfortable in a T-shirt. The list below is what I was planning to have in the pack. On my body would be underwear, shorts, socks, and that T-shirt. I'm figuring a typical NOBO in late March or early April. I'm wondering if only a short sleeve shirt and an insulated vest would be a mistake, though I'd probably sweat like a pig in an insulated jacket. I've read I can add the rain jacket to trap additional heat. I've considered making insulated sleeves that would attach to the vest with velcro just in case.

Thought it was worth asking other "hot blooded" folks on WB who have long distance hiking experience. I know I can't plan for everything but I just wanted to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=20394

Slo-go'en
09-24-2014, 20:49
It's not while your hiking that you have to worry about, its when your not hiking. It will be cold AND damp much of the time for the first 6 to 8 weeks. It could rain on you for 3 to 7 days in a row. This kind of weather cuts to the bone. In these cases you want something warm to wear in camp. Long sleeve shirt, long johns, warm jacket, etc. You need at least one change of clothes. A warm "dry" set for camp and a "wet" set for hiking. Also keep in mind that there will be no shade for a month or more, so it's easy to get sunburnt if you don't wear a long sleeve shirt.

Dogwood
09-24-2014, 20:58
Where's the apparel for your bottom 1/2? Just one pr of shorts and the thermal bottoms? OK, let's say you get rained and snowed upon. How will you stay warm on your bottom 1/2? Both the Tachyon(Anorak?) and AG Rain jacket have no pockets - bring gloves in the beginning even if they are just nylon running gloves but I would take along WP mitten overlay shells too.

wdanner
09-24-2014, 21:11
I had planned to bring a second pair of underwear but the shorts I have dry in 30 minutes, faster if I wring them out. I hadn't thought so much about the hour after hiking getting water and eating. Sounds like I'm definitely adding a long johns and a long sleeve shirt for camp. I'm thinking the addition of those eliminates the need for a second pair of Under Armour. I'll look at gloves as well.

The Cleaner
09-24-2014, 22:35
No wool? Look's like it's gonna be a short hike since you will have some really cold, wet and possibly snowy days till you get close to Damascus....

hikehunter
09-25-2014, 00:32
I will be starting in early Feb.....
I have some ultralight thermo.undewear. for camp/sleep.
I got some ultra light mid wear for around the camp....a down jacket and a rain/wind breaker for hiking and around camp.
Multi-use items can save weight and make the change of wear items a little less complicated....

wdanner
09-25-2014, 09:49
Based on the responses so far, if I have wool or some other thermal long wear for camp/sleep then I think I'm okay. The down vest will double as a top quilt in the hammock. If I make detachable sleeves they will double as extra lower leg warmth for sleeping. There's probably zero chance of me wearing a long thermal shirt while hiking since I hike comfortably in a t-shirt while snowing, but I would have something in case. For the legs however, I may consider long underwear for hiking as well. I may adjust my hike later to keep risk of lower temps to a minimum. Long wool undergarments are a very weighty addition. They would probably weigh more than all the current clothes in my pack combined.

flemdawg1
09-25-2014, 11:12
Based on the responses so far, if I have wool or some other thermal long wear for camp/sleep then I think I'm okay. The down vest will double as a top quilt in the hammock. If I make detachable sleeves they will double as extra lower leg warmth for sleeping. There's probably zero chance of me wearing a long thermal shirt while hiking since I hike comfortably in a t-shirt while snowing, but I would have something in case. For the legs however, I may consider long underwear for hiking as well. I may adjust my hike later to keep risk of lower temps to a minimum. Long wool undergarments are a very weighty addition. They would probably weigh more than all the current clothes in my pack combined.

Please bring actual sleep gear (sleeping bag or quilt), a down vest/jacket should only be used to supplement.

John B
09-25-2014, 11:24
It's not while your hiking that you have to worry about, its when your not hiking. It will be cold AND damp much of the time for the first 6 to 8 weeks. It could rain on you for 3 to 7 days in a row. This kind of weather cuts to the bone. In these cases you want something warm to wear in camp. Long sleeve shirt, long johns, warm jacket, etc. You need at least one change of clothes. A warm "dry" set for camp and a "wet" set for hiking. Also keep in mind that there will be no shade for a month or more, so it's easy to get sunburnt if you don't wear a long sleeve shirt. Absolutely completely 100% true. Once you stop hiking, and if you're wet with sweat or rain, you can get hypothermic really fast. You will need warm, dry clothes for camp. You will be very miserable if not. In fact, you will be at risk without them.

garlic08
09-25-2014, 11:27
The light weight clothes that worked for me on the AT (April start) were a long sleeve nylon trekking shirt over a long sleeve poly jersey, a Marmot Driclime jacket, and a light rain shell. I carried a down vest but never wore it while hiking. It was handy while stopped and I'm glad I carried it that first month. On the legs were light nylon trousers and light rain pants, no long underwear--never needed it. I had a light hat and glove liners. This clothing got me comfortably enough though two April blizzards with temps in the low teens. The vest and a second spare pair of socks were the only clothing I sent home in May.

Experience counts way more than the stuff you carry. I, with my tiny load of dry clothing, watched as many bailed out into Gatlinburg from the blizzard in the Smokies with layers of insulation soaked. You can carry the best clothing made, but if you wear it all under a rain jacket while climbing, it will quickly become dead weight, worse than useless. If you know how to dry clothing with body heat in the right circumstances, know how to keep it dry to begin with, and know the limits of your gear and when to stop and take shelter, you don't need much.

I wore long sleeves and trousers the entire hike. I did not carry sun screen or bug repellent and never pulled off a single tick (I used spray permethrin on clothing before the hike). And though I walked through some poison ivy growing into the trail, I never got a rash. I saw some hikers who went shirtless get nasty boils on the back from ground-in dirt from the pack. Your skin is your largest organ, very exposed on a long hike, and it's important to take care of it.

wdanner
09-25-2014, 11:42
Please bring actual sleep gear (sleeping bag or quilt), a down vest/jacket should only be used to supplement.

That's covered. I'm using a full length underquilt with the hammock setup. The jest used as a topquilt is just extra.

wdanner
09-25-2014, 11:51
I guess I'll be doing some camping in the hammock this winter to better dial in the needed clothing. The responses are helpful.

jred321
09-25-2014, 12:08
I am generally a warm person too, especially when active. I usually run in the winter with only 1 thin poly/nylon layer on and in shorts regardless of the temperature (although when single digits hit I just stop running). As people mentioned, I am not worried about my warmth during hiking but when not hiking. Having no nice, warm place to duck into after freezing all day tends to make me want to bring an extra layer just in case. Then when winter is gone I'll just send it home.

That said, winter is coming. Plenty of time between now and March/April to spend a few days in the cold weather and figure out what works for you.

Dogwood
09-25-2014, 13:28
If you add in rain pants just in the colder first 6 wks or so to your apparel you can make it but it could be edgy for a few cold wet days. You might be OK(warm enough) if you wear everything you have for the top 1/2: tee, lighter wt(silk wt?) merino thermal top(possibly used for hiking and in camp(keep something dry at all times to change into)), MB Tachyon, GL Selkirk down vest, AGG Rain Jacket, gloves, and beanie. If you carry silk wt merino bottoms, the one pr shorts, and rain pants(if just for the beginning of the hike) you should have your hiking as well as in camp apparel combinations covered.

As usual Garlic's comment adds value. Note where he says gear isn't everything! Knowing when to stop, how to use all your gear cummulatively to achieve your UL goals, etc factor into a comfortable and safe UL hike. I will add use shelters effectively to increase warmth and protection.

RockDoc
09-25-2014, 13:44
"typical NOBO in late March or early April"

Oh, man you are asking to freeze your A$$!

Safety is first, comfort is second, saving weight comes after those two are secured.

wdanner
09-25-2014, 17:20
I have no intention of sacrificing safety for weight. I just know I typically require less clothing to stay warm. Maybe it's the extra "insulation" however I'm hoping to shed a little of that before the hike starts as well. I'll figure it out this winter but there are some helpful comments here that I will keep in mind as I go through the process. If there was a particular goal to shoot for would it be comfortably warm at idle at 30 degrees? Colder? I'm assuming everyone doesn't take layers upon layers to where they're fine with "hanging out" when it dips into the teens.

I have no set start date so I can slide into mid to late April if I think it merits it.

Speakeasy TN
09-25-2014, 20:35
If you slide your start to mid-April your set up would be solid IMHO.
I like zip off pants so I can bleed heat while moving and generally wear a light LS shirt over a tee usually unbuttoned. This blocks wind and sun and isn't too hot.
I was surprised how many times I zipped off pant legs 200 yards out of camp and I hate being cold.

In camp I put on my long john sleepwear and a down sweater with a beanie and was fine.......YMMV

rocketsocks
09-25-2014, 20:48
I guess I'll be doing some camping in the hammock this winter to better dial in the needed clothing. The responses are helpful.
Now that right there is the best advise you could have given yourself.

Sapelo
09-26-2014, 07:19
Check out the cycling section of REI or go to a local bike shop and checkout their selection of detachable arm sleeves. No need for velcro. I wear them all the time will winter cycling in SE GA.

Mr. Allen
12-29-2014, 08:58
one other thing to consider wdanner is that when your hanging out at camp in cold temps you might be sitting around a fire too

RED-DOG
12-29-2014, 11:26
everybody this late in the GAME starts to second guess their clothing/gear choices you just have to put faith in the choices you made and go with it, late march and early it want be real cold in my opinion the only place you need to worry about the cold is in the GSMNP.