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TurtleTracker
12-07-2014, 21:56
I'm a novice 26 y/o hiker planning to attempt a thru starting in early April of 2016 or 2017 (depending on my graduation status, but hopefully 2016). I'm using this time to slowly collect gear I will need and so I made a gear grams list of my "proposed" gear that I will need. I've been building this proposed list for quite some time and I think it is finally complete. Now I could use some words of wisdom from you guys! This is especially true when it comes to clothes because I still have no idea how much clothing to pack....

Feel free to tear into it, I want to weigh your thoughts with my own (in more ways than one)! Quick note: Anything that says 0g means that I consider it worn, I tried to keep this at a minimum so I could play it conservatively (obviously more cold weather clothes will be worn at the beginning). Also, if the item isn't descriptive, it's because I already own it or I believe extra info (brand for example) is superfluous or I'm still unsure of exactly what I want (e.g. shoes).

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=21755

Thanks,
TT

July
12-07-2014, 22:18
Looks like you have done good research, with the extended start date be sure all your gear is used prior to start. I would definitely forgo the trowel and use a dang ole stick. A beanie is a must, would also throw in a buff, little more flexible during the day than a balaclava. There are better options for bearbag than paracord, ie lighter and more efficient check MLD. Besides if there are not poles, sleep with it, but be wary it can be stolen off the poles...:)

Slo-go'en
12-08-2014, 02:09
I would ditch the poncho and get a real rain jacket. Mostly you'll use it for extra warmth and block wind chill. Two things the poncho doesn't do.

You will likely need more insulation then an air pad can give in the hammock - if you can make that work at all. I'll let the experts chime in about that.

Anyway, nice wish list. Buy the major items (pack/sleep system) and go camping. You'll learn quick enough what else you need to add.

July
12-08-2014, 02:40
Cheers.....You.ll learn Quik Enuf...

Don H
12-08-2014, 07:20
Since you asked:
1. I'd add another 2L Platy. The second one comes in hand for dry stretches and camp water.
2. Instead of the compactor bag consider UL dry sacks. You need stuff sacks anyway so why not just use waterproof ones? One for sleeping bag, and one for clothes.
3. Aquamira and a Squeeze? I'd just go with the AM.
4. I'd leave the Kindle home.
5. My Neo XTherm does well at keeping me warm. Something to consider.
6. As Slo said, ditch the poncho. I suggest Dry-Ducks or similar jacket only. I never had a need for rain pants, except to wear while doing laundry.
7. You'll want some sunscreen until the leaves come out.
8. You don't have the type of shoes you'll be wearing listed. It's very important to have your footwear dialed in before you leave.

Great list and you have plenty of time to experiment and finish collecting your gear.
The most important piece of gear you carry is in-between your ears. Make sure you are mentally ready. I suggest reading the book Appalachian Trials.
Good luck!

Old_Man
12-08-2014, 09:35
\ There are better options for bearbag than paracord, ie lighter and more efficient check MLD. Besides if there are not poles, sleep with it, but be wary it can be stolen off the poles...:)

This raises an interesting point. I saw in Georgia that there were cables at the shelters for hanging food bags. I was not staying at a shelter but usually camping nearby. I was always afraid to use the cables because I was worried someone would come along and steal my rations. But, I don't know how I feel about sleeping with food in my tent, especially in bear country.

Don H
12-08-2014, 17:44
People stealing food happens but it's rare.

takethisbread
12-08-2014, 18:07
Since you asked:
1. I'd add another 2L Platy. The second one comes in hand for dry stretches and camp water.
2. Instead of the compactor bag consider UL dry sacks. You need stuff sacks anyway so why not just use waterproof ones? One for sleeping bag, and one for clothes.
3. Aquamira and a Squeeze? I'd just go with the AM.
4. I'd leave the Kindle home.
5. My Neo XTherm does well at keeping me warm. Something to consider.
6. As Slo said, ditch the poncho. I suggest Dry-Ducks or similar jacket only. I never had a need for rain pants, except to wear while doing laundry.
7. You'll want some sunscreen until the leaves come out.
8. You don't have the type of shoes you'll be wearing listed. It's very important to have your footwear dialed in before you leave.

Great list and you have plenty of time to experiment and finish collecting your gear.
The most important piece of gear you carry is in-between your ears. Make sure you are mentally ready. I suggest reading the book Appalachian Trials.
Good luck!

1. I'd say neither.
3. Bc just carry the sawyer and use the bags. Am is for dinosaurs
6. After the first couple weeks, anything more than dri duck would be overkill . Many hikers do not carry rainwear
8. Bingo! Shoes are most important.

And most important !!!! Hike a lot. You are talking about 2-3 years away. Try to hike 300 miles of the AT in that time. That will help you dial in your comfort level. Trying to make a gear list now is kinda silly. IMO .



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TurtleTracker
12-08-2014, 23:04
Thanks for the input everyone, a few responses:
I am thinking of only taking the Sawyer Squeeze currently.
Points about the rain jacket are good, it will weigh me down a bit more, but I already have a good one (so I'll save the $$$)
The quilt I want is going to be able to attach directly to the xlite, so I hope that even if hanging I can stay warm (layered up) but will definitely test (I spent a night in a WBBB and was fine with only a pad in the mid 40's)
I haven't decided on shoes yet because I agree that they are very important. Not something I can just look at online and say "yeah those will work". I visit the Atlanta area often and plan to go up to mountain crossing to get their expert opinion on a few things, shoes being one of them.
Another 2L Platy: Noted!
Buff: Noted
Forgot to put sunscreen on there, good catch!
Happy to say I've read appalachian trials (first book I got once I decided to do this). I've also read Awol on the AT and am currently reading "Wild" because a friend already had it.

I plan on doing as much hiking as I can though 300 miles will probably not be possible (grad student problems...I'm going to have to push to finish if I want that 2016 date).

Question:
I threw the Kindle on there last minute (I've never even used one). Do people not recommend this because no one has time to read? My logic is that 6oz and limitless "entertainment" would be a small weight-price to pay to get your mind on something besides the trail. Besides, I would want the AWOL guide and having it on kindle instead would already save me the weight (if I didn't tear out pages obviously).

Just Bill
12-08-2014, 23:21
Giving it to you straight- It'll all be a bit meaningless until you hike/camp.
Even with school- you can head to state park or car camping to test gear while you study. You may find your neo-air makes no sense in your hammock, or you don't like reading your textbook on your kindle because you can't load a PDF to study like on an Ipad.

The gear list is solid, just make sure you buy it out smart and in some sort of order.
Even if a hike doesn't make sense though- buy from REI or someplace with a good return policy. Hold off on the pack until you sort your gear. Make sure you can pitch your tarp well enough while you sit at a picnic table and study. Lotsa ways to test stuff without going full on hiker mode.

You can test all your clothes out simply walking back and forth to class in cold weather, maybe even work out a way to rent a house so you have access to a backyard. You can get several hundred nights out without covering a mile of trail.

kolokolo
12-08-2014, 23:35
Regarding the Sawyer Squeeze, I had a bag rupture on me during a hike. Some sort of backup (AM or a spare Sawyer Bag) would be wise.

July
12-08-2014, 23:47
This raises an interesting point. I saw in Georgia that there were cables at the shelters for hanging food bags. I was not staying at a shelter but usually camping nearby. I was always afraid to use the cables because I was worried someone would come along and steal my rations. But, I don't know how I feel about sleeping with food in my tent, especially in bear country.

So you hang'in PCT style? :) I'd sleep with it, just never in a shelter. Bear ain't lookin for you unless your near a garbage can.

Don H
12-10-2014, 09:57
If you're taking a smart phone download Baltimore Jacks resupply article found right here on White Blaze. Although somewhat dated I found it a very useful reference.

English Stu
12-10-2014, 11:20
Good list. +1 for getting out there and finding out your requirements.I use two 1ltr platypus and a 0.5 ltr drinks bottle; but you need to know how much water you need to drink/carry. I wasn't alone in using two small platypus and a bottle. Get used to moving, and filling, from water source to water source.
Need a few Band aid and Neosporin. My FAK grew to avoid looking for stuff in towns;Surprising how many nicks and scrapes you get. IMO the energy saved not carrying is lost looking for pharmacies or finding out it is at the end of town..

takethisbread
12-10-2014, 11:54
If your a novice, you should first commit to hiking 100 miles on the trail this year. Making a gear list for a thruhike is pointless until you have a few miles under your belt and you begin to know what your habits are.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

quasarr
12-10-2014, 14:25
Looks pretty good to me! I believe you can save weight and hassle by switching away from a hammock, but if you are a dedicated hammocker then do your thing! I'm not trying to open that can of worms haha :)

Here are my other thoughts.

Backpack - This stands out to me with 41 oz. At 15 lbs base weight, you are really close to being UL and you could probably go with a frameless pack and lose as much as a pound here. Or fork out some dough for a zpacks :)

Crocs - do not bring. They are heavy! If you really want camp shoes, bring a pair of flip-flops.

Beanie - do you need this if you also have a balaclava?

Balaclava - When you don't need "full balaclava" mode you can roll up the neck and wear it as a hat. (thus, no need for a beanie) Also, $25 seems like a lot for a name brand one, it is just a piece of fleece. Maybe you can find a knockoff at Walmart :)

Sleeping pad - not sure how this works with your hammock system but 13 oz seems a bit heavy to me. A foam pad can be around 7-8oz.

Soap - I think hand sanitizer is a better choice. In the cold, you won't feel like washing your hands anyway. And even biodegradable soap should not be used near water sources.

Cooking pot - The Snowpeak set is really cool, but if you want to save some cash you can try the infamous Stanco grease pot (no handle so you might consider buying pot grippers for about $3)

http://www.amazon.com/Stanco-Non-Stick-Grease-Strainer-Black/dp/B000MVTIOQ

Phone Charger - Unless you are using your phone a lot for blogging, you probably won't need to charge it on the trail. Just charge in town. Another option, instead of the heavy charger, is to bring an extra Li-ion battery that you can swap out in your phone.

Kindle - You might not use it, but you can always send it home. I used one in Northern CA on the PCT but there are a lot fewer people out there and I was alone a lot. I love the Kindle for reading novels, but I don't think guide books on the Kindle are a good idea. It's always a pain to navigate and find what you need. IMO, real pages are better for trail guides.

Platypus hoser - Consider bringing a plastic water bottle (just an empty Gatorade or Dasani bottle) in addition to the hydration pack. It can be easier to use a plastic bottle sometimes.

Overall your list looks good and it seems like you have really done your research here!! :)

TurtleTracker
12-10-2014, 22:47
Thanks again for all the advice everyone! I don't have time to address all your points directly, but I promise they were all noted.

Quasarr though, I wanted to respond to you directly due to the very thorough input:
Don't know that I would need a beanie and balaclava, good point.
I don't know why, I just don't like setting up tents and the hammock seems like something I would like (I have heard that it's not unusual for hangers to give it up on the trail though) but I've only spent one night it one.
Interesting point about crocs, I think you might be right (I like flip-flops more anyway).
Good point about the plastic water bottle in addition.
Backpack-something tells me my base weight will be more by the time I get around to it, and I like the idea of versatility should I take on more, but you've got me thinking about it.


For those saying I need to go hiking: I couldn't agree more! I really want to and am planning to do something, anything, I can. First though, I need some gear to test out....

CarlZ993
12-10-2014, 23:16
Gear list advice? You'll undoubtedly get contradictory advice from folks. Everyone has their preferences & biases. For what it's worth, I'll give you some of mine:
- no poncho; rain gear tops & bottoms at the start; decide whether or not to send home the pants later (I didn't)
- Aquamira: simple & idiot-proof (just so long as you keep the lids screwed on tight); I've never carried a water filter when I didn't also carry chemical back-up (had a filter break w/o chemical backup & had to abort my planned hike); so, I typically only carry Aquamira now on solo hikes
- Kindle?: I didn't carry mine but often wished that I did; nice to have but not necessary; your call here
- Crocs: nice to have after a long day of hiking; not necessary; there are lighter options; but I'm glad I had mine
- Crunchit device: I didn't see anywhere along the trail where a fuel canister could be recycled; unnecessary tool
- Platypus w/ drinking tube: personal preference vs 1.5 oz 1-L water bottle; having extra platypus 2-L bottles for camp use is nice; only about 1.3 oz weight penalty for an extra one
- The Big Dig trowel: I used it; lightest trowel I could find that worked; wet sticks don't always dig a deep enough hole to bury 'stuff'
- Purell alcohol gel: great stuff; periodically, you'll find places where you can squirt some extra in your 1-oz bottle
- Sunscreen: one 2-oz bottle lasted me the entire hike (only used about half of it); but, I used a wide-brim hat to shade my face & usually hiked w/ a long-sleeve shirt; didn't need too much sunscreen
- Hammock: you're either a hammock camper or you're not; personal preference; an ultralight tent (ex Z-packs Heximid Solo-plus) would be considerably lighter, but... you're sleeping on the ground; you could save weight w/ the tent & add the weight back in with another item to equal the same approximate weight as the hammock setup
- Cook pot: I prefer a shorter, wider pot versus a taller, narrower pot; my go-to pot is an Evernew 0.9L uncoated titanium pot; it's lighter than your listed pot & larger volume (I also own your listed one as well); make (or buy) a pot cozy out of Reflectrix & you can save fuel by letting your food continue to cook w/o burning fuel; a ~1.2 oz addition; just boil water, stir up your ingredients, take it off the flame, place it in your pot cozy, wait 10-15 min, and eat your still-too-hot meal

Regardless, your list looks pretty solid. Spend some time out in the backcountry with what you have. Tweak your list as your go along. Less stuff & more money. Have fun when you go.

squeezebox
12-11-2014, 16:08
A little confused on the original question. Was that. "give it to me straight, guys" or " give it to me, straight guys?