View Full Version : Need to buy gear to thru-hike in 2016. Where to start?
SplitOpenandMelt
02-02-2015, 17:59
So I'm planning on thru-hiking in 2016 (NOBO starting around late Feb to early March). The sleeping bag and tent I already have are way too heavy. So basically I have nothing. In order to prevent myself from tossing a huge chunk of cash out for all of the gear I need at once, I figure I should buy a little bit here and there throughout 2015.
Any advice on where to start?
I need to compile a list obviously, which I've yet to do. So here's my first attempt...
-Light sleeping bag
-Sleeping pad
-Light tent
-2 water bottles
-Water purification (pills or pump, whichever is cheaper)
-Small stove
-Fuel for stove
-Pot?? Hopefully I can avoid bringing a plate and just eat out of the pot I cook my food in.
-Eating utensil (spork?)
-Rain jacket
-Rain pants
-Rain cover for pack
-Head Lamp
-Extra head lamp batteries
-Wool shirt (long sleeve)
-Short sleeve shirt
-Shorts
-Gloves
-Beanie
-Warm underwear (2 pairs??)
-2 Pairs of wool socks (one for hiking, one for camp/sleeping)
-Some sort of winter jacket (or will the rain jacket suit? I'm sure it depends but I need advice on this as I will hit snow most likely)
-Misc. items: toothbrush, toothpaste, wet wipes (do I need to bring toilet paper if I have biodegradable wet wipes?), phone, phone charger, headphones, external phone battery
I figure the last things I'll buy are my backpack and boots so I make sure they're absolutely perfect. Anything I'm missing?
Please recommend me the best options for these items! I'm hoping to spend as little money as possible as I'm only 22 years old and am just about to graduate from college.
This is a great place to start! I would check other treads on WB, there have been a few in the last few weeks of fellow hikers asking for gear review. This should give you a good idea on what is used and what people are using. Few quick examples below
http://www.walkingwithwired.com/
http://www.mountaincrossings.com/
many many
Start with suitable layers clothing, making as much as you can part of your wardrobe. No loss.
Start with out-and-back dayhikes. Next, lengthen the dayhikes. Try hiking shoes. No loss.
If you still like it: Next, purchase a big ticket item: 20 F sleeping quilt and XTherm, perhaps.
Look for any used backpack. Do an out-and-back overnight hike.
If you still like it: Finish out your list, as right as you can, purchase a nice backpack. Hike.
Adjust your clothing, at each step. Adjust your gear, at each acquisition after hiking.
Ready for 2016 ?
ryjohnson09
02-02-2015, 19:47
I'm in the same boat as you...planning my NOBO starting in mid March 2016. I have slowly started to acquire equipment, but I'm also trying to purchase the big stuff before spring time so that I have all year to test it out. I recently purchased an Osprey Atmos 65 ($185), Sawyer mini ($20), Sierra Designs Lightning ul 2 ($270) and brand-spanking new snowpeak 700ml pot ($44). I recently joined REI and they gave me a $20 gift card for just signing up. You can also try out their outlet store (http://www.rei.com/outlet), which typically has plenty of good stuff on sale. Honestly though, I find that I can get the best price on stuff when I just google the item and then click the "shopping" option, and it will list various vendors and their price.
Crazy fun planning an AT thru hike!
Keep an eye out on Steep and Cheap (http://steepandcheap.com). Deals change every day. I found a good amount of my gear here for a lot less then wholesale value.
squeezebox
02-02-2015, 21:31
Don't get fretted and obsessed. You have over a year, read a lot of gear journals, learn about prices and specs, Let it flow it will happen.You do not have to know today what will be in your pack a year from now.
Planning and gearing up for a thru hike is fun, but shouldn't overshadow the mental preparedness that, in my opinion, should be strengthened before the first piece of sexy new gear is purchased. For instance, a thru-planner is concerned about the rain, so they buy rain gear from head to toe, rain covers for their backpacks, double walled tents, waterproof boots. A few months in (if they're still on trail), they harden and can't be bothered with much more than a Frogg Togg jacket, trash compactor bag liner, lightweight tarp, and trail runners.
All of the things we pack represent our fears, our uncertainty. No one has completed a thru that wasn't cold, wet, hungry, injured, tired, and thirsty for much or all of their journey. As cliche as it sounds, through that suffering you become stronger. You toughen up. Climbing and descending for days in the rain, wind, and cold is just something you'll do, and no amount of protection will keep you constantly dry, warm, and happy. I met countless numbers of hikers who lumbered down the trail with 3-4 pounds of shelter in their packs who slept everynight in shelters and kept the tent for "just in case." Who carried JetBoils or Whisperlites and only boiled water for instant potatoes and coffee. For someone planning a long walk for the first time, try purchasing your backpack LAST. After you've whittled down what you need to climb the hills for three or four days at a time, then you choose the pack. Try this.
Find your comfort level for sleeping. Do you sleep warm or cold? Do you need a sleeping bag or would a lighter weight quilt do? How much padding do you really need to sleep when you are completely exhausted? Do you need an inflated pillow or would a stuff sack with clothes do? Buy appropriate gear.
Find your comfort level with being wet. Do your legs really need to be protected from the rain? Is it in the 30's or 40's and raining? Is the pack cover really protecting my essential dry gear (sleeping bag, clothes) or would a trash compactor bag used as liner work better, lighter, and cheaper? What about umbrellas? Get rain gear.
Find your comfort level with shelter. Do you need a removable rain fly, zippered doors, full bathtub floors and matching footprint or would a light tarp, bug bivy, and plastic drop cloth do? Acquire appropriate shelter.
One pair of clothes. If you absolutely need a "town shirt", stop by Goodwill. Enough insulation that your warm(ish) on the coldest predicted night wearing all of your clothes in your sleeping bag/quilt.
Shove all of this into the lightest backpack that fits you well and feels like a little monkey wrapped around your back. Now add four days worth of food. Would you want to carry this all day, everyday, for two thousand miles?
What I'm saying is, don't sweat the equipment too much. Find your comfort level with anticipated conditions and apply appropriate gear. Buy used. I could easily purchase gear for a thru hike with a little patience less than $500 using WB and BPL. You'll find gear is less of a "thing" out on the trail, and most thought, conversation, and energy revolves around eating and pooping.
MuddyWaters
02-02-2015, 22:20
Take your time. Theres no rush, and you might even have your hike derailed for other reasons.
There are some decent black friday specials on $$$ items if you put them off. Big retailers like backcountry.com will have sales with 20% off around holidays. Current year items will go on sale in august when 2016 models start showing up, etc. And be sold by sierra trading post for huge discount over normal prices.
fastfoxengineering
02-02-2015, 23:04
Don't think you the expensive gear is the best or what you need.
Some of my favorite items in my pack are the cheap backpacking items I own.
You need to find your style, then purchase items that serve a functional purpose to your hiking style.
For instance, when I first started backpacking I went out and bought a fancy titanium pot and spork. Payed A LOT of money. A $14 spork to be exact.
Then I used it and realized I don't like eating off a titanium spork. Bought a $1 lexan spoon and love it, way more than my expensive spork. The lexan spoon is now whats in my pack.
Buying modern, ultralight, function specific gear is great but it comes at a price. I think it's best to get some experience then you spend your hard earned money on that type of gear when you know it's what you want.
Everything's a compromise. But good thru-hiking gear need not be expensive.
If you want to discuss functional, lightweight, and inexpensive gear more. Shoot me a pm. I'll be glad to help you out.
sympathetic joy
02-02-2015, 23:07
I wouldn't buy anything until 3 months before you start.
Until that time, rent, borrow, mooch different items and try them all to get a sense of what you like. Then, birthdays, Christmas, etc put those items on your list as you continue to read and watch YouTube videos on various types of gear.
Also, read the book Grandma Gatewood's Walk - http://www.amazon.com/Grandma-Gatewoods-Walk-Inspiring-Appalachian/dp/1613747187
You'll get a good sense as to what the base level of gear can be.
SplitOpenandMelt
02-02-2015, 23:25
Thanks for all the info everyone! This is all great help.
Siestita
02-03-2015, 04:07
Unless you've already read it, take a look at Sgt. Rock's classic White Blaze article "Cheap Gear--How to Dirt Bag and Deal Shop Like a Professional".
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/190-Cheap-Gear-%E2%80%93-How-to-Dirt-Bag-and-Deal-Shop-Like-a-Professional
My own acquisition of backpacking gear has gone thru three phases:
1. As a graduate student, at age 22 I began to gradually acquire backpacking equipment. I was short on money but none-the-less believed (unnecessarily) that everything I carried had to be "special purpose" and thus relatively expensive.
2. In my 30s and 40s, I had somewhat more money available for equipment, even while supporting a family. Attempting to "upgrade" my setup, I sometimes simply made it heavier.
3. In my 50s and now mid-60s, I can potentially buy any equipment I want. But instead I sometimes deliberately use cheap or home made stuff. Like fastfox above, I now carry a $1 Lexan spoon as my sole cooking utensil. During 10 years of use I've not yet managed to lose or accidentally melt away that little treasure. Perhaps that Lexan spoon has endured because I also carry within my pack for backup purposes a lighter, smaller (and presumably less durable) McDonald's milkshake spoon. I fear being spoon less in wild places.
Tipped off by posters here on WB, I now use as water containers one quart/liter Gatoraid bottles. Those are much lighter than hiking store water bottles, and in my experience are at least equally reliable.
My specialty backpacking cookware now sits at home while I instead use an old Walmart grease pot for cooking (reported K-Mart still sells those pots).
My butane stove, white gas stove, and Trangia alcohol stove now stay on a basement shelf while I cook outdoors with a much simpler, homemade alcohol burning set up. And, changing to a cheaper cooking pot, and a 'stove' that is, quite frankly rather primitive, reduced the weight that I carry. I wish I had understood forty years ago that I could make hot drinks and simple fulfilling meals just by burning a little fuel alcohol in an empty little fancy feast cat food can.
My goto headlamp these days has a LED bulb and 'coin like' watch battery. It cost less than $10 ( at a discount or hardware store) and weighs very little. I've gotten by fine using chemical water treatment (iodine for years, now Aquamira chlorine dioxide drops) without ever investing in a filter or needing to throw a clogged, contaminated, or broken one away.
So, you can get some useful stuff very cheaply. But, think carefully about acquiring your sleeping bag, your light weight tent, and your pack. Be willing to spend freely for those items, as necessary. Perhaps your highest priority should be purchasing a good quality (read expensive) bag. Get the best one you can afford, even if that requires purchasing fewer "toys" for the rest of your set up. Good light weight tents are also pricey, but unlike sleeping bags, they probably provide good value when purchased used. Fortunately, used packs, including older style external frame models, can provide excellent value to cost conscious backpackers.
swjohnsey
02-03-2015, 05:58
Once you decide what gear you want you can watch ebay. Hardly used high dollar gear shows up regularly from folks who walked a week and quit.
If you start a little later (like around the first of April) your gear will be a little cheaper and lighter.
A list of thing I know will work:
Tent: Big Agnes Flycreek UL1
Bag: Western Mounteering High Light 30
Pad: Termarest Neoair
Pack: ULA Ohm 2.0
Headlamp: Peztal Elite
Stove: Zelph Super Venom
Rain Gear/Windpoof layer: Marmot Precip
Start with a good back pack then build the rest of the kit around it something like.
1 back pack ( gossemer Gear makes a good pack ).
2 sleeping bag ( feathered friends ).
3 sleeping pad
4 tent, with ground sheet ( something thats going to be light and packable ).
5 stove, cook pot
6 water filter ( Katahdin hiker pro ).
7 boots/tril runners
8 clothes/ pants etc.
9 rain gear ( frogg toggs makes awesome stuff ).
10 Miscelaneous items such as first aid other small stuff like stuff sacks.
you'v got plenty of time to worry about so don't sweat it.
Got a good list there and a lot of helpful suggestions. How much do you plan on having in the bank when you start your hike. Something very important to think about as you begin your plans. Good luck
Just Bill
02-03-2015, 12:41
Shoes and socks.
You're going to walk all day- nothing impacts your trip more.
Next is water.
Then clothes.
Then sleep.
Then food.
After that you will find the other stuff not that big a deal. While you are testing shoes and clothes you can start debating other stuff you might like to carry. Comfy feet, comfy body, full belly, and a good nights rest.
The rest isn't that important.
CarlZ993
02-03-2015, 15:44
You can search some end of journal journal entries to see what people used, what they ditched, what they added, & what they would take if they did it again (TrailJournals.com & Postholer.com). Since you are young don't have 'deep pockets,' a list that you could live with might be more spartan that a list I'd use.
With a projected late Feb or early Mar start, you'd need AT LEAST a 15 deg bag & a high R-Value sleeping pad. You will be cold at times unless you have a zero degree bag. If you purchase a nice down bag (or quilt), you'll use it your entire life most likely. I'd splurge on the bag. Sleeping pad? El cheapo was would be a Thermarest Z-lite or Ridgerest close-cell foam pad. More padding & higher R-value (& cost) = Thermarest NeoAir X-lite or X-Therm.
Packs? ULA Circuit rocks. Great company. Great pack. Many other options available.
Tent? Lots of options. Henry Shire makes some nice tarptents (tarptents.com). So does Joe @ Zpacks.com. Standard double-wall tents are also an option. Big Agnes makes some good ones. A little pricier than most.
Water issues: Water bottles = 2 SmartWater or Gatorade bottles (or something similar). Cheap. Ultra-light. Purification? Cheapest/simplest to me would be Aquamira (drops). One set of two bottles would probably last you a month on the trail. Easy to resupply at outfitter stores. Sawyers can freeze on you if you're not careful (sleep w/ them in freezing weather). If that happens, you've got a paperweight.
Cooking? Lots of light pots available. I'm partial to titanium Evernew 0.9L pots. It easy to find cheaper options. Stove? An DYI Fancy Feast stove is dirt cheap & easy to make. Zelph's version - Fancee Feast - is pretty cheap & much more efficient. I'd make (or buy) a pot cozy to conserve fuel. Utensils? Spoon or spork? Personal preference. I carry a Lexan Spoon.
Rain gear: El Cheapo = Frogg Toggs or similar. They rip easy. Next step up is something like Marmot Pre-cip rain gear. Just remember, all the hype about waterproof/breathable is just that... hype. Hiking in the rain = getting wet to some degree. It sucks.
Pack cover: Ineffective in keeping stuff completely dry inside your pack. It slows that pace in which stuff gets wet. A trash compactor bag lining your pack works great. Ultra-light waterproof roll-top stuff sacks adds to the weatherproofing. I do all three.
Headlight? Something light, LED, & uses 2 or 3 AAA batteries. Go w/ Petzl, Princeton Tec, or Black Diamond. Some of the el-cheapo lights can turn on easily in your pack & go dead on you.
Clothing? Normally, I'd recommend only one pair of long underwear. With your early start, that might need to be revisited. You've got potential to doing some teen & sub-teen hiking. Socks? I'd splurge w/ 3 pair total. Always keep one pair dry to sleep in. Insulating layers? I'm partial to synthetic filled jackets (Montbell Thermawrap). They are warmer & more compact-able than fleece. Knit cap & gloves and possible a waterproof glove shell.
Ear plugs, ear plugs, ear plugs. Get good ones. Those foam thingees don't work very well.
Footwear = trail runners. No GoreTex. Bring an extra waterproof bag for your shoes. Sleep w/ them when they get wet & it is going to freeze @ night. Sucks to put on frozen solid shoes. Cold & wet shoes are more tolerable.
Hiking poles = highly recommended. Wet rock is slippery. You'll need additional points of contact at times. Even so, I fell often. (I'm older & undoubtedly clumsier than you are).
Misc stuff: don't forget a trowel or use a winter stake. TP or wipes? Preference. Some use both. Just don't bring a solar charger. Worthless on the AT for the most part.
Anyway, good luck in your planning. Get some hiking miles behind you. Use your equipment. See what works for you & what doesn't.
Ok, I am still organizing but I used maybe a slightly different philosophy. What I bought first was stuff I needed to get used to. For instance, I can buy socks the night before I leave and probably have no issues but I can't buy a new stove or tent the night before and expect to have no issues. Buying things like that early and using them will let you know if you need to try again or you are good with that item. For instance, I have about 3 different stoves and have settled on an alcohol stove, very small, very light, and it is one where the heat is somewhat adjustable so that I can simmer with it if need be. I am leaving the ground and going to a hammock. Over the past few months of using it I have modified it to pull weight off, add to ease of set up, and decide what I need to stay warm. I'm sure you get my point. By doing it this way you potentially remove some of the issues that may pop up that could end your hike early. If your first couple of nights end up being cold, wet, blisters on your feet after carrying an ill fitting backpack because you bought all your stuff last minute you may not go much farther than the first opportunity to stop. 6 months ago I though I had the right tent, sleeping system, and stove from all my past hiking trips (a few days or less). 4 months ago the only thing I still had was the stove, couple of weeks ago I changed that. I think we end up either testing and choosing before we start; not testing and then changing while on the trail; quitting. Some one can chime in on this but I don't think I have heard of anyone not changing something once on the AT for a thru hike, I'm sure I will too but trying to keep those changes to a minimum and not so drastic as to end the attempt.
Country Roads
02-03-2015, 19:57
A lot of outdoor stores have rental programs. This is a great way to try out some different gear to see what suits you and what will fit you. My advice, for what it is worth: Do Not carry a 50 to 60 pound pack off Springer Mtn. I saw quite a few people struggle just to get to Hightower gap with huge loads. They were not having fun and were hurting badly. You are more likely to injure yourself and end your hike quickly. With the lightweight gear available today, you can certainly have a pack around 30 pounds or less, even with cold weather gear, and not have it cost you a small fortune.
Start with a good back pack then build the rest of the kit around it
Guaranteed way to pack way to much. You should purchase a bag to carry your gear, not purchase gear to fill a bag.
pafarmboy
02-03-2015, 22:38
I alway thought that if I was starting out again, instead of personal recommendations, I'd rather have someone give me guidelines like:
Example - Big 4 weight .....
Tent - no more than 2 pounds for a double sided
Bag - no more than a pound for 40 degree bag, add roughly half pound for every drop of 10 degrees
Pack - No more than 2.5 pounds if it has a frame.
Pad - no more than a pound.
Quality may cost more $$ upfront, but resale value will get you a fair price if you end up selling used.
Stay away from box stores (REI, Cabela's, Dick's) Homegrown industry like Lightheart, ULA, Zpacks, etc are the way to go.
I alway thought that if I was starting out again, instead of personal recommendations, I'd rather have someone give me guidelines like:
Example - Big 4 weight .....
Tent - no more than 2 pounds for a double sided
Bag - no more than a pound for 40 degree bag, add roughly half pound for every drop of 10 degrees
Pack - No more than 2.5 pounds if it has a frame.
Pad - no more than a pound.
Quality may cost more $$ upfront, but resale value will get you a fair price if you end up selling used.
Stay away from box stores (REI, Cabela's, Dick's) Homegrown industry like Lightheart, ULA, Zpacks, etc are the way to go.
That is pretty light, I can't seem to get that far. I'm about 3 lbs on my hammock and tarp; Bag is a little heavier than 1 pound but it is good to 17 deg; Pack is just under 4 lbs; probably good on the pad. Curious about one comment. You said to stay away from box stores. A few of my things are from cottage industry type stores but I also buy from REI, their replacement and return policy is great and though I haven't broken anything on the trail from them, from what I have heard, they will fix or replace pretty much anything. I'm not advertising for REI, I buy about 25% of my stuff from there, just wondering why the advice to avoid.
soumodeler
02-04-2015, 14:58
There is nothing wrong with REI.
REI branded gear is excellent for the price, and their warranty is unbeatable.
Before I started buying cottage gear, most everything I bought came from REI.
swisscross
02-04-2015, 16:31
Try before you buy...at least in the store if you cannot get out in the woods.
You have plenty of time, that is if you have the monies. If you have to purchase one piece of gear a month you need to start your research now.
Not everyone likes a "coffin like" one man tent.
No sleeping bag fits the same.
All backpacks fit different, find one that fits you.
Clothing is very personal, etc.
Take your time, do your research, purchase only once (you will be throwing away money on a shopping spree)...enjoy the journey.
I would suggest buying a backpack early in your gear purchases. That way you can do some overnight or extended weekend trips when weight of some of your older gear does not matter as much.
Ebay is a great place for used gear. I purchased my tent and (grosses me out some) my sleeping bag at half price.
I would have never been able to justify a Western Mountaineering bag or BA tent at full retail. Now that I think about it, other than my backpack, 90 percent of my current gear I bought used.
fastfoxengineering
02-04-2015, 19:54
There is nothing wrong with REI.
REI branded gear is excellent for the price, and their warranty is unbeatable.
Before I started buying cottage gear, most everything I bought came from REI.
Quoted for truth.
I just bought an REI Flash 45 pack for $85. Have not gotten it out yet but it felt great at that store and after playing with it for a few hours looks like a great deal at $85. It also has a damn good warranty. It only weighs 2lbs too. Mines a large and easily swallows my AT thru-hike loadout. After some trimming it'll weigh a little under two pounds.
Also, at one point REI was selling Evernew ultralight pots that were rebranded REI for a fair price. Evernew pots are a standard in the ultralight community.
REI clothes can be had at less than half the price of the north face, patagonia, columbia, etc and are excellent quality.
Cottage gear is great, I have a lot of it. However, most people go to the cottage companies because they want a specific item for a specific function. Like hammock quilts and cuben goodies. REI has no market for it.
pafarmboy
02-04-2015, 20:27
Guess I should clarify...
I have nothing against REI. I'm a member and shop their occasionally, but when looking to buy a lot of gear at once (AKA thru-hike) I think it's too tempting to go to the "one-stop-shopping" box store.
fastfoxengineering
02-04-2015, 20:31
Guess I should clarify...
I have nothing against REI. I'm a member and shop their occasionally, but when looking to buy a lot of gear at once (AKA thru-hike) I think it's too tempting to go to the "one-stop-shopping" box store.
No harm done. I feel like people "in the know" walk through REI and realize half the hiking products they sell are pointless, useless, junk that you see in a hiker box 30 miles north of springer. Same with EMS. Long distance cottage companies are in the best. But some deals can be had at REI
msumax1985
02-05-2015, 13:33
1) Read the heck out of this place! Whiteblaze has so much valuable info. But realize there are thousands of different gear combinations, and everyone is slightly different. Just take in all the advice and do the best you can to apply it to what you guess might be your preference. But until you hit the trail, you'll never really know.
2) Once you know what you want, monitor the prices over time on several websites. Sierratradingpost is my favorite (search for additional 30% off coupons) but there are dozens of options out there. I bet I've purchased items from 10-15 different places. Why pay full price when you can pay 50-70% for last years model or color? Unless there are significant funtional improvements (there rarely are, it's usually just marketing hype), save your money. No one cares what they look like in the woods anyway--it's all about funtion. I've got all sorts of odd colored items, but I got them at a great price.
3) Watch Youtube. I'm older, so hadn't watched maybe 5 videos there my entire life before researching for my first AT trip. There are tons of people who share their experience and gear reviews there and it's a great way to actually see how people are using gear. And what they like or dont like about it. Again, apply that to what you think you'll like as YMMV.
4) Have fun with it. I still think researching and exploring new gear options is fun. It is daunting to start from scratch and need all that expensive gear up front. But once you have everything, it's fun to tweak your kit.
REI has some good deals if you look in their Deals and outlet area. It's a $20 lifetime membership fee but they give you a dividend check in the amount of a percentage of your spending throughout the year. Since you have quite a bit to buy that is like free money! Also if you apply for one of their credit cards they will give you a $100 gift card which helps a great deal too...(you can always cancel the credit card after the first month).
Moosejaw.com has some good deals and great point system (I've gotten some free stuff from them).
Lightweight sleeping bag suggestions: Kelty TraiLogic Dridown 20 SB and the one I decided on: Sierra Designs 800 fill DriDown Backcountry Bed. I also purchased a sea to summit bag liner that provides 20*F extra warm. Check them out!
Marmot Precip rain jacket and pants
Caldera Cone is a pretty sweet cooking system (http://www.traildesigns.com/stoves/caldera-cone-system)
I opted for The North Face Thermoball Hoodie jacket instead of a down jacket.
I'm starting my thru hike latter part of March 2016!
Life is full of ups and downs! Hike on!
booney_1
02-11-2015, 16:18
ditto about reading this web site...find people and ask questions...
A couple of comments...
1. 3 pairs of hiking wool or wool/blend socks. A great sock is Darn Tough...especially good deal as they have lifetime guarantee.
You will go through these on a thru-hike. So this is a good money saver. To avoid blisters it's very important to have dry socks. Rotating three increases the chances that one pair will be dry...
2. check ebay or thrift stores for cheap lightweight aluminum pots...you sound too poor for Titanium. If all your cooking will be with hot water.
Checkout lightweight aluminum kettles.
3. You need a down puffie jacket. Shop in advance and look for sales. You can wear a rain jacket as a waterproof shell, but you need the insulation.
4. A fleece pullover would be nice...shop goodwill
5. One pair of long underwear ...the technical people here will call it "base" layer.
6. Sleeping clothes...lightweight...always dry shirt/pants to sleep in. To sleep warm it's important to change clothes at night. Even if they don't feel damp, there is a lot of moisture in them.
Go on some hikes!!
katie719
02-11-2015, 17:57
Watch for sales, everywhere! I've gotten most of my gear for super cheap due to a new edition coming out, flash sales or end of season sales. Places like walmart will put all their winter activewear on clearance and there are tons of items perfect for layering. Get a membership at REI. Not only do you get a 10% refund on things, you can take things back without a receipt or packaging. Totally worth it if you try something out and don't like it! They also have garage sales of returned or used gear. Don't rush into it and always be mindful that there can be a balance between quality and weight. I keep a spreadsheet so I know exactly what I paid if I need to compare items. Camp saver.com and Campmor.com are good places to look as well. Good luck!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Your NOBO planned start time will require warmer gear for cold Feb and March conditions you are likely to encounter and less warm gear as weather warms. A later start (eg mid-April) might save you some $$.
For clothing I recently discovered that Target carries the Champion line of active wear. Compression shorts and tights, shirts and socks. They carry Baselayers in all weights too. But you can also find good deals at Kohls and sales on line and REI. Happy hunting!
Life is full of ups and downs! Hike on!
Walkintom
02-12-2015, 15:19
Absolutely do NOT buy the biggest backpack you think that you might need.
Figure out what's going to be carried and then buy the smallest good fitting backpack that you can get away with. Poedog hit it right on the head.
Buying a bigger pack is just a guarantee that you will find things to carry. Lighter loads make for more enjoyable hikes.
Check out the Osprey Exos 58 backpack. One of my favorites!
Life is full of ups and downs! Hike on!
I have a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 available and in great condition.
Speakeasy TN
02-27-2015, 16:43
Look at weather conditions we have now and seriously consider the implications......
Get a good backpack, and don't worry a gear plan too much. you will end with different gear than you start with. always happens.
People do successful thru hikes with School Backpacks, or cloths sacks.
Go with a good sturdy backpack, I Have an Atmost Osprey 65 bought in 2009 with 5k+ miles of hard use. AT and lots of long weeks and weekends in the New England wilderness. It will see another Thru Hike before its retired, easily.