Any i missing any any obvious gear for a 3 day backpack. first timer

[SkeeterPee]

I am new to backpacking and planning my first 2 night trip. on the AT. Am I missing any important gear.

Thanks


pack
sleeping pad
tent
sleeping bag
pillow
footprint
cookware
stove
ursak
pack cover
water bottle
water filter
bladder
2 underwear
1 long sleeve
1 shrotsleeve
1 shorts
bandana
hat
flece
ziplocks
long spoon/fork
sunscreen
bugwipes
diry wipes add water to hydrate
milk jug bottom for washing
pants
3 socks
sleeping clothes
crocks or sandles for camp
duct tape
oatmeal/breakfast meal
tortia/penut butter forlunch
rehidrate meal
coffee /sugar
Hot chocolate
skeeterpee if permisable for location
trowel
trail runners
phone
rope
body glide
caribiners
lint bag
phone
batteries
flashlight
matches
lighter
knife
tp & sanitizer
headlamp
64 oz squeeze bag
chemical purificatoin
meds
map
compass
rain gear

[Shutterbug]

I am new to backpacking and planning my first 2 night trip. on the AT. Am I missing any important gear.

Thanks


pack
sleeping pad
tent
sleeping bag
pillow
footprint
cookware
stove
ursak
pack cover
water bottle
water filter
bladder
2 underwear
1 long sleeve
1 shrotsleeve
1 shorts
bandana
hat
flece
ziplocks
long spoon/fork
sunscreen
bugwipes
diry wipes add water to hydrate
milk jug bottom for washing
pants
3 socks
sleeping clothes
crocks or sandles for camp
duct tape
oatmeal/breakfast meal
tortia/penut butter forlunch
rehidrate meal
coffee /sugar
Hot chocolate
skeeterpee if permisable for location
trowel
trail runners
phone
rope
body glide
caribiners
lint bag
phone
batteries
flashlight
matches
lighter
knife
tp & sanitizer
headlamp
64 oz squeeze bag
chemical purificatoin
meds
map
compass
rain gear

I may have missed it, but you need first aid kit.

And, I always carry a note pad and pen. It is often helpful to be able to write a note.

I don't know what you mean by a "rope." I find that parachute cord is all the rope I need

[Feral Bill]

It's a good start. I like the milk jug idea. Some of that you will find you do not need. Adjust as you learn.

[SkeeterPee]

yes I meant paracord for hanging a bear bag.
And I putting some bandages, moleskin gauze, tape,etc in a ziplock for first aid.
Pen/paper is good idea, and maybe something to read if done hiking early enough.

Thanks.

[Odd Man Out]

You could carry a thin sliver from a bar of unscented soap (Ivory). I keep one in a plastic sandwich bag in my toilet kit.

[Odd Man Out]

Also, I like Leukotape (for skin) and Tenacious Tape (for gear) better than Duct Tape. No need to bring a whole role so it doesn't have to be any heavier.

[SkeeterPee]

Good idea. I had thought about Ivory once, but did not get it on list. Not sure if you can still use Ivory this way, but my Grandma used Ivory bar soap for both dishes and personal cleaning.

[BirdBrain]

Something to maintain your toenails. Clipper, emery board, or both. 3 days might seem like a short time. However, if you start to get a black toenail on day one, it will be bleeding by day 3 if you have no way to shorten it a lot. Voice of experience here.

[BirdBrain]

Trekking poles?

[SkeeterPee]

Good catch, I have trekking poles. Very helpful with the pack and hills. Good to get it on the list so I don't forget when the time comes. to pack.
Snacks is something I left off too.

[OCDave]

...3 socks...

What are you going to do with the extra? :jump

[SkeeterPee]

To be clear that was 3 pairs. Excessive? I figure one pair with sleeping clothes in a trash bag to stay dry for sleeping. 2 pairs to switch halfway through day so they can dry. I hiked 13 miles a week ago and it was a humid day and I ended up with blisters when other days it has not been a problem. I should have switch socks halfway through and I think I would have avoided the blisters.

[joshuasdad]

To be clear that was 3 pairs. Excessive? I figure one pair with sleeping clothes in a trash bag to stay dry for sleeping. 2 pairs to switch halfway through day so they can dry. I hiked 13 miles a week ago and it was a humid day and I ended up with blisters when other days it has not been a problem. I should have switch socks halfway through and I think I would have avoided the blisters.

You didn't have "trash bag" or other dry bag listed above, so I was going to mention that. I see dehydrated food and coffee and no cup and/or stove to heat water for it. I noticed that (cutoff) toothbrush was not on list. I would include an NSAID such as ibuprofen in your meds to help you sleep -- I get sore and feverish after a hard day. "Underwear" is a little vague, I use compression shorts or synthetic boxers (ex officio). Remember that cotton kills. On that note, socks should generally be wool, with perhaps a liner sock if your feet are not toughened up yet.

Have fun!

[Another Kevin]

To be clear that was 3 pairs. Excessive? I figure one pair with sleeping clothes in a trash bag to stay dry for sleeping. 2 pairs to switch halfway through day so they can dry. I hiked 13 miles a week ago and it was a humid day and I ended up with blisters when other days it has not been a problem. I should have switch socks halfway through and I think I would have avoided the blisters.

I've found that in really wet and muddy conditions that you really need to be able to hike with wet feet for a little while. I do swap socks midday so that I can wash the grit out of them (and wash my feet while I'm about it). But when the weather or trail are challenging, it's pretty safe to assume that anything you hike in will be wet. If you carry a second pair of socks, you'll have two wet pair. They just never get dry in the sort of conditions where they get wet in the first place. It's important, if you hike in boggy places, to waterproof your feet, not your shoes. My very limited experience with Gurney Goo is that it works pretty well. I've seen various recommendations for similar products. You want something with both beeswax and silicone.

Paradoxically, winter is drier - and in fact, winter hiking is all about moisture management and not letting things wet out. But that's not a topic for a newbie.

[Ashepabst]

I think three socks is a good system... maybe overkill for a two-nighter, but it's good policy to have a designated dry pair for sleeping. a little moisture can really sap the heat from ya while you're sleeping.

[Ashepabst]

caribiners
lint bag

[Ashepabst]

I'd meant to ask what these two are for, out of curiosity.

[SkeeterPee]

Carabiner to hang food bag or attaché something to pack. Small bag of lint to make fire starting easier. It lights easily and weighs almost nothing. I think I read you can also rub it on some wax to make it even better for firestarting.

[Back on the trail]

On such a short trip You wont need extra batteries unless you are night hiking.

[FlyFishNut]

Bear Spray??

Have you packed everything and weighed your pack? Might be a good idea to prepack everything and make sure the load sits well and if not repack / tweak it.

[SkeeterPee]

I had forgot about bear spray, but I thought that was not likely needed for black bears. perhaps I will get a small container. I kind of figured if you are down wind from the bear you might surprise it, but you don't want to be spraying into the wind, and if you are upwind then it should know you are there before you ever see it.

[SkeeterPee]

People asked about the lint and 3rd sock. I'm surprised no one asked about the skeeterpee. A homemade beverage. not sure I will bother on the first trip. http://skeeterpee.com/

[Shutterbug]

Does your phone have a camera? If not, you need to add a camera to your list. Sharing the pictures of your hike is half the fun.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I had forgot about bear spray, but I thought that was not likely needed for black bears. perhaps I will get a small container. I kind of figured if you are down wind from the bear you might surprise it, but you don't want to be spraying into the wind, and if you are upwind then it should know you are there before you ever see it.

Only a tiny percentage of hikers on the A.T. bother to carry bear spray, probably less than 5% of hikers I've seen had it. If it helps you sleep better at night then go for it; but it's really not needed.

Ursack is also unnecessary if you plan to hang your food. You need either a hanging bear bag or an ursack, not both.

[FlyFishNut]

People asked about the lint and 3rd sock. I'm surprised no one asked about the skeeterpee. A homemade beverage. not sure I will bother on the first trip. http://skeeterpee.com/

I admit that I googled it. I thought it was a recovery / hydration drink but after further reading looks like a homemade wine type drink??

[rickb]

If you plan on hanging a bear bag, a small pouch to put a small rock in at the end of your line can save a lot of frustration. So can a bit of practice in the front yard swinging it in a big underhanded circle.

Scratch that. Best to practice in the backyard in case your pouch gets stuck up in the tree.

I would highly recommend a paperback. If Sasquatch wakes you up at 2 AM it will give you a good excuse to keep your light on. Good for other reasons, too.

A civilized mug for your coffee and skeeter pee. Definitely take the Skeeter Pee. Or fermented guarapo de Pina, but then you would have to change your name to something far less interesting.

Snacks.

[jefals]

Depending on your trekking poles, you might want to stick a nickel or a quarter in your pocket. Handy for tightening up certain types of poles..

[SkeeterPee]

Only a tiny percentage of hikers on the A.T. bother to carry bear spray, probably less than 5% of hikers I've seen had it. If it helps you sleep better at night then go for it; but it's really not needed.

Ursack is also unnecessary if you plan to hang your food. You need either a hanging bear bag or an ursack, not both.

Someone had told me if they were tired they just tie their ursack to a strong branch and did not hang it. Is that a reasonable approach?

[Sarcasm the elf]

Someone had told me if they were tired they just tie their ursack to a strong branch and did not hang it. Is that a reasonable approach?

Someone who owns an Ursack will hopefully jump in to clarify. But My understanding from hikers I've met that use them is it is designed not to be hung, it is supposed to be tied to a tree trunk since bears can't tear through the material used for the rope.

[SkeeterPee]

I admit that I googled it. I thought it was a recovery / hydration drink but after further reading looks like a homemade wine type drink??
Yes it is fermented lemonade. Though you can start with other juices and make it. comes out about 10% ABV.

[Fredt4]

Someone who owns an Ursack will hopefully jump in to clarify. But My understanding from hikers I've met that use them is it is designed not to be hung, it is supposed to be tied to a tree trunk since bears can't tear through the material used for the rope.

The UrSack was designed to be tied to a tree. Doing so will cause damage to the tree if a bear came around. The company likes to claim it's indestructible but it's probably not. I carry the Ursack to avoid the smaller bears (mice, squirrels, chipmunks) from getting into my food. I sleep with the food, in the Ursack, as I believe hanging food bags is bound to fail. Some consider sleeping with your food risky, but the data doesn't support that claim (in my opinion), you'll have to determine your own opinion and course of action. There's only a few areas on the AT were bears are a problem. Carrying a Ursack is much lighter than a bear canister and is highly effective against the little bears that are a problem along most if not the entire trail.

[misprof]

Neosporin ointment or another antibiotic ointment. If your hand sanitizer has alcohol in it then it will work in a pinch but will delay wound healing.
The milk jug is a good idea but will you need to wash your pants when you are out only 3 days? I am thinking that depending on the humidity they won't dry unless you wear them dry.

[Hoofit]

Carabiner to hang food bag or attaché something to pack. Small bag of lint to make fire starting easier. It lights easily and weighs almost nothing. I think I read you can also rub it on some wax to make it even better for firestarting.

I too carry lint and like to soak it in "Vicks" vapor rub to aid in fire starting. Rather than carrying it in a bag, I now compress it down to a small size and pack it into a film case, the old 35 mil plastic ones with a cap, very light and totally grease proof in a pack.