Mid-March Start Clothing - Need Advice

[LeahHoneyBadger]

Hey Y'all
Cold-sleeping Florida girl wanting to start NOBO Thru hiking March 12 and would love a review of clothing set up for first cold weeks. I have questions in Italics

Hiking Clothes
Merino base layer long sleeve as needed
Merino short sleeve shirt
Merino leggings as needed
Zipper conversion pants or Mountain hardwear mens kilt. will a kilt will be warm enough?
Buff and fleece beanie
Darn tuff socks +/- liners (2 of each)
Fleece gloves and liners is this redundant/will I need both?
Trail runners or traditional boots will Runners be warm enough if deeper snow?
Frogg Toggs


Sleeping (I have a ThermaRest NeoAir - Womens, and Enlightened Quilt rated to 10 degrees)
Fleece lined leggings and long sleeve shirt (CuddliDuds)
Set of Wool extra thick socks
Down Jacket Ghost Whisperer.

Any other concerns/ clothing suggestions? I tend to sweat heavily while walking even if it is relatively cold, but the moment I stop I am get cooooold quickly. I currently have three blankets on the bed here in FLORIDA!

Thank you !!!
Leah

[The Cleaner]

37835378363783737838These pics taken 3-28, 26 miles North of Hot Springs NC.Notice what the girl is wearing.Out of the pic and sitting by the inside shelter fireplace was a guy wearing sandals w/socks.He wasn't very happy.I was up there cutting a hazard tree into firewood for hikers.I don't do this much anymore because all I get for my efforts is a shelter full of left behind trash and all kinds of used wet clothing and gear.I've found 3 left behind cheap tents.Good luck.:eek:

[Hikingjim]

Looks pretty good
A few comments:
- I don't think the glove liners are bad to bring along. You might want them at camp and they'd allow you to ditch the gloves faster when it's warm
- You have a quilt & jacket with no hood which might leave your head cold sleeping. If it's cold when you're hiking, you'll want your buff/beanie, so it might get wet. Might need some dedicated sleeping items for head/neck
- I find people get very different ratings out of their quilts... just make sure you test this stuff if you can. You might get cold with that. My fiance couldn't go much below 30-35f with my 20f quilt and a light down jacket/beanie. For me, it's more like 25f with a base layer and beanie with sufficient pad underneath
- Just an inflatable pad is ok, but if you get a leak you will be very very cold. Make sure if you go this route you have a patch kit and know how to use it, but patching isn't easy in the winter
- trail runners are not the least bit warm in slush or snow (on their own)... but some people seem to use them anyway, but add vapour barriers or something like that to make it workable. If you go with a waterproof shoe, they won't last forever and you can ditch them when it warms up and start with a fresh pair of trail runners

If you think you might be cold and the forecast looks rough, you could add a thin CCF foam mat under your setup and possibly a light summer sleeping bag under the quilt. That would allow you to use your down jacket in camp on breaks and not worry about it being part of your sleep system.
that may not be necessary, but leave yourself some options and you can send home excess stuff