Base Weight

[zig-zag man]

I am researching and putting together my gear list and am coming up with weights that may be problematic. I'm looking at a base weight of 23.4 LBS (medicine included). I add water, food, and gas in the canister and I'm just a few ounces south of 40 LBS. I'm an older guy (62), diabetic (insulin dependent), plus all the other meds for heart, cholesterol, Neuropathy, and so on. I figured I'd leave with 90 days worth of pills and resupply my meds in PA (very near my home). Well, as it turns out, my meds are going to be the heaviest item I carry - weighing in at 3 LBS. I want to leave Springer on April 9th of '18. I'd like to limit my into-town-resupplies to 5-8 days apart (seems to me you could add hundreds of miles to your hike just going back and forth from the trail to the grocery store if you are not careful - and most of my hitchhiking days are behind me). I'm hiking on a budget - $3,500. Maybe a little more. Allowed $2,000 for gear, clothing, and such. I guess my question is this. What is a realistic base weight for a hiker on a budget? I'm not looking to do ultra light or anything like that, as my budget doesn't permit it. But then again, I'm not a mule. My career was in the construction trades so I'm not adverse to hard work. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[egilbe]

Yoy can send your meds and heavier items to the post office, either in a bounce box, or plan on going to town occasionally to pick up pre-mailed packages.

2 pound tent, 2 pound pack, 2 pounds sleeping bag, 1 pound of cook kit. 8 pounds of food. 4 pounds of water. That leaves 20 pounds of meds.

[Emerson Bigills]

I had three weeks of meds sent to me as I went along. I tried to use hostels for the maildrops as their hours of service are usually wider than the post office, but I did use some post offices up north without issue. Nothing magical about three weeks, but the weight of my meds was never a problem.

[TTT]

Is it not possible to repackage your medicine from its boxes, plastic containers and foil?

[lonehiker]

With 2k you should easily be able to get under 15 pound base weight. On the AT you can resupply every 3-5 days. Ya, you may have to hitch a time or two but once you are out there and see how easy that is, you won't have as much trepidation about it.

[garlic08]

About the only item you pay a lot more for going lighter is goose down insulation. It's pretty easy to drop over $400 on a nice three season sleeping bag. Otherwise, $250 gets you a nice Tarptent, and $150 gets a decent pack from some of the UL cottage folks. Once in a while you see a sale or a used deal. Pad, cook kit, and clothing you can piece together cheaply at thrift stores and sales. My AT kit weighs under ten pounds, costs about $800, and is good for 15 degrees F in blowing snow. I got my Marmot Helium bag on sale for $250.

For many, it's difficult to manage weight of consumables. Many carry way too much food and water for the AT. Springtime in the Southern Appalachians means lots of water nearly everywhere, so you can start out carrying very little. Food resupplies are easy, too, every 40 miles or so if you want. Mail drops are another helpful tool if you want. By the time you get to the longer food and water carries farther north, you'll gain some experience and fitness.

Best of luck.

[zig-zag man]

Yoy can send your meds and heavier items to the post office, either in a bounce box, or plan on going to town occasionally to pick up pre-mailed packages.

2 pound tent, 2 pound pack, 2 pounds sleeping bag, 1 pound of cook kit. 8 pounds of food. 4 pounds of water. That leaves 20 pounds of meds.

It's more like 2-1/2 lb tent, 3 lb pack, and 2-1/2 lb sleeping bag. Then there's the down jacket, clothes, socks, shoes, poles, sleeping pad, food bag, rain gear, water filtration, and so on. I may break my meds down to a 30 day supply only, but then postage starts adding up. However, in all, I believe that would be my best bet. It would certainly knock a couple pounds off of my carry weight.

[zig-zag man]

Is it not possible to repackage your medicine from its boxes, plastic containers and foil?

I weighed every pill and did the math. Plan on using a ziplock bag system. However there isn't much I can do about the weight of the insulin pens that I use. They are heavy.

[Puddlefish]

The meds aren't the problem. You still have at least 5-7 pounds of excess weight. You can still successfully hike a lot of miles with a 40 pound pack. I hiked with a 70 year old friend who made it all the way from Springer to Franklin, TN with a heavier pack. Most of his gear was old, and he was kind of in love with it. Had the pack forever, but it was comfortable. He nearly swung himself off the trail once due to the heavy pack, another time he ended up bumping that wide pack against a rock and nearly fell down a rock formation. After that he was less in love with his old gear.

He had a lot of clothing duplicates, and he mailed about seven pounds of extra clothes home from Neel's Gap. Then he started getting gear envy, when I was setting my tent up in under two minutes and he was taking closer to eight minutes... in the rain. He stopped at various outfitters along the way, but couldn't find a pack that he liked, until we got to Franklin. He replaced the pack, sleeping bag and tent in Franklin and shed another 9 pounds. He was absolutely thrilled, and you could see the spring in his step afterwards instead of the trudge.

I was overly concerned about food at the start of my hike. I started out with what turned out to be an extra two days of food. You'll find it's rare to need to need to go a full five days between resupply stops. There are enough places near the trail that you won't need to walk far, or you'll easily find transportation. I used AWOLs Guide as my main source of resupply planning. It become second nature to just scroll ahead to an easily reachable food source, and decide yes, I need X number of days days of food based on my expected mileage based on the difficulty of the elevation and terrain. It's not something you can easily plan ahead, but you will get a feel for it fairly quickly. Same deal with water, you'll quickly learn to carry only as much water as you'll need. You quickly get out of the habit of carrying 4 liters of water all the time, when, with a glance at the mileage and elevation, you realize you can get away with only two or three liters.

Removing duplicate gear is easy. Affording lighter, more expensive gear is expensive. Planning food and water weight becomes second nature with a good guide and a bit of practice.

Lighterpack.com is a handy resource to track how much weight you'll be carrying. This is my gear (https://lighterpack.com/r/cdawl9), which is hardly optimized, as I have a goofy sleep system, and some luxury items like my Kindle included. If you post your gear list, along your intended starting date, and starting location, there will be a lot of us only too happy to chime in with friendly and occasionally conflicting advice.

Whatever you decide, you'll do fine. Pack weight is only part of enjoying your hike.

[swjohnsey]

You will be happier carrying less weight. Don't think I ever met a hiker who said he wished his pack was a little heavier. The trail works very well using 3 -5 day jumps. Doing that you can get your pack down to 20lbs out of town and 10lbs into town. There is no need to carry more than a week or so of meds

[egilbe]

It's more like 2-1/2 lb tent, 3 lb pack, and 2-1/2 lb sleeping bag. Then there's the down jacket, clothes, socks, shoes, poles, sleeping pad, food bag, rain gear, water filtration, and so on. I may break my meds down to a 30 day supply only, but then postage starts adding up. However, in all, I believe that would be my best bet. It would certainly knock a couple pounds off of my carry weight.
You already have tent, sleeping bag, and your pack purchased?

[zig-zag man]

With 2k you should easily be able to get under 15 pound base weight. On the AT you can resupply every 3-5 days. Ya, you may have to hitch a time or two but once you are out there and see how easy that is, you won't have as much trepidation about it.

Maybe I am counting too many things in my "base weight". I've counted my shoes, which will be on my feet, not in my pack - still something to carry, so to speak. Counted my hiking poles. Regardless, once loaded up (including a max of 8 days food, I'm nearing 40 lbs. Maybe shave 2 lbs off of that if I break my meds down to a 30-day plan (which makes good sense). And it's not so much trepidation about hitching into town, it's more about - as one poster said - you can't spend money in the woods. I don't want to get in the habit of running up a $20-$30 luxury tab every 3-4 days. I know me. The less time I spend in town, the less money I spend. $3K is a tight budget to begin with.

[TTT]

If you carry 40 pounds of extra weight with heart and cholesterol problems over strenuous terrain, and 3 pounds of that is medication to last you a few days, the unsolicited truth tells me you will die sooner rather than later. You either need to either cut the weight drastically down much more than you think, or rethink hiking.

[soumodeler]

Start at Springer with 3-4 days of food and the AWOL guide. You will easily figure the rest out from there. Mid April is still peak thru hiker season so you can join others on rides into towns or hitching without difficulty. You are overthinking the resupply.

Don't forget the cheapest and easiest way to lighten your pack is by simply removing the gear your don't need. Take some practice trips, basically a few short overnights and see what you don't use and get rid of it. Keep doing this me you will quickly see what your true gear needs are.

[MuddyWaters]

do everything you can to get the weight down

Shedding wt is mostly about WHAT YOU DONT BRING, it doesnt have to be expensive

budget-schmudget......you WILL end up replacing too heavy items....at any cost....down the line when they get to you. Buying poor choices up front costs you twice the money due to this.

[Puddlefish]

For general discussion purposes base weight usually excludes worn clothing, just so everyone is working on the same assumptions.

Removing four or five pounds of worn clothing, adding in three pounds of meds that the typical hiker doesn't need to carry... you're not crazy high on the weight. At some point it becomes a tradeoff on the convenience of staying on the trail, or the inconvenience of planning extra mail drops, and actually getting to those mail drops. Considering your mail drops would include life saving medicine, it certainly adds pressure to get to a specific town by a specific time.

I planned half a dozen mail drops at places that were generally geographically equidistant, and more importantly places that looked interesting (and affordable) to visit, where I'd be happy to get off the trail.

[zig-zag man]

This is my tentative shopping list for my thru-hike next April.

REI Co-op Flash 45 Pack - 2lb14oz; Marmot Eos 1P Tent - 2lb7oz; Marmot Sawtooth 15* Sleeping Bag - 2lb7.5oz; NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad - 1lb; Rab Silk Bag Liner - 4.5oz; Cooking Setup - 1lb; 3 pr Darn Tough Socks - 1.6lbs; 1ea Under Armor Base Layer Shirt and pants - No clue as to weight; Brooks Ghost 9 Shoes - 10.6 oz; Thermarest MiniPump - 2.3oz; MEDS - 1lb; Black Diamond ProShock Poles - 1lb4oz; Headlamp 3oz; Sawyer Squeeze - 3oz; Tyvek 36x87 Footprint - No clue as to weight; Dry Sack for clothes - 2oz; FroggTogg Ultra Lite Poncho - 8.8oz; Zpacks 14L Bear Bagging Kit - 3.4oz; Z-Seat - 2 oz; NiteCore LA10 Lantern (for inside tent) - 2.3oz; Buff - No clue as to weight; Montbell Down Jacket - 6.2oz; Misc (incl portable phone charger) - 3lb. Plus food for 5-8 days and water. That took a fair amount of research to put this list together and it comes in every bit of $2,000.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[DownEaster]

I'm also gearing up for a 2018 NoBo AT through-hike. Shopping is an area in which I can offer informed advice. I'm not claiming to know the best possible prices on everything, but I can usually get close enough that it doesn't make much difference. Your big advantage is that you're starting early enough that you can wait until you find good sale prices.

Money doesn't have to be a problem on your "big 3" (pack, sleeping, shelter) because there is so much competition selling these items that you can find very good (though perhaps not excellent) gear that won't break the bank. I got my Granite Gear Crown 2 pack a couple months ago for $159.49 total cost (no tax, free delivery). It's 37 oz. including the removable lid, and I could pare it down to 34 oz. That sale's not going on now, but there ought to be plenty of opportunities to get a pack at a discount between now and your through-hike start. Your budget would be hurt by a Western Mountaineering sleeping bag, but the Klymit KSB 20° down bag is regularly priced at $189.95, so a sale should get you an adequate bag to keep you warm on the AT. Personally I went for a synthetic bag because I'm tolerant of cold but dread the consequences of getting down wet on this abundantly rainy trail: Marmot Cloudbreak 30, for which I paid $126.71 total. It's a snug fit, but only 31 oz. And there's another sale on now, so this bag is available again for the same price. I haven't got my tent yet, but I'm leaning toward a Naturehike Cloud UP 2, going for $104.50 on eBay. So my "big 3" total is under $400 and under 7 lbs. I could go with my existing blue CCF sleeping pad for no additional money, or splurge on a Klymit inflated pad for $39.99 (available here (https://www.sierratradingpost.com/klymit-static-v-inflatable-sleeping-pad-prior-year-model~p~171tr/?utm_source=GooglePLAs&utm_medium=PaidShopping&utm_term=Klymit_Static_V_Inflatable_Sleeping_Pad_-_Prior_Year_Model&utm_campaign=PCGOOGLES7&currency=USD&codes-processed=true)).

Sales come and go with no particular rationale that I can discern. I'd expected outdoor gear on sale for July 4th, but nothing came of that. Yet I found my GSI Extreme Mess Kit this past week for $24.95 instead of the $36.95 list price, just by doing shopping searches every few days on Google, Amazon, and eBay. There is one nearly-guaranteed discount time to shop: Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving). At that time, nearly everything is on sale somewhere.

The biggest job for you is producing a list of items you might reasonably use on the trail. There is a vast selection, but mostly (after a lot of work) the list will break into items that are too heavy (most Kelty items, for example) or much too expensive (ZPacks stuff) for your budget. Of the remainder (decent weight, but still too dear) you keep checking the prices until a desirable item has a significant drop in price. Starting about half a year ago my pack list was the Gossamer Gear Mariposa, Granite Gear Crown V.C. 60, and ULA Circuit. I almost bought the Crown V.C. 60 when it went on sale for $149.95 (down from $199.95), but I found out the reason for that sale was they had introduced the new Crown 2 with pretty much all the Crown V.C. 60 issues addressed. So I revised my pack list with the Crown 2 at the top, and hit on a sale a couple months later.

Start building up your gear shopping list now, and check for sales: the InterNet is your friend!

[zig-zag man]

If you carry 40 pounds of extra weight with heart and cholesterol problems over strenuous terrain, and 3 pounds of that is medication to last you a few days, the unsolicited truth tells me you will die sooner rather than later. You either need to either cut the weight drastically down much more than you think, or rethink hiking.

Thanks. That was encouraging.

[zig-zag man]

I'm also gearing up for a 2018 NoBo AT through-hike. Shopping is an area in which I can offer informed advice. I'm not claiming to know the best possible prices on everything, but I can usually get close enough that it doesn't make much difference. Your big advantage is that you're starting early enough that you can wait until you find good sale prices.

Money doesn't have to be a problem on your "big 3" (pack, sleeping, shelter) because there is so much competition selling these items that you can find very good (though perhaps not excellent) gear that won't break the bank. I got my Granite Gear Crown 2 pack a couple months ago for $159.49 total cost (no tax, free delivery). It's 37 oz. including the removable lid, and I could pare it down to 34 oz. That sale's not going on now, but there ought to be plenty of opportunities to get a pack at a discount between now and your through-hike start. Your budget would be hurt by a Western Mountaineering sleeping bag, but the Klymit KSB 20° down bag is regularly priced at $189.95, so a sale should get you an adequate bag to keep you warm on the AT. Personally I went for a synthetic bag because I'm tolerant of cold but dread the consequences of getting down wet on this abundantly rainy trail: Marmot Cloudbreak 30, for which I paid $126.71 total. It's a snug fit, but only 31 oz. And there's another sale on now, so this bag is available again for the same price. I haven't got my tent yet, but I'm leaning toward a Naturehike Cloud UP 2, going for $104.50 on eBay. So my "big 3" total is under $400 and under 7 lbs. I could go with my existing blue CCF sleeping pad for no additional money, or splurge on a Klymit inflated pad for $39.99 (available here (https://www.sierratradingpost.com/klymit-static-v-inflatable-sleeping-pad-prior-year-model~p~171tr/?utm_source=GooglePLAs&utm_medium=PaidShopping&utm_term=Klymit_Static_V_Inflatable_Sleeping_Pad_-_Prior_Year_Model&utm_campaign=PCGOOGLES7¤cy=USD&codes-processed=true)).

Sales come and go with no particular rationale that I can discern. I'd expected outdoor gear on sale for July 4th, but nothing came of that. Yet I found my GSI Extreme Mess Kit this past week for $24.95 instead of the $36.95 list price, just by doing shopping searches every few days on Google, Amazon, and eBay. There is one nearly-guaranteed discount time to shop: Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving). At that time, nearly everything is on sale somewhere.

The biggest job for you is producing a list of items you might reasonably use on the trail. There is a vast selection, but mostly (after a lot of work) the list will break into items that are too heavy (most Kelty items, for example) or much too expensive (ZPacks stuff) for your budget. Of the remainder (decent weight, but still too dear) you keep checking the prices until a desirable item has a significant drop in price. Starting about half a year ago my pack list was the Gossamer Gear Mariposa, Granite Gear Crown V.C. 60, and ULA Circuit. I almost bought the Crown V.C. 60 when it went on sale for $149.95 (down from $199.95), but I found out the reason for that sale was they had introduced the new Crown 2 with pretty much all the Crown V.C. 60 issues addressed. So I revised my pack list with the Crown 2 at the top, and hit on a sale a couple months later.

Start building up your gear shopping list now, and check for sales: the InterNet is your friend!

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely be watching for sales.

[DownEaster]

I'm glad you labeled this as tentative, because I think there's room for improvement on both budget and weight. Budget is important because you're going to need to reserve money for replacements due to wear (3 more pairs of trail shoes, for example), breakage, and things that just don't work out for you.

This is my tentative shopping list for my thru-hike next April.

REI Co-op Flash 45 Pack - 2lb14oz; Note that my pack is the same price, more capacity (which I put to use for my not-so-compressible synthetic insulation), and 12 oz. lighter.


Rab Silk Bag Liner - 4.5oz; $69.95 for the mummy version at backcountry.com, but you can find a no-name equivalent here (http://www.silkliners.com/mummy-endura-white-100-mulberry-silk-single-sleeping-bag-liner/) for $28.99.


3 pr Darn Tough Socks - 1.6lbs; You can probably do with 2 pair of these (I got my 2 from Massdrop) and a cheaper pair of ragg wool socks for sleeping.


1ea Under Armor Base Layer Shirt and pants - No clue as to weight;I went with random sales finds: Duofold Thermamatrix shirt (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPUMGI0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for which I paid $6.75, and Weatherproof Thermafleece pants (http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Weatherproof-Mens-Therma-Fleece-Base-Layer-Pants/productDetail/Mens-Base-Layer-Bottoms/prod99999033969/cat101331) costing $12.74. You're going to sleep in these, so the name brand isn't going to matter.


Black Diamond ProShock Poles - 1lb4oz; I bought Yukon Charlie's Trek Lite Series Trekking Poles for $20.50 including tax. Each pole is 8.5 oz., so 3 oz. lighter and much cheaper than your tentative name brand choice. I wrote a short review here (https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/125713-Yukon-Charlie-s-Trek-Lite-Series-Trekking-Pole).


Zpacks 14L Bear Bagging Kit I got an 8L dry bag for $2.63 (shipped from China) on eBay; you could buy two. The mesh bag to put a rock in came free with some California mandarin oranges. Reflective guy line (Coghlan's) was $3.99. Mini carabiner was $.17 (got a 10-pack for $1.68).


That took a fair amount of research to put this list together and it comes in every bit of $2,000.I'm afraid your research (if you're serious about gearing up on a budget) is just beginning. :-?

[Slo-go'en]

I hate to tell you this, but the cards are seriously stacked against you. First, if you only have $3,500 and spend $2000 on gear, you only have $1500 left and you'll blow through that really quick. Realistically you need a minimum of $4,000 in your pocket when you hit the trail. If your a young kid, good at scrounging off of others and can hike 20-30 miles a day, then you can go cheap but for most people, you need a sizeable budget. Of course, that also assumes you have no other expenses to cover at home while your gone and your drugs are all paid for by someone else.

As an older hiker, with apparently a lot of medical issues (and overweight?) your not going to be hiking very far in a day. Because your moving so slowly, you'll have to carry that 5-8 days of food and still have to go to every town along the way to buy more. Diabetics don't seem to do well on extended hikes. It's very hard to manage your insulin and sugar levels.

With all those issues, you would be best to forget about a thru hike. Scale back your trip to something a bit more manageable like a 3-4 week section hike. Pick a time of year when you don't need a lot of cold weather stuff and a section which isn't too hard.

[lonehiker]

This is my tentative shopping list for my thru-hike next April.

REI Co-op Flash 45 Pack - 2lb14oz; Marmot Eos 1P Tent - 2lb7oz; Marmot Sawtooth 15* Sleeping Bag - 2lb7.5oz; NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad - 1lb; Rab Silk Bag Liner - 4.5oz; Cooking Setup - 1lb; 3 pr Darn Tough Socks - 1.6lbs; 1ea Under Armor Base Layer Shirt and pants - No clue as to weight; Brooks Ghost 9 Shoes - 10.6 oz; Thermarest MiniPump - 2.3oz; MEDS - 1lb; Black Diamond ProShock Poles - 1lb4oz; Headlamp 3oz; Sawyer Squeeze - 3oz; Tyvek 36x87 Footprint - No clue as to weight; Dry Sack for clothes - 2oz; FroggTogg Ultra Lite Poncho - 8.8oz; Zpacks 14L Bear Bagging Kit - 3.4oz; Z-Seat - 2 oz; NiteCore LA10 Lantern (for inside tent) - 2.3oz; Buff - No clue as to weight; Montbell Down Jacket - 6.2oz; Misc (incl portable phone charger) - 3lb. Plus food for 5-8 days and water. That took a fair amount of research to put this list together and it comes in every bit of $2,000.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

So you have answered your own questions. Your refusal to take advice reference how many days of food to carry is noteworthy. That attitude will probably change after your first resupply which is fine as a long hike is all about adaptability.

[swjohnsey]

Ebay is your friend for cheap high end camping gear.

[kestral]

You mentioned your insulin needles are heavy. I hope you are including a glucometer as your insulin needs will likely change drastically (reduce) as you excercise and alter your eating habits. Please consult a medical professional who is comfortable with managing your soon to be changing requirements via phone or texts . I expect your need for insulin , oral hypoglycemics, BP management and cholesterol management will all greatly deminish. Taking too much meds can cause great harm and be lethal. Check your BP frequently. A bounce bag with BP cuff would be useful. Regular blood checks for cholesterol and A1c levels are doable while in trail towns and the info can be sent to you HCP.

With neuropathy foot foot sensations are altered and you may not notice the warning of pain as easily as others. Be vigilant about checking and caring for feet.

You can absolutly pursue you dreams. Lots of prep including shakedown hikes with less weights and seeing how your body copes is key for you, along with getting a health care professional who will work with you. I think hiking will improve you medical conditions and is great for your soul.

No shame in short and long sections- don't have to start with a thu hike goal. that's what I do!

best of luck. HYOH

[DownEaster]

I hate to tell you this, but the cards are seriously stacked against you. First, if you only have $3,500 and spend $2000 on gear, you only have $1500 left and you'll blow through that really quick.
You can get good-quality gear for just $1000, and I'd recommend doing so. I agree that having a greater money reserve is a good idea, and will reduce the odds of you having to call an abrupt end to your adventure.

[zig-zag man]

I'm glad you labeled this as tentative, because I think there's room for improvement on both budget and weight. Budget is important because you're going to need to reserve money for replacements due to wear (3 more pairs of trail shoes, for example), breakage, and things that just don't work out for you.
Note that my pack is the same price, more capacity (which I put to use for my not-so-compressible synthetic insulation), and 12 oz. lighter.

$69.95 for the mummy version at backcountry.com, but you can find a no-name equivalent here (http://www.silkliners.com/mummy-endura-white-100-mulberry-silk-single-sleeping-bag-liner/) for $28.99.

You can probably do with 2 pair of these (I got my 2 from Massdrop) and a cheaper pair of ragg wool socks for sleeping.

I went with random sales finds: Duofold Thermamatrix shirt (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPUMGI0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for which I paid $6.75, and Weatherproof Thermafleece pants (http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Weatherproof-Mens-Therma-Fleece-Base-Layer-Pants/productDetail/Mens-Base-Layer-Bottoms/prod99999033969/cat101331) costing $12.74. You're going to sleep in these, so the name brand isn't going to matter.

I bought Yukon Charlie's Trek Lite Series Trekking Poles for $20.50 including tax. Each pole is 8.5 oz., so 3 oz. lighter and much cheaper than your tentative name brand choice. I wrote a short review here (https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/125713-Yukon-Charlie-s-Trek-Lite-Series-Trekking-Pole).

I got an 8L dry bag for $2.63 (shipped from China) on eBay; you could buy two. The mesh bag to put a rock in came free with some California mandarin oranges. Reflective guy line (Coghlan's) was $3.99. Mini carabiner was $.17 (got a 10-pack for $1.68).

I'm afraid your research (if you're serious about gearing up on a budget) is just beginning. :-?

Thanks for the advice. What pack do you have?

[zig-zag man]

So you have answered your own questions. Your refusal to take advice reference how many days of food to carry is noteworthy. That attitude will probably change after your first resupply which is fine as a long hike is all about adaptability.

I haven't refused anything. And yes, maybe I am initially planning to stay out of town as much as possible. It certainly isn't because I don't value your, or anyone else's opinion, but rather because I know me. If I'm in town and smell a steakhouse, I may go into dog mode and have to have some. Can't spend money in the woods. Furthermore, I am not a spring chicken. The 2,189 miles is going to be tough enough. At this point I am not particularly keen on hitching into town every 72 hours to resupply. That just eats up time and, in the long run, excess money that I don't have. You're right. That may all change once I get started. I learned long ago that if I let someone else set my goals for me I will never be satisfied. I figure if others much older than me have done it. Why can't I? And like you said, it's all about adaptability. Thanks for your advice.

[zig-zag man]

Ebay is your friend for cheap high end camping gear.

I have seen some nice prices on ebay. Thanks for the advice.

[zig-zag man]

You mentioned your insulin needles are heavy. I hope you are including a glucometer as your insulin needs will likely change drastically (reduce) as you excercise and alter your eating habits. Please consult a medical professional who is comfortable with managing your soon to be changing requirements via phone or texts . I expect your need for insulin , oral hypoglycemics, BP management and cholesterol management will all greatly deminish. Taking too much meds can cause great harm and be lethal. Check your BP frequently. A bounce bag with BP cuff would be useful. Regular blood checks for cholesterol and A1c levels are doable while in trail towns and the info can be sent to you HCP.

With neuropathy foot foot sensations are altered and you may not notice the warning of pain as easily as others. Be vigilant about checking and caring for feet.

You can absolutly pursue you dreams. Lots of prep including shakedown hikes with less weights and seeing how your body copes is key for you, along with getting a health care professional who will work with you. I think hiking will improve you medical conditions and is great for your soul.

No shame in short and long sections- don't have to start with a thu hike goal. that's what I do!

best of luck. HYOH

I will certainly be keeping my doctor aware of what's going on while I'm on the trail. And I agree that a long walk in the woods may be exactly what I need to greatly improve my health. And if it kills me, then I won't have died watching Last Man Standing reruns, but rather on an epic adventure. If I honestly didn't believe I could do it, I wouldn't waste my time and money preparing. Thank you for your advice and encouraging words.

[Click]

I'm glad to see a definition of base weight!
Prior to that, my 'base weight' was 195# - naked on a scale: I'm trying to keep the 'pack weight' reasonable - I read reasonable is 1/4 of your weight??
VERY useful thread
[planning a 2020 NOBO]

[DownEaster]

I got my Granite Gear Crown 2 pack a couple months ago for $159.49 total cost (no tax, free delivery). It's 37 oz. including the removable lid, and I could pare it down to 34 oz.

Thanks for the advice. What pack do you have?
Buried in quite a lot of text there, so here's the excerpt for you. Amazon says I placed the order on June 9. It's back up to full list price ($199.95) everywhere now, but there are bound to be sales again. (There have already been two sales on the Crown V.C. 60 this year, each time for $50 off.) Just search Google for the item you're interested in ("Granite Gear Crown 2" in this case) and the first (sponsored) result will be "Shop for Granite Gear Crown 2 on Google". That's how I stumbled on the first Crown 2 sale. Searching once a week is probably enough, but I search twice a week just so I can be sure to jump on a sale before the inventory runs out.

Here are pictures:
39974 39975

[DownEaster]

I'm trying to keep the 'pack weight' reasonable - I read reasonable is 1/4 of your weight??
20% (1/5th) of your weight is probably the limit of what most people find reasonable to carry all day, every day. 25% is an OK figure for a short (1 week or less) trip where your body will have time to recover afterward.

[TTT]

I don't think those figures tell the whole story as they exclude age and health. A young fit person can safely lug much more, and recover much faster, than an overweight person in reclining years.

[CarlZ993]

Good luck on your gear choices. Ask some gear questions and you'll get a lot of suggestions. If you can spring for a digital scale, buy one & start weighing what you already have. Create a spreadsheet or online gear spreadsheet to determine your base packweight (everything in your pack except food, fuel, or water; don't count what you wear or carry). If you resupply more frequently, you'll carry less weight in your pack. You just have to watch out that you don't excessively splurge while you're in town. People on a strict budget will 'nero' to a town, buy food, eat something, wash stuff, and then leave.

Anyway, good luck on your hike.

[zig-zag man]

I'm glad you labeled this as tentative, because I think there's room for improvement on both budget and weight. Budget is important because you're going to need to reserve money for replacements due to wear (3 more pairs of trail shoes, for example), breakage, and things that just don't work out for you.
Note that my pack is the same price, more capacity (which I put to use for my not-so-compressible synthetic insulation), and 12 oz. lighter.

$69.95 for the mummy version at backcountry.com, but you can find a no-name equivalent here (http://www.silkliners.com/mummy-endura-white-100-mulberry-silk-single-sleeping-bag-liner/) for $28.99.

You can probably do with 2 pair of these (I got my 2 from Massdrop) and a cheaper pair of ragg wool socks for sleeping.

I went with random sales finds: Duofold Thermamatrix shirt (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPUMGI0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) for which I paid $6.75, and Weatherproof Thermafleece pants (http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Weatherproof-Mens-Therma-Fleece-Base-Layer-Pants/productDetail/Mens-Base-Layer-Bottoms/prod99999033969/cat101331) costing $12.74. You're going to sleep in these, so the name brand isn't going to matter.

I bought Yukon Charlie's Trek Lite Series Trekking Poles for $20.50 including tax. Each pole is 8.5 oz., so 3 oz. lighter and much cheaper than your tentative name brand choice. I wrote a short review here (https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/125713-Yukon-Charlie-s-Trek-Lite-Series-Trekking-Pole).

I got an 8L dry bag for $2.63 (shipped from China) on eBay; you could buy two. The mesh bag to put a rock in came free with some California mandarin oranges. Reflective guy line (Coghlan's) was $3.99. Mini carabiner was $.17 (got a 10-pack for $1.68).

I'm afraid your research (if you're serious about gearing up on a budget) is just beginning. :-?

You really hooked me up. Knocked $300+ off my gear budget, and I think I have my base weight down to just a hair over 20 lbs. I'm going to watch for sales, including that Granite Gear Crown 60. Nice looking pack. I truly appreciate your help. I could trim a little more weight if I go with that BRS 3000T rather than the Pocket Rocket, but I like the stability of the Pocket Rocket over the little China job. I watched one review and the guy said he has had his mug fall off the 3000T more than once. Thoughts? Again, many thanks for your help.

[egilbe]

I have a BRS 3000T. I use it with a 1.4 liter snowpeak pot and have yet to dump it over. I wouldn't use anything less than a 220gm canister with it, though. Just make sure your pot is centered and don't turn it on full blast so the water comes to a roiling boil. Low flame and a slow boil for a second is all you need.

[DownEaster]

I'm afraid I'd disappoint you in the kitchen gear. That's the one area I splurged on, because nothing motivates me to hike better than actual cooked food. I got a Primus OmniLite Ti stove via Massdrop, and a larger (750 ml) BSR fuel bottle on eBay. My cook kit is a GSI Extreme Mess Kit (just this past week, from SunnySports). When I get the (back-ordered) silencer add-on for the OmniLite Ti (very nice stove, but sounds like a jet engine) I'll have spent over $200 in this category. I'm using the same shopping approach here as for other backpacking items, but my aim is quite a bit higher than the usual hiker's. I need a nonstick frying pan.

We all have our individual luxury items on the trail for whatever reason, and I'm going to enjoy my fettucini with fresh Alfredo sauce for dinner, and morning pancakes with fresh cocoa to give me some get-up-and-go.


One thing you might consider is a collapsible silicone mug or bowl so you can have a hot beverage and a pot meal (oatmeal, ramen, Knorr sides, or whatever) at the same time. There are some bargains here, such as the Ozark Trails 16 oz. collapsible cup at Walmart for $1.42. Also note that the same dish in the pet category costs 1/4 as much as in the backpacker category. A Sea to Summit X-Bowl is a nice 22 oz. bowl but costs $16. My 24 oz. pet bowl (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DJRB38Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) cost me $4.35 with tax; it's a compromise between a bowl for oatmeal or soup, and a jumbo mug for cocoa or tea.

[Slo-go'en]

I'm glad to see a definition of base weight!
Prior to that, my 'base weight' was 195# - naked on a scale: I'm trying to keep the 'pack weight' reasonable - I read reasonable is 1/4 of your weight??
VERY useful thread
[planning a 2020 NOBO]

If you weigh in at 200 pounds, 25% is 50 pounds. No way your going to want to lug 50 pounds for any length of time! 30 pounds, fully loaded, hiking out of town, is about the heaviest you want to go, regardless of your body weight. That means you want to shoot for a pack "base weight" of 20 pounds or less. And the older you are and the less spring you have in the knees, the lighter the base weight the better.

[Venchka]

Hypothetically speaking:
Cross reference National drug chains with the AT. You might be able to refill your prescriptions along the trail. I only have 3 prescriptions and I get them in 90 day increments. A whole lot less hassle and cheaper too.
Have a great hike.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Turk6177]

I would guess that after the Smokies, you will have enough time under your belt to pick through what you need and don't need. My base is around 18 pounds so you aren't that far off. You will figure it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TTT]

Putting it into perspective, the newer weight for a bag of cement comes in at 55 pounds. Carrying that up and down a few hills will test anyone's knees and medical aid

[zig-zag man]

I would guess that after the Smokies, you will have enough time under your belt to pick through what you need and don't need. My base is around 18 pounds so you aren't that far off. You will figure it out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I made some changes without sacrificing my safety and got my base down to 18.5 Lbs. With 2 liters of water at 4 Lbs., my meds and diabetic supplies at 1.5 Lbs., and 10 Lbs. of food for 5 days, that puts me at a total weight of 34 Lbs. I'm going to see if I can safely bring down my healthcare needs' weight a little by resupplying every thirty days rather than 90 days. I appreciate everybody's comments. They've helped me out a lot.

[RangerZ]

Way back in 2013, when I thought I'd hike in 2015 (now it might not be 2018) I started a thread on Diabetic thru hiking logistics. Look it up it and its comments may be a help.

[Another Kevin]

Some random thoughts about the weight and cost:

I'd suggest that if you're gearing up from scratch, you should start with a list like Mark Henley's one:

http://www.gossamergear.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Ultracheap_Henley.pdf (https://web.archive.org/web/20150911005346/http://www.gossamergear.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Ultracheap_Henley.pdf) (dead link, replaced by one on Internet Archive)

and then decide where you feel you ought to go heavier or more expensive. I don't go quite as extreme as Henley, either in weight or in cost, but that's for two reasons: I'm a weekender and short-sectioner, so less worried about a little bit more weight, since I have time to recover in between hikes. And I'm not on as tight a budget, so I can afford in some cases gear that's a trifle less fussy. But when I read his list, I said to myself, "yeah, that'd work."

Don't carry any kind of heavy cooler for your meds until you've talked to a doc who's familiar with the issues. Most of the diabetic meds that say, "keep refrigerated" are actually good for at least a few weeks out of refrigeration. If you're on daily or twice-daily exenatide or liraglutide, for instance, see if you can get switched to albiglutide, or weekly-dosed exenatide. Both are good for 4 weeks at room temperature. Most varieties of insulin are good for a month as well (or your prescription can be replaced with one that is).

90-day resupply of meds sounds a little unrealistic. Even if you have to get 90-day prescriptions with your insurance, isn't there anyone that could box a few pen injectors for you and send you a mail drop?

Also, if the cost of prescription affects your budget, maybe you could get a sympathetic doc to switch you off of analogs onto something like a combination of generic regular human insulin and generic NPH. Both of those are much cheaper, and even available without a prescription in most states. If you could get onto that sort of regime, you could probably afford to supply your insulin at XYZ-Mart every month or so, and the price might be even less than your copay for the newer drugs. See http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2017/mar-apr/human-vs-analog-insulin.html

[zig-zag man]

Some random thoughts about the weight and cost:

I'd suggest that if you're gearing up from scratch, you should start with a list like Mark Henley's one:

http://www.gossamergear.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Ultracheap_Henley.pdf (https://web.archive.org/web/20150911005346/http://www.gossamergear.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Ultracheap_Henley.pdf) (dead link, replaced by one on Internet Archive)

and then decide where you feel you ought to go heavier or more expensive. I don't go quite as extreme as Henley, either in weight or in cost, but that's for two reasons: I'm a weekender and short-sectioner, so less worried about a little bit more weight, since I have time to recover in between hikes. And I'm not on as tight a budget, so I can afford in some cases gear that's a trifle less fussy. But when I read his list, I said to myself, "yeah, that'd work."

Don't carry any kind of heavy cooler for your meds until you've talked to a doc who's familiar with the issues. Most of the diabetic meds that say, "keep refrigerated" are actually good for at least a few weeks out of refrigeration. If you're on daily or twice-daily exenatide or liraglutide, for instance, see if you can get switched to albiglutide, or weekly-dosed exenatide. Both are good for 4 weeks at room temperature. Most varieties of insulin are good for a month as well (or your prescription can be replaced with one that is).

90-day resupply of meds sounds a little unrealistic. Even if you have to get 90-day prescriptions with your insurance, isn't there anyone that could box a few pen injectors for you and send you a mail drop?

Also, if the cost of prescription affects your budget, maybe you could get a sympathetic doc to switch you off of analogs onto something like a combination of generic regular human insulin and generic NPH. Both of those are much cheaper, and even available without a prescription in most states. If you could get onto that sort of regime, you could probably afford to supply your insulin at XYZ-Mart every month or so, and the price might be even less than your copay for the newer drugs. See http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2017/mar-apr/human-vs-analog-insulin.html

I take 1 shot of Lantus every morning. Lantus is good for a month once taken out of the fridge. Since my wife is a health care professional, we have really good insurance. The prescription program we have will do 90 day prescriptions with no problem. I just have to work a pharmacy into my resupply every month. Shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Honestly, I expect this hike to improve my health drastically - maybe to the point I can get off of some of the pills I take daily. We'll see. Thanks for the reply. And I will check out that fellows gear list.

[kestral]

My pharmacy has no problem partial filling med scripts and filling remaining amount at a later date. For expensive meds, I might get 5 days worth to make sure they don't cause problems rather than commit to a whole months worth. I use Walgreens, but I think this is fairly common with national chains. Talk with your pharmacist about it. Most trail towns have a chain pharmacy, easy to check online.

I think your trip and your pre thru conditioning will be great for your health. Wish more would take the plunge to commit to a healthy lifestyle. If you get Netflix you might want to watch some of the documentaries on nutrition and it's correlation to health. I just watched "what the health!" Which encourages an anti inflammatory diet, most just emphasize eating some variant of " real food, mostly plants and not too much." My caveman diet which has me feeling much better is basically no grains, no processed foods, lots of veg, some fruit, small amount quality meat and fish, organic when you can, wash everything . I have developed an obsession with coconut as a medium and the perfect coconut cookie. I like to cook, cause I really like to eat well :) You really are what you eat!

Best of luck, hope to see you on the trail.

[capehiker]

Someone in the Reddit /Ultralight sub put together a pretty nice budget base weight list for under $500. It may not fit your hiking style, but it could give you ideas: https://lighterpack.com/r/776crf

[capehiker]

I hate to tell you this, but the cards are seriously stacked against you. First, if you only have $3,500 and spend $2000 on gear, you only have $1500 left and you'll blow through that really quick. Realistically you need a minimum of $4,000 in your pocket when you hit the trail. If your a young kid, good at scrounging off of others and can hike 20-30 miles a day, then you can go cheap but for most people, you need a sizeable budget. Of course, that also assumes you have no other expenses to cover at home while your gone and your drugs are all paid for by someone else.

As an older hiker, with apparently a lot of medical issues (and overweight?) your not going to be hiking very far in a day. Because your moving so slowly, you'll have to carry that 5-8 days of food and still have to go to every town along the way to buy more. Diabetics don't seem to do well on extended hikes. It's very hard to manage your insulin and sugar levels.

With all those issues, you would be best to forget about a thru hike. Scale back your trip to something a bit more manageable like a 3-4 week section hike. Pick a time of year when you don't need a lot of cold weather stuff and a section which isn't too hard.

Quoting this in its entirety because it's spot on. Your budget is not realistic for a six month thru hike, even when staying out of town. Get out for a long section hike and if all goes well, the trail will be there next year, and the year after, despite what the doom and gloomers say.

The trail isn't going to fix your medical issues. You may think it will, but it won't. You mentioned hoping the hike would get you off medications. What is stopping you from achieving that now? You have 7-8 months before you start, get off the couch and make an effort. Why start such a huge endeavor out of shape with health issues when you can start 30 pounds lighter and with fewer meds? There's a mental aspect in play that needs addressed before you get on the trail or else it's going to be there when you get off.

I know...I sound like a real d*!khead but I promise I'm not trying to be. Sprinkled between your questions about gear are underlying health issues that can be addressed now rather than on the trail. Get yourself in a training program, use the thru hike as motivation for getting fit, and ask your doctor what you have to do to reduce your meds before you get on the trail. Then follow that advice.

In the time being, get your gear and get out and backpack for 2 day trips. Your medical issues add an extra layer of planning and short overnight trips can help you understand what role and changes your meds will have.

Or you can completely ignore this post and do your own thing. Either way, good luck.

[English Stu]

I feel sure there are other base weight discussions on here. I recall reading that the Outfitters at Neels Gap each year sends home for people about two tons of gear they wish to change for lighter.
Shake down hikes with the your gear are good, then put the gear into three piles- 1. Essential,used on hike+ first aid, meds) 2. Might
wants; 3 Nice to have; for your hike get rid of piles 2 and 3.
Buy light or buy twice. I have done quite a bit of buying twice.
Good luck you will enjoy it.

[zig-zag man]

Quoting this in its entirety because it's spot on. Your budget is not realistic for a six month thru hike, even when staying out of town. Get out for a long section hike and if all goes well, the trail will be there next year, and the year after, despite what the doom and gloomers say.

The trail isn't going to fix your medical issues. You may think it will, but it won't. You mentioned hoping the hike would get you off medications. What is stopping you from achieving that now? You have 7-8 months before you start, get off the couch and make an effort. Why start such a huge endeavor out of shape with health issues when you can start 30 pounds lighter and with fewer meds? There's a mental aspect in play that needs addressed before you get on the trail or else it's going to be there when you get off.

I know...I sound like a real d*!khead but I promise I'm not trying to be. Sprinkled between your questions about gear are underlying health issues that can be addressed now rather than on the trail. Get yourself in a training program, use the thru hike as motivation for getting fit, and ask your doctor what you have to do to reduce your meds before you get on the trail. Then follow that advice.

In the time being, get your gear and get out and backpack for 2 day trips. Your medical issues add an extra layer of planning and short overnight trips can help you understand what role and changes your meds will have.

Or you can completely ignore this post and do your own thing. Either way, good luck.

I appreciate the candid responses. Assuming I trash my plans to do a thru-hike next year and, instead, opt to do shorter hikes, I'm still going to need the same gear items. All I have is a Coleman sleeping bag that I've had for 30-some years or more. Weighs a ton. As for my health issues, they are what they are. But instead of taking 10 pills for breakfast every morning, maybe I could reduce it to 9, or 8 - that would be an accomplishment. I'll still likely be diabetic. I'll still have heart disease. But the high blood pressure could subside and the cholesterol could improve. Believe me, I'm not looking at the thru as a fountain of youth, but rather comfort food for the soul.

[capehiker]

Believe me, I'm not looking at the thru as a fountain of youth, but rather comfort food for the soul.

You can find that on weekend hikes near you. The AT isn't that far away. I used to live in Bryn Mawr and hiked sections every weekend. My humble advice is to reduce as many medications the right way before trying a Thru hike, and plan a 1 month hike first.

[swjohnsey]

You will certainly lose weight which often "cures" Type II diabetes.

[Puddlefish]

It's always a thru hike attempt, until it isn't anymore. Get the gear, make the attempt. If you don't finish, no big deal, you're then a section hiker. Can always hike til your money runs out, just save enough to get back home from any point on the trail. Be realistic about how much it will cost to shuttle you to the nearest bus station, it may not be cheap.

As part of your pre-hike planning, start walking more. Don't rush it, don't hurt yourself getting into shape. Even if it's walking around your flat neighborhood every morning, it's a start. You can break in your shoes. Learn what clothes wick away moisture and are comfortable. Find a local hill and walk a quarter of the way up, then half way up, then to the top. Reward yourself with a bit of shiny new gear when you reach the top of your local hill. Grab a ten pound weight and simulate putting on a pack. There are a lot of tiny things you can do in the comfort of your home.

Don't test out the calorie dense trail food however. I made that mistake and gained weight right before my hike. Oops.

I am not a doctor. Work with your doctor to make it work for you.

[Venchka]

If this is redundant, it should be said again. In every discussion of Base Weight.
The least expensive way and the healthiest way to reduce your on trail weight is to
LOOSE WEIGHT FROM YOU!
It can be done.
Good luck!
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zig-zag man]

If this is redundant, it should be said again. In every discussion of Base Weight.
The least expensive way and the healthiest way to reduce your on trail weight is to
LOOSE WEIGHT FROM YOU!
It can be done.
Good luck!
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am 5'11" tall and I weigh 175 pounds. My doctor is very good with that.

[Another Kevin]

If this is redundant, it should be said again. In every discussion of Base Weight.
The least expensive way and the healthiest way to reduce your on trail weight is to
LOOSE WEIGHT FROM YOU!

Not everyone with metabolic syndrome (type II diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance) is overweight or unfit. Being fit and trim can help postpone the inevitable, but metabolic syndrome seems to fall partly in the category of "if you live long enough...."

That said, I certainly need to pay attention to the From-Skin-In base weight. (I never have a weight problem when I can hike regularly, and always struggle with it when I can't.) My blood work numbers usually run pretty good, though, I seem to have done pretty well in the genetic lottery on that particular score. It's surely none of my doing.

[Hosh]

Damn I wish I had stayed at a Holiday INN Express last night and could provide some irrelevant medical advice. Instead, HYOH and enjoy the journey.

Good luck, God's speed and enjoy your inner soul experience.

[MoeTCrow]

I haven't read the whole thread but looking at the gear list a few things jump out at me price wise. The z seat can be found all day long for around a buck if you look at aliexpress.com for the knockoff. The neo air pump can be replaced with a plastic trash bag. See YouTube for the how. And arrowhead equipment sells a bear bagging kit too might be cheaper not real sure. But you could always get some zing-it or lash-it from dutchwaregear.com and use a bag you make/already have.

[MtDoraDave]

Not wanting to go into towns often to save time may not be the best approach. I have been section hiking now for about 3 years; I started when I was 43 and just turned 46. My second section was Springer to Dicks Creek Gap, and at Springer's scale, the pack was 43 lbs starting out for a week. My last trip, it was 27 lbs starting out for the week. How much weight a person carries makes a huge difference in the likelihood of whether they will injure themselves, how far they can travel each day, and ultimately (for a thru-hike attempt) the able to complete a thru-hike.

Food often weighs 2 lbs per day, so carrying just 3 extra days of food adds about 6 lbs to your pack weight. With a pack that weighs 6 lbs less, you may be able to do 20 mile days rather than 15 mile days (after you get your hiking legs) .
Rather than worry about the extra time you'll lose going into town, focus on carrying as little weight as possible. As someone once said: If you're in a hurry, why are you walking?

[MtDoraDave]

Oh, and having a light for inside the tent when you already have a headlight... not necessary. If you insist on having a second light source, bring a spare headlight. There are some very light (petzl) headlights that I personally wouldn't use to night hike (not bright enough, in my opinion), but would be fine around camp or in a tent.

[zig-zag man]

Not wanting to go into towns often to save time may not be the best approach. I have been section hiking now for about 3 years; I started when I was 43 and just turned 46. My second section was Springer to Dicks Creek Gap, and at Springer's scale, the pack was 43 lbs starting out for a week. My last trip, it was 27 lbs starting out for the week. How much weight a person carries makes a huge difference in the likelihood of whether they will injure themselves, how far they can travel each day, and ultimately (for a thru-hike attempt) the able to complete a thru-hike.

Food often weighs 2 lbs per day, so carrying just 3 extra days of food adds about 6 lbs to your pack weight. With a pack that weighs 6 lbs less, you may be able to do 20 mile days rather than 15 mile days (after you get your hiking legs) .
Rather than worry about the extra time you'll lose going into town, focus on carrying as little weight as possible. As someone once said: If you're in a hurry, why are you walking?

In my thinking, minimizing my trips into town does a couple of things. 1) It keeps money in my pocket (I'm looking at a hike budget of $3,500). 2) It keeps me away from the hustle and bustle that I yearn to escape for a time. 3) And it may help to assure that, barring unforeseen circumstances, I reach my goal - Katahdin. That being said, I may shoot for keeping my food weight to 4 days max. Even if by doing so means that I have to spend more time in town, so be it. Lighter pack weight is becoming more important to me the more I read what others have to say about it. And it makes sense. At 4 days food weight, I estimate my pack weight with gear, meds, water (2 Liters), and food to be 32 pounds. I think that's the best I can do without spending a ton of money on the lightest gear out there.

[saltysack]

I am researching and putting together my gear list and am coming up with weights that may be problematic. I'm looking at a base weight of 23.4 LBS (medicine included). I add water, food, and gas in the canister and I'm just a few ounces south of 40 LBS. I'm an older guy (62), diabetic (insulin dependent), plus all the other meds for heart, cholesterol, Neuropathy, and so on. I figured I'd leave with 90 days worth of pills and resupply my meds in PA (very near my home). Well, as it turns out, my meds are going to be the heaviest item I carry - weighing in at 3 LBS. I want to leave Springer on April 9th of '18. I'd like to limit my into-town-resupplies to 5-8 days apart (seems to me you could add hundreds of miles to your hike just going back and forth from the trail to the grocery store if you are not careful - and most of my hitchhiking days are behind me). I'm hiking on a budget - $3,500. Maybe a little more. Allowed $2,000 for gear, clothing, and such. I guess my question is this. What is a realistic base weight for a hiker on a budget? I'm not looking to do ultra light or anything like that, as my budget doesn't permit it. But then again, I'm not a mule. My career was in the construction trades so I'm not adverse to hard work. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I have a nice tent for sale if interested....lightheart gear Solong 6....$200 like new...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[goatee]

In my thinking, minimizing my trips into town does a couple of things. 1) It keeps money in my pocket (I'm looking at a hike budget of $3,500). 2) It keeps me away from the hustle and bustle that I yearn to escape for a time. 3) And it may help to assure that, barring unforeseen circumstances, I reach my goal - Katahdin. That being said, I may shoot for keeping my food weight to 4 days max. Even if by doing so means that I have to spend more time in town, so be it. Lighter pack weight is becoming more important to me the more I read what others have to say about it. And it makes sense. At 4 days food weight, I estimate my pack weight with gear, meds, water (2 Liters), and food to be 32 pounds. I think that's the best I can do without spending a ton of money on the lightest gear out there.

Zig when I left Springer brand new to backpacking at 61 yrs young my pack weight was 34 lbs,when I left Neels Gap it was 43lbs with extra wght being food.That climb out of Neels was a bitch for me so 4 days later after giving away 9 lbs of food on the trail I could enjoy the hike,second year I lost 44 lbs and pack weight was 28 so now at 67 pack weight is 25 lbs. First year 5-8 miles a day was the best I could do,today I do 12-15 everyday so yep all weight matters.You will yearn for that shower and pizza in town.Good luck.

[zig-zag man]

I have a nice tent for sale if interested....lightheart gear Solong 6....$200 like new...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am interested in your tent for sale. Can you tell me more about it? Are the seams taped? Footprint? Stakes? This IS a five-star tent in the reviews, and it is certainly lighter than the Marmot Eos 1P that I was considering.

[cmoulder]

Salty's Solong 6 (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/125695-LHG-Solong-6-275-00-shipped-Like-new-Amazing-shelter?highlight=saltysack+solong) :D

[saltysack]

I am interested in your tent for sale. Can you tell me more about it? Are the seams taped? Footprint? Stakes? This IS a five-star tent in the reviews, and it is certainly lighter than the Marmot Eos 1P that I was considering.

It's in great shape, seams were seam sealed by Rob at outdoor 76 in Franklin where I purchased it new. He also put a few strips of seam seal on floor so pad doesn't slide. Flawless shelter other than few dirt marks and stuff sack has a lil chafe mark on outside, assume from bear can rubbing. Never used a footprint as seem pointless to me as long as your conscious as to where it's set up. No stakes inc but does Inc $30 carbon awning pole.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Heliotrope]

Salty's Solong 6 (https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/125695-LHG-Solong-6-275-00-shipped-Like-new-Amazing-shelter?highlight=saltysack+solong) :D

Not touching that ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[zig-zag man]

It's in great shape, seams were seam sealed by Rob at outdoor 76 in Franklin where I purchased it new. He also put a few strips of seam seal on floor so pad doesn't slide. Flawless shelter other than few dirt marks and stuff sack has a lil chafe mark on outside, assume from bear can rubbing. Never used a footprint as seem pointless to me as long as your conscious as to where it's set up. No stakes inc but does Inc $30 carbon awning pole.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'll take it. I will send you a PM.