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hopper
03-21-2003, 16:00
I'm leaving april 2nd :D
I'd love to hear your opinions!

Edited version

Shelter: Henry Shires Tarptent (vigra)25 oz

Sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest, UltraLite 3/4, 1 lb.

Sleeping bag: Feathered friends Hummingbird, 1 lb. 14 oz.

Pack: Osprey Aether 75 (a little heavy, but rides sooo nice)

Shoes: Garmont Otero trail shoe.

Hiking Poles: Leki Super Makulu.

Rain Gear: Frogg Toggs Pro Action Suit top and Frogg Toggs Pro Action Suit bottom

Insulation (top):Snowcreek synthetic jacket

Convertible Pants: EMS

Shorts: Columbia

Long Underwear Top: Patagonia Capilene

Long Underwear Bottoms: Patagonia Capilene

Balaclava:Patagonia fleece balaclava

Hand warmth: OR Basic Mitt shells

T-Shirts, 2: One Capilene

Underwear bottoms: 1

Socks: 3 pair. 2 smartwool light hiker, one pair hiker.

Ball Cap: any

Bandana: 2 Cotton. Washcloth, etc.

Wristwatch: Wenger Swiss army watch.

Flashlight: Black Diamond super nova

Parachute Cord: 50 ft

Swiss Army Knife: one with can opener and a couple blades.

Pen and Pencil: Ballpoint pen

Duct tape: 10 feet wrapped around water bottle.

Needle: 1-2. use floss for thread

Ziplock Bags: as needed

Mirror/Compass: Combo of the two.

Credit/ATM Cards: check card

Driver's License: For ID

Toothbrush/Paste: A small tube of paste, brush.

Floss: Works good for thread, too.

Blister Fixer: Compeed/Band-Aid Blister Block Bandages are good.

Toilet Paper

Stove: Optimus nova, 14 oz bottle not filled. (may go alcohol).

Fuel: 1 optimus fuel bottle

Lexan Spoon

Pot Gripper

Cooking Pot: Snow Peak 3 piece ti set at 7 oz (just one pot from this set?)

Water Bag: 3l platypus with hose (water filter inline)

Lighter

Water Purification: inline "safe water anywhere" filter

Extra Water Bottle: Soda bottle.

Garbage bags: 1 garbage compacter liner for bag

Sunblock: 30 w/ aloe

Small medkit: Ibu, superglue, couple bandaids, etc.

Thru hikers companion/databook and maps: Got em.. will take in pieces and mail to myself.

Journal: Something light

Stuff Sacks/ Food bags: Intergral designs silnylon

Phone card

Pack cover?

I realize I'm probably forgetting a couple small things, I'll add more as I pack.

Trail Yeti
03-21-2003, 16:21
Hopper,
not a bad gear list. With that said, here I go.....
COTTON KILLS! besides, what do you need two shirts for?
Underwear? personally, don't wear it. If you carry it because you chafe, use Body Glide....works better and you can ditch the underwear.
I say ditch the shorts and get a kilt....but I love my kilt!
Make sure you have some extra inline filters already bought. They get hard to find up North.
As for your pack...at least it and Aether 75, Moonshine (my partner) used a Crescent 75!!
hope this helps.
LIFE IS GOOD, WEAR A KILT!
Trail Yeti

rickb
03-21-2003, 16:28
My guess is that you have been thinking about what to take for a while ;-)? A couple of these are so obvious, I am guessing that you probably already thought of...

A map?
A zipper pull compass/thermometer
A journal?
A camera?
An AT Companion or Guidebook?
A food bag to hang from rafters or tree?
A telephone calling card (or the required numbers, anyway)

Must be exciting to think about hitting the Trail so soon. Have a great trip.

Rick B

Grimace
03-21-2003, 16:41
I agree with the kilted hiker. Wear a kilt. Definitely forget the underwear unless you're a woman. If so, I'm not sure what is best. Leave the cotton shirt at home.

You only need one pair of pants. Keep the Frogg Togg bottoms and forget the EMS pants.

Not sure what the 3 pieces are of your cookset but you only need a one liter pot and lid. Keep that grippy thing at home too and use your bandanna as a pot holder.

Your swiss army knife just needs to be the classic. The real small key chain one. One blade, scissors, real small. The leatherman micra is also a good choice.

Make sure the ball cap is a red sox hat. we need all the help we can get

Do not get your pack cover from REI, that thing attracts water. Equinox makes a cool one out of silnylon as does moonbow gear.

The Nalgene bottles weigh more than a soda bottle. If you get a soda bottle you get to drink the soda. Man, did I crave the stuff on the trail.

Just some suggestions. To lighten the load a tad. I think you have a great list.

Happy
03-21-2003, 16:41
I would consider to eliminate the cotton t-shirt and the extra pair of shorts as you already have zip-offs. Eliminate at least two pair of the underware.....you will discover quickly that ounces develop into pounds!

hopper
03-21-2003, 17:02
:cool:
Nice to hear from you all.

Yeti,
I hear ya about the cotton, I've generally taken one piece of cotton clothing in the past and that's a t shirt. It usually winds up wrapped around my head soaked in water.
You're advice on the undies is taken, I'll ditch em.

They make kilts out of Silnylon??? ;P

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

rickboudrie, good thinking :D
Got all the maps
Got a compass/mirror combo
still looking for a nice small journal
I've got hte companion and the data book. Think I will be doing some cutting :)
I've got a silnylon food bag from integral designs. It's pretty large and should fit every thing that I have that would stink in it.
The calling card is also taken care of.
Camera??? Still not sure about this one. I don't want to spend alot on one, let me know if you have any ideas.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grimace,
You say ditch the pant eh? hmm.. They do zip off to shorts though. Maybe I could ditch my other pair of shorts..... or maybe I should just take your advice :D
The cookset weighs in at a hefty 7 ounces. Getting rid of the smaller pot would save me less than 2 ounces, suppose I could though. I figured it would be nice to be able to boil water for my green tea while I'm scarfing down my food. I guess a couple ounces is a couple ounces though... point taken.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy,
thanks for the reply. The underwear is def staying home as well as the cotton t. I'm going to have to decide which pair of shorts I want to live in I guess.





Thanks!

Keep the ideas coming if you have more

DebW
03-21-2003, 17:08
---Stove: Optimus nova, 14 oz bottle not filled.

Trade the gasoline stove for alcohol and save a pound. Bring 2 bandanas. So many uses (some of which are incompatible with other uses).

SGT Rock
03-21-2003, 17:12
Originally posted by hopper
I'm leaving april 2nd :D
I'd love to hear your opinions!

Shelter: Henry Shires Tarptent (vigra)25 oz

Sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest, UltraLite 3/4, 1 lb.

Sleeping bag: Feathered friends Hummingbird, 1 lb. 14 oz.

Pack: Osprey Aether 75 (a little heavy, but rides sooo nice)

Shoes: Garmont Otero trail shoe.

Hiking Poles: Leki Super Makulu.

Rain Gear: Frogg Toggs Pro Action Suit top and Frogg Toggs Pro Action Suit bottom

Insulation (top):Snowcreek synthetic jacket

Convertible Pants: EMS

Shorts: Columbia

Long Underwear Top: Patagonia Capilene

Long Underwear Bottoms: Patagonia Capilene

Balaclava:Patagonia fleece balaclava

Hand warmth: OR Basic Mitt shells

T-Shirts, 2: One Capilene and one cotton.


Loose the cotton shirt.




Underwear bottoms: 2-3 pair


Wear one, carry one.



Socks: 3 pair. 2 smartwool light hiker, one pair hiker.

Ball Cap: any

Bandana: Cotton. Washcloth, etc.

Wristwatch: Wenger Swiss army watch.

Flashlight: Black Diamond super nova

Parachute Cord: 50 ft

Swiss Army Knife: one with can opener and a couple blades.

Pen and Pencil: Ballpoint pen (felt-tip bleeds)


Just take the pen.



Duct tape: 10 feet wrapped around water bottle.

Needle: 1-2. use floss for thread

Ziplock Bags: as needed

Mirror/Compass: Combo of the two.

Credit/ATM Cards: check card

Driver's License: For ID

Toothbrush/Paste: A small tube of paste, brush.

Floss: Works good for thread, too.

Blister Fixer: Compeed/Band-Aid Blister Block Bandages are good.

Toilet Paper

Stove: Optimus nova, 14 oz bottle not filled.


Swap for alcohol



Fuel: 1 optimus fuel bottle

Lexan Spoon

Pot Gripper


You don't need a pot gripper with the Snow Peak three piece.



Cooking Pot: Snow Peak 3 piece ti set.


Just carry the big pot and a foil lid



Water Bag: 3l platypus

Lighter

Water Purification: inline "safe water anywhere" filter

Extra Water Bottle: 1 nalgene or equivelant


Use a soda bottle



Garbage bags: 1 garbage compacter liner, extra trash bags for whatever

Sunblock: 30 w/ aloe

Small medkit: Ibu, superglue, couple bandaids, etc.

Pack cover?

I realize I'm probably forgetting a couple small things, I'll add more as I pack.

hopper
03-21-2003, 18:36
Deb,
I debated the alcohol stove for some time, I just have no experience with them so I hesitated. I've been hearing that switching to a lightweight alchohol stove is one of the most common changes a thru hiker makes, it's quite possible I'll be doing that somewhere along the way. I've studied the how to's posted on the net on making your own from soda cans. I think I'll give it a whirl in the next couple days and see how it goes.

As far as the bandanas, I usually carry a couple. Usually one stays relatively clean in case I need to use it for first aid.

Sgt Rock,
Nice website :)
Advice taken, I'll be making some changes.
The pot gripper was left over from when I planned on taking my old msr pot, the snow peak ones have handles (which I'm sure get too hot to use and I'll wind up using a bandana).

Cotton->gone
Alcohol stove.. gonna test one.

As far as the lid, you dont find you have trouble keeping a foil one intact? I guess I should just drop it... since I wont end up using it much.

I've got a wide mouth poland springs bottle sitting here which seems a mere fraction of the weight of the nalgene.. couple ounces gone there.



good stuff, thanks.

fwassner
08-07-2003, 21:22
Well, I've got nearly 7 months ahead of me to plan (March 2004)but already I see that my concept of gear is flawed.

First, I have a Gregory Wind River pack. I'm not sure how much it weighs in at but it's probably too big and heavy.
I've already figured that my MH NightView is way too big and heavy. I'm planning to get a lighter and smaller one for the thru-hike.
My bag is a Sierra Designs that weighs 4 lbs (it's a winter bag).
I am also planning to get a much lighter bag.

I bought all that stuff with winter hiking in mind, but to be honest haven't done much. I do plan to do a lot this coming winter though, to prepare me for the trail in March.

Any suggestions for a light tent and bag?
I do prefer a tent over shelters. Just a matter of personal preference <g>.

I am taking the suggestions on reducing clothing to bare necessities. After all, what's a bunch of damp smelly stuff going to do for me once I've worn it and am carrying it as dead weight?
And if I really find that I miss something I didn't take along, I can always pick it up on the way.

I was even considering my GPS, but who needs it? Good trail maps are much lighter and more reliable, as I have found by experience!

What a great resource this forum is!

A-Train
08-08-2003, 02:29
Hopper,
you seriously look good to go man. All the suggestions by other folks were great. One thing i noticed. I see you got the platypus thing goin on. IMO those things are nothing but trouble. They rip and leak very easily and they can empty out on you at any time. A guy named Donkey I hiked with in the smokies had his empty ONTO his sleeping bag in a shelter. Nothing like a soaking bag on a freezing march night at 6000 ft! I'd suggest the thicker blue rubber one (forget the name). They sell them at most outfitter. They are slightly heavier but way more durable. Or you can just go with 2 1 quart gatorade bottles as i did.

Fwassner. I suppose if your trying to watch spending the bag is ok but 4 lbs is pretty darn heavy. If you have some extra cash i'd look into a lighter bag (western mountaineer, feathered friends) where you can cut that weight in half.
The Greg is an awesome pack, but its darn heavy. You really dont need a 7 lb pack its just inviting to add more weight and gear you dont need. I highly recomend the granite gear packs. They came very well recommended by a lot of folks this year. They're in the 2-4 lb range and are built real well. Seem to run about 150-200 bucks. I know neels gap in georgia carries them, might be worth checking out. If your gonna go with the Greg atleast leave the top loader at home, you'll cut a pound right there. Need any help just ask.
A-Train GAME 03

meBrad
08-08-2003, 09:27
I have come to understand that my participation in this forum is counter productive. In an attempt to ammend this I am deleting my posts and have requested to have my account deleted

bulldog
08-08-2003, 13:49
keep the cotton shirt. i personally loved the feel of it after a hard days hike getting into camp and taking off my smelly capilene shirt and putting on a somewhat clean cotton t shirt. was basically the only "unnecessary" item i had. next time though i plan to have lots of "unnecessary" items and be nice and heavy.

fwassner
08-09-2003, 08:14
I suppose that the more we carry and further we hike the stronger we become, thus enabling us to carry more further!

I don't know what my finances are going to look like by Jan or Feb when I will be buying new gear.
I would hate to leave the Gregory at home, but I may take A-Train's advice and leave the top-loader at home. However, I do like the fact that the top-loader doubles as a fanny pack, which can be handy if I want to walk around town.
It also holds my hydration system on top of the pack.

I will need to experiment with my gear through the fall and winter. I should have enough experience with it by then to know what can stay and what needs to go, and what my budget is looking like.

I'll keep those gear recs handy... thanks.

yogi clyde
08-13-2003, 17:38
A-Train

1st - congrats!!

Re the platapus - was it the zipper one that burst?
I just bought the non-zip one, not as good as my CamelBak unbottle, but much lighter.

Also, which Granite Gear pack are you referring to?
I'm considering the Nimbus Ozone, or a ULA P-2 for next years thru-hike.

Thanks and welcome back.

A-Train
08-14-2003, 13:42
yogi clyde,
The thing i was talking about is a camelback. I used neither but it came well reccomended from many. I dont know about the zipper platypus but i think it was the one a lot of folks had and had problems with, the plastic water bag with tube attached.
Highly recommend the p2! Its a great pack. They also made a variation of it ccalled the mxp2 i think...? Neels Gap sells those packs and theyre very well mnade. Grunt, a guy i hiked with for 1700 miles used and loved that pack. he hiked with it from pearisburg to katahdin, no problems with it at all. its so light but still gave good support. he was able to carry as much as 30-35 lbs in it, whether comfortably or not i dont know. but i never heard a complaint.
As far as granite gear, the 2 people i know both had ozones and loved them. if i were to hike again id probable go with this pack its just so well made, and light weight. the vapor trail is a little lighter (2 lbs i think). couple people had that and alsop seemed to like it. hope this helps.
A-Train

yogi clyde
08-14-2003, 14:29
A-Train

Thanks, do you have your gear list posted anywhere?
It is not on your trail journal.

Also, any words of advice for a 2004 thru-hiker?

tlbj6142
08-14-2003, 15:28
Originally posted by A-Train
I dont know about the zipper platypus but i think it was the one a lot of folks had and had problems with, the plastic water bag with tube attached.The attachment point does get quite a bit of stress. I solved this issue by placing my Platty upside down. With the attachment point at the top. I, then, cut a lenght off of the hose a bit longer than the height of the bottle and wedged it into the backside of the bottle adaptor. This makes for a shorter hose (which is nice cause they are too long) and the attachment point doesn't get crushed by the weight of the bag.

You can't quite get all of the water out of the bag this way, but you'll have less than 1/2 a cup left which you can drink at your next refill point.

Platty should really look at moving the connection point to the side of the bag (a la CammelBak) where there is far less stress.

A couple of bananas for those that love them...
:banana :banana :banana

yogi clyde
08-14-2003, 15:38
:banana

I agree, the hose is too long, and I don't like having the
screw top on the bottom - good idea I think I will borrow it.
:banana

Now I just have to figure out where on my pack to place it and run the hose.

Happy Trails

MadAussieInLondon
08-15-2003, 14:48
i have a 3L camelbak Omega bladder from my bikeing camelbak i plan on taking. Ive not used the plats, only my CB bladder..

so theres another vote for the CB bladder!

A-Train
08-15-2003, 18:30
yogi clyde,
ill post my gear list on here, or on my site in a day or so, just need some time to jot it all down.
As far as advice:
way to go on your decision to hike! you've made the first and biggest step to thru-hiking. stay flexible. Its GREAT and helpful to plan. Plan maildrops and miles and towns and finances and all that. I had a ball doing it, im the type of guy who loves list making and all that. But know that it all goes out the window when you start hiking. I ended up getting about 20 days ahead of my "schedule" by the time i hit Pennsylvania and was beating maildrops to the PO.
Some times you may not plan to stay in a town or spend money there. However you cant predict that it may rain for 5 days and youll be in a crap mood and want to flop down on a comfy bed and dry out.
Have fun.
Just hike your hike. If you feel like going far, go for it. if your tired or just lazy, do a short day. I can't say you have to do your own thing, because i stuck with friends, but that was for me maybe not others.
Take a zero day in a shelter. this is something i never did but always wanted to. What could be better? Your in the woods, you have to rest, there is nowhere to walk and you CANT spend money. I wasnt a big zero day guy, i might have taken a few more of those. I think i hit a point where i was in the routine of big days. I dont regret anything, but id probably slow down a bit next time. it had a lot to do with all the rain, cold etc.
eat at the homeplace in Catawba, VA. Best meal on the Trail.
Stay at the Doyle in duncannon. Its an adventure.
I would shy away from maildrops. I found i didnt wanna eat the same stuff i bought 3 months before. I stopped doing them in Penn. They were enjoyable early on. Might wanna do some until hot sprnigs, or damascus.
Im not gonna say take your time. Just simply enjoy it. If 20 miles a day to you is heaven, do it. If 8 miles a day is your bag then go for it. Forget people who judge you. it might be your only thru-hike so just do what makes you happy. Afterall thats why your out there anyway, right?
Good luck and let me know if you have questions, need anything etc...
A-Train

thyroid
08-17-2003, 06:55
Hi Hopper..!
I'm planning a 2004 AT northbound thru-hike too.

On the trail, I've always worn nylon swimming trunks as underware-- the kind with the mesh lining to keep things from swinging to and fro :) These things are cheap and easy to replace, and they dry pretty quickly should you want to do a quick wash on the trail. When it gets hot I don't bother with wearing anything over them. Most of them have pockets too.

I would suggest you replace anything cotton with some sort of breathable nylon-- Supplex is my favorite choice. It's very soft and light and does not retain moisture like cotton. I have a Supplex fishing shirt that I found on the Cabela's online store. It has a huge vent on the back and vents on the side, and lots of pockets.. The shirt can be found under supplex guidewear.

These things are made for hot weather, but I wore this shirt as my 2nd layer on a Thanksgiving section hike of the AT around Standing Indian Mt., so it's pretty versitile.

Regarding stoves.. If you're interested in making your own extremely lightweight alcohol stove, check out this site:

http://flappyhappy.tripod.com/cobrastove.htm

I use this stove and it's AT tested and approved :).

For a pack, I use the Mountainsmith Ghost. Check out this review:

http://www.thru-hiker.com/reviews.asp?subcat=8&cid=41

I've used this pack for 2 AT section hikes, and I had enough space for 5 days of food and gear for November weather in GA/NC. This pack weighs just over 2lb. It is pretty small, though, and I'm curious if it's big enough for a thru-hike.. Thru-hikers seem to carry more food than section hikers once their hiker's hunger starts to kick in. Also, from the journals I've read, thru-hikers seem to carry a few more items that section hikers do not-- things like music, PDAs for journaling, town clothes, etc.

On my Thanksgiving trip last year, I was chatting up as many southbound thru-hikers who would spare the time, and I was amazed that several of them were asking ME about MY pack.. They were all familiar with it.

I use a ridgerest sleeping pad, but from the journals I've read, many thru-hikers who decided to bring a lighter pad like mine but have used the therm-a-rest end up wishing that they had the therm-a-rest because they are infinitely more comfortable-- and after they start doing more miles, a comfortable night's sleep becomes very important. I'm going to try a 3/4 therm-a-rest on a section hike in October.

From the journals I've read, thru-hikers settle into what gear they need and don't need pretty quickly.. I plan on being very flexible with my gear, and I will budget for change along the way.

You seem to be right on track and I'm guessing that you're pack weight will come under 30lb. My section hike pack weight is around 25lb, and I'd love to be able to stay in that neighborhood for my thru-hike. However, I"m guessing that I may want to have a true tent at one point when the bugs become a problem, and the addition of thru-hiker-big-appitite food and sundry thru-hiker-can't-live-without items may force me into a bigger pack. So, I'm probably looking at a more realistic pack weight of 30-33lb.

-thyroid

A-Train
08-18-2003, 00:08
thyroid,
i used the ghost on my thru-hike from daleville, VA to glencliff , nh about 1000 miles. When i went home for a wedding i decided to get the ole gregory back for the whites and maine. The ghost is a great pack and can definately be used on a thru IF your dedicated to lights weight backpacking. This pack was a thin line between great and very uncomfortable depending on how much its filled. there is a certain point-i think about 32-33 lbs where things can get ugly. I was pretty lgiht weight and had problems with 5 days of food. anything less felt fine, but that first day outta town was rough on the shoulders especially when the appettite was huge. there isnt a hell a lot of space 3100 cubin inches, so pack wisely. No need for town clothes! its just extra weight. yeah thruhikers seemed to carry a journal, music player odf some kind and extra medicine and first aid-maybe stuff you wouldnt want or need on a section hike.
one worf of advice on the ghost. dont pack it too tight. i;ve heard the zippers can rip real easily. There are compresion straps so the zippers dont get too stretched. definately use them! The frame popped out after 1000 miles, maybe from too much weight or wear and tear i dont know. i was able to cram a sleeping bag, tent, clothes bag, miscellaneous bag and a 5 day max food bag in that pack. i strapped my ridge rest to the lashings on the outside. its a great little pack, if you use it right. in fact i saw it in burlington, vt-where i go to school for the amazing price of 109 dollars. its usually around 200. any questions, send em my way.
A-Train ga-me 03

thyroid
08-18-2003, 03:48
Hey thanks, A-train.. And grats on your summit.. I actually read about your katadin summit on Jan Liteshoe's journal before I saw it here. I'm making my way through the trailjournals.com and mean to start reading yours.. I just read your last entry regarding adjusting to life off the trail. I'm curious if you actually started dreading being off the trail before you finished your hike..

Regarding the Ghost:

Your post made me feel better about starting out with the Ghost. I'm very happy with it, and would like to get my money's worth out of it. All of my gear is extremely lightweight. While not a zealot, I'm always looking for ways to lighten my pack. I had great success with my Silshelter fitted tarp on my November AT section hike, and actually prefered to tarp it instead of sleeping in shelters because of the added warmth. I am, however, considering the Sierra Designs Ultra Light Year, as it is a true tent, and from what I've read in the journals there WILL be rain..! LOL, hopefully not as much as you saw on the 2nd wettest AT season.. Also, the tarp provides pretty much no shield against the bugs.

I have 2 bags ATM.. A western mountaineering Megalite, and a Badger. From what I've read, I'm probably going to want a zero degree bag to start, right..? I don't sleep particularly cold or hot.

-thyroid

A-Train
08-19-2003, 12:14
thyroid-you shouldnt need a zero bag. When are you starting? I started march 1st im a cold sleeper and was fine with a 20 bag and a silk liner. i did have more clothes than some.

HEre is my gear list-i know yogi clyde had asked.

started with 3/1/03

Gregory Forester 5 lbs -ditched the top loader in erwin Tn
Western Mountaineer Ultralite long 1 lb 14 oz
North Face Canyonlands 4 lbs
evernew 1.3 L titanium pot 6 oz
homeade alcohol stove 1 oz maybe
aquamira water treatment 2 oz
thru-hiker handbook, maps, journal
tikka headlamp 2.5 oz
mini disc player couple ozs
north face denali jacket 2 lbs
red ledge thunder ledge jacket 13 oz
patagonia silk underwear bottom 6 oz
3 long sleeve tops about 8 oz each
North face cnovertible pants-wore shorts every day
EMS rainpants 8 oz
ridgerest pad 14 oz
wool hat, fleece gloves and goretex miten covers

I ended up switching to:
Mountainsmith Ghost 2 lbs 6 oz
Kelty Dart 2 lbs
switched the denali jacket in Pearisburg for a lightweight 8 oz fleece
Switched red ledge rain jacket for frogg toggs suit-11 oz total
sent 2 of my 3 long sleeve shirts
switched to trail runners at the NOC-sent home boots
never used mitten covers i wouldnt buy them
kept hat the whole trip

one note: I was know for usually having more clothes than needed. i didnt wanna be one of those foolish people who sent everything home. We had a cold very wet year and it was nice to always have a layer to change into after a long wet day.
You can never predict the weather ever-i saw very cold nights/mornings in june and july.
let me know if you have questions or comments. i can tell you how this gear worked or if it worked at all :)

Blue Jay
08-19-2003, 14:39
Which EMS rainpant? Thank you very much for your journals.

yogi clyde
08-19-2003, 14:39
Hey A-Train thanks for the info.

Hey tlbj6142 thanks for the suggestion on the platty, works well.


Happy Trails

thyroid
08-19-2003, 16:13
A-Train,
I am thinking about getting an early start in mid Feb, but I am also interested in starting out with the March crowd.. Haven't really decided, but no later than March 1st. Glad to know I may be able to use my Badger.. It's a great bag and I've slept in it at temps down to 13F. Living in Louisiana, that's a pretty cold night for me..

-Thyroid

A-Train
08-20-2003, 12:44
Im not sure which EMS rainpants. They were the cheapest ones - 8 dollars. They never worked. I wouldn't recommend even having them unless you want them for camp. No one hikes in rain pants unless its really cold or snowing. I'd keep them to start with but you wont use them after april, trust me.
You will learn that rain gear is useless as is gore tex. I've used everything and nothing keeps you dry. The closest ive come is Frogg ToGGS. Incredibly light and waterproof. Don't mess with the marmot precip or north face etc....waste of money!
id say your fine with the Badger. its a 20 degree right? I might have some insurance in the way of a liner or maybe just a space blanket in case you have a freak coldsnap or storm.

Thyroid. If you want crowds March 1st is a good time. It was the 1st of the month and a saturday so it was very busy day, but i enjoyed it. The crowds thinned out a good deal and by time we hit NC 3/4s of the crowd were ahead or behind. Its not as overwhelming as people make it seem. I personally enjoy having people around especially in the beginning when everyone helps each other out. Ask 10 thru-hikers, 9 will say people were the best part of their trip.
If you leave mid-late february youll have plenty of folks as well. Plus youll have march 1st folks catch up after awhile. good luck

gravityman
08-20-2003, 14:20
I find I wear my rain gear far more than anything else other than my hiking shirt and shorts. They keep me warmer than my fleece stuff in most conditions. Only when I am sitting still will I put my fleece on. WHen it is really cold, I'll pull the raingear over the warmth layer. I use a frogg togg like rain gear. Gortex and other breathable gear only helps marginally with breathing. Frogg Toggs breath much better.

Gravity Man

Colter
08-21-2003, 11:14
I think your list looks pretty darn good the way it is.

I agree with bulldog, keep the cotton t-shirt. I had two t-shirts too, and liked it that way. One was Cool-Max and another was cotton.

Having one item of cotton will not kill you, and cotton has things going for it that other materials don't. I, too, have wetted a cotton t-shirt and laid it over me to keep me cool on a hot summer night. I used my cotton t-shirt to clean my glasses. I used my cotton t-shirt as my towel. I stuffed excess clothing into my cotton t-shirt and used it as a pillow. Under many conditions, cotton is just plain comfortable. Since you'll be wearing a t-shirt virtually all summer, having one spare seems to be a justifiable "luxury."

I'd suggest an alcohol stove. I'd get rid of one bandana.

As is, you already have a great list, in my opinion.

Have a good hike.

Colter
http://www.bucktrack.com/Appalachian_Trail_Gear.html