Which gear for Sept SOBO attempt?

[firemountain]

I announced previously my intention to hike south starting the first week of September. Now it is only three weeks away (Sept 4). My preparations have kicked into high gear. I have a lot of food and gear prepared for this trip. I am having a tough time deciding exactly which items to start with. The information on this site is excellant, and has helped very much. Not a lot is written specifically about going SOBO through the winter. Weight is very important to me. Here is a list of items in question. I own all of the gear mentioned and plan on using them at different points in my hike.
-Specialized Subzero, Lightweight waterproof insulated nylon gauntlet glove with wool liner glove. This is a light combo but is a 20 degree glove system needed? Would a single glove rated for 35 to 40 degrees be more appropriate, or none at all?
- EMS Velocity 35 sleeping bag Primaloft, 1lb 8oz. This bag is half the weight of my 5 degree Primaloft. It would be great to save that weight (and space) when my food loads will be their heaviest.
- Vasque Velocity lightweight trail running shoe 1lb 12oz. The choice would be these or Asolo Fugitive. The Vasque would be great if it were hot, the Asolo is a pound heavier but Gore-Tex and a lot warmer.
- Clothing:
gore-tex paclite raingear
Mid-weight polypro top and bottom
northface flight shorts and lightweight tshirt
schoeller beanie and polypro balaclava
3x socks
-windproof layer, I have either a 12oz Schoeller anorak that is wind resistant or a 1lb 8oz Windstopper jacket that is awesome to wear but bulky to carry
-insulating layer, three choices an additional polypro expedition weight. mountain hardwear compressor pl 12oz primaloft sweater extremely compressible. down sweater 750 fill 15oz high loft for camp wear, cold nights, and mornings, etc
-Water filtration, Katahdin Hiker Pro may become an issue later in the hike as temperatures drop. I believe this is the best choice for Maine. Other options include pills and melting snow.

FOOD

I have chosen to go with lightweight high nutritional value foods. Piles of boxes have been building in my living room for several months now. This weekend I assembled my 'snack packs' which will get me from after breakfast until dinnertime everyday. I have so far set up 106 of these in 8x7 ziploc freezer bags. The total calories for each bag 1960, and the weight is 1.2lb or 20.2oz. That gives an average of almost 97 calories per ounce.
Snackmaster Beef Jerkey 2oz 160 calories
Probar (www.theprobar.com (http://www.theprobar.com)) 3oz 400
Clifbar 2.4oz 240
Kalahari bar 1.4oz 120 calories
Cytomax / Carbo Pro drink mix 3oz 350
Cytomax is a common sports drink and Carbo Pro is pure carbohydrate in a powder (www.sportquestdirect.com (http://www.sportquestdirect.com)) popular with triathletes.
Clif Builder Protein bar 2.4oz 270
Powergel Double Latte 1.44oz 110 with double caffeine
Various decaf gel 1.44oz 110
Cheese and crackers 1.38oz 200
These items also deliver loads of protein. Everything is currently in its stock packaging. My math says that there are 50g of wrappers per snack pack. I am considering including lightweight baggies with my maildrops to switch over all the food while in town. Over one ounce per day could be saved. This will be done for the hundred mile wilderness. In addition I have over 130 freeze dried dinners (2 serving). Also plenty of garlic salt to make them taste good, and olive oil to boost calories. Cereal and dehydrated milk, or Freeze dried scrambled eggs, or something from town for breakfast.


Thanks for any suggestions or thoughts.

[firemountain]

I just picked up two pairs of TNF Hedgehog XCR trail shoes, those should solve the footwear problem until the temp is staying below freezing. That leaves gloves, windproof layer, and insulating layer as my remaining questions.

[stumpknocker]

Hey Firemountain, You are heading south in one of my favorite times of the year to walk....have fun and have a great hike!!!

The food you like will be a work in progress as you walk. Tastes change and you may crave other food along the way.

When cold weather sets in, you may like more fat in your diet.

As far as your gear, the 35 degree sleeping bag wouldn't be warm enough for me.

When I walk all day, I want to sleep good all night and that means sleeping warm.

I would stay with the lite weight trail runners all the way. I'm probably different than most, but my feet don't get cold when I'm walking....maybe good circulation, I don't know. They do get cold about 30 minutes after I stop, but by that time, I've eaten and in my sleeping bag.

You will get plenty of rest because you'll end up with about 10 hours of daylight and 14 hours of night later in your hike.

Definitely take gloves to suit your needs and the windproof stuff is important, but remember that layering works very well.

I end up wearing my liteweight longsleeve base with a midweight liteweight longsleeve with a zippered neck most of the time when I'm walking. If I start getting too warm, I open the zipper and roll up the sleeves. I almost never have to take any layers off in cold weather by regulating my temperature that way.

You'll need some windproof stuff too.

I usually wear my regular hiking shorts when I'm walking....again, maybe I have good circulation. It usually has to be below 10 degrees before I put on a pair of tights under the shorts. I do have to cover my legs and put on a jacket if I sit down for very long, but I usually keep moving most of the day.

I use a good windproof pullover hat.....mostly for sleeping in, but sometimes on those cold, windy days.

You'll need some blaze orange stuff for when you walk through hunting season.

Again, have a great hike!!! :)

[fiddlehead]

I don't think the 35 deg. bag is enough either. Although fall is the BEST time to walk in New England, the nights are going to get longer and longer as you go and i would want a better bag. Keep in mind you can always boil water, put it in your plastic water bottle, put a sock around it and put it in your sleeping bag and it will keep you very warm. But i would still take the heavier bag.
I don't see why you need rain gear AND a windproof layer. Is your raingear not windproof? I would go with frogg toggs to save weight and your down top to go under them. I would also take fleece pants.
I think it's true what was said above that you will probably walk in shorts most of the time, but that time of year means many hours not walking (dark) so, you will need to be comfortable in camp.
you may want to get a windblock balaclava until you get thru the whites. then switch to the lighter polypro one.
i'm going to assume that you are using hiking stidcks and that is why you are going so heavy on the gloves. I don't use the crutches so only carry light weight gloves. (the frogg toggs are long enough to cover the hands when it's wet or cold) Also plastic bags can be used to cover your hands when it's wet or cold.
Another thing, you might want to put about 12 pan head sheet metal screws in your pack and predrill the bottoms of your lightweigh hikers. YOu many hit some ice on those rocks going downhill in me and nh. simply screw the screws into the predrilled holes and you'll have good traction. (easy and light)
Up to you of course. Just my suggestions to your list.
I think you'll find that you are picking an AWESOME time to go hiking. I started Oct 14th one year and it was just spectacular. Have fun

[Newb]

All you need is a warm blanket, some sturdy galoshes, and a good lunchbox.

[firemountain]

Thank you for the advice and positive support. I am very excited for my journey to begin! I was really hoping to save the bulk of a winter sleeping bag while traveling through the 100 mile wilderness with a heavy food load. My 35 degree bag is trustworthy down into the mid 20's, with proper insulating layers, a handful of nuts every couple hours and a warm water bottle. I don't mind doing that for a week or so and then switching to a 5 degree bag.
I was thinking of bringing the windproof layer because it is much more breathable than the gore-tex and if temperatures are below the mid 30's can be worn constantly. Also will provide additional insulation with raingear. I looked at the frogg toggs, but will stick with my gore-tex. My suit weighs about 1lb 8oz for jacket and pants, but is very durable, reliable, and trusted in winter conditions.
After I get through past Monson I will be able to deal with changing conditions and pick which gear is appropriate. I'm hoping to carry a minimum to start with and not have a bunch of stuff that goes unused.

[fiddlehead]

I forgot to check your age. As long as you know about the hot water bottle trick and have enough fuel to boil a litre of water, and you understand that you might spend an uncomfortable night or two, you should be fine.
I'm a little jealous. That is a great time to start for sure. Enjoy!

[Mr. Clean]

I might send a pair of boots ahead to Gorham, NH. The Whites will almost certainly have snow by the time you reach them.

[boarstone]

Thank you for the advice and positive support. I am very excited for my journey to begin! I was really hoping to save the bulk of a winter sleeping bag while traveling through the 100 mile wilderness with a heavy food load. My 35 degree bag is trustworthy down into the mid 20's, with proper insulating layers, a handful of nuts every couple hours and a warm water bottle. I don't mind doing that for a week or so and then switching to a 5 degree bag.
I was thinking of bringing the windproof layer because it is much more breathable than the gore-tex and if temperatures are below the mid 30's can be worn constantly. Also will provide additional insulation with raingear. I looked at the frogg toggs, but will stick with my gore-tex. My suit weighs about 1lb 8oz for jacket and pants, but is very durable, reliable, and trusted in winter conditions.
After I get through past Monson I will be able to deal with changing conditions and pick which gear is appropriate. I'm hoping to carry a minimum to start with and not have a bunch of stuff that goes unused.

Expect temps to be in the low 40's at night
and still low 70's during the day. Rainy days will be cooler. Have clothes for rainy/windy/cool days and/or nights.

[Greywolf]

Everyone has such good advice for you. I guess a little more won't do any harm. I would ditch the synthetic bag and get the best down bag (that you can't afford-it will pay for itself when you really start to appreciate it) with dryloft or whatever shell they are using these days and take it down to 0 degrees or more. You sound like a careful hiker, so you should be able to overcome the cautions of down. It will get cold and your bag will give you a place to rejuvenate and get ready for the next day. I also used an ancient tent like gortex bivy that Marmot made years ago that really cut the chill, in the shelter or out in the snow.

I think the food you are preparing is really a great idea, but in the end, you will just go from town to town and buy what your body needs at the time. You are going to be burning so much energy that you will find that many foods will do the trick(healthy and unhealthy). You sound like you are strong enough to make it through the 100 mi wild without all the extra food and you can keep your pack weight down and go faster(easier).

When you are hiking you will be really hot and you will be surprised at how little you can wear as long as you keep the wind off. I hiked in some silly spandex tights, with insulated gaiters, smartwools, a thermal shirt, a light polypro balaclava, and a gortex long jacket. Pit zips and zippered front were the regulators to keep me either warm or to cool off. I wore a silly gortex hat with ear flaps that I turned up or down to do the same thing. Again, wind was the enemy. Have a down jacket handy in your pack when you stop so that you don't get cold. When I stopped and put on my polypro pants, I was always cold and I wished for down zip pants. (when I finished I found they were too expensive anyway, so guess it did not matter). Best of luck and keep hydrated.

Little tips, hope they help,
Greywolf.

[firemountain]

Thanks for the feedback Greywolf. My departure date is nearing, seven days away now! I did strongly consider the down bag, I own a zero degree that is very warm, light, and compact. The decision to go with the synthetic was made because on multi day winter trip the down bag becomes damp and loses loft not from external moisture, but from me on the inside. My wet clothes dry very well overnight, but all that moisture goes right into the insulation. I will be doing the 100 mile wilderness with a 35 degree synthetic bag (1lb 8oz) and switching in Monson the the 5 degree primaloft (3lb 5oz).

[Greywolf]

I am sure that you are excited as your departure nears. I appears that you have weighed the pros and cons of your gear, and when you do that your own decisions are usually your best.

One more thought. Camping in the cold, you should take extra precautions, especially if you are alone. Be extra cautious of all of the tips/advice that you are getting if you have not tried them out. The water bottle trick has pros and cons. Picture this: you have been drinking from your water bottle in freezing weather and it is time to retire. You crank the stove, boil the water and pour it in the water bottle. You screw on the cap and lay it in the bag. In the middle of the night you wake up to a wet bag. Scenario: the threads were frozen with a thin layer of ice, as was everything around you, so it is hard to notice, even though you screwed it down tight. You and the water bottle warmed the threads, the bag gets wet. Of course the bottle was on its side to ensure that you get plenty of water. Voice of experience. Solution, put it in a zip lock bag or other. Stupid things like this will get you.

Take care and have a great trip. I am right behind you for a short week in PA to see how much I have forgotten about hiking. Greywolf.

[rickb]

Since the days are going to grow shorter, you given any thought to a watch with an alarm, best kind of headlamp, candles etc? Or is that something to think about down the Trail?

[firemountain]

Yes, I have put much thought into my gear. It is also very helpful to hear others contributions. For sleeping bag warmth I have a 24oz nalgene bottle (diameter of a bicycle water bottle) which has very trust worthy non leaking abilities. I like to put about 20oz of boiling hot chocolate in at night which I can sip on for calories and hydration. Usually also have a small bag of mixed nuts if it will be very cold.
I generally enjoy falling into rythem with the sun, but if more hiking is desirable I do have a Suunto altimeter watch with an alarm function. Decided on going with my petzl tikka plus to start with. The batteries seem to last forever, and it is perfect for camp and acceptable for night hiking on moderate trails. Also I have the petzl myo 5 which is combination halogen and led. Will switch to the halogen when the days get very short.