View Full Version : post the best thru hike gear list you have seen
how about links to the best gear lists(lightest in mind) you have seen posted on this site in your most humble opinion:-? :eek:
Silly. No such thing as "best list." Might as well gimme a list of all the furniture and appliances in your house or all the pants and shirts in your closet.
rswanson
01-25-2007, 15:31
I don't know that you can have a 'best' gear list. There are so many opinions about gear and all are valid. Being a gear junkie myself, I love to talk about my junk, and other people's junk too, but in the end personal preference is a huge factor. Perhaps if you stated more parameters (hiking season & conditions, bulk, length between resupply, etc) it would be easier to make recommendations.
hammock engineer
01-25-2007, 15:44
Hey a fellow Cincinnatian.
Check out trailjournals.com or threads here that are titled something to the effect or "gear list". That should give you some good ideas.
Are you looking for hammock, tarp, or tent lists? Alcohol, canister, or gas stoves? What is the max or min weight you want to carry?
understood....im looking for ideas......and thought in your most humble opinion would cover that.......
peace
i am going southbound in 08 and plan on leaving in late may and finishing in early to mid september:rolleyes:
Jack Tarlin
01-25-2007, 15:52
How could there be a "best" list?
Any list is going to get criticized and pulled apart here, usually be folks who haven't thru-hiked and in all likelihood, never will.
There are thousands of folks who've hiked the whole Trail, and no two have done it the same way or carried the same stuff. There's no "one" way to do this, and no one "best" list.
People should stop being such gram weenies; should stop basing their gear and so many other aspects of their trip on what other people have done; and mosat of all, people should carry what they want, use whatever gear they wish, and find out for themselves what works for THEM.
The "best" gear list is the one that an individual decides works for THEM.
hammock engineer
01-25-2007, 15:53
Here (http://www.tothewoods.net/GearList.html) is a link to Jeff's gear list. It is pretty good if you want a light weight one. There is another one on www.imrisk.com (http://www.imrisk.com) . They are both way to ultralight for my taste.
If you need one a little heavier, mine is around 22 lbs. PM me and I can send it to you. I would rather not post my list here.
hammock engineer
01-25-2007, 15:55
How could there be a "best" list?
Any list is going to get criticized and pulled apart here, usually be folks who haven't thru-hiked and in all likelihood, never will.
There are thousands of folks who've hiked the whole Trail, and no two have done it the same way or carried the same stuff. There's no "one" way to do this, and no one "best" list.
People should stop being such gram weenies; should stop basing their gear and so many other aspects of their trip on what other people have done; and mosat of all, people should carry what they want, use whatever gear they wish, and find out for themselves what works for THEM.
The "best" gear list is the one that an individual decides works for THEM.
Well put Jack. These are the reasons why I do not want to post my list.
i am going southbound in 08 and plan on leaving in late may and finishing in early to mid september:rolleyes:
Hip waders and full body mosquito netting. :D
hammock engineer
01-25-2007, 16:28
It's a farken geasr list..it's isn't the end of the world if people suggest other things or don't like your choices...no need to get all butt hurt over a few pieces of clothing and the like...:rolleyes:
No posting it won't hurt anything. Based on the ones that I have see some people don't give advice as much as they say you should not carry X item, but instead use Y. Y is the best thing out there and I would not and can't see why anyone would use something else.
Look at this thread. Someone new to WB asked an honest (all be it vague) question looking for advice, and got a lot of posts that were not helpful and negative.
Look at this thread. Someone new to WB asked an honest (all be it vague) question looking for advice, and got a lot of posts that were not helpful and negative.
If the OP has brains, he/she may soon come to realize that it was a rather silly idea. To the OP: google is your friend. Google on "gear list" and you find lots of 'em. None are "best".
hammock engineer
01-25-2007, 16:53
If the OP has brains, he/she may soon come to realize that it was a rather silly idea. To the OP: google is your friend. Google on "gear list" and you find lots of 'em. None are "best".
Maybe. But then again if everytime someone new to this site posts a question and all they get are replies like some of them seen on this thread, they might not stay a member very long.
When I first joined people answered my questions that they probibly answered 20 times over, so I try to do the same.
Wanting to look at gear lists for a baseline is certainly a valid querry. We all started out somewhere. I did not know what to bring on my first trip, and a basic list was very helpful.
A great quick and dirty guide with equipment lists is
http://www.amazon.com/Lighten-Up-Complete-Ultralight-Backpacking/dp/0762737344/sr=8-2/qid=1169757885/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-0403298-3045729?ie=UTF8&s=books
Yeah, it is a book and not QUITE what you asked for, but it has good comparisons between traditional gear, lightweight gear and "stuff in the middle". At $12 (or less if you buy used), it is a great bargain!
Online, try looking at the MANY gear lists on trailjournals.com. Try to find someone with your hiking style, preferences, etc. Many of these people have varying ranges of backpacking experience, so take the lists with a grain of salt. If they completed the trail, it is a decent inidcation (not always! :) ) what worked for that person.
Many people also post their gear lists here on WB:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/search.php?searchid=1538537
On the World Weird Web, there are many gear lists posted as well:
http://www.google.com/search?q=backpacking+gear+lists&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
If you look on the LEFT HAND COLUMN on the main page here at White Blaze, you will find the ARTICLES section. One group of articles is called PACKING LISTS. You will find ~10 or so of these articles. That may help you as well.
Finally, if you could tell us more what you have in mind (tarp? tent? hammock? type of stove? AT? PCT? etc.) for your hiking, we can probably narrow down the list for you.
Can be frustrating at times processing all the new info. We all have to start somewhere, though.
If you have more questions, please ask away. We can get cabin fever a lot on this website (I'm guilty as charged at times!), but overall you'll find the site helpful.
Good luck!
You guys are so analytical. If you have a list post it. Of course there is not going to be a best, but a good list will give folks a good idea of what they're gonna need. Cheers
Hana_Hanger
01-25-2007, 17:01
http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/gearlists.html
Has quite a few good lists as well as
http://www.backpackinglight.com/ (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/display_forum?forum=37)
It' fun to read and study other peoples gear lists and usually helpful as well. But of course it is a trail and error course one must make...what works for one person does not always work for another persons.
Both sites have quite a few gear lists....enjoy
Definitely agree with Jack Tarlin here. Everyone has different needs and experience, and consequently requires different gear to correspond to that. Remember, backpacking is a skill- You get better at it the more you do it. I think it's a pretty dumb idea to carry gear based on nothing but the fact that someone else carried it and it worked for them.
For instance, if you don't know how to keep yourself warm and dry on the AT in March carrying 7 pounds of gear, don't compare your gear list to someone who does. I think the most important aspect of gearing up for a thru hike or ANY hike is testing. Do your research, find what works for YOU in the conditions you'll be hiking in.
To answer your question though, no matter what you personally need to carry, I think there are at least a couple characteristics for gear that works well on long trails- Lightweight, durable, functional, versatile. Keep it simple.
Lone Wolf
01-25-2007, 17:11
Gregory Shasta pack
North Face Canyonlands tent
Pocket Rocket stove
Campmor 20deg. down bag
3/4 Ridgerest pad
2 stainless steel pots/ 1 lid
2 gal. water bag/1 Nalgene bottle
Campmor fleece jacket
Frogg Toggs rain gear
clothing, food, luxuries
Every time I see a gear list posted, I want to know: has it been tested? If not, it's not worth much. If it has, it means the list is known to work for that one person and one set of circumstances. In neither case does it imply that the gear list will work for any other person or circumstances.
Johnny Swank
01-25-2007, 17:21
Gear lists are tough in some respect. I've been working up a set of list for our website that are pretty much what I've used over the years. One's the "average" backpacker that's about 25-30 pounds before food, ones the ultralight stuff, then there's a "light and cheap" version. They're not done yet, but just going through that thinking process again to remember what I used when, and why I switched, is taking awhile.
In short, there's plenty of lists, but at some point you've got to take a leap of faith and put in some miles with what you have. There's no concensus on much of anything, but some things will show up pretty often if you've looked at a bunch of lists. Things that are common now (alcohol stoves, silnylon tarptents, etc) were rarely seen on the AT less than 10 years ago.
rswanson
01-25-2007, 17:42
Obviously minnesotasmith's list is the best.
Haw!!!!!!!
thank you for the feedback everyone......... it could have been worded a little better....i must admit....
i have some good leads here and hope for more.......just weighing the options and narrowing down the possibilities......keep the comments coming........but hopefully only if you want to give gear list advice and not slam the thread........ if thats the case just take a hike instead:sun
cheers
freeleo
saimyoji
01-25-2007, 19:36
if thats the case just take a hike instead
Been there done that. :rolleyes:
test hammock
Insulmat Maxlite thermo
Mountain Hardwear X-Country
LLBean pack (forget the model but its light and fits all my crap)
Polartec fleece
lite weight clothing
Snowpeak GigaPower stove w/MiniSolo
food/water
little radio
Zenith headlamp
other smaller stuff
All are field tested in cool (~40*) weather, rain/shine
bigcranky
01-25-2007, 19:49
SMD Starlite pack
modified 6x10 silnylon tarp
homemade bivy
Thermarest Prolite 4 full-length -- gotta get my sleep
30-F down bag (5-F bag in winter)
Ti mug w/foil lid, fuel tab stove, cozy, long-handled spoon
aqua mira, 1-liter soda bottles, platy bag for collecting water
ursack bear/critterproof bag for my food
appropriate clothing for time of year
rain shell
Tilley hat or cheap nylon ball cap
wildly expensive big heavy Leki poles
trail runners, gaiters
This stuff works for me on the trail. No thru-hike yet, but 1-3 week sections and plenty of long weekends.
bumpiteebumpbumpbump to the top for another day at work
Tipi Walter
01-26-2007, 11:17
Gregory Shasta pack
North Face Canyonlands tent
Pocket Rocket stove
Campmor 20deg. down bag
3/4 Ridgerest pad
2 stainless steel pots/ 1 lid
2 gal. water bag/1 Nalgene bottle
Campmor fleece jacket
Frogg Toggs rain gear
clothing, food, luxuries
Lone Wolf, what would you consider the Canyonlands tent to be? A single pole hoop tent? A single pole wedge? Or a tipi style tent(with a single pole at the top and all the fabric falling down and away from it).
I'm a tent design freak.
beamarshall
01-26-2007, 11:34
"But of course it is a trail and error course one must make..."
This definately describes my hiking process!
Lone Wolf
01-26-2007, 11:45
Lone Wolf, what would you consider the Canyonlands tent to be? A single pole hoop tent? A single pole wedge? Or a tipi style tent(with a single pole at the top and all the fabric falling down and away from it).
I'm a tent design freak.
single pole hoop
shower curtain for shelter
duffle bag for pack
Keds tennis shoes for footwear
nuts for dinner
i would have to go with the old stan smiths instead of the keds:)
GlazeDog
01-29-2007, 18:31
Grandma Gatewood!!!!!!! from centerwalk.com---
Grandma Gatewood reportedly did not care for fancy gear, or much weight either. She carried a rain cape for protection and ground cover, plastic show curtain for shelter, an army blanket for sleeping, and food in a homemade bag draped over one shoulder. All this while wearing inexpensive canvas sneakers.
Grandma Gatewood suggested, "Go light; the lighter the better, so that you have the simplest material for health, comfort and enjoyment." And she was right. The point is to go forth, journey, and enjoy the experience. The point is not to carry stuff.
WOW!
All hale the queen!!
GlazeDog
TJ aka Teej
01-29-2007, 20:01
Here's a gear list for ye;
Mountain Troop Ruck Sack (a framepack)
Air Corp survival tent (soon to be sent home to save several pounds)
Marine Corp poncho
rainhat
"paper mill" blanket (soon to have the tent's zipper added)
Marble Company match safe, compass, sheath knife
sewing kit
snakebite kit
toothbrush (minus handle)
razor
potato sack
Mountain Troop cook kit
spoon
spatula
Little black notebook
Retina camera and case with neck strap
color film
roadmap
Great Smoky Park map
flashlight
comb
Quinsana footpowder
Food for a week- canned milk, tea, oatmeal, cornmeal, canned Vienna sausage,
cheese, bread, brown sugar
Clothing-T shirts, Navy turtleneck, Mountain Cloth pants, wool-cotton socks, Birdshooter boots with the heels shaved off
That gear got a fellow called 'The Crazy One' from Georgia to Maine.
Jester2000
01-29-2007, 20:29
Grandma Gatewood suggested, "Go light; the lighter the better, so that you have the simplest material for health, comfort and enjoyment." And she was right. The point is to go forth, journey, and enjoy the experience. . .GlazeDog
. . .the experience of dying of hypothermia.
Generally speaking, I think the less experience you have, the more you should err on the side of having too heavy a pack. Take everything you think you'll need. You can always get rid of what you don't actually need while on the trail.
On the other hand, trying to get as light as possible without the experience to know what will keep YOU PERSONALLY happy in camp (and that's the stuff that some will tell you to shuck) is a recipe for at the very least unhappiness and at the worst possibly disaster.
I don't know anyone who quit the trail 'cause a mountain was too steep. But I know plenty who got sick of being cold in camp because the sleeping bag that would have made them happy was too heavy; sick of eating crappy food because it was lighter; sick of not having a hot meal in the morning because they didn't want to carry the fuel, et cetera, et cetera.
That said, make sure you carry a four square ball.
Jester2000
01-29-2007, 20:30
Just caught a load of Earl's list. Was the potato sack for races?
Lone Wolf
01-29-2007, 20:31
grandma gatewood stayed in homes most nites, no? it's what i heard. WWES?
GlazeDog
01-29-2007, 21:55
The Grandma Gatewood thing was OBVIOUSLY light-hearted. Good grief to quote Charlie Brown. It's as if you've never heard of the trail legend!
GlazeDog
Jester2000
01-29-2007, 21:59
Yeah, we heard Earl say she wuz a fraud.
Glaze, I'm all about the light hearted.
But I'm serious about the four square ball.
TJ aka Teej
01-29-2007, 22:18
Just caught a load of Earl's list. Was the potato sack for races?
Earl hiked before sil-nylon stuff sacks, so he probably used it to carry his pith helmet :D
I recognized it as Earl's list as soon as I saw the Retina camera listed. I have one of those buggers, and it is heavy. It's a folding 35 mm camera. Solid metal and a bit of glass and leather. You could pound tent stakes with it.
Tipi Walter
01-29-2007, 23:35
I wish I could find Norman Clyde's gearlist. He typically carried 75 to 100 pounds including:
A library of hard bound books, the "Classics"
Canned food for weeks
A heavy weapon
A shoe cobbler's kit
Fishing poles
Iron pots.
He spent most of his life backpacking and climbing in the Sierras in the 1920s and 30s and 40s and died at the age of 87.
Sleepy the Arab
01-30-2007, 01:16
I recognized it as Earl's list as soon as I saw the Retina camera listed. I have one of those buggers, and it is heavy. It's a folding 35 mm camera. Solid metal and a bit of glass and leather. You could pound tent stakes with it.
All gear should have two uses!
GlazeDog
01-30-2007, 09:38
Point taken Jester. Sorry to have had an upset moment. Safety is the most important thing to take with you in the backcountry--I couldn't agree more.
Sincerely--
GlazeDog
my jungle hammock
http://www.mosquitohammock.com/junglehammock.html
my guide gear tarp
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=97247
my jetboil
http://jetboil.com/
my 30 degree speer sleep quilt
http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/PRODUCTLINK2.htm
my equinox katahdin pack
http://www.equinoxltd.com/product.aspx?id=3758
aquamira
http://giardiaclub.com/aqua-mira.html
rei long spoon
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=48094174&parent_category_rn=5777365&vcat=REI_SSHP_CAMPING_TOC
my petzel tika plus head lamp
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&produ
my military cloesed cell pad trimmed for hammocking
http://www.rddusa.com/product_info.php?cPath=4_22&products_id=447
great gear i really like:cool: neo
im keeping an eye on the thread....thanks for all the feedback:)
catskillshiker
02-02-2007, 00:28
Although I have not started my Thru Hike yet, this is the gear I carry on my month long backpacking trips.
Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone Pack
Homemade Pepsi Can Stove
Thermarest trail lite- heavy, but my body thanks me at night
Marmot Nemver Winter 30dev. down bag
MSR blacklight pot/lid/fry pan
2 nalgene bottles-water bag
Colombia fleece jacket
Frogg Toggs
MSR Microex waterfilter
Black Diamond Headlamp
Cannon SD630 Camera
If I am hiking in winter conditoins I carry a down jacket. Its pretty light and very warm provided it does not get wet.
This is the gear that works for me and may not work for anyone else. Some things I elected to take heavier items, but its what I am comfortable with and trust.
BTW- I am a falconer and I usually bring a hawk with me hiking. So that means I get to carry food for him too. (I dont carry the hawk, he follows me through the trees)
Kris
Wow catskill! That may be the coolest thing I've read in my short time on Whiteblaze. Ladyhawk Ho! Sorry if you get that all the time.
I just want to add that as a relative newbie to all the gear, I find lists extrememly helpful as an introduction. They inform me of both gear and hiking philosophies that I'm not aware of. I can then research these and figure out what I want to try.
JamesCEdmonds
02-22-2007, 00:37
Food and water. If you plan on going far then more of it. A way to keep semi-dry and a way to dry/warm up. Some soap? I know I get a bad odor that can be smelt for miles(j/k) by about the 3rd or 4th day in the field, but a little soap (enviromentaly safe) and gentle stream off the path can cure that.
No Belay
02-23-2007, 12:51
Keep in mind that this will change as I hike through different seasons. As an example, I only use an artic fleece bag during the summer with a gore-tex basic bag cover and during winter, I use an MSR Simmerlite stove. There are many variables and options and that's why most the "vets" here don't want to give you a "list". I'm doing a SOBO starting June 8, 2008 so PM me and we'll keep in touch. I didn't list any serious cold weather clothing but if you're leaving SOBO late May you'll need to consider it until you clear the Whites atleast.
Modified Osprey Exposure 66 pack
Big Agnes 20 degree mummy
Wal-mart blue closed cell full pad (expendable)
Golite Cave 2 with a custom made nest
White Box alcohol stove/wind screen and 10 oz alcohol plastic bottle
Evernew Titanium Kettle/Ti spork
1st aid kit/moleskin, file, and clippers, triple anti bio, etc
Zippka Head light
FRog Togg rain gear for cold weather and a Marmot E-vent top with E. Magrath zip side bottoms for warm weather.
Full set of poly long underwear (med weight) with baclava and liner gloves
MSR Miox water treatment/ with carbon coffee filter to kill taste of Miox
2 Platys- one 2 liter with tube /bite valve. one 1.5 liter wide mouth for presoaking food
Short gaitors
1 pint flask for Ouzo. (for cultural celebrations only)
Creative Muvo MP3 player/ radio
Mesh bug headset and shirt/ Buzz-off BDU pants for Maine.
Pair of hemp sandals
Magnesium fire starter with 2/3s cut off. 1 inch is plenty.
If you're going to Blue Blaze, a compass
Dry socks, Dry Socks and a couple pairs of Dry socks
Food-your preference, I use dehydrated or freeze dried in the 100 Mile ,toiletries, DEET and an extra bottle of DEET, clothes, small note pad
I'm sure I left allot out that most will carry and put allot in that most won't but it's a start.
Savor Happy!