2004 nobo gear list

[bartender]

Hi all, I am planning a nobo thru-hike beginning on 2-29-04(I had planned on 3-1 and made a reservation at the Lodge at Amicola for 2-28, didn't realize it was a leap year) and would appreciate any feedback on my gear list, I am not an ultra-lighter but am open to suggestions.

-Old Coleman Peak 1 external frame pack-I like it and as I have a finite amount of money I am at least starting with it.
-Eureka Backcountry 1 tent-I prefer tent to shelter, don't like the idea of tarps. I plan on switching to a hammock once it warms up
-z-rest 3/4 sleeping pad
-Sierra Designs Wild Bill 20 degree bag for cold weather
-Kelty Lightyear 45 degree down bag for warm weather
-Leki Makula trekking poles w/duct tape
-Homemade alcohol stove w/20 oz soda bottle of fuel
-Snow Peak titanium pot w/lid lexan spoon
-Camelback unbottle 3 liter(I also have 2 one liter platys and a platy 3 liter zip bag that I might switch to, I have never used the camelback it was a recent gift)
-2 each liner and outer socks
-long sleeve terramar shirt(will switch to short sleeve for warmer weather)
-terramar briefs
-duofold mid weight long johns
-second pair hiking shorts
-very light no-name rain pants
-Columbia Cedar Lake rain jacket
-Campmor polartec 200 fleece zip jacket(also have a fleece vest that I will switch to once it warms up)
-2 bandannas
-liner gloves and over mits
-polypro balacava
-Princeton Aurora led headlamp
-tiny maglight-1 aaa battery size
-Pur Hiker waterfilter(just bought aquamira to try out)
-usual first aid stuff-vitamins, advil, immodium, cold meds etc
-usual personal care stuff-dr bonners, toothpaste and brush etc
-packcover
-old Ricoh 35 mm camera-might replace w/digital
-50' chute cord
-lighter, waterproof matches,poo shovel,sm. swiss army knife
-compass and whistle(girlfriend demands)
-pen, journal, data book, maps, pages of companion
-Pocketmail thing
-3 fresh aaa batts

I will be wearing campmor convertable pants, long sleeve duofold shirt, and Vasque Clarion boots. I know lots of folks are into trail shoes/sneakers but I have a bad ankle that sets off metal detectors(plate and six screws) and I think I need the support that boots provide. The pack with full water and four days of food weighs in at 39 lbs and feels pretty good. I am 38, six feet tall and weigh 165lbs. I am in reasonably decent shape except for a Marlboro habit that I will be getting rid of by November. I have been going on day hikes whenever possible and as I live in NJ only 45 min from the Water Gap I plan on a 3 day shakedown trip once it gets a bit colder. Thanks in advance for your advice, please don't kill me too much. You might have guessed that I am a Bartender and I do spend up to 15 hours a day on my feet on an uncomfortable hard floor so my feet are pre-calloused!
Scott

[smokymtnsteve]

socks two each or two pair??

I don;t wear liners but I like to have three pairs of socks with me..one on my feet, one pair hanging on my pack drying..and one pair put up dry.....

[bartender]

2 pair of each and one pair of each on my feet. I also forgot to list the really ugly plastic clogs that are my camp shoes.

[smokymtnsteve]

In warmer weather and in my case fairly cold weather..i use a fleece sleeping bag ..they are light ,cheap, easy to wash, and works even when damp...

[qsilver]

- 20 oz. of fuel seems excessive .... perhaps a 16.67oz, 12oz, or even 10oz bottle would be sufficient. Do you have a windscreen?
- is the bottom of your pot painted black w/ stovepaint? absorbs heat better
- replace the maglight with a photon light and leave the extra batteries in your bounce box
- if you use Aquamira, bring some coffee filters to at least get the visible sediment out of the water (personal preference)
- not sure how well the pocketmail thing is going to work on the trail. Perhaps that should be a candidate for the bounce box...
- PUR(Proctor and Gamble) sold their business to Katadyn - do the Katadyn filters work for your PUR filter? (not sure myself - I own the PUR Explorer PAPERWEIGHT since filters no longer exist)
- scrap the poo shovel and use a tent stake or stick
- film cameras are MUCH lighter than digital
- are extra hiking shorts really necessary? I can understand socks.

... just some thoughts ... you will always be able to ditch gear 30ish miles into the hike.

[bartender]

-I was leaning towards less fuel but I figured I should plan on too much and adjust as I saw what my needs were. Windscreen is built into the pot-stand
-Will paint my pot.
-I concidered not carrying a back-up light at all the photon is a possibility.
-Still not sure about the aqua-mira- I thought about using a bandana as a kind of pre-filter.
-I just got a back-up replacement cart. for the pur for 1/2 price, still guaranteed for 1 year.
-poo shovel and xtra shorts already kicked out.
-decided that I like my camera.
Thanks,
Scott

[Uncle Wayne]

Bartender,

39 pounds with water and 4 days food is not bad for a winter backpack load. With your boots and clothing your "from skin out" weight will be around 42 to 43 pounds. With some of the tweaking already suggested you'll even be better than that before you hit the trail.
A couple of suggestions: When I was your age I could sleep anywhere anytime and in almost anything. At 50 I have to have a pillow now to rest at night. I carry a small camp pillow now. Yeah, I know you can use your stuff sack and fill it full of extra clothing, yadda, yadda, yadda, and make a pillow but that just doesn't cut it anymore for me. So make sure you can rest with the sleeping gear you are carrying.

A digital camera lets you see if you got that really good once in a lifetime, I'll probably never be here again shot. I don't know about the film cameras being lighter with film figured in either. One thing is for sure, you'll take more pictures with a digital camera.

I try very hard not to carry anything that only has one use. That's easier said than done but I try. I have started using a water filter, can't remember the name or brand, that functions as a water bottle also. The filter fits inside the bottle, and as you drink or squeeze the water through the filter the water is purified. So my filter also serves as a water bottle. Mine is a 20 ounce bottle I believe and with filter weighs a little less than 6 ounces.

Bottom line is for you to feel comfortable with what you have and adjust on the trail as necessary. All of us are different and what might be perfect for me might not be for you. You're off to a good start. Good luck.

[Red Hat]

qsilver- not sure how well the pocketmail thing is going to work on the trail. Perhaps that should be a candidate for the bounce box...

Pocketmail works great on the trail! That's how the users of trailjournals.com keep their journals up to date. Just be sure you have the phone number to call from payphones when you get to town. Keep extra batteries in your bounce box. Write often!

[deeddawg]

Originally posted by qsilver
- is the bottom of your pot painted black w/ stovepaint? absorbs heat betterThere's reason to think this may not make a noticeable difference given that most of the heating is done by the physical contact of the hot air/flame with the pot bottom. Although black may allow the pot to better absorb radiant heat energy, I'm don't think it would make a noticeable difference. AYCE apparently tested this and came to the same conclusion.

See http://thru-hiker.com/anyboard/forum1/posts/3361.html

I don't suppose it could hurt, but I wouldn't go out of my way to paint a pot either.
- if you use Aquamira, bring some coffee filters to at least get the visible sediment out of the water (personal preference)A knee-high stocking can work well for the bigger chunks too. Plus it's reusable. Works best if you roll it like the kids roll their socks these days.

- film cameras are MUCH lighter than digitalNot necessarily true any more. There are some very viable digital camera choices in the 6.5 to 8 oz range INCLUDING batteries. A couple such would be the Olympus Stylus 300 or 400, or Canon Powershot SD100. Not sure of the weight of the battery charger, but that could be handled in a bouncebox.

[brian]

ive got a kodak easyshare CX4230, a 2.0 megapixel camara, which would be about $150 now. Its got a 3x optical zoom and 2x digital, and has 16 megs of internal mem. and a memory card slot . With 2 lithium AA's , i can get 60 flash pictures or about 120 non-flash pictures. WIth the 2 lithium AA's it weighs 7.6 oz, and with a 64 meg card yo ucan take just over 400 pics on the lowest quality, which IMHO is still a very good quality.

I used AquaMira for my section hike....very easy and reliable

If you are in the market for a new pack (hint hint), go to moonbowgear.com and look at the Gearskin. There is much hype for this pack from me, HOI, and many others. 2.5lbs fully featured, and only $180. Also read reviews on backpackgeartest.org to figure out how it works;-)

Brian
Thru Hiker 2013

[qsilver]

Hmmm.... I like the sound of this pocketmail device...

If anyone has it, please post a link so I can check it out and perhaps purchase one. How much do they weigh? How much is the monthly plan for one? If the pocketmail devices work, how well do cell phones work? Is there a difference b/w cell phone providers? (Cingular, AT&T, Sprint, etc.)

BTW... I LOVE the panty hose idea for filtering water before using aquamira. I personally found that water boils 30 seconds faster for me when I painted my pot black....even if there is evidence against it, it couldn't hurt. And finally, has anyone had problems with moisture on the trail and digital cameras? Thanks for all the great information!!!!

[Firecracker]

qsilver,

www.pocketmail.com - it has the cost for the device and the plans.

Pocketmail is not like a cell phone, which is a bit of a misconception. From what I understand, you type your email into the device, dial a 1-800 number on whatever phone you can get to (there are sometimes problems with certain payphones), hold the device to the receiver, and viola! Email sent.

Hope this helps.

[brian]

its a regular old modem....nothing fancy. Im sure that you could get an attachment similar to this for a palm.....;)

Brian
Future Thru Hiker 2013