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View Full Version : Last pieces of gear, need advice



taildragger
02-05-2008, 12:14
Alright, I'm almost done getting gear for this trek, but I'm still wondering about somethings that I may or may not need.

Right now I'm currently looking at

8'x10' equinox tarp
whatever stakes came with my mountain hardwear
marmot helium bag
thermarest closed foam
3L bladder
maybe another 4 or 5 gatorade litre bottles for the desert
super cat stove
aluminum foil wind screen
kmart grease pot with lid
long sleeve white synthetic shirt
Zip pants or basketball shorts
Marmot driclime
balaclava
Salamon trail runners
Rented bearikade for sierra's
Gregory whitney (sans top) unless I get some more money and find a good deal on a lighter pack
First aid kit
Needle and floss
Maybe some light fleece gloves
BD Raven Ice axe (already own)

Things that I was thinking about

maybe a light wool or base layer for Sierra's (in case I do decide to bring that pool and linger around a little)

gaiters (desert and Sierras)

should I bring at least one pair of wool socks for sierras?

Umbrella or big shade hat (like a straw cowboy hat)

Wind pants, or should I just use the zipoffs with a polypro under them in high wind?

What would be a good system for carrying all the water in the desert?


Anything else that I'm missing or should consider bringing?

taildragger
02-05-2008, 12:18
oops forgot about the G9 camera

And the bug netting that I will be getting for the Sierra's

Also, my start date is looking like late May, so I'll probably start somewhere north of campo

TwoForty
02-05-2008, 13:07
I'm still planning, but I'll have at least two pairs of socks, three pairs for the Sierra so I can at least try to have a dry pair for when I stop.

What insulating top do you have? I'll be starting in Campo in early May but it still gets cool at night in the desert. Not sure what I'll carry, but I will have a light down sweater for the Sierra.

Pants are a personal call, but I use zip offs so I can open them part way, but still stay protected from the sun.

I hope you have sun glasses in there, at least for the Sierra if you hit it with lots of snow (looking like a somewhat wet year this year)

I'll be using 3 2.4L platypus bags and a 1L gatorade bottle for the desert. Probably just one platy and the gatorade bottle for the Sierra.

Are you good with the tarp? There is a lot more wind out there and there is in the southeast, so you'll have to be careful with site selection. Plenty of people use flat tarps though. I guess I'm just not as good at pitching them as most. I take it you have poles to pitch them?

Are you planning on treating your water? You don't need a pump, but I would at least want iodine or Aqua Mira.
A bug net is worth it's weight in gold. Some people use DEET, but I hate chemicals. Your call.

taildragger
02-05-2008, 13:16
For the desert and insulation, I hadn't decided. I was thinking longjohns with my shirt, driclime, and balaclave I might have enough to stay warm but not to linger. I might be bringing whatever wool, fleece, or polyester top that I decide to have with me in the sierra's as well.

Treatment, I'm thinking AM with maybe a few iodine as backup, and a bandana for the floaties

as for the tarp and the wind, thats what I'm worried about right now. I haven't gotten to tarp camp much, but I figured that I could use something like a flying diamond pitch and be alright. (I'll probably move to something more tentish in the Sierra's) But hopefully I'll be able to get some more experience here as time moves on, Oklahoma is known for its wind...

And yes sunglasses, never thought to include them in the list since I'm usually wearing them to begin with.

taildragger
02-05-2008, 14:07
I also forgot to mention my compass

ScottP
02-05-2008, 16:51
I used a gatewood cape poncho-tarp for my PCT thru-hike last year--it was the perfect raingear/shelter south of Washington.

You rarely even need to set your shelter up--you usually only need it if there's a maritime fog coming in or if you camp near a body of water and need to protect yourself from condensation.

Bugs are Brutal on the PCT, especially if you're ahead of the curve on speed, or if it was a wet winter.

I wouldn't worry about insulation in the desert (you need a good sleeping bag. In the desert most people are up and out of camp early, dwadle all day at a water source where you cook, then hike a bit into the night and just toss down your sleeping bag wherever.

The Marmot driclime is an outdate piece of gear. The current golite and montbell equivalents weigh around 3 oz compared to the driclime's 10 oz.


I never had sunburn problems on my legs--you probably don't need pants, just some aloe gator sunblock (pretty quickly your legs will get dirty enough that it won't be an issue. The desert is DUSTY!). I also never wanted wind pants, or pants of really any type.

the one pair of wool socks for the sierras is probably a good idea if you get there and there's a lot of snow. Otherwise, they won't be necessary.

Check out this page for aluminized umbrellas: http://www.birdiepal.com/index.html

I'll definitely go the visor, bandanna, and umbrella route for my next desert hike (CDT)


think about cooking with wood. The PCT is a desert trail--it's really easy to find dry firewood. There are fire restrictions, but they aren't hard to follow if you pay attention.

I just put 4 titanium tent stakes (aluminum will melt), drove them into the ground, set my pot on them, and made a small fire underneath my pot. Also, this method allows you to cook real food, and not just heat up instant garbage.

If you like hiking, you shouldn't have a problem starting in campo late may and still finishing in time.