gear list help

[karoberts]

I am doing a section hike from Harpers Ferry, WV to wherever I reach (maybe Massachusetts?) from June 14 - August 1. I am a persistently cold person, so I am planning to bring lots of warm stuff but maybe it's overkill? I do like a light bag, but also like creature comforts like a soft pad and things staying dry.

Weights are in oz. Total base weight with no food and water 26.16 lb.

Please critique.

PACK
REI Cruise 60 51oz

FOOTWEAR
1 trail runners ??oz
1 crocs 120z

CLOTHING
2 socks (1 long 1 short) 6oz
2 synthetic underwear 5oz
1 silk long-sleeved 5oz
1 silk tee shirt 5oz
1 fleece pullover 6.5oz
1 cap 1.5oz
1 hanky 1oz
1 base layer long pants 6.5oz
1 shorts 7oz
1 mittens 3.5oz
1 down vest 14oz
1 fleece balaclava 4oz

KITCHEN
1 jetboil personal cooking system 14oz
Little stuff: lighter, spork, stuff sack 2.5oz
soap 4oz
fuel 14oz
1 knife 3.5oz
Purell 3.5oz

WATER SYSTEM
Aquamira 5oz
1 nalgene bottle (small) 2.5oz
1 camelback pouch (3 liter) 8oz

TENT
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 tent 45oz
bear rope ??oz
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 footprint 6.5oz

SLEEPING
EMS synthetic 20+ Sleeping bag 52oz
Big Agnes Air Core Mummy Pad 22oz
home-made pillow 1oz
sea to summit waterproof stuff sack 5.5oz

SAFTEY
First aide kit 12.5oz
Money/ID 1.5oz
Cell Phone/charger 6oz
knee brace 3.5oz

PERSONAL CARE
Toothbrush/paste 2oz
Meds 12oz
Face cleaner 8oz
Toilet paper in ziplock 2oz
Stuff sack and little stuff: DEET, hearplugs, thermocumpass, chapstick 3oz
comb/hair ties 1oz
inhaler 1.5oz

RAIN
Marmot Precip Jacket 12oz
sierra design hurricane pants 7oz
Pack fly 5oz
Waterproof bag 0.5oz

MISC
Iaudio 7 2.1oz
Headphones 1oz
Mp3 player charger 3oz
Digital camera w/ extra battery and case 12oz
Watch 1.5oz
handbook
1 headlamp 3.5oz
7 ziplock bags 1oz

Total weight in lbs - 26.1625

[dessertrat]

For that time of year, and the relatively low terrain you'll be going through, I doubt you will ever have need of the balaclava or mittens. If you were heading up into the White Mountains, I would say otherwise, but from Harper's Ferry to Massachusetts, from June to August, I don't think you'll need that stuff. I would also skip the hurricane pants. Also, with a fleece pullover and a precip jacket, do you also need a down vest at almost a pound of weight?

YMMV, but it is unlikely you will need all that clothing on the trail in the summertime, and if it does come off really cold at night on occasion (possible) you can get in your sleeping bag. Again, if you were going to be up high or in New Hampshire or Maine, I would say go ahead and take all that stuff, but going from Maryland to Massachusetts in July, it seems like overkill.

Edit: My apologies, you did say you are persistently cold. . . I just wonder if you are that persistently cold!

[rafe]

Agree with earlier poster -- it oughtn't be that cold between June and August. You could get by with a 1.0-1.5 lb summer-weight bag easily. Somehow you've got yourself up to 26 lbs -- try losing at least 5 lbs off that list. Tent footprint -- no need. 14 oz of fuel? Too much. Cheap flip-flops instead of Crocs. 22 oz for sleeping pad? 3.5 oz for a knife? 5 oz for Aquamira? (transfer to small plastic bottles from REI.) I see about 3-4 lbs of "personal" care items -- carry small quantities in appropriate containers. Don't forget sun block. Seriously.

[Appalachian Tater]

I think you will have more problems with heat and rain than cold that time of the year.
Suggestions in addition to what dessertrat said:
Well, I would take the down vest instead of the fleece, it's less bulky and lighter most likely.
Okay, now in addition:
Leave the footprint at home.
Take three pairs of socks.
Take only the portion of the guidebook you need.
Is a "pack fly" a waterproof cover? You may still need a heavy duty garbage bag liner to make sure your stuff stays dry.
The first aid kit sounds heavy. A little gauze, duct tape, antibiotic ointment, soap, ibuprophen, maybe some generic Benadryl, and blister stuff, that's about all you really need.
You don't need 4 oz. of soap. Carry 1 oz. and refill from a hiker box somewhere. That's an easy 3+ ounces to save! Ditto with the alcohol gel, get a 1 or 2 oz. bottle, refill from a hiker box or just buy a new bottle. I bought packs of 2 or 3 one ounce bottles in the dollar store and left the extras in the hiker boxes.
A Gatorade or Aquafina bottle is lighter than a Nalgene.
Can you use your clothing bag for a pillow?
Also, you are going to need bug spray (100% DEET and maybe peremethrin) for ticks, deer flies, and mosquitoes.

If you get cold, you put on your hat, long sleeve shirt, long underwear, down vest, and raincoat. If you are still cold (not likely on that stretch in the summer), get in your sleeping bag. I keep a light wool knit cap in my pocket when hiking even in the summer so I can take it on and off easily.

[karoberts]

Great suggestions guys! I want to lose 5 lbs off my original 26.

Questions:
Do you think I really need the rain pants?
Is it worth spending $250 to get a new sleeping bag to lose 1-1.5 lbs?
Is the down vest too much?
Is there a type of crocs that weigh less (like the k-mart brand or something)?

[Appalachian Tater]

I never used rain pants but some people swear by them.
Don't spend $250 to lose 1.5 pounds unless you have already cut all the weight that you can cheaply. The best way is to take only what you need, and not too much of what you need. On the other hand, a sleeping bag is the last place to skimp. Your bag may be a little overkill. You're starting where I switched out to a summer bag, and I was being conservative by switching out so late.
If the down vest is lighter &/or more compact than the fleece, take it instead of the fleece. You can put your long sleeve shirt and rain jacket on, too.
Payless used to have "crocs" that were lighter. The $1.00 beach flip flops are a lot lighter, too, but they are only good in camp and in hostel showers, you can't ford in them.

[Blissful]

For PA to MA in the summer - I am a cold person and found my marmot pounder 40 degree quite sufficient. But I took a silk liner just in case. You don't need rain pants either for the summer. Nor the down vest, balaclava or mittens. For a jacket I took my Montbell thermawrap but really didn't use it much at all. Maybe once. I did cary a hat throughout the hike. Wore just a long sleeve shirt for camp at night. I also found a windshirt helpful. Be sure to have bug stuff - 100% DEET and a head net comes in handy. Bugs are a real problem. And in your food bag, bring electrolyte tabs or equivalent to mix in your water bottle. Helps with leg cramps in the heat. We hit 90 degrees in PA at the end of May.

[rafe]

Apropos hot deals in light summer weight bags.. check out campsaver.com. Here (http://www.campsaver.com/ItemMatrix.asp?GroupCode=sid0133&MatrixType=1)'s a Sierra Designs "Wicked Light" down bag, 45 degree rating, 18 oz., 800 fill, $130. That'll save you nearly 2 lbs. It should be plenty warm for summer use, and you can always sleep in a base layer for more warmth. It'll also save a lot of room in your pack.

[Programbo]

Great suggestions guys! I want to lose 5 lbs off my original 26. Is it worth spending $250 to get a new sleeping bag to lose 1-1.5 lbs?Is the down vest too much?Is there a type of crocs that weigh less (like the k-mart brand or something)?

Even if you experience record lows every night of your trip it won`t ever get below 40 degrees..Most likely the nights will be near 55-60 degrees.. The down vest might make a good pillow :)

[dessertrat]

And if you're unlucky, the nights will be too hot to sleep.

And double agree on taking less personal care, but adding some serious bug repellant.

[Seeker]

comments and nitpicks in blue. not saying all of it will work for you or your budget. savings in red.

PACK
REI Cruise 60 51oz

FOOTWEAR
1 trail runners ??oz
1 crocs 120z cheapie flip flops are about 3-4 oz. saves 8oz.

CLOTHING
2 socks (1 long 1 short) 6oz
2 synthetic underwear 5oz
1 silk long-sleeved 5oz
1 silk tee shirt 5oz
1 fleece pullover 6.5oz
1 cap 1.5oz
1 hanky 1oz
1 base layer long pants 6.5oz
1 shorts 7oz
1 mittens 3.5oz for summer? use your socks. 3.5oz
1 down vest 14oz probably overkill, but it's your call. can always send it, and other stuff, home. 14oz.
1 fleece balaclava 4oz see above. 4oz

KITCHEN
1 jetboil personal cooking system 14oz
Little stuff: lighter, spork, stuff sack 2.5oz
soap 4oz might consider carrying a smaller amount at a time.
fuel 14oz i assume this is jetboil, full, and not a white gas container.
1 knife 3.5oz depends on what you want, but if all you need is a blade, scissors, and tweezers, a Swiss Army Classic is perfect at 0.8oz 2.7oz
Purell 3.5oz

WATER SYSTEM
Aquamira 5oz my two bottles, new, weigh 3.2oz 1.8oz
1 nalgene bottle (small) 2.5oz aqua fina bottles are 1.6oz for a 32oz bottle 0.9oz
1 camelback pouch (3 liter) 8oz this seems wrong. my 6 liter mondo plastic Reliance jug is only 4.8 oz, and my little 2.5 liter platypus bladder is just 1.3 oz. let's call it 6oz.

TENT
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 tent 45oz
bear rope ??oz 30-40' of 3/16' 550 cord will run you about 3oz.
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 footprint 6.5oz why? 6.5oz

SLEEPING
EMS synthetic 20+ Sleeping bag 52oz you asked. if you have a little money to burn, you can get a 20-30oz high quality down bag with a rating of 20-35*F. personally, i think it's worth the $$, so i saved up for a nice Western Mountaineering Caribou bag. 10-20oz we'll just say 10.
Big Agnes Air Core Mummy Pad 22oz if it takes that much thickness for you to get a comfortable night's sleep, you maybe should look into a hammock system. right now you're carrying a tent, footprint, and pad that weigh 45+6+22 (73 oz). a hennessy hammock ultralight backpacker asym is 25oz. (and i've got a homemade one that weighs about 17oz, including a bug net. but we'll leave that out of the discussion). a JRB underquilt is another 20 oz, and a huge 8 x 10 tarp is about another say 20 oz (depending on what it's made of and the weight of your tie outs, it can be anywhere from 15-20 oz.) add 6 tentstakes at 3oz, and you're at 25+20+20+3, or 68oz, on the heavy side. that total could be up to 10oz lighter, if you opt for the original small tarp, and maybe even another 7oz lighter than that if you used the same homemade one i have.

so even a pretty conservative/heavy hammock setup would make you lighter than your current tent/sleeping pad setup. and you won't need the footprint. you can also just use a blue foam pad for bottom insulation, and even with the additional side-wings you'd need to add to it to keep your shoulders warm, it will be lighter (at about another 15-17oz) than the 20oz underquilt, not to mention cheaper. but i digress... :D
home-made pillow 1oz extra clothes in the stuff sack will work 1oz
sea to summit waterproof stuff sack 5.5oz not sure, but it might be waterproofing overkill. the stuff sack is for your sleeping bag, right? just use a plain white kitchen garbage bag at 1oz 4.5oz

SAFTEY
First aid kit 12.5oz man that's heavy. relook what you're carrying and why. see previous post about 'just the basics'. a few meds, bandaids, maybe some neosporin. could be as light as 3-4oz. 8oz
Money/ID 1.5oz
Cell Phone/charger 6oz an emotionally charged issue. some insist they must have them. i understand the 'safety' concern. personally, i won't carry one, loved ones be darned. and a phone card weighs less.
knee brace 3.5oz ok if you need it, but not if it's 'just in case'.

PERSONAL CARE
Toothbrush/paste 2oz
Meds 12oz personal/have to take?--ok, and i assume that's why they're under 'personal care'. but if they're 'just in case', see first aid kit discussion.
Face cleaner 8oz again, do you HAVE to, or do you just want to? that's a whole half pound (sounds heavier that way, doesn't it? :D)
Toilet paper in ziplock 2oz
Stuff sack and little stuff: DEET, hearplugs, thermocompass, chapstick 3oz i think someone already mentioned sunscreen.
comb/hair ties 1oz
inhaler 1.5oz

RAIN
Marmot Precip Jacket 12oz again, opinions vary. i use dropstopper/dri-ducks (i think they're the same, or almost), at 12oz for both top and bottom. never use the bottoms, but carry them as a windproof bottom layer over my longjohns. they won't hold up to bushwacking. for those trips, i have a heavier jacket and pants at weights identical to yours (19oz). 7oz between the two.
sierra design hurricane pants 7oz
Pack fly 5oz i'll assume it's a pack cover. some do, some don't. i don't. i use a big black yard-waste plastic bag for a pack liner. 5oz
Waterproof bag 0.5oz

MISC just pointing out that all this electronic stuff weighs almost half a pound. your call.
Iaudio 7 2.1oz
Headphones 1oz
Mp3 player charger 3oz
Digital camera w/ extra battery and case 12oz
Watch 1.5oz
handbook
1 headlamp 3.5oz
7 ziplock bags 1oz

Total weight in lbs - 26.1625


total savings, not including a digression into possible hammock systems or stuff i wasn't pretty sure you didn't need, is about 83 oz, or about 5.2 lbs.

if you've not made a spreadsheet to add the weights up, it's one of the best ways to examine what you're carrying and how much it really costs in weight. PM me w/email if you want me to send you mine.