Anything missed…on our pack list?

[Idealist]

We (husband/wife hiking team) have posted our gear list below for our SOBO beginning late this June. Weights from internet sources are posted for some items. We are currently abroad and so cannot currently weigh the other items.

Primary question to answer: Are we missing anything?

Secondary questions: Are there items you suggest swapping out? Are some items unnecessary?

Thank you for your help. Y’all always give such great advice.


Sleep system

Tent: Tarptent Squall 2 (33 oz) shared
Ground liner: space blanket
Sleeping bag: Northface Beeline (22 oz), Western Mountaineering Summerlite (22 oz)
Sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest Prolite 3 (20 oz), Therm-a-rest Ridge Rest (14 oz)

Packing

Backpack: Gregory G-pack (44 oz), Granite Gear Vapor Trail (32 oz)
Stuff sacks: size & number to be determined
Bear line: REI braided nylon cord 50 ft.
Raincover: Sea to Summit Ultra-light (4 oz), REI Duck’s Back (6 oz)

Cooking and Water shared

Stove: Snow Peak Giga Power (3.5 oz)
Fuel: Snow Peak Giga Power fuel canister (4.9 oz)
Cookware: REI Ti Ware Nonstick Titanium 1.3L Pot (6 oz),heavy duty Al foil wind screen (0.5 oz)
Cookware: 2 Light My Fire Spork (0.4 oz each), plastic mug
Kitchen tools: Buck Knives 756 Transport (1 oz), Coghlan's Thumb Can Opener (~0.5 oz)
Fire starter: Bic mini-lighter, water proof matches (0.65 oz)
Water bottles: 2 Platypus 1L (0.6 oz each), Platypus 2L (1.2 oz), homemade 5L water bladder
Water treatment: MRS Miniworks Water Filter (14.6 oz) heavy, we know, but important to one member of the hiking party

Clothing

Base shirt: Oslo polyester running shirt, Oslo polyester/elastic running shirt with sports bra liner
Base shorts: hiking shorts with liner, Patagonia hiking skirt
Underwear: nix, 3 pair Walmart microfiber
Long sleeve shirt: Hind running shirt, Icebreaker merino wool hiking shirt
Overlayer: 2 fleece pullovers
Long pants: 2 pairs Polartec Polyester/spandex running pants Do we need these starting off?
Rain coat: 2 Marmot Precip (13 oz, 12 oz)
Rain paints: 2 Marmot Precip (11 oz, 10 oz)
Socks: 4 pair merino wool, 4 pair liners
Boots: La Sportiva Trango Trek GTX (54 oz), Merrell X Radius (36 oz) unfortunately, those snazzy light weight trail runners don’t work for us when we backpack
Campshoes: 2 pairs Sprint Nylon Mesh Shoes (2 oz each)
Head gear: 2 bandanas, 2 baseball caps, 2 polartec dome hats
Gloves: 1 pair wool with liner, 1 pair fleece

Items Worn/Carried

Trekking poles: Black Diamond Spire (20 oz), Black Diamond Contour (19 oz)
Watch: Timex Ironman 30-lap Flix with alarm
Headlamps: Princeton Tec Quad (3 oz), Petzl Zipka Plus (2.25 oz)

Hygiene and Toys

Bug protection: 2 mesh head nets, 100% DEET
Personal affairs: card with important numbers, driver license, credit/debt cards, health insurance cards
Luxuries: 1/3 paperback, pencil, small notepad, binoculars (9.1 oz)
Information: pages from AP, pages from Handbook, section maps, compass/thermometer/whistle (1 oz)
Electronics: Canon Powershot (5.8 oz), Memory card, Smartphone (5.5 oz) for phone & journaling, MP3 player, headphones, battery chargers – may bounce
Toiletries: 1 oz toothpaste, 2 short handle toothbrush, Diva cup, prescription meds, 1 oz Dr Brommers Peppermint soap, floss, 1 oz evaporating handsoap, 1 oz sunscreen, toilet paper, lip balm, ear plugs, hair elastics, body glide
First aid/repair kit: sewing needle, safety pins, pepto tablets, 10 ft duct tape, Neosporin, moleskin, band-aids, gauze, surgical tape, ibuprofen, benadryl, 1 oz foot powder

Thanks so much!

[LIhikers]

It's early, and I haven't finished my first cup of coffee so I'm not really thinking straight, but it seems like you've got all your bases covered. I'd suggest you have a plan in case one of you has to drop off the hike. If the second person would consider continuing then what changes would you make to your shared equipment.

[Hooch]

I'd give consideration to dropping the space blanket as a groundcloth. They are very easily torn and probably won't last long. Possibly go with an equally sized piece of Tyvek. Although just a bit heavier, it will be very durable and last considerably longer.

[4eyedbuzzard]

It wasn't specific, so I'll mention it. You only mentioned one whistle. Each of you should have your own whistle, and perhaps even little personal survival pack(firestarter and space blanket/bivy), though the latter may be debatable. The whistle though is important - helps to locate you when you get lost going for water or to answer nature's call. It sounds dumb, but you can get easily turned around in such situations < 100 yards from a shelter or campsite. Happens all the time.

[sofaking]

ditch the gloves and start out w/ liners, binoculars are rather lux but that's up to you, do you really need pants and rain pants? burn the watch.

[Nomad94]

I second ditching the space blanket-- the thin ones tear easily and the thick (nice) ones are a bit heavy. Tyvek or painter's plastic drop cloth.

I carry a pair of camp socks (acorns) that give me a break from my regular hiking socks at night. They also serve nicely as mittens.

I carry a second mini-bic.

I've used super glue to help close up larger cuts in conjunction with butterfly bandages. The proper medical product is brand name 'dermabond'. I carry a tube of store bought-- I'm sure it has plenty of chemicals that shouldn't enter my blood stream. You may be able to get some of the real goods from your pc doc.

[SGT Rock]

We (husband/wife hiking team) have posted our gear list below for our SOBO beginning late this June. Weights from internet sources are posted for some items. We are currently abroad and so cannot currently weigh the other items.

Primary question to answer: Are we missing anything?

Secondary questions: Are there items you suggest swapping out? Are some items unnecessary?

Thank you for your help. Y’all always give such great advice.


Sleep system

Tent: Tarptent Squall 2 (33 oz) shared
Ground liner: space blanket
It's probably going to get torn up.

Sleeping bag: Northface Beeline (22 oz), Western Mountaineering Summerlite (22 oz)
Sleeping pad: Therm-a-rest Prolite 3 (20 oz), Therm-a-rest Ridge Rest (14 oz)

Packing

Backpack: Gregory G-pack (44 oz), Granite Gear Vapor Trail (32 oz)
Stuff sacks: size & number to be determined
Bear line: REI braided nylon cord 50 ft.
Raincover: Sea to Summit Ultra-light (4 oz), REI Duck’s Back (6 oz)

Cooking and Water shared

Stove: Snow Peak Giga Power (3.5 oz)
Fuel: Snow Peak Giga Power fuel canister (4.9 oz)
Cookware: REI Ti Ware Nonstick Titanium 1.3L Pot (6 oz),heavy duty Al foil wind screen (0.5 oz)
Cookware: 2 Light My Fire Spork (0.4 oz each), plastic mug
Kitchen tools: Buck Knives 756 Transport (1 oz), Coghlan's Thumb Can Opener (~0.5 oz)
Fire starter: Bic mini-lighter, water proof matches (0.65 oz)
Water bottles: 2 Platypus 1L (0.6 oz each), Platypus 2L (1.2 oz), homemade 5L water bladder
Water treatment: MRS Miniworks Water Filter (14.6 oz) heavy, we know, but important to one member of the hiking party

Clothing

Base shirt: Oslo polyester running shirt, Oslo polyester/elastic running shirt with sports bra liner
Base shorts: hiking shorts with liner, Patagonia hiking skirt
Underwear: nix, 3 pair Walmart microfiber
Long sleeve shirt: Hind running shirt, Icebreaker merino wool hiking shirt
Overlayer: 2 fleece pullovers
Long pants: 2 pairs Polartec Polyester/spandex running pants Do we need these starting off?
Take them. You never know - and if you don't, then you can send them home

Rain coat: 2 Marmot Precip (13 oz, 12 oz)
Rain paints: 2 Marmot Precip (11 oz, 10 oz)
Socks: 4 pair merino wool, 4 pair liners
Boots: La Sportiva Trango Trek GTX (54 oz), Merrell X Radius (36 oz) unfortunately, those snazzy light weight trail runners don’t work for us when we backpack
Campshoes: 2 pairs Sprint Nylon Mesh Shoes (2 oz each)
Head gear: 2 bandanas, 2 baseball caps, 2 polartec dome hats
Gloves: 1 pair wool with liner, 1 pair fleece

Items Worn/Carried

Trekking poles: Black Diamond Spire (20 oz), Black Diamond Contour (19 oz)
Watch: Timex Ironman 30-lap Flix with alarm
Headlamps: Princeton Tec Quad (3 oz), Petzl Zipka Plus (2.25 oz)

Hygiene and Toys

Bug protection: 2 mesh head nets, 100% DEET
Personal affairs: card with important numbers, driver license, credit/debt cards, health insurance cards
Luxuries: 1/3 paperback, pencil, small notepad, binoculars (9.1 oz)
Information: pages from AP, pages from Handbook, section maps, compass/thermometer/whistle (1 oz)
Electronics: Canon Powershot (5.8 oz), Memory card, Smartphone (5.5 oz) for phone & journaling, MP3 player, headphones, battery chargers – may bounce
Toiletries: 1 oz toothpaste, 2 short handle toothbrush, Diva cup, prescription meds, 1 oz Dr Brommers Peppermint soap, floss, 1 oz evaporating handsoap, 1 oz sunscreen, toilet paper, lip balm, ear plugs, hair elastics, body glide
First aid/repair kit: sewing needle, safety pins, pepto tablets, 10 ft duct tape, Neosporin, moleskin, band-aids, gauze, surgical tape, ibuprofen, benadryl, 1 oz foot powder

Thanks so much!
looks like you are on it.

[sofaking]

where on your list is the 5 liter bag of wine? i must have overlooked it...

[bigcranky]

Your list looks good. Have fun.

[Idealist]

We are getting great advice: the extra whistle, ditching the space blanket – which settles a mini-debate we’ve been having, the second lighter, etc. Thank you!

Thanks also for the affirmations. The excited anxiety of the approaching start date has me constantly rechecking our list for things forgotten while fighting the urge to add more ounces.

:)…The 5L bag/box of wine was happily consumed with friends last weekend and now exists as our camp water bladder!

[SGT Rock]

We are getting great advice: the extra whistle, ditching the space blanket – which settles a mini-debate we’ve been having, the second lighter, etc. Thank you!

Thanks also for the affirmations. The excited anxiety of the approaching start date has me constantly rechecking our list for things forgotten while fighting the urge to add more ounces.

:)…The 5L bag/box of wine was happily consumed with friends last weekend and now exists as our camp water bladder!
Let me know how that works. I've been thinking about that.

[sofaking]

:)…The 5L bag/box of wine was happily consumed with friends last weekend and now exists as our camp water bladder!
that is sofaking awesome!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Idealist (or anyone else),

Can you tell me how the sizes run on the mesh shoes you are taking? They only come in S 7-9, M 9-11, and L 11-13. I'm a size 11 exactly (narrow foot) and am wondering from your experience if the fit is tight or loose? Also where did you buy them?

Thanks.

[hopefulhiker]

I would dump the space blanket too, unless you want it for extra warmth or something. With just a little care, there are plenty of spots that will not tear up the floor of a tarp tent squall.. But for two people I would consider the Cloudburst or Rainbow two, unless yawl are not very big people..

Looks like you have it covered though...

[Flush2wice]

A towel is massively useful.

[Panzer1]

Do you have just one fuel canister for 2 people? If your going thru the 100 mile wilderness you might want 2 canisters. Depending on how much cooking/hot drinks you do.

Panzer

[Wags]

10 ft of duct tape seems like an awful lot to me...

[Idealist]

Can you tell me how the sizes run on the mesh shoes you are taking? They only come in S 7-9, M 9-11, and L 11-13. I'm a size 11 exactly (narrow foot) and am wondering from your experience if the fit is tight or loose? Also where did you buy them?


We ordered our mesh shoes from http://www.sprintaquatics.com/products.asp?dept=122 (http://www.sprintaquatics.com/products.asp?dept=122)

Unfortunately, we’ve not had the opportunity to try them yet, as we had them sent directly to our home back in the States. They are a bit of an experiment for we have not used camp shoes during our previous backpacking adventures. Of course, we’ve also not tackled 2000+ miles before and figured a change of shoe would be nice for camp (and possibly for river crossings). We tried on Crocs, but didn’t particularly care for them, and our Chacos are too heavy. These mesh shoes were recommended on a WB thread about lightweight camp-shoes a few months back. We ordered ours a little on the large side so that we could were socks with them…but this was just a guess.

Sorry we cannot currently be more specific. We’d be happy to let you know how they work come June!

[Qdog]

Thanks for the info on the mesh shoes. I too was going to ask about them. I have had good luck with a similar "camp shoe" that has a heel strap instead of full mesh. Yours may work better than the ones I have for that reason. I got them from www.magellans.com (http://www.magellans.com). The reason I mention this is because Magellans has many things that work well for light weight travel/backpacking. I know they are just dying to send you a catalog.

May I suggest the Golite Reed pants for rain and wind protection. (if they are still available) They are half the weight of the Precip pants. Have you tried a poncho tarp? Not for use as a primary shelter but it sure is nice to be able to move around a bit and not be confined to your Squall while cooking and doing other chores. It can also be used as your rain gear.

As to the bladders for water collection. Flexible containers/bladders are next to impossible to fill from anything short of a waterfall. When you try to fill them in a stream they collapse and don't let any water in. One of you should carry a 1 ltr. soda bottle instead of or in addition to the Platys. They are lighter than Lexan and are free with the purchase of tonic/soda water.

Get in the habit of using the old time "tooth powder". Lighter than toothpaste and no foamy mess when you spit.

I urge you to leave the water pump/filter behind. Yes it is heavy!!! Almost a pound. That must be half the weight of your shelter? Using a pump is tedious and time consuming. Even those filters which are field cleanable will clog up. Using Aquamira Drops (chlorine dioxide) is so much easier and lighter. You can carry a weeks worth for the 2 of you for about 1 oz. and there is no funny taste as with iodine. Many municipal water treatments use the same thing. More info can be found at www.backpackinglight.com (http://www.backpackinglight.com). Remember, if you're going to boil water for soup, coffee etc. you don't need to treat it. My wife and I dedicate one of our water containers to "untreated" water for cooking.

A tip for the female backpacker---a bandanna (possibly a yellow one) for P stops dedicated to that purpose. Sure cuts down on paper and trash.

Love your choice of stoves. I think the fuel weight you mention is the fuel only and does not include the canister. My wife and I use the same stove and are very frugal with our fuel. We managed 9 days on a 12 oz. can and we don't simmer anything. Coffee and breakfast and a hot meal in the evening. If your menu revolves around food that requires cooking and you don't plan to resupply very often you may want to carry more fuel until you get used to your amount of consumption.

It's all a juggling act. If you can cut down on something maybe you can carry more food so that you can stay on the trail longer, so that you don't spend time going to town, so that you can hike further, but more food means maybe you hike slower---See what I mean?

[bigcranky]

As to the bladders for water collection. Flexible containers/bladders are next to impossible to fill from anything short of a waterfall. When you try to fill them in a stream they collapse and don't let any water in. One of you should carry a 1 ltr. soda bottle instead of or in addition to the Platys.


This is quite true, though I am often able to use my 6-liter Platy bag to collect water in a small stream. If I have to dip, I use my titanium mug (which I am carrying anyway as my cook pot.)

[Appalachian Tater]

Let me know how that works. I've been thinking about that.A wine- or coffee-box bladder works great as a water bladder or as a pillow. You can use a 2-L soda bottle cap on at least some them. I don't know if I would trust it full in my pack over a long period of time for durability, but it works great in camp.

Comments on the list:
Looks well-researched. Your gear is certainly more than appropriate and you can fine-tune as you go along, which everyone does.

You can't trust manufacturer's weights. If it is important to you, use a scale, go to the PO during off hours if you haven't got one and use the lobby scale.

I would not trust just a pack cover to keep my stuff dry, get compactor or contractor bags for liners and also consider turkey bag stuff sack liners or OR Hydrolyte stuff sacks for critical stuff like clothing to keep it dry.

I would probably look for lighter binoculars--never have carried them but have been looking at them lately and would like comments from you on how much you use them and for what.

One ounce of sunscreen is just a couple of applications unless you're just using it on your ears or something.

You might give info on why trailrunners don't work for you, there may be suggestions for that.

Also, have you bought the Vapor Trail and tried it loaded? You might be happier with the Nimbus Ozone. Whatever you do, don't overstuff, it will split on the seam.

Have fun!

[Wags]

may want to look into army surplus field jacket liners to replace your fleece. they do a very good job insulating, weigh less and pack smaller

[woodsy]

Don't forget your sense of humor, it'll come in handy at times.
It doesn't weigh anything and takes up little space. LOL

[Idealist]

We have climbed Katahdin. Today, we continue south on our adventure. We have made adjustments to our pack list to encompass your suggestions. We appreciate your taking the time to look over the list and the thoughtfulness behind your responses. Indeed, even beyond this thread, we have collected all kinds of good advice from WB.
Thank you.
And happy hiking.

[Jason of the Woods]

I think that you have it. There is always going to be things that you will swap no matter how prepared that you may be.;)

[4eyedbuzzard]

Well if you made it up and down Katahdin in one piece the rest should just be a long liesurely walk!

Have a great hike.

[Blissful]

Stilll lots of tough stuff ahead but enjoy it all. After the toughness in southern ME and northern NH it's definitely a stroll for SOBOs after that. Have fun!

[Honey Bee]

this is a tip my fiance, Claven, taught me. stronger and lighter than most heavy duty sewing thread is dental floss. remove it from its container to save weight. also, if it is waxed it is very easy to sew with. we've used it on emergency patch jobs before and have since used it even when sewing thread is available.
minty fresh!
-ems

[emerald]

Are we missing anything?

Nothing I noticed when you passed through Port Clinton except maybe wings, but you seemed to be making more headway than the turkey vultures riding the thermals above the gap anyway.;)

[fehchet]

You will probably want to pick through your stuff when you reach Monson. Tweak and all. I always carry a mini bic on my body some where. One in my pack and one on the bod. So for the two of you I recomend 4 mini bics.

[emerald]

Are we missing anything?

No, but some posters appear to have not noticed you are already hiking and don't realize you will not likely see their replies.