View Full Version : My Gear List
Hi All,
I've been reading through this, and other, forum to start the research for my mid-Aprit NOBO. I've put together a gear list, and I'd like everyone to take a swing at it. Thanks!
Appalachian Trail Gear List 2004
Backpack:
Osprey Aether 60 3900 $200 3lbs 8oz Comfortable
Silnylon Pack Cover
Tent:
Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight $169 3 lbs 15 oz – need to seam seal
Ground Cloth – Painters Plastic Sheeting
Food/Water
(2) Gatorade bottles for water
Aquamira water treatment
Platypus water tank 6 L (for camp water/shower/etc)
Cooking
Soda Can Alcohol Stove
Pot Cozy
Stove Wind Screen + Stand
MSR Titan Titanium 2 Liter Pot
Lexan Cup??
10 oz bottle of fuel
Spoon
Ziplock Disposable Bowls (for leftovers)
Footwear
Merrell Mesa Ventilator Low Top
SmartWool Socks x 4 (I NEED clean socks)
Reef Flip Flops
Sleeping
Marmot Arroyo 34 oz $270
Sleeping Bag Liner
Thermarest ¾ LE inflatable (Willing to carry extra weight for comfort)
Clothing
Sports Shorts with Mesh Liner
Patagonia Capilene Midweight Bottoms
Patagonia Capilene Lightweight Crew Top
Glove Liners – Polypro glove liners
Fleece Hat
Lightweight Synthetic T-Shirt
Frogg Togg Top
Lined Windpants
2 bandanas
Med Kit
Superglue
Bandaids
Tweezers (sharp)
Aspirin
Antacid - Zantac
Moleskin
Lipbalm
Antibiotic ointment
Fungicide for athlete’s foot
Multivitamin
Toilet Kit
Foot Powder
Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap/Unscented Bar Soap
Cut Toothbrush + Toothpaste/tooth powder
Mirror (CD)
Purell
Toilet Paper
Alcohol Hand Gel
Repair Kit
Needle and thread and thimble
Duct Tape
Data Pouch
Journal (Addresses, Emergency Numbers, etc)
Pen (2)
Stamps
Miscellaneous
Towel
Leatherman Micra
Calling Card
Digital Camera + 2 extra batteries
Extra memory card
Battery Charger
2 Caribeners
Headlamp (using 3 AAA Lithium Batteries)
Backup LED Keychain Light
Stuff Sacks
AT Guidebook
Lighter(s)
Waterproof Vial
Waterproof Strike Anywhere Matches
Parachute Cord (50’)
Heavy Duty Zip-Lock Luggage Tag for Wallet
Deck of Cards
Plastic Shopping Bags for wet boots and tent
Gear Preparation List (NOT Packed)
Black Engine Block Paint for Pot and Stove
Bright Spraypaint for Tent Stakes
Silicone For Sleeping Pad Grip
are you really gonna have "leftovers"???????????????????
i've NEVER seen a hiker have leftovers...but this might be a FIRST!
i see a load of stuff in your MED kit & Toilet kit that you (most likely) will never use & therefore i'd suggest you take minimum supplies & then grab these "extras" on side trips to town.
good luck in your hike!
see ya'll UP the trail! :D
Well, my first comment would be that you've got capacity for 2 gallons of water and I hope you don't fill it all up all of the time - that's over 16 lbs of water that most of the time would be overkill.
I noticed you question marked the lexan cup - it's an option, certainly, and not a bad one, but I'd go ahead and get a lexan Nalgene bottle if what you're wanting is hot drink capacity - that way it can do double duty as an additional water carrier, and dump one of the gatorade bottles in favor of it. It comes out to a wash in weight just about, but the Nalgene bottle is quite a bit more rugged than either a Gatorade bottle or a lexan cup (thicker lexan and the way the bottle's shaped to distribute the force of an impact). If that's not your particular brand of cocoa, then take a gatorade container (for the powdered stuff for mixing your own, used by lots of other companies too) with a lid that works as a kind of bowl/cup and a base that'll replace your disposable ziploc containers that you're so worried about carrying leftovers in (how you could come up with leftovers on an AT hike is beyond me, but to each his own). A Nalgene bottle would work for those leftovers too, but is heavier and too deep to eat out of really, so I'd probably suggest the drink mix container unless I was dealing with hot liquids.
Hmm, isn't Purell an alcohol hand gel all on its own? Seems kind of redundant, so just checking there, but I'll assume you just oopsed.
In your first aid kit, get some Tefla pads (otherwise known as non-adhesive bandage pads) and some medical tape to go with it. It helps tremendously with larger cuts. Also, get some alcohol swabs to clean the tweezers with if you need to remove the tick or just to clean a wound better than the gel stuff does since the gel is not designed to clean the wound. Those two together weigh less than 2 oz (under 1 oz if you get the right stuff) and are very good to have. Consider sunscreen or aloe vera too.
Not sure why you're bringing snaplinks/carabeeners either, they're not terribly useful over, say, a heavy duty laundry safety pin unless they're carrying alot of weight, I find they're more of a fashion statement.
Last two: make sure your duct tape is taken off of a larger roll and wrapped around an old library card or some such so that you're not carrying the whole thing - you'd be surprised how many people I've seen with an entire roll of duct tape. Also, consider swapping the pens for some 2H or 4H pencils: they weigh a bit less and the writing doesn't wash off in the rain. On the right paper, they'll even write on it in the rain.
Overall though, your basic packing is sound from what I can see. Just make sure you take the gear out and try it out before you go since it appears you don't own all of it yet. I don't know what your total weight on all of that is going to be either, feel free to let us know when you figure it out.
Edit: oh yeah, fungicide? Just take your socks and boots off at the end of each day and let your feet air out, it's much more effective, I assure you.
Thanks for the replies. jec, you're right about the Caribeners, I'll dump those. The Platypus is strictly for campsite water. I won't hike with it full. I like the Nalgene over cup idea. Scratch one Gatorade bottle.
I never thought the idea of leftovers on the trail would engender such passion! You are probably right though, I most likely wouldn't have any leftovers. Scratch the disposable bowl.
Added a couple of alcohol swabs to my med kit. Good idea. Added a tefla pads.
About 10' of duct tape will be wrapped around my newly added Nalgene.
A note on the fungicide: I've always been one to simply air my feet out more if I have athlete's foot, but I didn't want to be stuck on the trail with a bad case of it when the air out option didn't work.
TJ aka Teej
03-04-2004, 11:58
Osprey Aether 60 3900 $200 3lbs 8oz Comfortable -Popular too, see lots of Osprey Packs out there
Ground Cloth – Painters Plastic Sheeting Your tent has a floor already, yes?
(2) Gatorade bottles for water Make one of these a Nalgene, and you won't need a lexan cup.
Ziplock Disposable Bowls (for leftovers) - This is a first! :D
SmartWool Socks x 4 (I NEED clean socks) - You'll get over that.
Sports Shorts with Mesh Liner - Chafe city, you'll cut the liner out eventually.
Multivitamin - break in half/crush it up or it'll go through you solid when your hiker metabolism kicks in.
Purell & Alcohol Hand Gel - same thing?
Pen (2) - Pencils!
Battery Charger - huh?
2 Caribeners - for what?
AT Guidebook - just the pages you need, of course.
Lighter(s) - get the clear ones, so you can see the fuel level.
I think your list looks very, very good right now. I'd swap out the aspirin for ibuprofen, which does a better job, I think, for hiker hurts. Keep the athlete's foot cream. This is a common problem for me, particularly if I don't wash out my socks everyday. It is easy to pick up the fungus in hostels and motels. Add some earplugs because there is nothing worse than being in a shelter with snorers when all you want to do is sleep. And, you will stay in some shelters during your trip. I would add some sort of insulation beyond the thermals, like a light fleece or insulated pullover. It can get cold even in early April. In May of 2002, there were two cold snaps in the South, with temps getting close to freezing in the Smokys and around Erwin. If you don't want to drop a lot of cash, visit Walmart or something and get a cheap fleece. If you want to spend a little more, I like the MEC Northern Lite II pullover. It will cost you around $100 USD and weighs in at 13 oz for an XL.
TJ -
Should I only use half a multivimin a day? I've alway heard that even if your tent has a floor, you should still use a vapor barrier to keep moisture and dirt off of the tent. Is this correct? Good idea about clear lighters.
Chris -
Thanks for the compliment. I've added earplugs. I'll take one and cut it in half to save weight. :jump I have a fleece jacket from the job that I'll be quitting in a couple of weeks. I'm torn about whether or not I should bring it... Too many bad memories from the rat race. I'll either use that or buy a new one. Added : fleece jacket.
All -
I need to say that this is absolutely the best forum I've ever been to. None of this IBTL/REPOST/"The search button is your friend" meanness. You guys and gals are helpful and friendly. If this is any indication of the quality of people I'll meet on the trail, I'll have a great time. Thanks!
Cehoffpauir
03-04-2004, 13:29
... I have a fleece jacket from the job that I'll be quitting in a couple of weeks. I'm torn about whether or not I should bring it... Too many bad memories from the rat race. I'll either use that or buy a new one. Added : fleece jacket.
Campmor has a good Polartec 200-weight fleece for about $26. http://store.yahoo.com/campmor/36427.html
All -
I need to say that this is absolutely the best forum I've ever been to. None of this IBTL/REPOST/"The search button is your friend" meanness. You guys and gals are helpful and friendly. If this is any indication of the quality of people I'll meet on the trail, I'll have a great time. Thanks!
Wilson76
03-04-2004, 13:36
If you haven't already bought the tent, try the SD Light Year to see if that will work for you. Not quite as big but it saves some ounces. If you want to drop some coin there are other lightweight tents or tarp tents out there. People on this forum can steer you in the right directions.
2-L pot is B-I-G. You should only need a 1-L. Saves room and some space. Again if you haven't puchased your pot yet...
Lined wind pants might be an overkill. Unlined pants will do just fine with midweight bottoms under them.
Finally all the other crap will work itself out. After a week you will know what you use / need in your pack. You can always send stuff home.
Finally all the other crap will work itself out. After a week you will know what you use / need in your pack. You can always send stuff home.That's exactly what I was thinking. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, his load could only be lightened by a pound or so even if we swap alot out for slightly lighter components, so I think the packing's in its "good enough!" stage where water and food and nitpicking take priority and it comes down to the mental determination to make the trail.
Oh yeah, one thing that could save you alot of weight would be going from a digital to a small $20 APS 24mm camera from Wal-Mart, and the APS can take panoramics too! Up to you though, I carry alot of things that are more than I should (razor, hickory hiking staff ...) just because of comfort and/or sentimental value, and if the camera's your one big indulgence I wouldn't be too worried. Like I said, it's going to come down to the mental determination at this point, not gear.
A Nerf football.
Because it's always the right time for full-contact punt returns.
A Nerf football.
Because it's always the right time for full-contact punt returns.Just remember to watch out for the 220 lb guy carrying a 70 lb pack that can REALLY MOVE when you're returning it or you're be :datz as they :banana on your body ;)
azchipka
03-04-2004, 19:48
i agree with everyone else but ditch the tent get a hammock.....youlll love it.......now questions about the 2 Caribeners you had a reason for packing them to start with......what was it...and are we talking real ones or the wanna be ones......personaly i carry them and will say i have found a huge number of uses for them.
hmmmmmm nurf football..........im thinking paintball guns would be more fun
i agree with everyone else but ditch the tent get a hammock.....youlll love it.......now questions about the 2 Caribeners you had a reason for packing them to start with......what was it...and are we talking real ones or the wanna be ones......personaly i carry them and will say i have found a huge number of uses for them.
hmmmmmm nurf football..........im thinking paintball guns would be more fun
I carry 2 of the small "wanna be ones" that weight 1 tenth of an ounce each and also have found multible uses...at the start of hiking season, the bear cables are full unless you eat very early, using one you can tag on to another hangar...I have almost ALWAYS loaned one to another hiker.
When I am hiking and the rain stops or it becomes warmer I utilize one to hang my jacket or rain jacket to the loop on my pack and let it air out...assures that I will not be backtracking looking for gear...well worth the tenth of an ounce!!!
Those both sound like candidates for a figure eight knot of 550 cord :p
I bought the caribeners to attach things to my pack. I had envisioned using them to dry out clothes or maybe attach my Nalgene. I wanted to use them to attach frequently used items, like my camera, so that I could get to them quickly. BTW, I HATE being "trendy". Trend is one of the reasons (indirectly)that I'm going to hike the trail.
Do you really think a 2 liter pot is too big? None of the online outfitters had the 1.3 l evernew pot. I figured, "what's another .7 liters"? I already bought it, so it will probably stay. Anyways, I eat a LOT since I'm big (6'4" 250lbs). That was my justification.
Instead of the Parachute cord, I bought 50' of the Kelty Triptease Lightline. It's fluorecent, so I thought it would be good in the dark. Does anyone know how thick this rope is? Can it double as shoelace? What are your impressions of using it as a food hanger/multi purpose rope?
Yeah, the digital is one of my big indulgances. I'm going to send home pictures so my GF can upload them to an online photo album so my friends can keep up with me. I love photography, and my camera has a few necessary bells and whistles.
I've nixed the lined windpants for the unlined. I only included them because I already owned them. I know the lining is redundant with the Patagonia Capilene Midweight Bottoms.
BTW, what's better for punt returns, a 220 lb guy with a 70 lb pack, or a 250 lb guy with a 40 lb pack?
azchipka
03-05-2004, 10:55
""I bought the caribeners to attach things to my pack. I had envisioned using them to dry out clothes or maybe attach my Nalgene. I wanted to use them to attach frequently used items, like my camera, so that I could get to them quickly.""
Well if thats the case i would bring them with you......just dont bring them if your not going to use them.........hmmmmmm neon shoe laces?
Alligator
03-05-2004, 13:15
With two extra camera batteries, you should be able to keep your charger in a bounce box. The Frogg Togg bottoms are pretty good wind pants if you bought the set.
I don't plan on keeping a bounce box, and the batteries only last about a week apiece, so I'm going to keep the charger. It's only about 2 oz anyway and it's not that big at about the size of a deck of cards.
As for the frogg toggs, I've read several times here at White Blaze and other places that people didn't like the bottoms. For those of you who have used them, how do they wear? Do they breath well? For those of you who didn't, why did you go with something else?
Edit : I put a LOT of thought into the tent/hammock decision. I really liked many things about using a hammock (weight/comfort/easy choice of setup location), but in the end, I just liked the idea of having a floor, roof and walls around me. Tents are cozy, and an integral part of the "idea" of camping in my mind. I'd almost consider it one of my luxury items.
flyfisher
03-05-2004, 13:43
I read the other comments. Many good suggestions in there.
OH, and your original list looks really good. You have already done a lot of thinking.
In addition to the other things mentioned, I'd consider:
- floppy hat that works in the rain (OutdoorResearch hat or treated felt hat)
- sticks (I don't use them anywhere but the AT) (great place to store some Duct Tape too)
- DEET
- I'd loose the Nalgene and go with a bladder with drinking tube. Sipping on the tube is much better for me than stopping to take a drink. If I want a hard container later, I reuse a 22 oz soft drink bottle.
Treat outer clothes with permethrin beforehand.
Oh, and if you have rejected the hammock idea, it's OK. It's not your fault. It's just a hammock thing. Don't worry about it. Some are born to hammock and some not. It's not your fault. Don't worry about it.
:rolleyes: (Hammocks Rule Forever!)
BTW, I am with you about the mesh lined shorts. They lead to less abraision with than without for me.
The reason the Nalgene's there in the first place is the hot drink bit - Lexan holds up much better, and in fact most gatorade bottles melt very slowly releasing chemicals when you put hot liquids inside of them. Not the best idea.
PS: It's the 220 lb guy with the 70 lb pack over the 250 lb guy with the 40 lb pack. The 220 lb guy has to have an external frame and those hurt, lol.
gravityman
03-05-2004, 17:01
The reason the Nalgene's there in the first place is the hot drink bit - Lexan holds up much better, and in fact most gatorade bottles melt very slowly releasing chemicals when you put hot liquids inside of them. Not the best idea.
Not sure where you get this info, but I believe it is an urban legend. Plastics do not "leach" into your food. They are very stable. Even with hot liquids.
Lexan actually has been recently thought the leach some nasty stuff. Again, I think we will find that this is not very true once more detailed testing is done. I remember seeing the article somewhere around here or trailforms.com lately.
And the gatorade bottle holds up well to hot liquids. But I've never put actually boiling water in (too hot to hold and drink).
Gravity Man
Well, I for one, like the bottoms. In fact, now for warm weather, they are the only long pants that I bring backpacking, unless I'm doing some off trail peak bagging. Most of the time, I am hiking in shorts, not long pants, so they don't get worn much. But, when I need something, I have them. Probably worm mostly in laundrymats.