Gear Critique plz!

[GuyB]

Well guys, here's my list, I have almost nothing from it except the sleeping bag coz I buy everything in the U.S., but I'll love it if you take your time to evaluate it (the prices are the range of prices I saw on the internet about the products):

2 Walmart walking polls (20$, which this forum recomanded :) )
Backpack: probably the Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone + cover (150$)
sleeping bag: Salewa Sigma Flex, -1 C, 1420 gr (3.13 lb)
tent: probably the Eureka Spitfire (100$)
foam mattress (20$)
3 Liter water bag + an empty bottle to refill it
gaiters (25$)
crocks
hat
fleece hat
fleece golves
sun glasses + spair glasses
fast drying towel 120X20 cm
1 Liter titanium pot
1 light heat proof spoon
pocket knife
lighter + matches
titanium cup
alchohol stove + 1 extra bottle of alchohol + wind shield (35$)
whistle
10 Meter string
flashlight
multy-use small soap
tooth brush + paste
first aid kit (includes: bug spray/cream, gaza pad, Iodine, nail clippers, elastic bandage for ankle twists of any sort, anti-chafe cream, some string & needle)
light reflectors for the backpack
small unbreakable mirror
camera + spair battaries + spair memory card
toilet paper
purifying water tablets
zip locks for everything
AT thru-hike companion
3 hiking socks (75% wool, 15% polyamide, 10% lycra)
1 nylon pants (the short with the zipper and becomes long ones)
2 underwear (microfiber)
2 breathable shirts
1 fleece shirt
1 top + bottom polypro
light rain and wind coat, Marmot Precip (100$)
light rain and wind pants?
swimming suit

[Frick Frack]

I would not worry about the swim suit (you can swim in your boxers), sunglasses (I felt I never needed them...esp if you have a hat), and I only carried 2 prs of socks (wore one and had 1pr backup). Have a great hike!

[max patch]

Did this site really recommend the Walmart poles?

I use a single wide tipped bamboo stick; but my boys used single WalMart poles last season on day hikes. In one season of day hikes they both broke -- whatever holds the 2 sections together (these are adjustable in length) failed and the 2 sections would not stay together. Not many miles were put on these poles; no way they would last a thru.

[mountain squid]

Looks pretty good. Some observations:

bandana/buff
is your water bag, hydration ready with a tube for drinking on the go?
if pocket knife has scissors, leave clippers home
light reflectors for backpack:confused:
use 20 oz soda bottle for denatured alcohol
hand sanitizer
sunscreen (no leaves on the trees)
ear plugs
duct tape
maps
small journal/notebook
pen/pencil
if water tablets are 1 tab per quart, consider Aqua Mira instead which will treat 30 gallons
if no cell phone, phone card with important phone #s

And, of course, don't forget ID/atm/credit cards.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[le loupe]

do you need a titanium pot & cup. Why not get a large enough cup to cook in?

[YoungMoose]

get less stuff to cook with. also u dont need bathing suit

[GuyB]

thx everyone, so far:

bathing suit - gone.
light reflectors weigh nothing and "better safe then run over by a truck".
titanium pot gone, big cup remains.
the water bag will have the tube for drinking on the go.
duct tape added.
aren't map in the AT companion?
aquamira added.
cell phone, credit card, charger, passport of course.
ear plugs?

[flemdawg1]

You must be bringing the Gaza Pad, lol. Are you shirts long or short sleeves? Still don't think you'll need the reflectors, its not likely you'll do much road walking @ night unless you're really late/early getting out of a town.

[GuyB]

short sleeves. no?

[mountain squid]

'Town' maps are in the Companion. Topographic maps of the trail are not.
If you stay in a shelter, ear plugs help to muffle the snoring of others.
Short sleeves are fine as a base layer, as long as you have some long sleeves for insulation (and you appear to).
:-?Not sure I would get rid of the titanium pot. A cook pot should be easier to cook in as well as being larger than a large cup. A cook pot usually has a lid also. Additionally, unless you have a hot drink everyday, you might not actually need a cup.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[GuyB]

so is there another book I should that have maps? I dont intend to carry maps for the whole trail, its expensive and heavy.

[flemdawg1]

I'm a coffee drinker so a cup and a pot, is what I carry (along w/ a merlitta coffee cone.

[mountain squid]

so is there another book I should that have maps? I dont intend to carry maps for the whole trail, its expensive and heavy.Not that I am aware of. Maps are expensive and heavy, but considering the alternative of being lost in the woods, they are worth it.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[kanga]

don't carry all the maps at once, only the couple you'll use for a few weeks. send the rest on ahead in a bounce box and switch out when you get to town and pick it up.
take the pot not the cup, cup's not big enough. no glasses, one hat. never needed ear plugs..

[tmoneygetpaid]

Well guys, here's my list, I have almost nothing from it except the sleeping bag coz I buy everything in the U.S., but I'll love it if you take your time to evaluate it (the prices are the range of prices I saw on the internet about the products):

2 Walmart walking polls (20$, which this forum recomanded :) )
Backpack: probably the Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone + cover (150$)
sleeping bag: Salewa Sigma Flex, -1 C, 1420 gr (3.13 lb)
tent: probably the Eureka Spitfire (100$)
foam mattress (20$)
3 Liter water bag + an empty bottle to refill it
gaiters (25$)
crocks
hat
fleece hat
fleece golves
sun glasses + spair glasses
fast drying towel 120X20 cm
1 Liter titanium pot
1 light heat proof spoon
pocket knife
lighter + matches
titanium cup
alchohol stove + 1 extra bottle of alchohol + wind shield (35$)
whistle
10 Meter string
flashlight
multy-use small soap
tooth brush + paste
first aid kit (includes: bug spray/cream, gaza pad, Iodine, nail clippers, elastic bandage for ankle twists of any sort, anti-chafe cream, some string & needle)
light reflectors for the backpack
small unbreakable mirror
camera + spair battaries + spair memory card
toilet paper
purifying water tablets
zip locks for everything
AT thru-hike companion
3 hiking socks (75% wool, 15% polyamide, 10% lycra)
1 nylon pants (the short with the zipper and becomes long ones)
2 underwear (microfiber)
2 breathable shirts
1 fleece shirt
1 top + bottom polypro
light rain and wind coat, Marmot Precip (100$)
light rain and wind pants?
swimming suit

You don't need a swim suit. You'll swim in your shorts/ pants!

Get aquamira drops instead of tablets.

You only need 1 shirt.

You can do either 2 or 3 pairs of socks. I carried a third on my thru-hike to use as camp-only socks, but if you aren't hiking in really cold weather, this isn't necessary.

I wouldn't carry spare batts or a spare memory card for your camera unless

I would skip the titanium cup and just drink from your pot or pour into your bottle.

Definitely get rid of the mirror. If you are thru-hiking you will not even think about your appearance when you are in the woods. And people in towns won't care if you look messy. It's part of the deal.

If you're willing to spend a little more on a tent, you can shave about a pound. If you're willing to go single-wall, you can shave off about two. Everyone that I hiked with SOBO had one- or two-person tarptents and loved them.

You don't need gaiters.

Definitely, definitely, definitely get a headlamp and not a flashlight. It'll almost certainly be lighter, and you can nighthike and read and have free hands at night. You will find it much easier to do anything at night with a headlamp.

You can use your shirt as a towel. All the hostels will give you a towel anyway, so you will only need one if you go swimming.

As someone else said, it's nice to have a hose to drink from. Lots of thru-hikers didn't use a hose, but I found it very nice to be able to constantly sip without having to stop and work at reaching at the side pocket. Especially with that pack, where the side pockets can be pretty hard to reach.

You will probably want a fork and a knife. Especially if you don't hate peanut butter. You can spread with a spoon, but it's worth the half an oz. to me to be able to spread easily.

Get hand sanitizer, bug spray, and sunscreen in the smallest containers you can find.

Your pack has light reflectors all over it already!

You can get the appalachian pages, which has topo profiles inset in a light grey behind the black text of each landmark. If I was thru-hiking again, I;d get that book. The town maps actually seem a bit more expansive than those in the companion, too. You can bum maps off of people at shelters. I carried maps and loved them, but if you're looking at saving all the weight possible, skip them. They are expensive, too.

Good luck!

[tmoneygetpaid]

Sorry about that massive quote above. It won't let me edit it now.