Another gear list to pick through! :)

[Rob Snow]

Hi everyone! Longtime lurker finally coming out to say hi and get some advice. I weighed everything I could today and was disappointed to find out I'm already at almost 17lbs and I still have some things I need to get. I was hoping to be under 15lbs without food and water, maybe that was wishful thinking. By the way I'm not sure when it was that I found out about that Backpacking Gear Weight Calculator program, but that thing is cool. I'm looking at a start date around March 23-26th btw.
So here it goes, everything in bold I have, everything else I either dont have or havent decided on:

pack (gregory z55) - 56.0 oz
sleeping bag (northface tourlight 3d) - 36.3
tent (big agnes sl1) - 47.2
sleeping pad - 13.0
1 shirt - 6.1
1 pants - 19.0
1 shorts -
1 rain pants - 15.5
1 rain jacket - 21.9
1 fleece jacket - 21.6
Fleece Gloves - 2.9
1 pair thermal bottoms - 4.6
3 pairs socks -
flip-flops - 6.4
platapus bladder - 4.0
trash compactor bag (pack cover) -
sea to summit thermal liner (or something like it, my sleeping bag is rated to 35F, with a March 22nd start might need more warmth?)
groundcloth
bear bag (sil nylon bag) and line
aquamira
spoon
headlamp
camera
homemade medical kit
sunscreen
duct tape wrapped around lighter
alcohol stove, stand, windscreen, either 3cup or 900ml pot - 9.0
(I was looking at antigravitygear's Mama's kitchen 3cup set (7.4oz), but started reading more about Trangia and am thinking of going that route.)
matches -
earplugs - 0
toilet paper -
toothbrush -
toothpaste -
hand sanitizer - 2.1
chapstick - 0.3
bandanna - 1.1

I know my rain jacket, pants, and fleece jacket are all pretty heavy, but I'm trying to go with gear I already have, if I had lots of extra money I'd go buy lighter stuff. I'll thank everyone again later, but thanks in advance for any input!
-Rob

[mountain squid]

Some observations:

35F sleeping bag might not be warm enough
long underwear top or long sleeve shirt - think layers
hat
maps
Companion/Appalachian Pages/Handbook - something with town info
whistle
something extra to hold water
small knife with tweezers/scissors (pulling ticks/trimming fingernails)
needle for draining blisters

I have the Mama's kitchen minus the measuring cup. I like it.
I've never seen duct tape wrapped around a lighter.
If no cell phone, phone card with important phone #s.

And, of course, ID/atm/credit cards.

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[4eyedbuzzard]

<15 lbs isn't likely unless you go lighter on a lot of big ticket items - pack, bag, tent, rainwear, pants, flip-flops(get rid of them). You could spend A LOT of $$$ on a <2lb pack, <2Lb tent, 1 lb bag, etc to lose 2 or 3 lbs. I've found it pretty hard to get much under 18 lbs(3.5 lb pack here too)with what I consider suitable 3 season gear and clothng.

Not a bad list. It's still pretty light even with a few heavy things. No big deal, pretty much everybody that thru-hiked before the SUL craze hit carried more.

[Panzer1]

I would add a t-shirt, guide book, maps, compass, 2 bandannas, small pocket knife, floss not just tooth paste, nail clipper.
I also like having a table knife, not just a spone.

small bar of soap, not just hand sanitizer. what if you get poison ivy, your hand sanitizer will be useless. you could also use the soap to wash your hands to get the dirt off. Don't be part of the anti-soap movement.

I would add a second shirt so that when you go into town you can put on something that doesn't smell.

Drop the sunscreen since your starting in march. When the weather gets warm buy some.

At 28 years old, you should not be too worried about getting your pack weight down any lower. Wait till your over 50 for that.

Panzer

[Blissful]

It makes no sense to sacrifice necessity for weight in adverse conditions the trail can dish out until May. This is where being a gram weenie can get dangerous IMO (I don't mean any offense by the comment but the weight factor is a non issue if the temps dip in the teens, it's sleeting and you are facing hypothermia.) There are things that are needed to make it this early in the game. I mean, why suffer? But weenie it all you want come summer. :)

One pair of convertible pants takes care of the pants and shorts
You need something warmer clothing wise for upper body. Fleece wont do it this early, IMO. Need long sleeve top and sme kind of insulating jacket.
Rain pants optional
Need a 20 degree bag or similar
crocs not flip flops (or take them in the summer only)
disagree- need sunscreen, no leaves, it's easy to get sunburned in the spring, esp your neck

[Slo-go'en]

If you can keep the fully loaded pack (food and water) under 25-30 pounds to start, your doing reasonably well.

You definately need two T shirts, one to hike in and one for bed/town. I always have a mid weight, long sleeve pull over top also. You should always have something dry to change into if you get wet (and you will).

You also need a warmish hat.

I'd keep the sunscreen. One sunny day and you can get burnt, as there will be no leaves on the trees for a month or two. A little tube of roll on sunscreen doesn't weigh much.

If you use hiking poles, put your duct tape on those. When your lighter dies and needs to be replaced, no need to take the tape off of it.

You should be able to get away with a 35 bag and liner. Might have a few marginal nights, but you'll live.

[Panzer1]

you also have to keep in mind that when you stop at a public laundromat and put your clothes in the washer that you still have to be wearing enough clothes to avoid arrest.:D

Panzer

[theinfamousj]

As someone a scant two years younger than you, I can tell you that you won't notice a difference in between a 20lb load in a pack that carries it well and a 15 (or 14 lb some ounces) lb load. Trail Days last year had a backpacking light trial hike and I carried the bag for a bit. It didn't fit me and so was more uncomfortable than my ~ 22 lb typical load.

That said, if you are dead serious about shaving ounces: use a turkey roaster bag rather than silnylon for your bear bag and look into Gossamer Gear's Polychyro ground sheets. I think that the turkey bag and the ground sheet are made of the same lightweight, crinkley, clear, tough plastic.

Also, (and I'm only asking this if you are really wanting to shave ounces) do you really need 900 mL of cooking capacity or could 700 mL do ya (thinking the snowpeak 700). Or perhaps a heiny keg? I mean, we are talking miniscule weight savings ... but some gram weinies out there will get every scrap they can.

[Scrapes]

"Drop the sunscreen since your starting in march. When the weather gets warm buy some"

Oh no, bring the sunscreen, the tree's will be bare and you'll need it, lip balm too.

[hopefulhiker]

You might be able to get by without the ground cloth..

[Panzer1]

sea to summit thermal liner (or something like it, my sleeping bag is rated to 35F, with a March 22nd start might need more warmth?)A 35 degree bag will barely be enough. Your cutting it close. See the link below for average temperatures.

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.1025291/k.72A0/Average_Temperatures.htm

Panzer
ps. just pray you don't get a cold snap...

[Panzer1]

platapus bladder - 4.0
either 3cup or 900ml pot - 9.0I would add a nalgene bottle or some kind of cup so you have something else to drink out of when you get to camp. Its good to have something that you can make a powered drink in or to have a cup of hot tea or coffee.


How about a hat? What are you doing for head gear.

Panzer

[Rob Snow]

Really great suggestions, thank you all so much! I guess I was freaking out about pack weight a little more than I needed to, blissful probably put it best "It makes no sense to sacrifice necessity for weight in adverse conditions".

[Ramble~On]

:-? Neels Gap is pretty close if you happen to find something isn't working out. From there towns are only a few days away at any given time.
I don't preach pack weight to those on either side of the fence- HYOH.
15 pound packs are great to carry & 30 pound packs aren't bad either - Being comfortable and enjoying yourself for the 14+ hours a day when you aren't hiking....priceless! March weather can turn mean and nasty in hours, the leaves aren't out, the days are shorter, your trail legs are babies and you hopefully won't be trying to bust 20 mile days out of the gate! Why then worry so much about pack weight? IMHO....keep it as light as you care so long as it works for you given all the variables.
-- I'm 40 years old and a 40 pound pack :eek: "gasp" (as if it's a sin in these ultralight times) hasn't killed me yet. Pack weight varies from day to day and will go down as the average temperature goes up. I live in the southern apps. and backpack year round..March/April in the mountains isn't a time for me to carry 15 pounds of stuff and say to Mother Nature "Bring it on, I'm ready for you". Plenty of people manage to carry 20 pound packs and do just fine - I'll likely be around 30-35 pounds, day one at Springer-that weight and what I'm carrying works for me. What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger.

[Panzer1]

sea to summit thermal liner (or something like it, my sleeping bag is rated to 35F, with a March 22nd start might need more warmth?)

I hope your March 22 start date is warmer than today, but based on today's weather with a windy low of about 21 degrees in Dahlonega and snow on the way I would say that a 35 degree bag is not nearly enough. Although it might be enough if we were having "average" weather.

Panzer
March "in like a lion out like a lamb"

[McKeever]

I can't help but to pause for thought on your choice of a 35 degree bag. Most hikers argue weather they need a 0 degree or 20 degree bag, which you do not need a 0 degree bag and the extra weight.

I remember being in an ice/snow storm in the Smokey's with a shelter packed full of newbies in March. The ice pelted the metal roof all night and it was damn cold and scarey. In the middle of the night a lady was starting to scream out that she was going to freeze to death and die. Everyone went silent. I calmly asked her what her bag was rated at. She replied in a quiet voice, "20 degrees". I said, oh, you're not going to die! She calmed down and everyone sighed and laid back.

Now, if you start with a 35 degree bag, you will die.

[George]

at 15 I weighed 115 and started a week in the smokies with 65lbs but I don't want to do again- now about that gear for the start I would swap the pants and fleece jacket for insulated jacket w/hood and fleece pants this will give your sleep system enough extra, switch them back around damascuss and get some more clothes back for the whites, carry a cap always,send the long pants out for summer you will only need base layer and shorts, you may even send out the rain pants in mid summer this could get your base under 15lb

[Rob Snow]

What do you think about that Sea to Summit Reactor mummy bag liner, its supposed to add 15°F of warmth, even if it just add 10° it would make my bag good to 25F..

[wrongway_08]

With the bag, remember, you can add clothes to up the temp.

Your medical kit, dont know what youi had but I ended up with only 6 or 7 bandaids and some cut cleaner - even that was over kill.

Extra clothes for town is nice, you could do a pair of swim shorts and a shirt - it light weigh, compacts down to nothing and you wont smell to high heaven while getting rides.

Soap would be a good idea, I carried the 2oz bottle of camp soap. Nice to wash your arms and face off before eating and sleeping.

Looks good! Have a great hike.

[vts084]

If you use hiking poles, put your duct tape on those. When your lighter dies and needs to be replaced, no need to take the tape off of it.



Wrap it around something else. Although this may seem silly, I do think you should be carrying the duct tape all day with your arm when it could just be in your pack.

[mountain squid]

What do you think about that Sea to Summit Reactor mummy bag liner, its supposed to add 15°F of warmth, even if it just add 10° it would make my bag good to 25F..Well, it mostly got good reviews on REI.com (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47687834&parent_category_rn=4500592&vcat=REI_SEARCH#ReviewHeader). The one review that was not too favorable involved a night spent on the AT in the Smokys in single digits.

I do not have this liner, so I don't know. I'm sure it adds some warmth though. The thing to remember is that you will use this every night with a 35F bag. One night of cold is probably survivable, but many nights in a row might not be something you want to deal with.

If you use it you'll have to give WhiteBlaze a review...

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[Rob Snow]

First let me say thanks again for the advice mountain squid (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=8692), 4eyedbuzzard (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=11227), Panzer1 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=5149), Blissful (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=6008), Slo-go'en (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=17852), theinfamousj (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=13436), ankh (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=14745) , hopefulhiker (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=4963), Ramble~On (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=2785), McKeever (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=21325), George (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=6238), wrongway_08 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=13565) and vts084 (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=17806)! I now kinda feel a little silly for posting a gear list, seeing as how gear is the last thing on my mind. I just wanna get out there and see what its like! I will prob hit the approach trail this Wed afternoon (3-25) with a little help from Hawker.
Saw the forecast, looks like I'll get a wet welcome to Georgia!

Cheers

-Rob