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View Full Version : SOBO Gear List - Please Critique



wcgornto
06-02-2009, 11:35
Most things are here. I need to add toothbrush, duct tape, bandaids, etc ... probably more or less another pound.

What obviously doesnīt belong? What is obviously missing? I think I can trim two or three pounds.

Thanks for your input.


PackSix Moon Designs Starlite Pack30,0Pack Cover (Blaze Orange)4,0SleepBig Agnes Copper Spur 1 Tent48,0Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag26,0Montbell Pillow3,0Tent Foot Print5,0Sleeping Bag Silk Liner5,0Water / FluidFilter - Katadyn Hiker Pro14,0Plastic Tumbler for Breakfast Shakes4,0Platypus Bladder 2L x 23,0Platypus 1L Bladder x 22,0Platypus Hose2,0CookSnow Peak Lite Max Stove / 0.7L Ti pot8,0Titanium Spork1,0Freezer Bag Cozy1,0Clothing / Rain / ColdRain Shell - Montane Event18,0REI Sahara Pants14,0Crocs12,0Marmot Driclime12,0REI Rain Pants10,5Montbell Down Sweater9,0Ice Breaker Tshirt8,0Patagonia Base Layer Top6,0Smartwool Socks x 26,0Patagonia Base Layer Bottom5,5Bug Jacket4,0Ex Officio Boxer Briefs3,5Buff Head Wear, etc.1,0Bug Head Net1,0Other ItemsVarious Stuff Sacks10,0Canon Power Shot Camera and Case9,5Ursack9,0iPod Nano and Charger5,0Peek and Charger5,0Black Diamond Spot Headlamp3,0Sea to Summit Pack Liner3,0Swiss Army Knife3,0Black Diamond Gloves2,5Sea to Summit Microfiber Towel2,0Journal and Pencil2,0Scissors1,0Total Ounces321,5Total Pounds20,1

Blissful
06-02-2009, 11:50
I'd bring another pair of hiking socks, but that's me. 2 pair are not enough for Maine conditions.
You could leave the filter at home and bring Aqua mira.

Manwich
06-02-2009, 13:54
Lemme reformat that a bit for ya

PackSix Moon Designs Starlite Pack - 30
Pack Cover (Blaze Orange) - 4
SleepBig Agnes Copper Spur 1 Tent - 48
Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag - 26
Montbell Pillow - 3
Tent Foot Print - 5
Sleeping Bag Silk Liner5
Water / FluidFilter - Katadyn Hiker Pro - 14
Plastic Tumbler for Breakfast Shakes - 4
Platypus Bladder 2L x 23
Platypus 1L Bladder x 22
Platypus Hose - 2
CookSnow Peak Lite Max Stove / 0.7L Ti pot8
Titanium Spork - 1
Freezer Bag Cozy - 1
Clothing / Rain / ColdRain Shell - Montane Event - 18
REI Sahara Pants - 14
Crocs - 12
Marmot Driclime - 12
REI Rain Pants - 10
Montbell Down Sweater -9
Ice Breaker Tshirt - 8
Patagonia Base Layer Top - 6
Smartwool Socks x 26
Patagonia Base Layer Bottom - 5
Bug Jacket - 4
Ex Officio Boxer Briefs - 3
Buff Head Wear
etc. - 1
Bug Head Net - 1
Other ItemsVarious Stuff Sacks - 10
Canon Power Shot Camera and Case -9
Ursack - 9
iPod Nano and Charger -5
Peek and Charger - 5
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp - 3
Sea to Summit Pack Liner - 3
Swiss Army Knife - 3
Black Diamond Gloves - 2
Sea to Summit Microfiber Towel -2
Journal and Pencil - 2
Scissors -1
Total Ounces - 321
Total Pounds - 20

Blissful
06-02-2009, 14:36
Wow better formatted!

Knife should have scissors on it.

jwalden
06-03-2009, 15:39
Be forewarned: for most of the trail I thought I was the least weight-conscious southbounder out (until I met the guy who carried, among other things, a cloth blanket). I started with a ridiculously heavy pack due to not packing with the advice and consent of a bathroom scale (weighing at Katahdin before heading south I felt more than a little sheepish at 58lbs -- without water), but I got it down far enough that I was in the thirties most of the time, dropping lower as resupplies approached. By the end I knew what I could cut if I wanted to drop weight -- a smaller stove, a smaller pack (but on the plus side, I never had to think about organization when stuffing gear in my Whitney :-) ), various other things, but I didn't care enough to spend the money to do any of them. Doesn't really matter, you can carry as little or much as you want and still finish, within vague reason.


SleepBig Agnes Copper Spur 1 Tent - 48
Tent Foot Print - 5

Southbound, depending on how close you are to the head of the pack and how much you make an effort to stay in them, you can drop the tent (or, as I'd have done had I known beforehand, swapped with a bivy sack). I had only two nights on the entire where I stayed at a shelter site full enough that people were forced to tent, and one of those was me being stupid and arriving after dark when everyone was asleep and sufficiently spaced out that I couldn't find space without waking anyone up. I started June 9 and was probably near the beginning of the middle of the early-bird pack until about August 5, when I started to pull away and be near its head, if that helps with timing.


Marmot Hydrogen Sleeping Bag - 26

Frankly, I was warm enough that I probably could have not carried my 30deg sleeping bag until September 20 without getting uncomfortably cold (no worse than waking up in the morning and being slightly shivery), assuming I crawled in the bivy sack and put on rain gear and the sweater I carried. (I don't know how last summer's incessant rain would have affected this course of action, bet I would have toughed it out.) Personal preference, I'd have it shipped further south knowing what I know now. Then again, that's kind of playing Russian roulette with the White Mountains, possibly (they were great when I went through, temperature-wise), but it could easily be worthwhile to pick it up in Gorham and ditch it in Glencliff.


Montbell Pillow - 3

Not just wad up unworn clothes you're already carrying? Up north extra clothes work great, down further there's still something in the pack that works.


Water / FluidFilter - Katadyn Hiker Pro - 14

Aquamira is the most common choice as already recommended, but as far as cheap, long-lasting, and light go I don't think anything beats Polar-PUR, if you can stand the taste. It's "not for continuing use", but I used it and nothing else for 139 days without issues. I heard the claim that eating yogurt replenishes the good stomach bacteria that iodine kills, so I tried to snack on yogurt when I could, which might have made a difference. If it didn't, hey, yogurt's tasty, so I wasn't inconveniencing myself.


Plastic Tumbler for Breakfast Shakes - 4

I have no idea whatsoever what this is. :-)


Platypus Bladder 2L x 23
Platypus 1L Bladder x 22
Platypus Hose - 2

Liter water bottles may be more resilient and cheaper, and they don't grow holes, but up to you. I used Nalgenes (another place I could have cut weight), worked well for me. Until you hit New York or so I don't think you'll need more than 2L capacity, note. PA will be horrendous in stretches, and I found my worst was from Double Springs to Watauga in Tennessee, but I never needed more than 3L at any point on the trail.


Clothing / Rain / ColdRain Shell - Montane Event - 18
REI Sahara Pants - 14
Crocs - 12
Marmot Driclime - 12
REI Rain Pants - 10
Montbell Down Sweater -9
Ice Breaker Tshirt - 8
Patagonia Base Layer Top - 6
Smartwool Socks x 26
Patagonia Base Layer Bottom - 5
Bug Jacket - 4
Ex Officio Boxer Briefs - 3
Buff Head Wear
etc. - 1
Bug Head Net - 1

Hm, don't see boots listed here. I started with traditional hiking boots and carried sneakers for camp shoes. The boots were dead by Delaware Water Gap, so I dropped them for a set of trail runners that, surprisingly, lasted the rest of the trail. They were close enough to sneakers for me that I found I didn't need camp shoes at all, although for various reasons I didn't end up dropping the sneakers until after the Shenandoahs.

I'm a fan of convertible nylon pants with liners, two pairs, switch between the two in towns when doing laundry. Add two shirts, one to go with each, long-sleeve (but relatively thin) hiking shirts are ideal, whatever socks (I had two liners, two big outers and swapped), and you have normal hiking clothes. Fleece sweater is generally useful as pillow or for cool nights. Rain coat is good, rain pants I carried until Glencliff and never used, wouldn't recommend taking any. Bug netting I wished I'd had in Maine, rest of the trail it was superfluous (don't remember using DEET much south of Maine, ditched entirely in DWG), but think a head net would have been sufficient. I carried fleece pants and upper/lower long underwear at various points on the trail, but up north you probably only need one thing for the bottom and one thing for the top -- fleece/fleece is probably best. You can't wear the stuff when hiking, really, and in a sleeping bag or similar you're already going to be warm except in meaningfully-cold temps.


Other ItemsVarious Stuff Sacks - 10

I'd buy a box of liter-size ziplocs in occasional towns as I passed through to make sure I always had some around for trash and the like, which probably would address the stuff sack concern assuming these aren't associated with sleeping bag/tent or similar. For foodstuffs, the complimentary plastic grocery bags work perfectly well for storing food in my book. I think I carried two extra stuff sacks, and for the most part I only needed one if I kept the plastic grocery bags.


Ursack - 9

Ursack not necessary, some parachute cord is generally useful and for hanging if needed, but this specifically isn't really worth it.


Sea to Summit Pack Liner - 3

I'm not familiar with pack liners, but my silnylon sea to summit pack cover did great at keeping out water, and a pack liner wouldn't have added anything useful. Dunno how your pack cover will do at that, of course.


Swiss Army Knife - 3

Believe it or not, I barely used the pocket knife I carried with me; I'm sure people have done without before.


Sea to Summit Microfiber Towel -2

I carried a pack towel and probably could have done without it most of the time.


Scissors -1

Really? Not quite sure why, knife should suffice, no?

Last, regarding omitted items. Have you ever hiked with poles before? I hadn't before I started, and I consider the ones I bought in Gorham to be the best $140 I spent on the entire trail. I've been told it can be a point of pride to have hiked Maine without any, but truth be told I feel no particular pride in having done so, just stupidity. :-) Also, you seem to be missing a sleeping pad, and I can't imagine hiking the entire trail without a pad (weekend trip perhaps, but not something this long).

wcgornto
06-03-2009, 16:13
I'd bring another pair of hiking socks, but that's me. 2 pair are not enough for Maine conditions.
You could leave the filter at home and bring Aqua mira.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will have three pair of socks, one on my feet. I only listed items in the pack, not skin out.

Also, I have decided to go with Aqua mira to save the filter weight. I thought it was cost prohibitive, but thatīs just the tablets. The drops are quite reasonable.

wcgornto
06-03-2009, 16:41
Hey jwalden, thanks for the suggestions. I only listed pack contents, not skin out. I am hiking in Solomon trail runners and using Leki trekking poles.

The tumbler is for my breakfast of choice, a high calorie mix of flavored protein powder, carnation instant breakfast and dehydrated whole milk. It is not practical to mix it in a platypus, though I might use a gatorade bottle instead to shave a couple of ounces.

I am definitely keeping the tent until I get past black fly issues. I might consider sending it home later in exchange for a tarp.

I will leave one of the Platypus 2L bladders home. I donīt need two.

I may leave the pillow at home, as my clothes bag should suffice.

I have decided to use Aquamira rather than my filter.

I will probably drop the Crocs at some point. I just want something for stream crossing in Maine.

I will ditch bug shirt and head net after black fly territory.

I listed REI sahara pants and rain pants as either / or. I will be wearing one pair of REI saharas, with either a second pair or rain pants in the pack, but not both. I am probably going with the convertibles in the pack and leaving the rain pants at home.

I may go with a sil nylon food bag rather than the Ursack.

I use both a pack liner and pack cover for two reasons. One, just extra layer of protection given the use of a down sleeping bag and two, for protection from hunters (the pack cover is blaze orange).

I accidentally left the sleeping pad off of the list. I am using a Neo Air regular length, as I am a side sleeper and want the extra comfort that this pad promises. If it proves to lack durability, I will switch to a Prolite 3 short. With the Starlite pack, either pad will fit nicely into the zipper pocket.

Again, thank you very much for your suggestions.

Snowleopard
06-03-2009, 19:14
The tumbler is for my breakfast of choice, a high calorie mix of flavored protein powder, carnation instant breakfast and dehydrated whole milk.
Try using a 16 oz ziploc screw top plastic container = 1.5 oz. There's also 8 oz and 32 oz screw top storage containers.

take-a-knee
06-03-2009, 20:04
You can use the element from your Hiker Pro filter and build one of these and drop six ounces:

http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearGravityFilter.html

jwalden
06-03-2009, 20:25
I am definitely keeping the tent until I get past black fly issues. I might consider sending it home later in exchange for a tarp.

That's reasonable. Depending on preference the head net might be enough to work with bugs in shelters. We got lucky last year and didn't really have black flies; from what I understand they were basically replaced with mosquitoes for us, not sure whether we won or lost overall.


I will probably drop the Crocs at some point. I just want something for stream crossing in Maine.

Ah, fair point, I forgot about that. By the end of the 100 Mile Wilderness I wasn't bothering to make any effort to stay dry crossing streams (first couple months for us were extremely wet overall, Kennebec crossing was closed for ten or so days at one point, although I got lucky and only had to zero once to take it across), and much of New Hampshire and Vermont it was hopeless, but at the start I was swapping boots for sneakers at crossings.


I use both a pack liner and pack cover for two reasons. One, just extra layer of protection given the use of a down sleeping bag and two, for protection from hunters (the pack cover is blaze orange).

My bag was synthetic, so I never thought much about water, down would change things a bit. (Apparently a wet down bag returns to perfect functionality if you pull apart the orange-sized amount of wet down and let it air a bit, according to one southbounder from last year.) I actually never bothered getting any bright, visible colors to ward off hunters. Perhaps I should have, kept thinking about getting a roll of orange plastic to bedizen myself but never got around to it, and in the end I didn't have any problems without.