View Full Version : Just lookin for some input...
Im plannin a southbound thru-hike in June 06' .... Just lookin for some input on my gear list...
Tent: Dancing LIght Gear Tacomoa For 2 (36 oz)
Sleeping Bag: North Face Beeline 30* (19 oz)
Stove: SnowPeak Gigapower Titan. Auto (3 oz)
Sleeping pad: Z-rest short (11 oz)
Backpack: Gossamer G4 Frameless (12.8 oz)
Filter: Katadyn NA. Micro Filter (8 oz)
Rain Jacket: Mtn. Hardware Epic (11 oz)
Pots: SnowPeak 3 pc. titan. (7 oz)
Bear Bag: Ursalite 2 ounce (2 oz) + 50' of Aircore Pro (1.3 oz)
Headlamp: Princeton Tech Scout (1.55 oz)
Knife: Leatherman Squirt P4 (2 oz)
Hat: OR Fleece Watch Cap (1 oz)
LS Shirt: GoLite LW C-Thru (5 oz)
Wind Shirt: Rab Quantum Wind Top (2.9 oz)
Nalgene: Cantene 1.5L WM (2.25 oz)
I plan on wearing a kilt and a pair of Tevas for most of the trail.. have no idea what that weighs. Have I overlooked anything? I know i dont have fuel on there.. I will be hiking with a partner so some of the weight will be distributed between the two of us...
Singletrack
10-09-2004, 13:41
Seems like a real good list. The only suggestions that I have, would be to use Aqua Mira instead of your filter. You can save abou 6 oz. there. Also use an alcohol stove instead of your Giga. Mainly because the fuel is more readily available than the cannisters. Have fun planning.
Could we use one alcohol stove between the two of us? If my memory serves me correctly a alcohol stove has a much longer boil time right? Would it make mroe sense for each of us to carry a alcohol stove?
SGT Rock
10-09-2004, 14:19
The stove depends on your own likes or dislikes. If you don't mind waiting a bit, then it should be fine. You might want to make two stoves at .6 ounces a pop and not worry about it. I have that Snow Peak set and wonder exactly what your strategy for using it is between two people. The larger pot is just right for me, the smaller pot isn't big enough for a person, and the pan probably won't do much for you except serve as a lid.
Honestly didnt think of that.. What about taking two of the larger pots and one lid? Or is there a better option?
Great list. Good for you, going lightweight, it'll make maine more enjoyable. Just be comfortable with what you've got. Go on some practice hikes. Too many thru-hikers carry tarps/tents and don't know how to set them up or want to use them. There are a million great camping spots in Maine and New England. When are you starting? If you're starting early (june) I'd probably recommend a bit more gear until you get thru the Whites. I hiked thru Maine in July and had some very chilly nights. Glad I had my 20 degree bag. Maybe consider some Gloves/liners and an extra layer until you hit Glencliff NH. I'd also go Aquamira over the filter and an alcohol stove. My friends all used the pocket rockets and loved them, but fuel is harder to find (though not VERY hard). You just need to plan more cause its not in every town. You don't need the URsack, unless you want it. A regular silnylon bag would work. Maybe some rope to hang your food if you camp? Any firstaid? TP? Spoon? Journal? Camera? Guidebook? Pack Cover? Water Bottles?
Nice list
We will probably be starting really late in June. I have a 20* bag (NF. Cats Meow) so maybe ill carry that until im out of Maine. Ive done a few hikes in the Whites in July with that bag, but have never felt slightly chilly, so I figure i should be alright in the Whites with a 30* bag, even if it causes a little discomfort on a night or two. I have rope, a spork, and a waterbottle on that list.. Wasnt sure on what first Aid kit would be light enough yet still usefull in the case of an emergency. Im thinking about taking a wilderness first responder course before we start. Im definetly going to bring a camera, but I think im gonna hold off on deciding which one until 2006. I figure I dont really need TP, can always use some leaves right?
If I were to go with the alcohol stove... matches or a lighter? Which would be lighter in the longrun?
SGT Rock
10-09-2004, 16:20
My suggestions are:
Use a lighter with flint. If you run out of fuel you can still start alcohol with a spark. All I carry in my kit is a flint wheel @ 0.2 ounces and it never runs out of fuel. Thanks HOI!
Next, if yu already own the Snow Peak set, try cooking a meal at home on the set. If you can make it work for you, then that is OK. If you haven't bought the set, look at some .75L sets.
Personally I only carry the large pot (.72L) and a lid made from foil anymore. I will think though, that you will end up wanting about 2 pots at about .75L each and each with your own alcohol stove. My logic is this: you can each make your own meal to your own taste and do it at the same time. I find that only a few people have the same tastes as I do on any given day on the trail. I might wand red beans and rice while my partner(s) may want mac-n-cheese. A 2 serving packet of any of this stuff will serve one hiker, so if you shop right or do your proportions from packages righ, you will eventually figure out how to do this easily.
My large pot with foil lid and sack made from a scrubbie weighs in at 3.1 ounces, the small bic weighs 0.5 ounces. My stove with screen weighs 0.6 ounces. 9 ounce fuel bottle weighs 0.8 ounces, and 9 ounces of fuel weigh 7.7 ounces. Total 12.7 ounces. That is lighter than the canister stove and fuel bottle at start, and the average weight over a week of hiking is only about 8.9 ounces per day for the whole kit. At that weight, I think that each of you having your own ain't that much and not sharing these small items won't kill you on weight.
Thanks for the advice! I think im going to go out and get some HEET tonight and play w/ some cans... And I dont own that cookset yet, so Im gonna look at .75L pots.:)
SGT Rock
10-09-2004, 17:54
Let me know if you need some stove ideas ;)
Definately a lighter, don't mess with matches. You'll probably be OK with the 30 degree bag, not trying to scare you. Just be aware that the Whites and Maine can be wacky, even in summer. If its really cold you can always try to stay in a hut.
Start with SOME first aid and cut back when you feel more comfortable. I don't carry much. A small roll of medical tape for blisters and a small tube of triple biotic ointment for cuts, burns etc. Maybe a bandaid or two and some ibuprofen. Don't go crazy
Bring TP. You don't poop normally like you do at home :)
Checked out ure website SGT Rock... I think Im gonna make a V8 or two... Thanks for the instructions :jump
Don't forget stakes for the tent. The Tacoma-For-2 needs ten for a standard setup. You can get by with a few less but the sides are going to sag and you'll have less room on the inside. Defintitely try setting it up a few times, it's not real obvious at first. My wife and I have one and love it. You'll also have to include hiking poles in your gear list for setting it up.
The silnylon floor in that tent is VERY slippery. The slightest movement on your sleeping pad will send it skittering out the door. Unless the Z-rest does much better than our inflatable thermarest's plan on figuring out some way to get a little eadhesion between the pad and tent floor. After a bit of experimenting we ended up using a rubbery material sold for lining shelves in your kitch. It comes in 12" widths and we cut off a couple four foot lengths. Put that in between your pad and floor. Weighs about an ounce.
A single alcohol stove will work for two people, we carry a single two liter pot and share the weight of pot, stove, fuel, etc. One larger pot weighs less than two smaller pots of the same material. But, we also both eat the same thing for each meal if it involves more than boiling water and dumping in a bag. SGT Rock's thoughts sound pretty good regarding bringing two, it's very little extra weight for a lot extra convenience.
If the water filter is part of what you are planning on having as shared equipment then I don't think you're going to be happy with the Katadyn Mini. The water output is too low and you're going to be pumping a really long time to get water for two poeple. If you want to go with a filter over chemicals you may want to consider the Hiker filter.
A final thought on sharing equipment. Each of you should be able to get by with what you are carrying in your own pack. Hiking partners very frequently end up not being partners for a variety of reasons. We carry only one stove/pot, but each of us has food that doesn't need to be cooked. I carry the tent, my wife the ground cloth, each of us has something for shelter. Etc...
Was lookin at tents.. and saw this Moonbow 40/20 that sleeps 3 .. and weighs 28 ounces.... lighter than the Tacoma for two... Only problem is I dont know where I can get one... there doesnt seem to be a link on backpackinglight.com...
This is the tent http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/moonbow_4020_gg.html
Anyone know anything about it?
SGT Rock
10-10-2004, 22:37
Moonbow makes good quality custom stuff. Their gearsking and powerpack systems are something to look at too since you are looking at them. www.moonbowgear.com
Awesome.. Thanks again Sgt. Rock
markellag
10-12-2004, 07:47
I recommend not using a Z-rest. I will sell you my z-rest cheap.
I used it and it is like sleeping on concrete. I switched to a Big Agnes air mattress.