Gear List - Let me have it

[BaconTime]

So I guess it is my turn now to post my gear list. I am new to posting on the forum, but I have to say thank you to everyone. The wealth of information on here has truly helped in refining this list as well as well as expanded my knowledge greatly. I am in the planning stages for a 2011 thru hike at this time and would like to try to reduce my weight as much as possible. The items that I am the most unsure about are the clothing carried for a late March start date. I will be hiking with my brother and that is the reason for the Lunar Duo.

I will also be going on a 3 day hike in NC at the end of this May that I would like to use as a shake-down for the items on this list along with your help. Thanks again and let the tearing begin.

ITEM, WEIGHT (OZ)
MSR PackTowl Ultralite, 0.8
Hand Sanitizer, 1.3
Zip Lock Bag, 0.5
Tooth Brush, 1
Partial Roll Toilet Paper, 2
Soap, 3
Tooth Paste, 1
Sunscreen, 2
Hygiene Total 11.6

Lighter, 0.6
2.0 Liter platypus big zip, 5
Gatorade Bottle, 1.5
25 liter dry bag for food, 2.8
Sea to summit Spork, 0.2
Bandana, 1
Super Cat Stove, 1
Sqeeze bottle for fuel, 1
Heniken Pot, 2
Aqua Mira water treatment, 1
Kitchen Total 16.1

iPhone, 4.7
Phone Charger, 2
Misc Total 6.7

Map, 2.9
Trail Guide, 3
Petzl Tikka XP Headlamp, 3.35
Compass, 1
Navigation Total 10.25

Trash Compactor Bag Pack Liner, 2
Sea to Summit large pack cover, 4.6
Pack Osprey Atmos 65, 57
Pack Total 63.6

50 ft paracord, 2.5
Repair Kit, 2
Emergency Fire Starter Pack, 0.5
First Aid Kit Adventure Medical Ultralite .3, 2.5
Duct Tape, 3
Swiss Army Knife, 4
Repair Total 14.5

Tent Six Moons Design Lunar Duo, 43
Aluminum Stakes, 2.5
Ground Cloth, 6.5
Tent Total 52

Marmot Helium +15 Sleeping Bag - Regular, 31
Sea to summit eVent compression dry sack, 4.5
Thermarest Ridgerest Pad, 8
Sleeping Total 43.5

Rain Jacket Cabellas Packlite goretex parka, 12
Rain Pants Cabellas Packlite goretex pants, 6
Rain Total 18

Smartwool Short Hiking socks, 1
Exofficio boxer briefs, 1.6
Convertible Pants, 10
Fleece Gloves, 1
Smartwool Hiking Socks, 2.5
Montbell Thermawrap, 8.7
Fleece Hat, 2.4
Long Underwear Top and Bottom, 4
Smartwool Expedition Socks, 2.5
Goretex Mittens, 2
Clothing Carried Total 35.7

Clothing Worn
Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra Trail Runners, 27
Smartwool Short Hiking socks, 1
Salomon Tech Shirt, 5
Exofficio boxer briefs, 1.6
Running Shorts, 4
Hat, 2.5
Backpacker Wallet, 2.7
Watch, 1
Trekking Poles Leki Ultralite Makalu, 17
Clothing Worn Total 61.8


Pack weight before consumables and not including clothing worn
Total Pack Weight 272 oz, 17 Lbs

[scope]

Where's the frying pan to go along with the bacon?

[garlic08]

Nice list. Excellent sleeping bag, by the way.

You'll work out little details as you go. Like you probably don't need a pack liner and a cover.

My only major comment is that's a big pack for such a small load. The pack is about 20% of the total load. Your load is a little too large for an ultra light frameless pack, but as an example, my 9 oz pack carried my maximum 20 pound load well, at less than 3% of my total max load. If you can afford it, look at some lighter packs with stays, like Gossamer Gear and SixMoon Designs--you should be able to get a nice durable pack in the 20 ounce range, and that's 2 pounds lighter.

[Stir Fry]

Long Underwear Top and Bottom, 4
What are you using, I have marino wool top and bottom and they are 13oz together. I have not found anything lighter.

[Stir Fry]

Oh, and the rest looks realy good. You should have no problems.

[Nean]

Long Underwear Top and Bottom, 4
What are you using, I have marino wool top and bottom and they are 13oz together. I have not found anything lighter.

I use silk LJs from warmstuff.com;) I don't have any need to weigh my gear but my guess is they are much lighter.

[Nean]

Also, Smartwools are the worst sock on the market imo. Darn Tough is the best, ...that I've ever used.:)

[BaconTime]

Long Underwear Top and Bottom, 4
What are you using, I have marino wool top and bottom and they are 13oz together. I have not found anything lighter.

Some of the weights are not entirely refined. I did not have specific item for that so the weight is not true. I already have the pack and I don't know if I can justify purchasing another. Due to the form of the pack with the ventilation I actually find that everything fits pretty tight inside it. I guess I will learn more as I start getting additional hikes in.

[Appalachian Tater]

Ear plugs.

[BaconTime]

I have the ear plugs as well. They just didn't make the list. I am not really sure about some sort of fleece pants for camp when there are cold temps in March. I don't know if the long underwear and something like rain pants would be enough to stay warm around camp.

[garlic08]

...I am not really sure about some sort of fleece pants for camp when there are cold temps in March. I don't know if the long underwear and something like rain pants would be enough to stay warm around camp.

That will depend on whether you want to sit around outside in the cold or not, and on how cold you get. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. Generally, people don't loose a lot of heat through the extremities, not like the body core where there's more blood circulation (that's why vests are so nice). I did not carry any kind of insulation for my legs, just long trousers and rain pants, but if I wasn't walking and it was cold out, I was in the sleeping bag. I hiked starting in early April, and it was cold enough often enough that I made very good friends with my Marmot Helium bag. There were also plenty of warm days and pleasant nights to sit around outside, too, so it's not all survival mode.

[sbhikes]

If you want to lighten even further, go through each item and see if there's a way to reduce its weight. For example, I know your pack towel isn't much, but maybe you only need half a pack towel. Can you find a tinier bottle of hand sanitizer? Are there any items in the first aid kit you can do without? You have zip-off pants and shorts. Would it be lighter to wear the zip-offs as shorts or maybe bring pants that aren't zip-offs and save the weight of the zippers? If things are in stuff sacks can you save weight by stuffing things that go together so you use less stuff sacks? I swam with my pack on and my food in a trash compactor bag and it did not get wet. Would that be lighter than your dry bag? Etc.

[BaconTime]

Garlic, did you use a sleeping bag liner with your marmot? I have been thinking that if I just keep something aside to wear in the bag every night then I shouldn't really need the liner.

[garlic08]

Garlic, did you use a sleeping bag liner with your marmot? I have been thinking that if I just keep something aside to wear in the bag every night then I shouldn't really need the liner.

That's basically what I did. The Helium is so warm and well-made, I didn't need anything else with it. On the coldest nights, I added my long underwear shirt, which I seldom wore while hiking so it stayed clean and comfortable.

Many carry a liner to keep the bag cleaner. My solution was to actually bathe myself every day or two. That solved several other common problems (skin rashes, chaffing, boils, fermenting odors, etc) that plague some hikers.

Good choice on the Helium. I've used mine for over 5000 trail miles so far and I wish I had spent that money earlier in my hiking career.

[mkmangold]

If you want to lighten even further, go through each item and see if there's a way to reduce its weight. For example, I know your pack towel isn't much, but maybe you only need half a pack towel. Can you find a tinier bottle of hand sanitizer? .

I would think the container (bottle?) for the hand sanitizer adds relative weight. Is there anything else anyone else uses instead?

[Jester2000]

I would add a kite. And maybe a four square ball. I'm not kidding.

[garlic08]

I would think the container (bottle?) for the hand sanitizer adds relative weight. Is there anything else anyone else uses instead?

A small bar of motel soap in a small ziplock.

[BaconTime]

I would add a kite. And maybe a four square ball. I'm not kidding.

I like the four square idea, but I could always just stop by a local elementary school and whoop up on some small children. This way it will boost my ego and I'll be ready to knock out some extra miles.

What are your guys thoughts on taking just the Heineken pot instead of an actual pot? I am somewhat thinking that it may be more trouble than its worth in weight savings. Plus with an actual pot I would get more direct flames on the pot itself and therefore quicker boil times. I know you don't cook on the trail Garlic, but does anyone have any thoughts.

[garlic08]

What are your guys thoughts on taking just the Heineken pot instead of an actual pot? I am somewhat thinking that it may be more trouble than its worth in weight savings. Plus with an actual pot I would get more direct flames on the pot itself and therefore quicker boil times. I know you don't cook on the trail Garlic, but does anyone have any thoughts.

I used to cook, so I'll add my opinion. I was never even tempted to try the can, and I agree with your instinct about the actual pot. It's easy enough to try one out and see if you like it, though. Especially if you already have the pot. It's easy to pick up a can and send the pot home, or put in a hiker box if it's a cheap one.

One factor is safety and ease of handling. I did see one PCT friend get off the trail with a horribly scalded foot from mishandling his pot of boiling water.

[sbhikes]

When I learned that the Heinekin cans are coated with something and that you can't cook directly in them I decided it wouldn't be a good idea to use one. I have a one of those titanium kettles. I replaced the lid with some bendy aluminum that is thin but doesn't break. It's much lighter with my lid.

My hand sanitizer bottle was so tiny it was inconsequential. It's too bad they came out with those airline regulations about how big the containers of liquids can be because now all the travel sized stuff is too big.

[Connie]

I also have a new kettle. I really like it. It is the GSI Halulite Ketalist I use with the alcohol Super Stove. Everything I use fits inside.

I also got the GSI Halulite Minimalist, replacing the lid with the bottom and top of a "cheetos" can from the Dollar Store. I felt their lid was overmuch.

I have already used both. The insulation on the Minimalist works for FBC-freezer bag cooking. I did put my vest over the top because the substituted lid is quite thin. For packing, I add the plastic lid over that and put the entire kit in a plastic bag.

Either one is food safe. They are a special alloy of aluminum and the Minimalist has a heavy proprietary ceramic coating.

I think you might like either one.

[wolfpackcruiser]

Good start! You're well ahead of where I was before my thru last year.

The fire starter kit, even at 0.5 oz seems redundant to me. You already have hand sanitizer and a lighter, which I've found can be used to start a fire. The alcohol in the hand sani burns, or you can use denatured alcohol, too.

There are a few items of clothing that seem like overkill to me. I would get rid of the convertible pants if you're not going to hike in them. You have rain pants and running shorts already, and you have long underwear for changing into at the end of the day. And I got by the whole trail on one pair of exofficio boxers, but YMMV.

Definitely do some shakedown hikes, those will help you out, and Happy Trails!

-WolfPack