Maine in August

[SouthMark]

Here is my planned clothing, shelter and sleeping insulation for Katahdin to Monson last three weeks of August. Will I be warm enough? I have a low resting heart rate (43) and doc says that makes me cold natured. Also listed are some options.

Please chime in with your thoughts/suggestions.

Clothes Worn
Quick dry hiking shorts
DriFit tee shirt
Coolmax cycling socks
NB trail runners
DriFit baseball cap

Clothes Carried
Beartooth Merino Wool hoody
Marmot DriClime Windshirt
Patagonia Puffball vest
Smartwool liner socks 1 pair (sleeping)
Nylon running shorts
Ultra Light fleece balaclava
Headnet
Packa
Dry Ducks rain pants

Shelter/Sleeping
Edge rain fly
HH Adventure Racer
Go Lite Ultra 20 down top quilt
Two layer IX UQ with insul tubes

Options
JRB Stealth used as a TQ and around camp insulation. Replaces Go Lite TQ and Puffball vest.
Montball Alpine Light #5 40º bag instead of Go Lite TQ (lighter than Go Lite TQ).
JRB Stealth as UQ instead if IX UQ (heavier).

Thanks,
Dale

[Cookerhiker]

I'm not much of a gearhead but it seems like overkill to me. I think your 40 degree bag will suffice and I don't think you need both a wool hoody and a vest. I hiked Maine from mid-August to mid-September (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=113705) and was only cold 1-2 nights, both in September.

I acknowledge that you may need more warmth than me but you also want to save weight and bulk. If the night is colder than comfortable for your bag you could wear an additional layer or your balaclava.

[peakbagger]

I would add some sandals/crocs to the mix. The stream crossings are quite bony and somewhat difficult to go barefoot. The alternative is the take your socks off and cross with your trail runners. Some of the beaches (like Antlers) have an ample supply of fresh water mussels, which means broken shells in the sand. They can be real sharp on barefeet. If you are carrying an ultraight balaclava throw in some ultralight liner gloves, but there are days on the summits and ridgeline where they are worth the weight (in the clouds and windy).

[mudhead]

It can go to 35*F at night the last two weeks of August. It will be clear and calm if it does that.

Gloves and hat sound good, but wind/wet is the issue during the day.

[SouthMark]

Thanks Cookerhiker & peakbagger. I did the Stratton to Gorham last June and carried crocs that I never used. It rained so much and my feet stayed so wet that just did the stream crossings in my trail runners. I plan to use the smartwool liner socks as mittens if needed with zip lock bags as rain mitts if needed. Going with the 40º bag over the G Lite quilt will save me 3.75 oz.

At the moment I have my base weight down to 9 lbs 7 oz.

[Shutterbug]

Here is my planned clothing, shelter and sleeping insulation for Katahdin to Monson last three weeks of August. Will I be warm enough? I have a low resting heart rate (43) and doc says that makes me cold natured. Also listed are some options.

Please chime in with your thoughts/suggestions.

Clothes Worn
Quick dry hiking shorts
DriFit tee shirt
Coolmax cycling socks
NB trail runners
DriFit baseball cap

Clothes Carried
Beartooth Merino Wool hoody
Marmot DriClime Windshirt
Patagonia Puffball vest
Smartwool liner socks 1 pair (sleeping)
Nylon running shorts
Ultra Light fleece balaclava
Headnet
Packa
Dry Ducks rain pants

Shelter/Sleeping
Edge rain fly
HH Adventure Racer
Go Lite Ultra 20 down top quilt
Two layer IX UQ with insul tubes

Options
JRB Stealth used as a TQ and around camp insulation. Replaces Go Lite TQ and Puffball vest.
Montball Alpine Light #5 40º bag instead of Go Lite TQ (lighter than Go Lite TQ).
JRB Stealth as UQ instead if IX UQ (heavier).

Thanks,
Dale

I have the same slow heart rate -- low 40's when I am awake and even slower when I sleep. I wore one of those monitors for a couple of days last year. My heart rate dropped to 25 when I was sleeping soundly.

I hiked in the 100 Mile Wilderness last August and certainly didn't get cold. It rained a lot. Between the sweat and the rain it was hard to stay dry. I used a 40 degree sleeping bag and a Hennesey Hammock and had no trouble staying warm. Most nights, I slept on top of the sleeping bag. I used it mostly to provide some padding between the hammock and my skin. I found that if I allowed my skin to touch the hammock, the mosquitos would bite right through the hammock cloth.

The headnet is a good idea. Last year the mosquitos were fierce around Abol and a few other places.