Help with my Gear List

[ApeDrape]

This is what I have so far for an early March start.

Clothing
Patagonia cap3 long underwear pants
Patagonia cap2 long underwear shirt
Patagonia TorrentShell Medium Jacket 13.7
Fleece Hoodie 11 oz
2 pairs smartwool socks
Rain Pants - NEED
Balaclava - NEED?
Fleece hat - NEED?
Shorts - NEED
Seirus Softshell Lite Gloves


Sleeping + Pack
Eureka Backcountry 1 Tent 3 lb 14 oz
Thermarest z-lite regular 14oz
North Face Chrysalis Reg 15F 600Fill Down Bag 2 lb 12 oz
Osprey Exos 58L 2 lb 8 oz
Trash Compactor Bag - NEED (for liner)

Cooking System
Alcohol Stove - Heineken cans
Kmart Grease Pot or GSI dualist pot?
Plastic Spoon

Other Essentials
Petzl Tikka Plus Headlamp 3 oz
Travel sized Toothpaste
Leatherman Squirt PS4 multitool 1.9 oz
Mini Bic 1 oz
Panasonic Lumix FZ28 18x zoom 13oz
Lowepro Apex 100aw Camera Bag 8oz
spare camera battery
camera battery charger
16 gb sd card
paracord 50 ft - NEED
phone + charger - cheapo nokia flip

I feel like the tent might be too heavy, maybe I can use it for a while then send it home for a tarp setup? Camera is also heavy especially with the camera bag - I need to find something lighter that still protects it. Also wondering if I need another layer for cold weather? Let me know what you think!

Thanks!

[Spokes]

Compare yours to this tried and true gear list (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4) courtesy of Winton Porter. The base weight is around 18 lbs- not bad for winter. Tweak it for summer and go even lighter!

I'd also swap out the Patagonia cap 2's for cap 1's (top & bottom), get a fleece toboggan (plus ditch the hoodie and carry a nylon runners ball cap instead), and find a lighter solo tent like the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo.

Good luck!

[Sensei]

No need for a balaclava and a fleece hat. Go with the balaclava, it can be rolled up to serve as a beanie.

For warmth, I'm taking a Cap 3 top, fleece jacket, and a synthetic down jacket. It might be a little much, but I am starting in February, so who knows. Still, its always better to err on the side of warmth when you're not sure what you'll need. Bring an extra layer if you're unsure, and if you don't need it, you can always send it home after the first week or so.

[Spokes]

ApeDrape, what's your "dry" camp clothes going to be?

[finskie]

cheap shorts idea is swim trunks with the netting cut out. Dry quick, and ultra light!

[ApeDrape]

ApeDrape, what's your "dry" camp clothes going to be?


Thats a good question, should I use another pair of baselayers and a pair of shorts? Maybe a Down Jacket?

[Firefighter503]

Looks pretty good so far. Check this post (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=64852) to see some other gear lists. Also check my reply there for a copy of my spread sheet, based on Winton Porter's list if you want an easy way to organize your list.

As a side note, I just got back today from an easy 33ish miler from Harper's Ferry NOBO almost to PA with everything on my list, and it couldn't have gone better.

[Spokes]

Thats a good question, should I use another pair of baselayers and a pair of shorts? Maybe a Down Jacket?

You'll definitely need a set of dry clothes. Nothing worse than showing up in camp wet, shivering, and on the verge of hypothermia only to find you have none. Dangerous!

I carried some upper/lower Cap 1 and Cap 3 and used them depending on the temps at night. Sent the Cap 3's home for summer. Pair of light nylon running shorts are nice- you decide what's best.

My best piece of clothing was my MontBell down jacket, carried it the entire trip since it was so light and compressed so flat in the pack. Never hiked in it, only wore in camp.

You're well on your way. Cheers!

[ApeDrape]

I might have to buy that Montbell Ex light Down Jacket - 6 oz and it sounds warm. Thanks for the help!

[RETCW4]

I might have to buy that Montbell Ex light Down Jacket - 6 oz and it sounds warm. Thanks for the help!

I agree. I used mine this past weekend for the first time. Only wore it at the shelter over Capilene 3 and fleece top. Warm as toast.

Tumbleweed

[Blissful]

Water bottles, water treatment
toothbrush for your toothpaste
First aid, Vit I
maps, guidebook
yes you need a hat!
What clothes are you hiking in?
Get a lexan spoon, plastic spoon will not hold up
recommend a pot cozy
do need an insulated jacket. I assume the one you list is a rain jacket - ?
do need one short sleeve shirt
I used both a sil nylon pack cover and a pack liner

[Iceaxe]

I noticed you have the Seirus Softshell gloves listed.
I used these gloves on my thru hike this year. I loved them until I had to use them in the rain. They are water and wind "proof" but I found as soon as my hands became wet I could not put these gloves back on. The inner liner is kinda loose and when I would take the gloves off to, eat, take a picture, etc. The inner liner would inevitably pull out of the outer shell.
Even when I carefully removed them it was dang near impossible to get my wet fingers back into them.
Anyhow I totally liked these gloves under all circumstances other than when my hands were wet.
It could be I needed the larger size.
Not trying to steer you away from gloves, but my solution now is to use mittens. I have sewn my own similar to the Mt. Laurel Designs.
Cheers :sun

[carpediemkath]

Your list of items seems on the heavy side, especially your tent. If you could afford a lighter tent, it might make all the difference. Check out the Big Agnes ultralights. If you could get a sleeping bag with 800 down fill, you'd cut a lot of weight there. Switch out your fleece hoodie for a down jacket, montbell and marmot have fair prices. For camp shoes I would recommend a pair of shoes called "Nothingz," which are cheap knock-off Crocs that weigh about 4oz each. Check Amazon. You do need a pair of shorts, swim trunks with the netting cut out is a great quick-drying idea. Try Walmart right now before they discontinue their summer stuff for the year. If the shorts come with a drawcord, take that out or it might create a hot spot under your pack belt.

Kitchen: I recommend collapsible 1L Nalgene canteens (two or three), which weigh about a third of the hard-sided lexan bottles. Also a lexan spoon will set you back about a dollar and will last the whole trail. For your cooking system--get a 4oz (maybe 8oz) squeeze bottle to hold your denatured alcohol. I especially like the nalgene ones at REI, but any bottle with a flip-up drip nozzle will do. Denatured alcohol is notoriously hard to pour so the drip nozzle makes all the difference. Also, with an alcohol stove you'll definitely need a windscreen. Check for patterns online and use heavy duty tinfoil from Walmart. Make sure to put some holes in the bottom so the stove gets some oxygen. When not in use you can roll it up and store it in your pot. You'll need a pot stand as well. You can find lots of patterns online for homemade ones. For water treatment I use a SteriPen Adventurer Opti, which I've been really happy with. It weighs 3.6oz with battery and gives you the flexibility to treat your water wherever it's convenient (like inside the tent or shelter instead of pumping water creekside in the mud and rain). Make sure to bring a set of spare batteries. You might want to bring a small camp towel or bandanna for general cleaning up; it's a true multi-purpose item that you can also use as a pre-filter if you decide to go with a SteriPen.

Toiletries: depending on the length of your hair you might want to bring a small comb. Maybe a 1oz bottle of hand sanitizer (also multi-purpose as you can use it to start an emergency fire, wipe your pits as well as your hands, etc). Refill as you go. A small sample-size chapstick (from the dentist office) comes in handy. A small roll of TP is a comfort item that adds to quality of life. Take the center cardboard roll out and only bring as much as you'll need. Puh-leeze pack it out! Nothing is worse than getting to a campsite and finding dirty TP at the base of every tree. Use a dedicated ziplock freezer bag for the purpose.

Extras: bring a dentist office sample of dental floss, it's great for lots of repairs and can even act as an emergency shoelace. Duct tape will be your best friend out on the trail--bring some. If you're bringing hiking poles, you can wrap the duct tape around them. You also might want a few different size stuff sacks for food items, clothing, first aid, etc. Lots of hikers use a different color stuff sack for B, L, & D, but it's not completely necessary. But you'll definitely need a waterproof stuff sack for your food/bear bag. Also a waterproof bag for your camera and phone would be good, if only one or two Ziplock freezer bags. The freezer bags make all the difference because they're much sturdier. And absolutely DO NOT get the slider style bags, they'll fail you on the first day--listen to the voice of experience on this :-) If you're bringing your camera battery charger, you probably don't need the extra battery as well (I did fine with one battery and a charger). You might want to carry a few small bits of dryer lint or cotton balls soaked in vaseline, they're great tinder in an emergency. Store them in an old film canister.

I think it's important to focus your financial resources on the big three--tent, bag and pack (your pack is great). Also water treatment. Makes a big difference to life on the trail. Hope this helps. Good luck!
--carpe diem