Insulation

[rockytop7]

How much insulation did you/will you carry during summer temps (june-august) on your thru? Let's assume the whole trail for this question to make it easier. So, as far south as springer and as far north as katahdin during june-august...

What will the coldest nights be? Where?

If I plan on having a 35* bag and a down vest (WM Flash), would that be warm enough for 95% of nights on the AT during summer?

[4eyedbuzzard]

Coldest nights will be in - duh - NH and ME. A 35 deg is right on the edge in early June and late August in these parts. Perfect for mid-summer though, where 40 deg overnights are pretty normal. I usually carry a 35 WM bag now all summer. But I'm not thru-hiking - I know the temps in advance. Late August into early September if it was going to be clear skies I think I'd take the 20 deg bag. It's not frequent, but I've seen snow / graupel on Memorial Day and frost in August on clear nights. Gets cold up here ya know.

[rockytop7]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking too. I can ship myself an extra insulation layer when I get up north if I need to. Mainly just wanting to make sure that vest/bag combo will be warm enough for the rest of the time.

[Blissful]

I went with 25 degree up in NH and ME

[garlic08]

The bag alone would have done it for me. In June and July on the AT (I finished mid-July), I had a 45F bag and a light jacket. I can remember a few chilly nights in the low 40s in early June, but never cold.

[10-K]

I started in Bear Mt., NY on May 15th and finished at Katahdin on June 25th and I had a Mont Bell 50* bag, a Mont Bell Thermawrap, wool toboggan and an O2 Rainwear rainjacket.

Other than that I had a pair of shorts, 2 merino wool short sleeve t-shirts and 3 pair of socks and a ULA rainskirt.

I got cold a few times in the Whites but not too bad.

[BrianLe]

FWIW, my 32F bag and a thermawrap jacket were fine in NH and ME for me this past year with an end-of-July finish.