Surpise Gear

[mountaineer]

A starting gear list and ending gear list is not always the same (esp for the less experienced hiker)... as a fledgling hiker:

What piece of gear did you NOT start with, but picked up along the way and, in the end, couldn't believe you ever thought to hike without it?
... AND / OR ...
What piece of gear did you start the hike with because you thought it to be quite necessary, but did not finish with it because you really did not need it?

[titanium_hiker]

pyjamas taken and not needed. sleep in your thermys mate!

titanium

[The Solemates]

We did not send a single item home except for cold weather gear that we started out with and eventually did not need and books that we finished.

We also did not pick up a single item along the trail.

Sorry, but no help here.

[Footslogger]

For me it would probably be a Kilt. Never even gave a thought to a Kilt prior to my departure from Springer in March 2003. But, by the time I got to Newfound Gap in the Smokies the "chafe" had got a hold on me and I was hiking like I just got off a 3 day horse ride. Stopped into the outfitter in Gatlingburg and he suggested I try a Mountain Hardware Kilt. I was a tad reluctant at first but after climbing into one and enjoying a refreshing burst of air across the loins I was convinced. Truth be told, I doubt if I could have hiked much further at that point without a serious break or the Kilt. Glad I went the Kilt route. Wore it for a couple months and then went back to shorts and sent it home.

Other than that, allowing for my seasonal changes in clothing and gear, my starting and ending packing lists looked pretty much the same. If I did send anything home that I started with, it would be the "extra" socks, T-shirts and shorts that I thought I really needed at the beginning. Once I accepted the fact that hiking in the same clothes every day was smart I kept one spare set of clothes to sleep in and got rid of the excess.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[gravityman]

Probably the biggest surprise for what we sent home was our Clip Flashlight tent body. Before we started I figured for 2 people the clip was the lightest thing out there. Then we saw tarps. It was suggested that we could send the body home and just stick the poles in to the ground to support the rain fly. Worked like a charm! Never had a problem. We did pick up a lightweight mosquito net to keep the bugs from dive bombing our headlamps at night while we read. If you don't read at night, this probably won't be a problem.

As for picking up gear, O2 rainshield rainwear in Wanesborough. (sp)

Gravity

[Doctari]

So far I havn't added any gear in 400 miles of section hikes (plus about the same miles hiked off AT). Usually its: "why the _____ did I carry all that crap".
I started hiking the AT in 97 with at least 50 lbs gear PLUS what I was wearing.
I have changed the type of gear I carry: 2 aluminum hiking poles instead of wood hiking sticks - saved 2 lbs. Soda can stove & 0.8 Ltr. aluminum cook set instead of gasoline stove & 2 Ltr. stainless cook set - saved 4 Lbs. And on & on.
Plus I stopped carrying oh so much totally useless stuff, too much to list here.

I believe my experience is at least similar to other hikers in that we rarely add gear, maybe change to something better / lighter. Perhaps if you start hiking without a stove or tent you will (perhaps) decide later those would be handy to have along.
And, even after having suffered hypothermia TWICE, I still havn't added a "winter coat". Well, I did put my wool sweater vest back in :o probably will only use it to stuff my pillow case.

Doctari.

[rickb]

Added a zipper-pull thermometer (and later one with a thermometer & mini-compass) to my everlasting delight.

[hikerjohnd]

Added a zipper-pull thermometer (and later one with a thermometer & mini-compass) to my everlasting delight.
I pulled mine off of my pack thinking it was useless weight - why do you enjoy yours? Maybe mine will find its way back...

[SGT Rock]

I took mine off two, but playing around during recent gear testing I think I might want to use it for evaluation purposes. Otherwise, if you don'tknow how cold or hot it is, you don't know to complain about it.

[DangerPea]

Sgt Rock, I thought you said NO SNIVELLING!

[SGT Rock]

Exactly. I think that is my point-I did get rid of it :D

[hungryhowie]

I picked up a few things during my hike, but sent a lot more stuff home.

I started with a 1 person tent, but sent it home after buying a tarp in Hot Springs.

I picked up a small LED task light after my Petzl Micro's batteries died again in Hot Springs. The one AA battery lasted for the rest of the trail.

I bought some rainproof mitts to keep my hands warm. These were probably one of the best investments I made on the trail.

I ditched the extra set of clothes. I found that the synthetic material dried very quickly if I put on a lightweight fleece pullover upon reaching camp.

I tried ditching the rain pants like many other hikers. It didn't work. I got them back a couple of hundred miles later.

I traded my whisperlite stove for a tuna can. I carried half the weight in fuel and could go twice as long before refueling. Not to mention the stove weighed 1oz instead of 1 pound. I can't believe I waited until PA to do this.

I switched my Nalgene bottles for water bladders.

I bought a 1 fluid oz container and poured in 1oz of Dr. Bronners. I then put the extra 7oz of Dr. Bronners in the hiker box.

My first aid kit shrunk from about 8oz of stuff to about 3oz of stuff. I figurued I didn't need so much stuff afterall.

I ditched the wallet. Kept my license and credit cards in a little ziplock instead.

I took off the top compartment of my pack. I didn't really use it anyway and it just added about 8oz of dead weight.

I dropped my bright orange plastic trowel in the first hiker box on the trail. The first time I had to go it bent backwards in the rocky soil. I quickly realized that the woods are full of sticks and rocks perfect for digging a propper cat hole.

I ditched the ground cloth after realizing that a 3mil trash compactor bag could do the same thing for 6oz less.

I took off the little thermometer compass combo after it froze solid on the third night out.

I sent home the Tevas and picked up a pair of $5 flip flops from Walmart. Teva's were to heavy.

I switched to running shoes.

After finishing the AT my pack made several more changes.

I switched to a inflatable thermarest and my hips thanked me.
I switched to a frame-less rucksack
I switched to coated nylon rain pants and jacket rather than goretex.
I made my own quilt
I switched the heavy fleece for primaloft.

-howie

[Pooja Blue]

Trekking poles.

[The Hog]

Good question. I started with a stove and fuel and got rid of both when I realized how much I enjoyed cooking over a wood fire. I also started with raingear (a poncho), which would inevitably become sloppy and heavy and make me sweat profusely, guaranteeing that I would not only be soaked through, but would have extra weight to carry. Sayonara!

[verber]

What piece of gear did you NOT start with, but picked up along the way and, in the end, couldn't believe you ever thought to hike without it?

I am a section hiker so my start to finish time is decades not months. So I have make lots of changes. The biggest addition was trekking poles. I can't count the number of times they have saved me from a fall.


What piece of gear did you start the hike with because you thought it to be quite necessary, but did not finish with it because you really did not need it?

A full second second set of clothing. Fast drying synthetics significantly dropped the amount of clothing I carry.

[flyfisher]

Did not start with but started:

Platypus bladder with tube and bite valve. Stopping to open a 20 oz re-used soft drink bottle just does not cut it.

Started with but abandoned:

Umbrella:

Cool idea, but an OR Sahale rain hat has almost all the advantages while still being able to use my hiking poles. (And the umbrella would have been ripped to shreds by the 60 mph winds of the last hurricane I walked through.

[tlbj6142]

Cool idea, but an OR Sahale rain hat has almost all the advantagesI've been eyeing one of these (or a Tilley) for some time. Do you find that hat "hot"? Do you wear it around camp for warmth (3-season) as well, or do you carry a fleece hat/balaclave for that purpose. Do you still use a rainjacket or poncho for your person?

[Alligator]

I've been eyeing one of these (or a Tilley) for some time. Do you find that hat "hot"? Do you wear it around camp for warmth (3-season) as well, or do you carry a fleece hat/balaclave for that purpose. Do you still use a rainjacket or poncho for your person?
I found switching to a headlamp many years ago key. They seem fairly common now.

Yellow Jacket, I use a wide brimmed hat with my Frogg Toggs because I find the hood to be inadequate. I'm tall and the hood slides back a little, plus I like being able to hear. The hat is nylon and eventually wets out (dries easy though), I forget the model. It does look like this
http://www.rei.com/product/47584859.htm?vcat=REI_SSHP_MENS_CLOTHING_TOC

but without insulation. So if that OR is waterproof, that's a plus. I find that in camp, it is warm, but not as warm as having a fleece hat or balaclava. You can't sleep in the brimmed hat either. So I feel that the hat I have is good in the sun (I burn easy) and rain, but less so for keeping warm. Maybe that's why the above model is insulated.

[Mags]

I've been eyeing one of these (or a Tilley) for some time. Do you find that hat "hot"? Do you wear it around camp for warmth (3-season) as well, or do you carry a fleece hat/balaclave for that purpose. Do you still use a rainjacket or poncho for your person?

I wear a Tilley (T4). Used to use a generic style boonie hat, but the sifff and very wide brim has proven to be useful. I don't find the hat hot, plus I wear it over a bandanna. I carry a fleece beanie and a polypro balaclava for warmth. One snowy day wore the tilley over the balaclava and it worked very well for warmth and keeping the snow out of my eyes.

Here's a pic of that day:
http://gallery.backcountry.net/magsct04/agb

And a pic of me in the Tilley (to show you how much coverage it has)
http://gallery.backcountry.net/magsct04/ajc

On the AT, I pretty much used the strategy you talked about: just wore my wide brimmed ha sans rain gear for the warm and wet weather. As mentined in another thread, for the colder climate of the high country in Colorado, tend to wear the Tilley with my silnylon rain gear. I splurged on a Tilley because I wear my hat almost all the time (high elevations, less tree cover, more UV radiation). Figure a good, quality (and classic) hat was worth the money.

[rocket04]

I got a pillow which I wouldn't want to do without now, and got rid of my tent which I thought would be one item I'd definitely keep all the way.

[SiuWonfung]

I found that the one, hands-down-must-have item was my jet pack.the item that i found to be useless on my journeys was my 88 karat, diamond encrusted, gold and platnium trimmed toothbrush. it was too heavy.