My gear list... please eat apart

[Nameless]

Time to eat apart my packing list for my SOBO starting June 4 this year. This is everything I plan to carry except the obvious food and water, so be please comment on anything you think I might be missing. My original goal was a base weight of 15 lbs, and this list is currently at 14 lbs, so I am happy with the weight. I don’t really have the luxury of sending items home during part of the hike, and then sending it back because I live in Alaska, and mail time is so unpredictable, and I don’t want to be caught at a post office for days waiting for a package. It also can cost a lot to send packages that far, and I have NO plans for where I will be, or how fast I will hike the hike, just that I start June 4 at Katahdin, and I end is Springer sometime months later.

Shelter
Tarptent Squall 25.5 oz
2 mil plastic ground cloth, still need to cut and weigh so apx 3 oz

Sleeping
WM Ultralight 26 oz
Cocoon Silk liner (does anyone make smaller liners?) 4 oz
Thermarest prolight short 13.25 oz


Clothing
Long sleeve light blue t shirt 4.25 oz
Short sleeve tshirt worn (but 3.25 oz) both probably REI brand, dry quickly
Zip pants worn (9.25 oz) probably REI brand again….
Lightweight pants for camp REI again… 6.25 oz
Underwear 2pair apx 2 oz, not chosen or weighed yet
Sport bra REI again probably… 2 oz
Lightweight cheap bra, worn, .75 oz
Fleece coat, cheap light REI, 15 oz
Driducks rain jacket and coat, 7 oz
Chilly’s light long underwear top and bottom, 11.5 oz, what I plan to mainly sleep in, but will use for warmth during the day
Low gaiters, OR, 2.5 oz
Warm hat, homemade fleece, 1.5 oz
Warm gloves, some unmatching pair from the bottom of the draw, .75 oz

Water
4 quart platypus 1.25 oz
1 quart platypus .75 oz
tube for hydration system + film canister to keep closed, 2.5 oz
Polar Pure 4.75 oz
Funnel to get water into platypus, haven’t weighed, apx 1 oz


Eating
Supercat stove, homemade, .25 oz
Snowpeak 1300 pot (I like my room to cook and eat, lid used as cup) .6 oz
Windscreen have not weighed, apx 1 oz
Stove Stand, still need to design, apx .5 oz
Fork with shoestring (only way to not lose the fork, and a convinant way to tie misc items to your pack) .5 oz
Fuel canister, buy soda in Maine, apx .5 oz
Lighter, buy in Maine (I got my luggage searched on the last flight I took, and they removed my lighter, take them on you if you fly with them) apx 1 oz
Pot cozy w/ duct tape, still designing (sleeping pad cutups all over floor…), apx 2 oz

Feet
Montrail Hardrock Trail runners 23.75 oz
Crocs apx 10 oz
Outer layer of socks, 2.75 oz times 2
Liner socks .75 oz times 2
Smartwool socks for in camp (so I always have dry feet at night to prevent blisters) 1.25 oz

Backpack/Trekking Poles
Moonbow Gearskin, haven’t received yet, apx 16 oz
Komperdell compacts w/rubber walking tips 14.25 oz

First Aid/Tolieties
Filled pill container (apx 12 pills, assortment vitamin I, Sudafed, Aleve) .25 oz
Chapstick .25 oz
Comb .5 oz
Dental floss/needle .25 oz
Toilet paper apz 1 oz
Toothbrush (which can tie to my fork shoelace) 1 oz
Alchohol hand jell 3 oz

Organization (all silicone, I will seam seal, and with my waterproof gearskin, I shouldn’t need a pack cover, keeping the important sleeping bag is two layers of waterproof)
Stuff sack for tent weighed w/ tent
Stuffsack for clothing apx 1 oz
Stuffsack for other apx 1 oz
Stuffsack for sleeping bag w/compactor bag inside apx 2 oz
Stuffsack for food w/ ziplocks apz 1.5 oz


Misc gear
LED headlamp w/ small button light 1.75 oz
Sunscreen, is this needed anywhere? I have 6 oz budgeted for it
Deet, 1 oz will last me apx 2 weeks, 1.5 oz
Wingfoot’s thruhiker 6.75 oz
Scrap paper for journal, apx 2 oz
Knife, haven’t decided on one yet, apx 2.25 oz
Parachute cord, 50 ft to start with, 2.75 oz
Bandanas, 2 or 3x .75 to 1 oz each (depending on size and thickness)
Books, apx 3 oz
Cards apx 3 oz
Backgammon game (tiny travel game, I love the game and it makes a good storage container for my dental floss, pills, and such) I guess its my luxery item… 2.5 oz
Camera, Nikon coolpix 3200 6.5 oz

All together that adds to 13.86 pounds (13.5 without the sunscreen)

I will possibly drop the long sleeve shirt, because I also have the long sleeve long underwear, but I kinda like having the extra shirt, and its light colored to keep off the bugs but still keep cool, unlike the black long underwear. With long pants, short gaiters, and long sleeve shirt I shouldn’t have too much trouble with bugs, but I probably will have a head net until monson when it goes home. Any suggestions are welcome, just please, helpful suggestions, not bashing me for my choices, which I have put HUGE amount of time into choosing.

Thanks
Pink

[schwenkler]

Is your sleeping bag liner for warmth or to keep the bag clean? If you plan on sleeping in long johns, the liner may be unnecessary. Personally I would go ahead and drop the l/s shirt, just because it's redundant with your underwear shirt.

Consider mittens instead of gloves, they're much better at keeping your hands warm, more warmth for the weight.

Sweet sweet SWEET gear list, though.

Add the alcohol gel. Sunscreen not necessary (get ready to see lots of trees). Neither is parachute cord--everybody has this on their gear lists--why? I think it was on my list too, but I sent it home and never once wished I had it. You may also find the crocs unnecessary, if you spend less time in camp or get to like going barefoot around camp (to really air out your feet!) I went over my list to make sure you didn't miss anything, I would say since your first aid kit is minimalist, bring some duct tape, it's good for almost everything.
Enjoy the hike!

[hikerjohnd]

Based on my last trip - keep the sunblock for the start. I wish I had packed some sunglasses too. The trees were pretty bare and I got pretty cooked...

[Singletrack]

Take just a small amount of sunscreen for the day you climb Katahdin. I got burned last June when I made the climb. Wish I had some. Then you can ditch it in the garbage at the Abol Bridge store on the way into the 100 mile wilderness. You will not need any again, until you get above tree line in the White Mts. Your gear list is great.

[Panzer1]

Cocoon Silk liner - You will be warmer with it. You won't need it in the summer.
Is any of your clothes cotton? Try to avoid cotton.
Driducks rain jacket and coat - Do you mean rain jacket and pants???
Warm hat, homemade fleece - Does it have a sun visor, is it waterproof??
4 quart platypus/1 quart platypus - I do not know why you need both.
Toilet paper apz 1 oz - You will need at least a half roll to start. Girls need more.
Soap? - Save a half bar from your bathroom at home
Scrap paper for journal, apx 2 oz - I think you should consider a full size/half size spiral notebook. You will want to journal your trip properly.
Knife, haven’t decided on one yet, apx 2.25 oz - get a small swiss army knife.
Parachute cord, 50 ft to start with, 2.75 oz - I used 25 feet to hang food bag and as a clothes line to dry wet/damp sleeping bag, tent, ect.
Do you have any maps. They are good to bring.

In general your list looks very very good.

Panzer

[hikerjohnd]

Knife, haven’t decided on one yet, apx 2.25 oz

**************
Go with the Leatherman Squirt S4 (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?memberId=12500226&productId=26270393)- at 1.8 ozs it has all you need and more!

[Panzer1]

Also add a nail clipper. I used it every day.

Filled pill container (apx 12 pills, assortment vitamin I, Sudafed, Aleve) .25 oz
I think you might need more that just 12 pills.

How much money have you set aside for this trip?

Panzer

[MedicineMan]

save 7ish ounces on the camp shoes by subbing out the crocs for these:
http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Section_Id=1&Product_Id=79123

crocs are good, i keep a pair in the kayak but the usurpers have served me well on many a section hike on the AT, can you hike in the usurpers? yes but not as well as the crocs with the heel strap, but would you want to hike in the crocs?

sub out the coolpix for a Pentax Optio 43wr:
http://www.electricsam.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=espop43wr
i've got both the coolpix and the optio, you will love the waterproofness of the optio over the nikon, same weight penalty but the optio will accept a 1 or 2gb sd card which will also record movies/sound in snippets which will be great to relive the journey

birth control? does that really happen on the AT?

mitts? get a pair of O.R. Lobster claws if you can find them-awesome shell, then couple them with a pair of fleece gloves from walmart ($2), if you cant find the Lobster claw then a goretex mitt shell

poles? save almost a pound:
http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/Lightrek-Trekking-Poles.html
these poles rule but i have snapped one in half in a really bad fall last year, but i'm old and uncordinated so it is a rare event; look at their mini sunscreen/lip balm while there

OK, you have an excellent list and good luck.

[Panzer1]

birth control? does that really happen on the AT?

Once you start taking them, you probably should not stop, I think..:D

Panzer

[schwenkler]

4 quart platypus/1 quart platypus - I do not know why you need both.I think this is fine--they do leak and putting all your eggs in one 4L Platypus might not be the best idea. I also like the idea of drinking out of a 1L bladder and having to refill from the big one, so that you know how much water you have instead of just running out (this happened to me constantly!)


Toilet paper apz 1 oz - You will need at least a half roll to start. Girls need more.Half a roll for how many days? The standard for hard-core ultralighters is 8 squares/day :cool:


Do you have any maps. They are good to bring. ...if you like maps (hyoh)


I think you might need more that just 12 pills This is hyoh too, but I do not think pills belong in a thru-hiker's diet, especially the kind that are used for aches & pain, sleeping better, etc, because you are more likely to use them. On the other hand, having an anti-diarhea medication could save your life and you won't take it just because you had a bad day. Sorry, again this is way into the realm of hiking your own hike, but I felt like sharing my opinion--you don't need more than 12 pills if you save them for emergencies.

Oh, and you might save money with a placebo (ie sugar pills). My placebo-of-choice is grapeseed extract. The drug companies sure make a killing on that placebo effect...

[Nameless]

Thanks for the replys

The silk liner was a gift, and i figure i can use it in the summer instead of having to deal with my whole superwarm sleeping bag. I'll still need to carry it though. My silk liner is soo soo much larger than my WM ultralight short though... Is there anything smaller? (i only weigh 105 lbs, i dont need much space)

I'm not bringing really warm gloves, just enough to cover the hands and work in. I've lived in Alaska all my life, and even at fifty below zero have never really found need for real gloves(course, i dont camp in that...), and dont want to try to operate my hands with mits around a stove.

I used to just run around camp barefoot, or with just my socks on, but I am still picking tundra out of my socks. And rocks can be sharp after a long day on your feet, especially if you manages to get a blister. I decided real camp shoes were in it for me. I am seriously considering the sandles MedicineMan posted, how well do they stay on your feet when you are running around?

The duct tape (hot pink of course) is wrapped around my pot warmer. I wouldnt leave without it.

None of my clothes are cotten, been around the block enough to know to avoid that. Every taken an accidental swim in a glacier fed river in cotten? Wouldnt recommend it if you havent, its cold and wet. And I did mean the driducks jacket and pants. They have some of the greatest customer service ever. Nice nice guy.

I keep my flavored drinks in my 1 qt platy, and plain water in the 4. I really like having the bigger one at night, so i only have to get water once and it is still there in the morning. Sticking with both of those. Yea, i'll need more toliet paper, deal with that when the time comes. I dont plan to deal with maps, the trail is well marked and i have my guidebook, maps will just be an expensive hassle.

I avoid taking pills whenever possible, so the twelve have lasted me absolutly fine for past trips. I usually dont touch the pills on a five day trip, so the 12 or so will last me between several town stops. I have more than enough money set aside for the trip, and am not particurally concerned about it (other than i probably will spend as little as possible, i still have to continue paying for college after this).

I own the camera, so i am sticking with it. I bought it because it does everything i want, and nothing more, so it was pretty cheap. I'll be buying my cards for it while i go along the trail, sending them home when full.

And there is more than one reason to take birthcontrol smartypants. Some of us, like I, take it for medical reasons, and I dont really feel like dealing with a period out there. Do you?

I like my poles, comfortable, and they change height.

Thanks for all the coments, and feel free to keep comming with them.

[Panzer1]

OK, I have another comment about the 1 quart platy. If you are using it for mixing powered drinks like lemonade, ice tea, chololate milk, powered milk, ect then I think you would better off with a 1 quart nalgene bottle. It is easier to mix powers in a bottle and it is easier to clean out and it is easer to tell if it is clean inside. If you get a nalgene, don't get the pretty colored ones. They are heaver that the old white colored nalgenes. The white ones weigh about 3.6 ounces in the 1 quart size. And you can always use them for storing water as well.

Actually for mixing drinks I prefer the half liter size. That way when I mix up a sweet drink, I just drink the whole thing right down and then clean it out right away. They run about 2.4 ounces for the old white ones. They also take up less space in your pack.

If you put sweet drinks in any kind of container it is very important to keep it clean. Things will begin to grow in there if you don't keep it clean. Especially in the summer. The problem with the platy is you can't see if anything is growing in there.

Panzer

[Panzer1]

My opinion of maps is that the are essential to any hike in the woods. I would never advise anyone to go into the woods without a map.
- They can enhance your hike by providing info that is not in the trail books
- In emergencies they can save your life or someone else's life
- They are fun to read.
- You can learn more about the area that you are passing through.
- They have the terrain profiles which are useful to judge the difficulty of the trail in front of you and helps you plan your day.
- Keep track of EXACTLY where you are on the trail
- If you somehow get lost, even though people may tell you that only a dummy can get lost on the AT, it still happens to experienced and intellighnt hikers.

I realize that they are expensive, take up space in your pack and add weight. But they are worth it.

Buy them one set at a time, just in case you end up not finishing the trail. Mail home the used maps so you don't have to continue to carry them.

Always start off with new maps. Not obsolete maps.
You may not be a good map reader when you start your trip but you will by the time you are done.

Next to my boots the maps may be the next most important piece of equiptment. In theory, If I were lost in the middle of the wilderness and had nothing at all, not even any clothing, except my boots and a map, I could find my way to safety. WARNING (just don't try to visualize that):D

I would ask you to reconsider the map issue again. Ask around and get advise from other hikers.

Panzer

[Panzer1]

By the way,

Do you have a phone card, credit card, ATM card.
Are you bringing a wallet? Where will you put it so it does not fall out of that gearskin thing. Have you considered a small fannypack to keep you valuables in? When you go into stores you cannot bring in the backpack. You must leave it outside.

Do you have a complete list of phone numbers written down.
Numbers of equiptment manufactures for all the equiptment you are bringing.
Numbers of friends you may want to call.
As well as all you close relatives.

Panzer