Gear List Critique Please!

[em241]

Gear list

ULA circuit pack 37 oz
Marmot Helium 15 degree down sleeping pad+ compression sack 2 pds 9 oz
Neo Air Xlight sleeping pad 12 oz
Pack cover 2 oz

Extra clothing:
Smartwool Womens NTS midweight long underwear 6.7 oz
Marmot Precip Rain Jacket 12 oz
Extra merino wool t shirt 5 oz
Montbell xlight down jacket 4.5 oz
Fleece headband
Outdoor research gripper Gloves
1 pair smartwool socks

Food/water
Osprey packs hydrafoam hydration water bladder 6 oz
Empty Gatorade bottle
Foodbag (not carrying a stove, prefer cold food while hiking)

Other:
AT guidebook 8 oz
Aquamira drops +coffee filters
First Aid—moleskin for blisters, a few feet of duct tape, ib profun, a few bandaids
Toiletries—toothbrush, toothpaste, small deodorant, birth control meds, toilet paper
Headlamp
Kindle+power adapter 8 oz
Small notepad/bic pen 2.5 oz

Wearing:
Smartwool socks
Saloman X 2 trail running shoe
Convertible Hiking Pants
Ex officio give n go briefs
Patagonia Sports Bra
Icebreaker merino wool t shirt
Smartwool next to skin microweight zip long sleeve shirt
Patagonia r 2 fleece
Black diamond trailback trekking poles

Side note: Please don't tell me to ditch the kindle or get a stove, I've had many, many nights to think over those decisions and am unlikely to change my mind. Also, I freeze when I sleep, so specifically looked for a 15 degree sleeping bag.

[The Kisco Kid]

Looks very good to me, though I would drop the AT guidebook in favor of the maps. They are lighter are far more useful in daily planning, and emergencies. You might also consider a lighter pack, it doesn't look like you're carrying much weight. You could easily drop a pound on that alone.

[Drybones]

The mistakes I made last spring were 1) should have taken three pairs of socks, feet stayed wet too long contributing to blisters 2) cloves were hard to get on when hands were wet and cold, I have replaced with waterproof mittens and wool liners 3) I used Goretex shoes 4) bandaids don't work well, a friend left me with a small bottle of Newskin, works best 5) some streams are too shallow to fill a water bottle, take a scoop, I cut a Smartwater bottle in half and put a faucet wire screen in the cap end to filter 6) if you get tired of messing with the Aquamira use bleach, much lighter and simple to use....didn't see any type of shelter on your list???.......have a great hike.

[Drybones]

Looks very good to me, though I would drop the AT guidebook in favor of the maps. They are lighter are far more useful in daily planning, and emergencies. You might also consider a lighter pack, it doesn't look like you're carrying much weight. You could easily drop a pound on that alone.

I'm guessing 95% of those on WB will say the opposite...keep the guide and lose the maps, IMO, you definitely need the guide to show water sources and re-supply locations, you will use it daily, the trail is well marked so you should be okay without the maps.

[daddytwosticks]

Did I miss it? What type of shelter are you carring? :)

[MuddyWaters]

Where is your phone, I know you are bringing one.;)
If you have a smartphone, you can put a kindle app on it

Take only the guidebook pages you need for a section, bounce the rest forward.
Forget deodorant, just buy a $1 travel deodorant in town. On the trail you will stink anyway.
anti-diarheal (loperamide), benadryl, needle for blisters
soap/sanitizer
lighter
I wouldnt use a hydration bladder. just water bottles in the circuits side pockets. bladders are impossible to monitor, difficult to fill and clean.
If you must have notepaper take a couple sheets,and just the inner refill from the pen in a ziplock. less than .5 oz.
you wont need the coffe filters. most water will be clean, other you can filter with bandana
bandana
you need a hat, not a headband
you need rainpants too for cold weather, send home in summer if you like
bearline/carabiner? you dont always have to hang, but it also makes a good clothesline sometimes too when stuff is wet.
use a pack liner, either with or without the pack cover, but definitely have a pack liner
you dont need the extra tshirt, you are already wearing two. just wear one.

[Oslohiker]

bladders are impossible to monitor.

Really?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/3135bD-JSUL._AA300_.jpg

(Although, I don't use it in freezing temperatures).

[MuddyWaters]

I stand corrected.
OK, "they are difficult to monitor without spending extra money and wt for an inline flow totalizing meter.";)

which I would categorize under "gadgets" not needed.

Plenty of people love their bladders. Im not sure why. Maybe if I couldnt reach a water bottle without taking pack off I would feed different , but on the Circuit, I can easily, even while walking.

I have seen others with difficulty though that werent flexible enough, and for them a bladder would work. Or bottle holters on the shoulder straps, etc.

[Scotto]

Gear list

Side note: Please don't tell me to ditch the kindle or get a stove, I've had many, many nights to think over those decisions and am unlikely to change my mind. Also, I freeze when I sleep, so specifically looked for a 15 degree sleeping bag.

I'm also thinking of bringing an ereader (Nook) for the first month or so of the AT, so I think it is a great idea! I get pretty bored sitting in my tent for 12 hours a night when I go backpacking during the shoulder seasons. If I end up not using it I'll just send it home. I've also thought of going stoveless, but I'd rather start with one and send it home rather than the other way around.

I'm surprised you need a compression sack for your sleeping bag, I thought the Circuit was a pretty big bag. Have you considered a Hydropel type product to help prevent blisters on the wet trail days?

[Drybones]

[QUOTE=Scotto;1375722]I'm also thinking of bringing an ereader (Nook) for the first month or so of the AT, so I think it is a great idea! I get pretty bored sitting in my tent for 12 hours a night when I go backpacking during the shoulder seasons.

If you hike a decent day you wont be bored at night...you'll be sleeping, if not, you'll be BSing with the other hikers.

[HermesUL]

How big is that hydration bladder? The platypus equivalents weigh only 3-4 oz, depending on size.

I imagine you don't want to spend money on a new down bag, but you could save 10-15 oz if you did so, and keep fairly close to the 15 degree warmth.

Regardless of what you do about the guidebook, you don't need to carry 8 oz--just bring the pages you need. Is it possible to get it on your kindle or phone?

You've probably already made up your mind about the sleeping pad, but there are lighter options around if you're interested. Likewise with the pack.

[Leanthree]

How big is that hydration bladder? The platypus equivalents weigh only 3-4 oz, depending on size.

I imagine you don't want to spend money on a new down bag, but you could save 10-15 oz if you did so, and keep fairly close to the 15 degree warmth.

Regardless of what you do about the guidebook, you don't need to carry 8 oz--just bring the pages you need. Is it possible to get it on your kindle or phone?

You've probably already made up your mind about the sleeping pad, but there are lighter options around if you're interested. Likewise with the pack.

The companion reads nicely on my android .pdf reader. I do carry backup pages of at least the mileage chart because it is easier to check than turning on my phone all the time.

I reiterate the idea of reading books on a smartphone rather than a kindle. For the weight of a kindle, you can even pack a backup battery or 6 if you have a smartphone that allows battery replacement. I normally keep my phone on airplane mode (or off) when in the backcountry for the disconnectedness, but I still like using it to read.

[em241]

The mistakes I made last spring were 1) should have taken three pairs of socks, feet stayed wet too long contributing to blisters 2) cloves were hard to get on when hands were wet and cold, I have replaced with waterproof mittens and wool liners 3) I used Goretex shoes 4) bandaids don't work well, a friend left me with a small bottle of Newskin, works best 5) some streams are too shallow to fill a water bottle, take a scoop, I cut a Smartwater bottle in half and put a faucet wire screen in the cap end to filter 6) if you get tired of messing with the Aquamira use bleach, much lighter and simple to use....didn't see any type of shelter on your list???.......have a great hike.

Thanks for the advice, did you use a bladder with your filtration system? Considering foregoing the bladder in favor of bottles. What made Aquamira more trouble?

[em241]

Thanks for the advice, out of curiosity which sleeping pad would you recommend? It seemed like Neo Air was the universal best go-to pad when I did my research.

[turtle fast]

The Neo Air is pretty good, or you could look at the Pro lite too. If you wanted a no hassle pad then go with a Ridgerest pad. Cut your Companion book in half and get the other half mailed to you at Harpers Ferry I would suggest. You are missing a shelter....which is necessary. I would ditch the bladder as it IS a pain to CLEAN. Use the gatoraide bottles, if you need to clean it...just get a new one. Your list is quite similar to mine, minus the ladys wear.

[Drybones]

Thanks for the advice, did you use a bladder with your filtration system? Considering foregoing the bladder in favor of bottles. What made Aquamira more trouble?

A 24 oz Smartwater bottle is what I used, had a 2-liter Platypus for camp water. The two components of Aquamira weigh 4 oz, a 1-oz Clear Eyes bottle of bleach would get me from GA to ME. You have to mix the Aquamira, wait 5 minutes, add to water and wait again, w/ bleach add 3 drops and wait 15 minutes to drink, I only treated about half the water I used, I'm more comfortable drinking water from small mountain streams than city water. You might want to look at a 34-oz Smartwater bottle, they're tall & slim, easy to get in/out of pack while walking and give an extra 8 oz, I would put a cap from a 24 oz on it tho, larger & easier to handle w/o dropping. Photo of scoop/filter and bleach below.

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[Drybones]

I like the 34 oz Smartwater bottle because it's tall and slim, doesn't stretch your pack pockets and is easy to get in/out of pack. I put 1-cup marks on mine in case I needed it for measuring cooking water. I switched out the 34-oz cap with a 24-oz cause it's just easier to handle. The cap is actually a flip top cap but I never used it that way, I just always unscrewed it.

18500

[Lando11]

Did I miss it? What type of shelter are you carring? :)

+1 to that...
gotta have a shelter

Also, unless Osprey has managed to improve their bladder within the past year I would not get one. I knew several people who tried to use one in 2011 and they leaked all over the place. I do love Osprey packs, but they really need to work on their bladder...


I do like the kindle idea. You can easily upload a pdf. of the guide and throw it on that thing, or a smartphone. Personally, I'd rather just take a smartphone but the battery life on a kindle is much, much better than a phone.

[Drybones]

+1 to that...
gotta have a shelter

Also, unless Osprey has managed to improve their bladder within the past year I would not get one. I knew several people who tried to use one in 2011 and they leaked all over the place. I do love Osprey packs, but they really need to work on their bladder...


I do like the kindle idea. You can easily upload a pdf. of the guide and throw it on that thing, or a smartphone. Personally, I'd rather just take a smartphone but the battery life on a kindle is much, much better than a phone.

I had the guide on my phone but never used it, easier to tear the page from the guide I needed for the day out and put it in my pocket where I could get to it readily.

[Don H]

Take only 1/4 of the AT Guide and save 6 oz.
Trade the PreCip for a DryDuck jacket and save 8 oz.
Use UL dry bags for your sleeping bag and clothes add 4 oz.
and ditch the pack cover and save 2 oz.
ditch the Kindle (I know you said don't say that but we're trying to save weight here) and save 8 oz

Total saved, 24 oz.
Now go buy a SMD Lunar Solo and add 23 oz.

[em241]

Take only 1/4 of the AT Guide and save 6 oz.
Trade the PreCip for a DryDuck jacket and save 8 oz.
Use UL dry bags for your sleeping bag and clothes add 4 oz.
and ditch the pack cover and save 2 oz.
ditch the Kindle (I know you said don't say that but we're trying to save weight here) and save 8 oz

Total saved, 24 oz.
Now go buy a SMD Lunar Solo and add 23 oz.

Why do you recommend ditching the pack cover? I tried using a trash bag/liner approach but I wasn't convinced how it would hold up and I found the trash bag often came out of the pack, which became annoying. Also, my boyfriend is carrying our 2 person tent, which is why there's no form of shelter on the list.

[slowfeet]

I'd ditch the rain cover for your pack and go with a trash compactor bag liner.
The ULA will dry out pretty fast. Everyone I've seen with a rain cover questioned why they kept them. They do work well for short periods of light rain.

[slowfeet]

a trash compactor bag will hold up, unless of course you are being rough with it or packing your bag in a careless manner. I switched mine out once the entire trip and I didn't even have to..... I just did it to make my mail drop seem more worth it. Trash compactor bags are like $5 for 10.... cheaply and easily replaced if you have maildrops coming to you from home/etc.

hmmm... I've never pulled the TCB Liner out of my pack.... YMMV I guess.

w or w/o a pack cover, I'd still recommend a pack liner to keep the contents inside dry.

[Don H]

Personally I like the Sea to Summit UL dry bags. I use and 8L or 13L for my sleeping bag, depending on which one I bring, an 8L for clothing and a 13L for food. You're carrying stuff sacks for those items anyway, why not make it a water proof dry bag? The difference in weight is only about 1/2 to 1 oz. per bag (stuff sack vs UL dry bag).

I use these: http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/7 since they guarantee that my gear will stay dry

as opposed to these: http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/38 which are not waterproof since the end is not sealed when closed.

In a pouring rain a pack cover will not keep the contents of your pack dry.

[Drybones]

Why do you recommend ditching the pack cover? I tried using a trash bag/liner approach but I wasn't convinced how it would hold up and I found the trash bag often came out of the pack, which became annoying. Also, my boyfriend is carrying our 2 person tent, which is why there's no form of shelter on the list.

em241...the advice you get here is IMO, we each have our own way of doing things, you do what works best for you. As for the pack cover, do whatever it takes to keep your clothes and sleeping bag dry. I 1) put all my stuff in dry bags of varying sizes, the pack I use is 2) made of material that's silcone treated one side, urethan (sp ?) on the other, I use a 3) poncho that covers both me and the pack, never had a problem and we had mucho rain this spring. There are a lot of ways to stay dry, just need to find what workd best for you. If you have tent that uses hiking poles for support you can hang your pack from it to keep the pack dry aand off the ground at night.

[Drybones]

em241...the best tip I can give you, if your boyfriend is with you, have him carry as much of your stuff as he can carry, that has worked well for my wife...not so well for me tho.