Are you ready for your thru hike? Need help - Stop in!

[pyroman9]

Hello everyone,
My name is Bomber - I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail this past year. I am currently proudly serving in the USAF and itching to get back on the trail and hike somewhere.... unfortunately i have lots of training left and will unable to for some time.. So I figured I could offer some help.

Before hiking the trail I worked at two different outdoor retail stores, I have also climbed the grand teton, aconcagua (22,851ft), and many other mountains. I am knowledgeable about the gear and techniques. That being said though I will give you my opinion and reasoning on whatever you ask, this does not mean it is the best/only way. Just my way. I will try and present other ways when I am able to.

The trail:
Start Date: March 15th, 2012
Finish Date: July 4th, 2012
Average miles per day: 20+
Longest day: 62.4 miles
Total Days: 112 days
Pack base weight: 11.65 lbs (varied earlier on)
Gear List: http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=5703

Now that you know my setup, this gives you a little base knowledge of where I come from and used. Please ask away. I urge everyone to make their gearlist on geargrams. It is free and very easy to use and allows for a very organized chart which is essential to getting it right the first time. I only dropped a few pieces of gear from the start - it avoided the initial holy sh** to much gear at the start.

My slideshow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAiRoNj7Ah4&feature=youtu.be
That is a 35 minute video I made documenting my trip on the A.T. Take a look at it to see all about the trip. Please take the time to leave a comment on it and like/dont like. I appreciate the favor it helps get the video out there more.

My Trailjournals:
www.trailjournals.com/ericmckinley (http://www.trailjournals.com/ericmckinley)
I documented my trip daily and posted informative post nearly every day - great to see how i felt along the trip and how i kept going every day.

And on that note... ask away.

[HikerMom58]

Very Nice Bomber!! Hope u will be able to get back to the woods again soon.

[TRU]

Great job Bomber and a great video! Sorry about the loss of the camera.


TRU ...

[pyroman9]

Why would you be sorry about the camera... i mean yea i lost a bunch of pics.. but my pack was nearly 10 oz lighter once i ditched the charger and spare battery for it!!!!

[Persie]

Very cool. Gonna pop over and watch your video and check the gearlist site. Thanks for posting! And thank you for your service, my boy too is in the USAF. :)

[Old Hiker]

Hey, Bomber.

You and Salt Bomb blew past me somewhere while I was attempting my thru.

What's your AFSC? Got your 1st base assignment yet? I was SP for 5.5 years - cross-trained into computers - was tired of ND winters!

Good luck!

[trapper]

did no one else notice the 62.4 mile day? wow that one hell of a day

[MuddyWaters]

did no one else notice the 62.4 mile day? wow that one hell of a day

Yah, but most heard about it a couple months ago.

I will go ahead and say I strongly urge future thru hikers to leave the rubber chicken at home.

[Magic_Rat]

I'm curious as to what section of your hike the single day 62.4 miles was? That is an amazing feat!

[HikerMom58]

I'm curious as to what section of your hike the single day 62.4 miles was? That is an amazing feat!

I'll wager a guess and say it was the 4 state challenge. They hike thru 4 states in 1 day (24 hrs)

[pyroman9]

Your wager is wrong.... :)

http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=377408

Its was from Quarry Gap Shelter to Duncannon.

And Muddy Waters... I am ashamed of you. HENRY GOES EVERYWHERE! NO NEGOTIATIONS! :) He is a very loyal rubber chicken, actually he is here now at my base. He is enjoying the air force also.

[HikerMom58]

Hey now... I see that NOW!! :) u gotta admit that was a good guess! :)

Good for u carrying the rubber chicken & keeping it with u now. That chicken has been places that others will never go. :)

[pyroman9]

Heck yea! Henry kept me safe, I have made it through so many sketchy areas with that dang thing. Mt Aconcagua, 48 state road trip, grand teton, gannett peak, caving, sky diving, presidential range in the winter... all sorts of stuff, and now the AT.

It was a good guess. I was very confident in doing long days and did 26 mile days quite regularly. At harpers my family came and visited so i took my time through there. I did not hike for any records or challenges.. i just hiked my hike. That long day just kinda happened... as you read the journal entry from that day it was kinda a fluke and last minute decision. I loved the challenge though.

[MuddyWaters]

Your wager is wrong.... :)

And Muddy Waters... I am ashamed of you. HENRY GOES EVERYWHERE! NO NEGOTIATIONS! :) He is a very loyal rubber chicken, actually he is here now at my base. He is enjoying the air force also.


Your pack was light enough to afford the luxury of a rubber chicken. Most newbs arent.

[pyroman9]

Muddy - I carried my rubber chicken in Argentina where my pack was 80lbs... and carried it to the summit at 22,851ft. Henry is always worth the extra weight!! :) Again non-negotiable. However everyone has their own "Henry".. whether its a lawn gnome... a slinky... bubbles... a flag.. rubiks cube... or even a rubber ducky.... got to have the mascot of the trip!

[HikerMom58]

Heck yea! Henry kept me safe, I have made it through so many sketchy areas with that dang thing. Mt Aconcagua, 48 state road trip, grand teton, gannett peak, caving, sky diving, presidential range in the winter... all sorts of stuff, and now the AT.

It was a good guess. I was very confident in doing long days and did 26 mile days quite regularly. At harpers my family came and visited so i took my time through there. I did not hike for any records or challenges.. i just hiked my hike. That long day just kinda happened... as you read the journal entry from that day it was kinda a fluke and last minute decision. I loved the challenge though.

I'll go back and read ur journal from start to finish soon. :) You hiked it your own way and looks like u enjoyed it 2. Congrats AGAIN on finishing what u started.. I wish u the best on the next chapter in ur life. Thanks for ur service, now, to our country. btw... thanks for coming back to WB to share what u learned. :)

[pyroman9]

Anytime hiker mom, I loved it then and I love it now. The job is great, it keeps me out of trouble....

my next hiking goal...

Mt McKinley (Denali I know... but my last name is McKinley)

[HikerMom58]

Anytime hiker mom, I loved it then and I love it now. The job is great, it keeps me out of trouble....

my next hiking goal...

Mt McKinley (Denali I know... but my last name is McKinley)

YOU are something else...:) Your parents must be so proud!!

[pyroman9]

Just wait until you read my journal from cover to cover.... my mom says i am something else also!

[clowncsc]

awesome video

[Magic_Rat]

I really enjoyed the video Bomber. Very well done!

[pyroman9]

Thanks Magic Rat - it was fun to make and a blast to watch. the dentist loved my segment of brushing my teeth - they could not stop laughing.

So is there any questions people have that I can help out with?

[etboy]

62+ miles in one day! Wow. Incredible. Remember my longest day ever was in the Andes with a couple of pounds day pack. Wasn't meant to be the longest day, but when the whiteout rolled in, well, I guess you can figure out the rest. Tell you my Begonias were hanging round my ankles when I stumbled back into Otovalo at about three in the a.m. Congratulations!

[clowncsc]

Thanks Magic Rat - it was fun to make and a blast to watch. the dentist loved my segment of brushing my teeth - they could not stop laughing.

So is there any questions people have that I can help out with?

Im torn on a stove, really leaning towards a jet boil but....suggestions always welcome. Weight really don't concern me, I know everyone's heard that in here but I've been hiking professionally for 20 yrs (Marine infantry) so heavy packs are nothing to me (7 days of Mre's are mighty heavy) But I am of course packin light wight gear for the most part.

[pyroman9]

Clown- jet boil is not meant for for the trail... i do not recall seeing any really... the best is the pocket rocket - it is cheap and very light and very efficient.

I am active duty in USAF now and have packed for many years. I am training in EOD school so i know a heavy pack... I tell ya though nearly all the military guys on the trail that I saw... they were all getting hurt and quitting. It is nothing like it. Lightweight is your friend. the pocket rocket is easy and very light.

just my .2 cents

[clowncsc]

Clown- jet boil is not meant for for the trail... i do not recall seeing any really... the best is the pocket rocket - it is cheap and very light and very efficient.

I am active duty in USAF now and have packed for many years. I am training in EOD school so i know a heavy pack... I tell ya though nearly all the military guys on the trail that I saw... they were all getting hurt and quitting. It is nothing like it. Lightweight is your friend. the pocket rocket is easy and very light.

just my .2 cents

Yeah deep deep inside I want that and probably will get that just due to weight, what pots or cookware is good to go with it. I'm also a HUGE coffee drinker. Good luck on the EOD deal I've got a couple Marine buddies that are EOD, hard school from what I hear.

[pyroman9]

Coffee - go instant coffee... i went with a 1.5 liter titanium pot with lid.. its big but i was able to fit my fuel, stove, lid, pot holder, lighter, all inside of it so it worked out well for me

[clowncsc]

Coffee - go instant coffee... i went with a 1.5 liter titanium pot with lid.. its big but i was able to fit my fuel, stove, lid, pot holder, lighter, all inside of it so it worked out well for me

Cool, thanks for the tips. I'm for sure going the light weight way and I think I'm pretty good on everything weight wise except my pack, I have an osprey aether 70 think its like 4lbs

[pyroman9]

check out the gear grams site.. it is well worth checking out. that will allow you to plot out your gear very well.. also a $15 kitchen digital scale really makes the differnece. It sounds silly but it is amazing how much i cut with seeing it all plotted out. i started with a 25lb base weight and ended down at what i posted on my first post...

[canoe]

did you see very many people using a wood stove on your hike?

[pyroman9]

None. The trail is not a primitive place... ha. You hike very long hard days and your body takes a hell of beating. The goal is efficient, light, cheap. ha

[HikerMom58]

What kind of food did you eat on the trail mostly? My daughter and I love the Jet boil b/c there's no need for cooking pots or cups of any kind. We also ate mostly dehydrated foods for dinner so that's when the jet boil came in so handy. We feel like we saved weight on our food choices so we could afford the extra weight for the ease of using the Jet Boil.

My hubby has the pocket rocket. He loves that for himself. :)

[pyroman9]

Breakfast: Honey bun, cinnamon bun, danish (one every morning)

Lunch: often snacks or some pepporoni and cheese

snacks: Granola bars - candy - gorb - other random stuff

Dinner: Knorr Pasta side - White chunk chicken or tuna mixed in with the pasta side (and some Cayanne to add some fun taste)

[HikerMom58]

Breakfast: Honey bun, cinnamon bun, danish (one every morning)

Lunch: often snacks or some pepporoni and cheese

snacks: Granola bars - candy - gorb - other random stuff

Dinner: Knorr Pasta side - White chunk chicken or tuna mixed in with the pasta side (and some Cayanne to add some fun taste)

Very interesting- sounds good ... our meals were like this.

Breakfast: High protein cereal (Kashi) w powered milk in zip lock bags (add cold water) dehydrated yogurt, dehydrated fruit, instant coffee single packets.

Lunch: whole wheat flat bread rounds or pita bread- peanut butter (individually packaged serving sized same with jelly or honey) dehydrated apples, baby carrots, pringles in small pkgs.

Dinner: varied...dehydrated spaghetti with meat & green olives, dehydrated green beans, hot tea or hot chocolate.

Snacks: (typical ones).. blocks of cheese, candy bars, gorp etc... We brought grape G2 powder to mix in our water at times.

We dehydrated all our dinner meals, yogurt and our own fruit and veggies.

With water & food (4-5 days) our packs weighed about 30 lbs tho.

[pyroman9]

pfffhhh HEALTH FOOD (GAGS) haha

[HikerMom58]

pfffhhh HEALTH FOOD (GAGS) haha

Ha ha.... you know it! :P I'm a MOM what do u expect.. :)

[pyroman9]

Better food!!!

[canoe]

Did you finish with the Obi I.

[canoe]

or did you use a differant shelter

[HikerMom58]

Better food!!!

I'm a healthy MOM type... u know eat ur veggies & all that. I do like to eat the "colors of the rainbow". :) Blue=blueberries etc... Ha ha!!

[pyroman9]

The obi 1p Elite was fantastic. I loved it. However, on the trail you think you will use it all the time... and you never use it... haha. So i ended up sending it home when i got into VT. I just sheltered it the rest of the way, if needed my poncho acted as a tarp tent and I kept my footprint for a ground cloth to protect my neoair. Had no problems with sending it home to save weight.

[canoe]

I guess by the time you got up north the crowds pretty much thinned out and shelters werent too full

[Hairbear]

I'm a healthy MOM type... u know eat ur veggies & all that. I do like to eat the "colors of the rainbow". :) Blue=blueberries etc... Ha ha!! by the looks of the pic in your avitar,its working well for you girl.

[gizzy bear]

cool video!!! great job on the hike AND the video AND your service as well...my boyfriend and i are doing the hundred mile wilderness in aug/sept...very excited!!! on a scale of 1-10, 10 being hard...what would you rank that part of the trail? just curious... and we decided on the pocket rocket ... my boyfriend was given one of the knock offs and it seems to work very well... do you have any experience with those?

[bfayer]

I guess by the time you got up north the crowds pretty much thinned out and shelters werent too full

That and if you can hike 20 to 60 miles a day, you can just keep walking till you find one with space :) Old slow people like me need a tent.

[gizzy bear]

That and if you can hike 20 to 60 miles a day, you can just keep walking till you find one with space :) Old slow people like me need a tent.

yeah...i'm hoping my hover round can get me out of any tight spots...i figured if it can handle the grand canyon, like on the commercial....

[Malto]

Hello everyone,
My name is Bomber - I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail this past year. I am currently proudly serving in the USAF and itching to get back on the trail and hike somewhere.... unfortunately i have lots of training left and will unable to for some time.. So I figured I could offer some help.

Before hiking the trail I worked at two different outdoor retail stores, I have also climbed the grand teton, aconcagua (22,851ft), and many other mountains. I am knowledgeable about the gear and techniques. That being said though I will give you my opinion and reasoning on whatever you ask, this does not mean it is the best/only way. Just my way. I will try and present other ways when I am able to.

The trail:
Start Date: March 15th, 2012
Finish Date: July 4th, 2012
Average miles per day: 20+
Longest day: 62.4 miles
Total Days: 112 days
Pack base weight: 11.65 lbs (varied earlier on)
Gear List: http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=5703

.

Think long and hard before doing anything like the increase in mileage just to prove a point. While you may want to prove something it is also a good way of inviting an injury. Going from doing a high of 33 miles to doing 62 over an extended day IMHO is inviting an early end to a hike or at least a holdup waiting for recovery.

To bomber, not second guessing your decision, just would not recommend others repeat it.

[HikerMom58]

by the looks of the pic in your avitar,its working well for you girl.

Thanks Hairbear... you are always so kind to me & I luv ya for it! :)

[pyroman9]

Gizzy - it is wet... muddy... all depends on weather... EASY IF dry... if not... its not as much fun... ha Pocket rocket was amazing, no complaints.

GG- Your very right - I would not advise that at all, keep in mind hike your own hike. I wanted to challenge myself and push myself to my limits. I did. I was lucky, it was risky. The biggest risk was being extremely exhausted and still hiking. That hike/climb down into duncannon is not a easy trail, do it after 26 hours and i literally do not remember doing it, i just remember that it existed. It was a choice I made to challenge myself - but i would not tell anyone to try and repeat my feat.

[dancingbear]

what did you have for water storage ? platypus, water bottle , nalogen, some combo ?

[pyroman9]

Water is a very touchy topic on the trail and everyone seems to have different views. I will give you two of them - mine and others :)

Mine: I used aquamira drops for treating my water. I carried them the entire way... I used them maybe a dozen times and that was it, I never got sick. I was smart about where i got water, and tried to only drink out of good water sources. I was a fan of "Cameling up" which is a theory that I had along with a few other hikers i was with. I would drink a excess amount of water at a good source and then hike nearly dry or even dry to the next source. Risky yes, but there is some logic. A deer does not carry a canteen and yet it survives? Why? Because when it is thirsty it just goes to the source. We have guidebooks (yes not always accurate but mostly) that tell us where the water sources are, so can't we do the same thing as a deer? This was a weight savings of 2.4 lbs per Liter, that is a lot of weight! However sometimes i knew water was scarce and did carry water in a dasani water bottle. They are cheap and light - nalgenes are heavy and expensive! No need for that. A liter platypus is handy as i used it for evenings when i was cooking a hot meal - That would give me 2 liters of water - .5 to cook and 1.5 to drink. I worked it out that I drank a liter before i went to bed and drank the other .5 when i woke up. With time comes your way of doing things.

Now as for others views on water: FILTER EVERY DROP OR YOUR WILL GET GHARDIA!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Personally I laugh at this theory - my friend who i hiked with had a gravity filter (I forget the model but a higher end one) and he filtered every single drop of water. Guess what? He got Ghardia. People have learned to live in fear of all sorts of stuff. You have an immune system for a reason and it does its job well if you allow it to. But some hikers do not care and will carry a pump or something crazy and filter all of the water. I have nothing against them - just do not think that its needed. Most thru hikers i ran into at the end of our hikes said they often drank spring water directly and really nice creeks sometimes.

The joys of hike your own hike.. you come up with what works for you! NO NALGENES though! Get a dasani 1 liter bottle - replace it every few weeks so it does not get moldy. Great stuff!

[Malto]

To bomber, not second guessing your decision, just would not recommend others repeat it.


Gizzy - it is wet... muddy... all depends on weather... EASY IF dry... if not... its not as much fun... ha Pocket rocket was amazing, no complaints.

GG- Your very right - I would not advise that at all, keep in mind hike your own hike. I wanted to challenge myself and push myself to my limits. I did. I was lucky, it was risky. The biggest risk was being extremely exhausted and still hiking. That hike/climb down into duncannon is not a easy trail, do it after 26 hours and i literally do not remember doing it, i just remember that it existed. It was a choice I made to challenge myself - but i would not tell anyone to try and repeat my feat.

Pyroman, my post wasn't addressed at you at all. I hike my hike and I even hiked a few others hikes as well just for fun. :) The biggest risk wasn't the hill down to Duncannon, it was an overuse injury. While this section is likely the absolute easiest one to do high miles on and you did it slow enough to reduce the chance of injury, you advertise this like a badge of honor when in reality it was frankly pretty stupid given the mileage you had done to date. I don't want to see someone else end their their hike doing a similar "mile hero" day.

[Son Driven]

Hey Bomber, way to go. I also served in the USAF 75-79 and in my 3rd week of training, I did 14 miles today. I plan on adding a couple hours a day going up and down a bank on the Minnesota river once my ankles loose their soreness from from hiking through all the frozen boot steps in MN. I plan on being more leasurley, and enjoy the trail, I plan on taking sundays off to read, write. If I hit Springer by the 1st of March, averege 15 miles 6 days a week I should finish around Sept. 1. Unless I end up with unforseen zero days due to illness or injury.

[Son Driven]

Hey Bomber, way to go. I also served in the USAF 75-79 and in my 3rd week of training, I did 14 miles today. I plan on adding a couple hours a day going up and down a bank on the Minnesota river once my ankles loose their soreness from from hiking through all the frozen boot steps in MN. I plan on being more leasurley, and enjoy the trail, I plan on taking sundays off to read, write. If I hit Springer by the 1st of March, averege 15 miles 6 days a week I should finish around Sept. 1. Unless I end up with unforseen zero days due to illness or injury.

[canoe]

Pyroman, my post wasn't addressed at you at all. I hike my hike and I even hiked a few others hikes as well just for fun. :) The biggest risk wasn't the hill down to Duncannon, it was an overuse injury. While this section is likely the absolute easiest one to do high miles on and you did it slow enough to reduce the chance of injury, you advertise this like a badge of honor when in reality it was frankly pretty stupid given the mileage you had done to date. I don't want to see someone else end their their hike doing a similar "mile hero" day.

WOW can anyone say envy? While I could never do 62miles(probably neither can you) I do think 62 is a fantastic badge of honor. A little crazy A little risky. Life is a risk. We choose which risks we want to take. BUT still... a grand accomplishment. ease up GG

[Malto]

WOW can anyone say envy? While I could never do 62miles(probably neither can you) I do think 62 is a fantastic badge of honor. A little crazy A little risky. Life is a risk. We choose which risks we want to take. BUT still... a grand accomplishment. ease up GG

Actually canoe, no doubt I could do this but that's not the point. I learned the hard way about pushing too hard. I pushed too hard on one of my training hikes and it almost cost me my thru hike. It took a cortisone shot and several weeks of rest to recover. This is the voice of experience, not envy.

[canoe]

DOnt know how old you are gg, but bomber is a young hiker. In very good shape, very fit, carrying a light pack. Maybe his situation was much differant than yours.

[pyroman9]

Ok kids, CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!!

Canoe and GG settle down now... settle down...

GG - As you said its risky - But i knew the risk - I took them into account - and i went for it. It was my choice and I do not regret it. You mention that I act as if it is a badge of honor? Hell yea its bragging rights! It is a major mind game when you hike for that long non stop... by the way i was soaked to the bone and freezing all night from wet fields and rain. That terrain was mellow, but not so much when its raining, wet, and cold. So yes I do hold my head high when i talk about what I achieved. However, I will also say it is foolish to attempt and i would not advise anyone to match me. I would though advise everyone to push the limits, go outside the comfort zone, do something crazy. (Most people are here by hiking the trail). This was my journey, and I wanted to push myself well beyond what I thought I could do... and I did. :)

And canoe... be nice! Thanks for the nice words though - although "Very fit" I think your just trying to be nice now! haha

[Malto]

Pyroman, enough said..... Glad you had a great hike and thank you for your service. This was not challenge to you at all. Sorry if it came across that way.

Canoe, you know not what you are saying.

[canoe]

Pyroman, enough said..... Glad you had a great hike and thank you for your service. This was not challenge to you at all. Sorry if it came across that way.

Canoe, you know not what you are saying.

Your right

[pyroman9]

Kids, I will put you in time out! Now shake hands and play in the sandbox :) haha and GG no problem, I love my job. It is definitely very challenging and my training has just begun. It will keep me on my toes for sure, a huge change from the trail!

[Statue]

1. Did you need the 50 ft of paracord, how often did you bear bag?
2. I'm leaving April 8th going NOBO and have a marmot helium 15 degree down bag, I know it's probably overkill but am I going to regret this warm of a bag? The only other bag I have is a sierra nevada 45 degree down, I just didn't want to buy yet another sleeping bag.
3. If you had the GoPro HD video camera how come your youtube video (which I really liked by the way) is only 480p?
4. In your clothing I see you only had 1 tshirt and a down jacket, no mid layer, did that work out okay?

[pyroman9]

1. Did you need the 50 ft of paracord, how often did you bear bag?
2. I'm leaving April 8th going NOBO and have a marmot helium 15 degree down bag, I know it's probably overkill but am I going to regret this warm of a bag? The only other bag I have is a sierra nevada 45 degree down, I just didn't want to buy yet another sleeping bag.
3. If you had the GoPro HD video camera how come your youtube video (which I really liked by the way) is only 480p?
4. In your clothing I see you only had 1 tshirt and a down jacket, no mid layer, did that work out okay?

1. It came in handy - not really for bear hangs though. The honest truth is I rarely saw one and only hung a bag maybe 6-7 times... the rest of the time hikers just hang them in their shelter or there is a designated spot like in SNP or a box as with other sections. It is to much work and hikers are impressively lazy. The bear is surely not going to come into a shelter and eat everyone to get to a bag (at least i have not read of it happening yet). If i tented out away from a shelter though i did hang it mainly to prevent mice from getting to it.

2. I think its a great choice. Not sure on the weight but it should be fine. On April 23rd it was freezing and i was breaking trail in snow... ya never know. I would say early to mid May is a safe bet to switch to your summer bag, but make sure your past the smokies before you even think of that one. Its always nice to not have to sleep with everything you own on. Being your summer bag is a 45 bag I would prob wait until June to switch out.

3. I saved it at a setting to keep the file size down a bit. If someone is really really itching to see it in higher I am sure I can satisfy them. A lot of the pictures were with my touch phone, or camera before I lost it (pre harpers ferry is all i have, the rest are sitting in a river somewhere).

4. Worked out great.. for me. I had my t-shirt, down coat, rain coat (later switched out for a poncho). It was perfect. If i was cold in camp i put on the puffy... If i was cold at night I went to bed. In the morning if i was cold I would move faster and get moving. If i was cold during the day I would hike faster or throw on the rain coat (unzipped) and that would warm me up quite nicely without sweating since i left it unzipped. I never had any regrets about my clothing attire. Some days were obviously a little uncomfortable, but that was few and far between. Usually I was very content. I would not carry anything extra for that rare day like april 23rd when i snowed and i froze my butt off for a day.

[fins1838]

Great post Bomber. ! question: How come your hair always looks so neat & trimmed? I swear I saw that same rattle snake. About 15 miles south of Port Clinton.

[Statue]

1. It came in handy - not really for bear hangs though. The honest truth is I rarely saw one and only hung a bag maybe 6-7 times... the rest of the time hikers just hang them in their shelter or there is a designated spot like in SNP or a box as with other sections. It is to much work and hikers are impressively lazy. The bear is surely not going to come into a shelter and eat everyone to get to a bag (at least i have not read of it happening yet). If i tented out away from a shelter though i did hang it mainly to prevent mice from getting to it.

2. I think its a great choice. Not sure on the weight but it should be fine. On April 23rd it was freezing and i was breaking trail in snow... ya never know. I would say early to mid May is a safe bet to switch to your summer bag, but make sure your past the smokies before you even think of that one. Its always nice to not have to sleep with everything you own on. Being your summer bag is a 45 bag I would prob wait until June to switch out.

3. I saved it at a setting to keep the file size down a bit. If someone is really really itching to see it in higher I am sure I can satisfy them. A lot of the pictures were with my touch phone, or camera before I lost it (pre harpers ferry is all i have, the rest are sitting in a river somewhere).

4. Worked out great.. for me. I had my t-shirt, down coat, rain coat (later switched out for a poncho). It was perfect. If i was cold in camp i put on the puffy... If i was cold at night I went to bed. In the morning if i was cold I would move faster and get moving. If i was cold during the day I would hike faster or throw on the rain coat (unzipped) and that would warm me up quite nicely without sweating since i left it unzipped. I never had any regrets about my clothing attire. Some days were obviously a little uncomfortable, but that was few and far between. Usually I was very content. I would not carry anything extra for that rare day like april 23rd when i snowed and i froze my butt off for a day.

Thanks for the in depth responses, very informative. The helium bag is one of the lighter 15 degree down bags at 36 oz. If it was a bulky 3.5 lb. I would definitely bite the bullet and buy another bag specifically for the AT.

One more question, have you found it nearly impossible to maintain your body weight after the AT?

[pyroman9]

Fins- Thank you, anything I can do to help is great. Trail talk is amazing! However, the people I am with around here do not understand it or appreciate it, so this is my escape. Ha. That rattlesnake was just north of Duncannon, not far out from it if I recall. I did not want to make the video to long.. but the snake actually strikes the camera. The rat snake at the end though is epic... did you see it? Or did you stop the video? ha. Right at the end. The full video is nearly a minute long where it strikes around 6 times directly on the camera. Good stuff

Poi- No problems I hope it helps. Body weight.... i lost a lot on the trail and directly after I joined the military and went to bootcamp and now am in a year long tech school with has a higher expectations for PT due to the career field i am in. That helps, but i do still notice that it fluctuates somewhat easily, trying to get that under control.

Oh and my hair... haha I never shaved on the trail. I did get one haircut though in harpers ferry - i did not want long hair due to hygiene and ticks. Otherwise just the general cleaning and stuff. I tried to wash up daily with a stream (down stream from the trail) or a pond to rinse my face. I never went swimming while on the trail, I think i stood in water maybe half dozen times. Party because the water was WAY to cold... and after NH is when our good friend Parkside drowned, so it was just avoided. I tried to find a shower once or twice a week, sometimes that did not work out though. When i would rinse off on the trail I never used soap as i did not want to carry it, I would rinse my shirt off also though. Another good trick is when you stop at a gas station go in the bathroom and rinse off but also wash your shirt in the sink - sometimes even your socks :) A handful of soap and some hot water does wonders!! Just do this discreetly so the owners do not get upset - please be respectful though and always clean up and make some kind of purchase (good time to switch out that dirty dasani water bottle) or just JUNK FOOD!!

[pyroman9]

What other questions do people have?? Come on!!! Bring on the questions!

[pyroman9]

hello?? where did everyone go?

[HikerMom58]

I'm here Bomber... I don't have any questions right now but I love seeing your thread title.. it makes me smile every time. :) If you want some action go to the Cafe... just sayin. :)

[HikerMom58]

PS... the underwear thread is a hot one too!! :) You could "share" if you like... LOL.

[pyroman9]

nice - but trail talk is better!!! (Pouts)

there are plenty of new threads being made with questions - come play in here instead!! haha

[HikerMom58]

OK... I'll ask u some questions... did you tent, hammock or neither?

[pyroman9]

tented for the beginning... then had a tarp tent if needed - but shelter hopped. :) Thanks!

[HikerMom58]

Ok ... cool. What was the worst experience you ever had in a shelter? other hikers? critters? Or were your shelter experiences non eventful?

[bfayer]

Bomber, Friday nights are not always the most lively of times on here. Lots of people head out for the weekend.

Me for example, I am hitting the rack right now, heading out to snickers gap in the morning for a hike down to Rod Hollow with my son.

Have fun while your in training, and be safe.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[bfayer]

OK... I'll ask u some questions... did you tent, hammock or neither?

You are way to nice for this place HikerMom :)

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[HikerMom58]

Bomber, Friday nights are not always the most lively of times on here. Lots of people head out for the weekend.

Me for example, I am hitting the rack right now, heading out to snickers gap in the morning for a hike down to Rod Hollow with my son.

Have fun while your in training, and be safe.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

That's true.. have a great hike with ur son tomorrow!

[pyroman9]

hahaha fayer - alright i do have a life... was just causing some shenanigans for a second on here. I know no worries - it was a good excuse to bump this thread back up though...

and Mommy - lets see... well it was a certain hiker that was the most interesting... i forget his trail name i would have to read back to find it.. he was well interesting... lets just give the end result of he was taken off the trail.... ha. However, the mice are fun! They are amusing to watch - the best was at a hut (carter dome hut) they were early in their season. They were still getting cleaned up and stuff - which meant mouse traps nightly to rid the place of the issue - since i is bad with guest... makes sense. well AMS woke up with a dead mouse in a mouse trap.. in his sleeping bag.. it was priceless to see him jump and freak out. what happened was it was up in the rafters and fell when it went off.. his bag was open and it landed in it and then he rolled so it was bundled up in it. Funny stuff - I did not care for people with mousetraps on the trail - but in a hut where there is food i can understand the need.

[HikerMom58]

hahaha fayer - alright i do have a life... was just causing some shenanigans for a second on here. I know no worries - it was a good excuse to bump this thread back up though...

and Mommy - lets see... well it was a certain hiker that was the most interesting... i forget his trail name i would have to read back to find it.. he was well interesting... lets just give the end result of he was taken off the trail.... ha. However, the mice are fun! They are amusing to watch - the best was at a hut (carter dome hut) they were early in their season. They were still getting cleaned up and stuff - which meant mouse traps nightly to rid the place of the issue - since i is bad with guest... makes sense. well AMS woke up with a dead mouse in a mouse trap.. in his sleeping bag.. it was priceless to see him jump and freak out. what happened was it was up in the rafters and fell when it went off.. his bag was open and it landed in it and then he rolled so it was bundled up in it. Funny stuff - I did not care for people with mousetraps on the trail - but in a hut where there is food i can understand the need.

Ha Ha!! :) That's just send chills up my spine... I freak out about mice when they are alive 2.. but dead in my bag? :eek: Did you write about this in your journal? I'm going to start reading your journal 2 nite from the beginning... I'm sure I can ask better questions after I do that. Later Bomber.... you are soo nice!! :)

bfayer... thanks for the kind words! :)

[HikerMom58]

I read your journal up to Harper's Ferry... interesting journal, Bomber. My fav. stories so far were the bear encounter, sleeping deer and falling limb. The amount of trail magic was also amazing!! WOW! :)

[pyroman9]

Ha some fun memories, i should go back and read it... would be fun.

That limb was some scary sh%#!

The bear - priceless

Trail magic - if it was not there I found it... hahaha hence i was the yogi master as orange lightening put it. But yes there are some amazing people out there.

[linder]

Hi Bomber, I followed your journel and almost cried when you summit on the 4th of July. What a great story!

[pyroman9]

Linder - I did. :) I am reading my written journal now... I miss it a lot. Hard to put into words honestly. Thank you for reading - did you send me a email at the end like i asked? If so i have it printed and in my main journal at home... its amazing to see all the emails.

[JHG008]

I am thru hiking Nobo march 30th of this year.

I would like your thoughts for a few items: 1) which waterproof stuff sacks? 2) which convertible hiking pants? 3) down or fleece jacket? (I already have an older fleece) 4) i see that you would eat white chunk chicken while on the trail......was it ever awkward.... You know with Henry being around and all? 5) did you have any issues with ticks?

Thanks for the insight and a sincere thank you for your service!

[pyroman9]

1. Waterproof stuff sacks - Sea to summit ultra sil ones. Also use a contractor trash bag inside your bag as the first line of defense. That will keep everything inside dry - then if water does get through that your stuff sacks are waterproof also.... a little extra redundancy saves a lot of frustration there. And it saves any water weight since it is all dry. water is heavy. Sea to summit works great and has never failed me.

2. Whatever you like. Find some nice light nylon ones.. i wanted the cargo pockets becuase they are good but i used them less and less as my hike went on. EMS makes a pair, Mountain Hardwear, I think north faces are heavier... maybe Marmot... not sure. Shop around.

3. Down Patagonia jacket - its like $180 i believe and VERY VERY VERY light and stuffs into practically nothing. Oh and for your sleeping bag use a compression waterproof bag - it saves a lot of extra space.

4. Henry knew that it was a matter of life and death. And besides that stuff was probably fake anyways for all i knew. He made a mutual agreement with me that it was alright provided i did not try to eat him. We got along just fine.

5. Ticks were a pain in the butt. I wore shorts though and mini ankle gaiters. This allowed them to only crawl up over the gaiters and on and up my legs. I felt them every time crawling and would just stop and flick them off. With pants it protects more against them but you cant feel them crawling up since the pants are already touching you. This would cause surprises later on for me. Only once did I find a tick on my back and it was not yet burrowed but trying. At night leave your shoes outside your tent and VERY carefully inspect your gaiters and socks before bringing them into the tent. They are not horrible - just be aware they are there and pay attention daily.

[bfayer]

Ha some fun memories, i should go back and read it... would be fun.

That limb was some scary sh%#!

I need to go read your journal.

My son and I had a scare this weekend. We headed out of Bears Den heading south. Stopped for the night just south of Rod Hollow.

About an hour after we went to bed in the tent, a loud sound woke us up, a very large tree about 50 feet from the tent fell down right next to our tent, scared both of us almost to death. I don't think my son slept for the rest of the night.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[HikerMom58]

I need to go read your journal.

My son and I had a scare this weekend. We headed out of Bears Den heading south. Stopped for the night just south of Rod Hollow.

About an hour after we went to bed in the tent, a loud sound woke us up, a very large tree about 50 feet from the tent fell down right next to our tent, scared both of us almost to death. I don't think my son slept for the rest of the night.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Oh my Gosh... I'm glad you guys are ok. I've always had that fear, that would happen to my daughter on the trail. Even she was afraid of that happening as well. When I read about it in Bomber's journal, I was so glad it missed him 2. :eek: But ya know, if you worried about all the things that could possibly hurt you, you'd never leave your house... that's not any fun! I bet u had a great weekend hike with ur son. :)

You'll get a laugh out of the bear encounter story... it's kinda scary as well but a very funny word picture as to how he handled the whole thing.:D

Just want to add that I appreciate Bomber being an active member on WB as a 2012 thru hiker. I love his willingness to share his experience and knowledge with us. He's so thoughtful, IMHO.

[bfayer]

Thanks for your concern HikerMom. In all my years its the first time that has happened to me.

Overall I still think we are safer in the woods than driving down I95.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[pyroman9]

That bear was so much fun.. in the full video of it we are clapping and orange lightening is like... umm we are applauding the bears... now we are retreating from the bears.... now we are assualting them with rocks (which nearly hit the cub).... alright they just aren't listening!! The Bears are not listening!

what a great time! Thank you Hikermom - I love helping out to those who need it on here. I have got quite a few emails with questions to, glad to help anyone with any question. I hope that I am being fair with my answers and giving good and open answers that help everyone as much as able.

[congnar]

ok so I am planning on starting a thru-hike on april 1st. As of right now, I know just about nothing. That leaves me two months to figure everything out. I'm going to need ALOT of help.

[rocketsocks]

ok so I am planning on starting a thru-hike on april 1st. As of right now, I know just about nothing. That leaves me two months to figure everything out. I'm going to need ALOT of help.Well, your in luck. The first right thing you did was come here. :welcome


to white blaze. Check out the home page left hand side, there is a ton of info, and later on today stop back and ask some specific questions, plenty of knowledgeable folks will answer as this is a very active forum. and again welcome to white blaze. :)

[congnar]

well thank you very much! I seem to be having some trouble finding answers. for the most part what I'm hearing is opinions. So I ask the question, what size should my pack be? and there is a thousand answers ranging from someone saying you shouldn't bring a pack at all just eat berries and dirt. all the way to the other end of someone saying you need a pack donkey! I mean its not really that extreme but I have no backpacking experience. (I have done lots of day hikes though, at least its something.) So what I'm looking for is someone who doesnt mind lots of simple obvious questions that have been answered probably thousands of times before. even though I cant seem to find them.

Anyone up to it?

[Malto]

well thank you very much! I seem to be having some trouble finding answers. for the most part what I'm hearing is opinions.

Anyone up to it?

Thats because there is no single answer for any question about backpacking, especially one regarding size of packs. One of the biggest problem is that people ask open ended questions like "what's the best shoe brand etc?". What's best? Cheapest, longest lasting, most support.......... I think you will find that the quality of the answers will get better with more information provided in the question. But at the end of the day, all you will get are opinions.

[Malto]

PS, IMHO the worst thing you can do is get a single opinion on gear, hiking etc. You better hope you find the right person. If you are looking to thru-hike then go to trailjournals.com and read through some journals. I would recommend focusing on those that finish. For those hikers that finish, look to see if they write summaries based on their actual experience vs what their naive plan may have been. You can also go to postholer.com. There are less AT hikers but it is another source of info. You will find that a lot more helpful than sifting through here

[congnar]

right I should have worded that better. I'm not looking for answers really I know that there is no right or wrong. just looking for advice, people to bounce my thoughts off of. But keeping my views open and taking input from multiple sources is important. thank you for the reminder :)

So I was thinking of making my start date april 1st, what do you guys think I could expect in terms of crowds and weather for the first month based of that time?

[pyroman9]

Well hello there new fella! I suppose I have nothing better to do, so I can happily help you out. First off read my first post. Second read all attached to it. Then... ASK away! :) As far as weather I started march 15th, once you see my slideshow that i posted you will see what the weather was like. As others said read. This thread is full of great questions and answers hence its nearly at 100 post. Let me know what I can help you with.

~Bomber
GA->ME 2012

[GraniteStater]

Bomber,

A little quote from my Trailjournal:

"Today, like many other days, I found myself online looking up anything and everything I could find on the AT. I came across a YouTube video that chronicled one man's thru-hike from 2012, and I found myself crying while watching it. I don't even think I realized it at first.. the video was not unlike the numerous others I've watched, but suddenly tears were pouring down my face. I can't tell you what I was feeling at that moment, many different things I suppose. I was overtaken with happiness for this man's accomplishment and I wanted that for myself. They were also tears of frustration over the dissatisfaction I feel with my life right now." [skip to..]

"All these feelings came to a head as I watched that video, and realized the only thing stopping me from hiking this year is myself. I have the money, or at least I can have it with a little figuring out. I have (most of) the gear, again with a little figuring out. I need to stop stopping myself. I am capable and I need this, I really truly feel like I need this. So damn it I'm gonna go do it."

Bomber the video was YOURS. I was planning a '14 thru but something about that video inspired me to let go of my fears and head out this year. I don't have any questions for you at the moment. Just wanted to say thanks for sharing your experience, it means more than you know.

-Dana

www.trailjournals.com/hikerDane13

[cliffdiver]

Let's talk compression sacks. What size do you need for sleeping bag? I'm guessing you use one for clothes too or not? Thanks.

[pyroman9]

Dana - I have bookmarked your page. And I have no real words that can express my thanks and appreciation for your kind words... I am glad that you enjoyed it, and I hope your journey is as good as mine was. Hopefully not as wet but hey i always found water! :) well usually... but when i couldnt.. my socks were dry!

Keep me posted.

Compression sacks - take your gear to the outdoors store and see what fits for you. if they are any kind of good outdoors store they will not mind at all. I used the ultrasil ones that are very light and small.

[Six Steps]

Bomber, your journal was one I read faithfully this past year. Glad to hear you are enjoying the AF. Thank you for your service. Loved your video. How did you attach your camera to your hiking pole?

[pyroman9]

I used a stick pic - They are amazing. Just google that name and you will find them - they are a small company but very well worth it!

[congnar]

so I was considering get more of a mid bag like 30f and a good bag liner instead of switching bags out mid way through. what are your thoughts on that?

[jimmyjam]

so I was considering get more of a mid bag like 30f and a good bag liner instead of switching bags out mid way through. what are your thoughts on that?

That's what I'm doing- an overstuffed 30 degree quilt with a silk liner. I'll mail the liner home if I don't need it.

[Hosaphone]

What are your longer term life plans like? Sounds like you did retail for a while, hiked and then signed up with the AF? Does this mean the long distance hiking phase of your life is on hold for the next 20 years?

I've played around with the idea of going navy or AF but I feel it might be to big of a commitment... I don't like being tied down, but it's tough to make a decent living at any pursuit where you aren't tied down... Doing military for 20 years lets you retire young with great benefits and pension (if you don't have a family to support, anyways, I guess?), but on the other hand if you don't enjoy it you are working away some of the best years of your life. I believe you actually get pretty good vacation compared to most civilian jobs (navy gets like 30 days per year or something), but you can't really take off big chunks all at once.

[pyroman9]

Sleeping bag question - it is personal preference depending on how you sleep. I had a 20 degree bag and switched it out for a 35 degree bag. If you start off with a 30 i would highly advise a liner system or something to buff it up for the beginning month or two. After that you can likely be safe with sending it forward or home. The goal is to come up with a system where on coldest nights you were everything you possibly have and your just OK. On the cold nights you were everything and your content. and get lighter as its warmer. make sense? You do not want to over pack.

And as for my life plan... I just live to have fun. I make a goal - I go for that goal. If that means a 20 year career in the AF then so be it. If it means going elsewhere - well that is cool to. We will see. :)

[Oneofsix]

loved the video . . and so did my boys. the rivers in ME look treacherous. We are taking nearly a hundred more days than you, we know what we need to hike our own hike . . .

:)

[evan_rolltide]

I've been wondering why people choose to take zip off pants instead of just shorts, as I don't think of them as being much warmer, right? I prefer hiking in shorts typically, so I was thinking of just wearing long underwear under shorts when it is very cold. Is this a good idea or will I miss the light weight pants for some reason?

[ATMountainTime]

maybe you can speak a little to clothing. I have all the rest of the gear. I have a pair of mid weight REI base layers, top and bottom. I have 3 pairs of mid weight smart wool socks, mtn hardware cap, a mid weight fleece jacket. Most of the time I plan on using gym (wicking), short sleeve, shorts. I tend to sleep a little cold in the winter. But plan on a April 1 leave date. Maybe earlier if the weather looks good. Im looking for thoughts on jacket, gloves etc. Maybe some logisticals on keeping it clean in town, and quantites.

Also something comfortable for overnighters in town.

Im rolling with an Osprey 50, while space is tight, im sure i can get the weight and sizes down.

[clowncsc]

What are your longer term life plans like? Sounds like you did retail for a while, hiked and then signed up with the AF? Does this mean the long distance hiking phase of your life is on hold for the next 20 years?

I've played around with the idea of going navy or AF but I feel it might be to big of a commitment... I don't like being tied down, but it's tough to make a decent living at any pursuit where you aren't tied down... Doing military for 20 years lets you retire young with great benefits and pension (if you don't have a family to support, anyways, I guess?), but on the other hand if you don't enjoy it you are working away some of the best years of your life. I believe you actually get pretty good vacation compared to most civilian jobs (navy gets like 30 days per year or something), but you can't really take off big chunks all at once.


Life doesn't end joining the military...it begins. I retire next month after serving 20 years all being in the Marine infantry, there's enough miles on the here feet to have walked around the globe once (at least) if I could go back and do the last 20 years over again I'd sign the line tomorrow. I've managed to keep and gain some major hobbies, one of which almost got me on the 2012 Olympic team now I'm shooting for 2016. It's not a great living but it's a very comfortable one. 30 days a year vacation goes for all branches of military and I took 40 days in one go a couple of times. If you have the days in the books 99.9% of the time you can take what you want. It's been a good life now on to the next chapter...at least for me will be a thru hike of the AT and then the Olympics. Happy trails all...

[pyroman9]

Clothing - Sure I would love to discuss that.

Run down on what I carried:
x2 pairs of midweight socks
x1 lightweight sweat wicking short sleeve
x1 puffy down patagonia
x1 pair of zip off pants
x1 pair of sport boxers
x1 rain coat (replaced by Sea to summit poncho half way through)

Socks - The biggest question... most people now wear trail runners which typically dry very quickly. If you are hiking and had wet feet for whatever reason - what is the purpose of putting on dry socks with wet shoes? There is not. You can let your shoes dry over night along with your socks. If my feet were wet.. then they were wet, no big deal - it will happen a lot on the trail. The 2nd pair came in handy though. If your shoes dried overnight and your socks did not, if you melt your socks over a fire while trying to dry them (me? Nooooo never.... yea i did that), and the best use - Emergency MITTENS. As for how often I wore a pair - depends on how dirty they got, but anytime i went to a gas station i would use hand soap and wash a pair and put on the others. I would then hike with the wet pair on the outside of my pack so they were now clean and dry... cool stuff. :)

Short sleeve shirt - plenty. If i got cold while hiking i hiked faster or put on the rain coat (unzipped). As we know raincoats do not breath well - hense hold in heat. The puffy was for camp only.

Zip off pants - I rarely every used the legs.. Personally if i did it again.. I would get soccer jersey shorts. They are VERY light and dry extremely quickly. No such thing as style on the trail anyways.

If my legs got cold there was a issue as they usually stay really warm while hiking. At camp i am in my sleeping bag. I did zip on the pants though a dozen or so times - so overall i was happy with my choice and it worked well for me.

The biggest thing is having clothes that will dry VERY quickly. Do not carry multiple shirts or any of the junk - save the weight you may think you need it, but you will quickly realize it and send it home. Socks - replace them as they wear out.. usually every 300-400 miles or so for me per pair.

[evan_rolltide]

Thanks for the info... I am looking at leaving a little earlier than you did (Maybe Mid March) and I am looking at this as a gear list... http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o73/emsmith42/Screenshot2013-01-30at33707PM_zps1795e767.png

I don't have weights yet and I haven't purchased some of the items yet so please let me know what you think.
My thought process is I can hike in the micro weight when cold and keep the midweight as camp clothes... I'm not sure these are both necessary and maybe one of the layers is over kill. I'm also kinda curious about using aqua mira alone as water treatment, it seems like you might get a lot of debris in your water but is that just apart of trail life?

[pyroman9]

hahaa i used aqua mira very rarely. Find a spring or a very nice flowing stream and you will never have debris. Get smart about how and where you fill. If needed use a bandana to filter. I never had to. Most of the time i just drank straight from the source - this is my opinion ONLY. Many hikers will tell you the same that spring water they never treat. My friend treated every drop and got ghardia... IMO water purification is a giant scam (obviously needed in many places still) but it is way over dramatized. People like instilling fear upon others so they spend money.I will look at your list tonight when back from PT.

[pyroman9]

alright your clothing is way to much. The dry ducks are heavy and do not breathe well when hiking - they are great for just walking around but not hiking like you will be doing. Personally I am a huge proponent of the Sea the summit poncho. The pants do not do anything really as they do not keep your shoes dry - so why bother? You will almost always be wearing shorts in the rain so again rain pants do not protect much. To me that is prob around 12-16oz of wasted space and weight. As for your LW and MW layers... your choice. the puffy will be what you wear at camp - why the MW also? i carried that pair of light boxers at camp - they were better than soccer shorts as they kept things covered in all situations - just looked kinda funny sporting sports boxers. You will find that the time you spend in camp out of your sleeping bag is minimal, and if you are going to hang out by the fire get closer and your legs will be warm.

In other words - i personally would be willing to sacrifice the rare comfort that it may provide to save the weight and space in my pack.

As for both pairs - your choice. You saw what I carried - I get cold easily - I have had minor frostbite from mountaineering a few times so i get cold easily. The only day that was ruff for me was april 23rd. And that was fine when hiking, just cold at night.

The rest of your gear seems pretty great, may be worth getting a $15 digital kitchen scale - really nice to look at your list and see it all. Also write out why you need each piece of gear... anything that overlaps each other is most likely not needed.

And a nalgene bottle?! really? :) 4.2 extra oz compared that to 2.2 oz gatorade bottle.

[evan_rolltide]

I meant to list compression shorts/bower briefs as well. Thanks for the tip about the second layer, I will ditch the second one. Also ditch the rain suit and just take a fold up sierra designs one I have. My thinking on the nalgene was that I could put hot water in it before bed in order to warm up...Maybe I would be warmer if I just went ahead and got in the sleeping bag! I'm wondering if my fleece synchilla will be warm enough or if I need to get something like a down sweater....

[pyroman9]

hot water will not help a thing before bed... the sleeping bag will only hold in whats there to beginwith... jumping jacks - push ups - something to get the body heat going, then jjump in and goodnight

[evan_rolltide]

Okay cool, I'll save weight there!

[bfayer]

hot water will not help a thing before bed... the sleeping bag will only hold in whats there to beginwith... jumping jacks - push ups - something to get the body heat going, then jjump in and goodnight

I have to disagree, a bottle of hot water in the foot of your sleeping bag works wonders in cold weather. Is it worth the weight for a thru hike? maybe not, but when hiking in winter its a god send.

[Mountain Mike]

hot water will not help a thing before bed... the sleeping bag will only hold in whats there to beginwith... jumping jacks - push ups - something to get the body heat going, then jjump in and goodnight
The sleeping bag will hold the heat of that water bottle in there too. I agree with going in the bag warm, but you never have done to much cold weather camping. A hot water bottle helps a lot if you get to lower limits of your bag. Stuff inside a sock & it helps dry it out too.

[pyroman9]

Mtn Mike... I have climbed to 22,851ft to the summit of acocagua - winter camped on the ridge of the presidentials in -50f with VERY high winds. Lets not forget Gannet peak, Grand Teton... I have done my share of winter camping. Are there situations in where it is helpful? Sure, however there those places you will be carrying nalgenes with you typically already and already are on a very different style hike. Comparing two very different types of hiking. As for a AT thru hike it is not needed IMO.

[wesleygalles]

1.) My legs stay relatively warm like yours, so I'm thinking zip off pants might be a good idea, just in case. Would you recommend this?
2.) As far as finding a good quick drying shirt, what materials should it be made out of, polyester?
3.) I haven't even the slightest idea how to do a bear hang
4.) http://www.rei.com/product/844651/rei-crestrail-70-pack is the pack I have right now, do you think this is a reasonable pack?

If I think of more questions I'll sure shoot them your way!

[wesleygalles]

Also, is a camelbak worth it, or should I just get a gatorade bottle?

[wesleygalles]

Another! I know Ramen doesn't have much nutritional value...but is this a viable source of food for the trail?

[Mountain Mike]

Mtn Mike... I have climbed to 22,851ft to the summit of acocagua - winter camped on the ridge of the presidentials in -50f with VERY high winds. Lets not forget Gannet peak, Grand Teton... I have done my share of winter camping. Are there situations in where it is helpful? Sure, however there those places you will be carrying nalgenes with you typically already and already are on a very different style hike. Comparing two very different types of hiking. As for a AT thru hike it is not needed IMO.
All depends when you start & gear choice. When I thrued I started late March & got two 6' "dusting" of snow in the Smokies.19393 If a hiker is planning on normal year or going UL it helps. I apologize for not acknowledging you other hikes but hot water bottles have been used by me on AT & PCT several times. Adding heat to bedding has been used for hundreds of years. I agree with going to bed warm, but a warm bottle of water or two inside your sleeping bag helps when you get to it's limits. Even Gatorade bottles go through a heat process to sterilize them & can withstand hot water. IMO it's an option hikers should be aware of.

[Paddy Man]

Bomber -

Quick question: What do you receommend regarding ATC maps and books? I have the 2013 Dat Book and Hiker's Companion but wonder if the maps and guide books are worth the money (and extra weight).

Paddyman

[pyroman9]

Personally just carry AWOL's guide.. it is plenty and will get your anywhere you need. I only ran into one or two hikers who carried a map and compass....

As far as camelbak - many people use them - they have pro's and cons. Try each on hikes before a trip and decided. Camelbak is pricey compared to a gatorade bottle and you risk leaks and stuff - kinda a pain with that.

Ramen noodle is crap. Knorr pasta sides are $1 each and taste much better - more variety - and have more to them, granted they are still food though and very cheap. I will stick with my pasta sides with a added package of tuna or white chunk chicken (my favorite).

Mountain Mike - no worries - and i agree. My point was that carrying a extra nalgene just for that purpose was silly - many alternatives or as you said just use the gatorade bottle it wont kill you. ha

[evan_rolltide]

Yeah I guess I was thinking that the gatorade botttle would not with stand repeated filling with hot water. Now that I know otherwise I will just bring two of those.

[wesleygalles]

I was just wondering about Ramen because I really don't mind it that much, in fact, sometimes I actually enjoy it. I ate it almost every single day at my last job for about 5 months straight, so that's nice xD

[pyroman9]

Evan just get a new bottle when you resupply weekly.. simple :) and live a little try those Knorr pasta sides... bowties...yummm... spiral cheddar yummmmm lol

[Grand Poobah]

I was just wondering about Ramen because I really don't mind it that much, in fact, sometimes I actually enjoy it. I ate it almost every single day at my last job for about 5 months straight, so that's nice xD

Remember your hunger will grow and expect to eat two ramens and tuna/chicken/sardines for a decent meal. Pasta/rice sides are always preferable. With the water container, do what you find is best for you like previously suggested. I would make sure you can reach your water while hiking vs stopping and getting it out to drink. I carried powerade/gatorade type bottles and had a plyatapus liter I stored for times with little to no water. A good 3 liter option vs a bottle that took up space. I used bottles. not sure of you water treatment methodology, but if you have a sawyer squeeze filter, it will screw onto other bottles like the smartwater bottles.

[pyroman9]

bumping this up to see who else has questions - how can i help you all? Thru hike season is about to start kicking off!! WOOOHOOO!!

[JHG008]

Did you delay posting your trail journals a few days for safety purposes?

[pyroman9]

not at all. be smart about people and if you get a bad feeling keep on walking. i had some great trail angels show up at intersections and give trail magic expecting me to come along. It was really amazing. I know some people do.. but i did not.

[rocketsocks]

Pyroman, you have started an very good thread...way to pay it forward!:sun

[pyroman9]

Thanks there rocketsocks! I figure instead of hunting down threads if people have questions just post them here... easier for me :) lol

[parser]

I would appreciate some feedback about my gear list so far. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag6bbASg6ATkdEZmTmhqQ1QtR3hma1NURFBEWV9yU kE&usp=sharing

[pyroman9]

fleece and a puffy? why? fleece get heavy when wet... no real need for both... considering your already carrying 2 sets of long underwear also....

just a thought. otherwise not bad - get the rest of the weights filled in. i highly advise the site i posted on my first post for a gear list - it is designed for it and already set up, and free

[Adriana]

Can you tell me more a about your puffy down Patagonia? What model you used, why you chose it, cost trade-offs, etc?

[Adriana]

How much do you estimate you spent on:

gear before the hike
food/supplies before the hike
gear replacements during hike
food during hike
lodging during hike
other

[pyroman9]

adriana - it was the patagonia down special edition jacket - basically the same as their other lightweight but a oz or two lighter - and i got special deals on gear because i worked at a outdoor retailer prior. I did not really break up prices but during the hike i spent around $2,500-$3,000

[JHG008]

What are your thoughts on gaiters? Did you wear them? Would you recommend them or no?

[pyroman9]

JHG - Consider what you are wearing them for and what level of gaiter you would want. Yes I wore them - but not the big annoying ones. I wore the Mountain Hardwear Ankle high running gaiters - they stay attached to your shoe via velco (I buffed it up with some super glue). They kept debris out of my shoe and kept ticks from getting in my socks as much. It did not provide any water repellant but that was not the desire or need as my feet would still get wet. And if your knee deep in mud - who cares... ha. I liked having them as they kept the crap out of my socks - which are very important to your feet. Clean feet = Happy Feet

[pyroman9]

what other questions do you all have? season is starting!!!

[JHG008]

Want to review my gear list? Am I missing anything or should I add anything?


http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=10969

[pyroman9]

will check it out tonight - have to run a few errands real quick.

[pyroman9]

ok looks really great - just a few things in my opinion strictly - but very very good setup i think so far!

long underwear - personally i would not bring it - i never wore mine and most with me did not either - especially with a long sleeve shirt and a rain coat ... just hike faster or put the jacket on unzipped it will warm you up plenty.

socks - either ditch a pair as you will want bare feet in camp to let feet air out. or ditch your gloves and use the extra set of socks as mittens if needed - you will rarely need them (again IMO) but my hands get cold very easily from my mountaineering days and near frostbite once.

sleeping pad being short see how you like it. I am a fan of sleeping very well = hike very well... so i used a full length.

otherwise great freaking setup - when do you head out?

[Son Driven]

Hey, Bomber.

You and Salt Bomb blew past me somewhere while I was attempting my thru.

What's your AFSC? Got your 1st base assignment yet? I was SP for 5.5 years - cross-trained into computers - was tired of ND winters!

Good luck!

USAF Security Police SAC FE Warren AFB Cheyenne, WY 75-79

Heading out for my first ever thru hike 3/6/13. At my age I plan on taking it slow an easy. I want to saivor every step, and all the pain associated with it.

[SunnyWalker]

Pyroman: First, thanks for your service in the greatest Air Force in the world. Second, I watched your video and it was really enjoyable. Thanks for sharing, that took some time and effort. I am getting ready right now to hit the CDT NOBO this April. RIGHT now am recovering from an amputation of left toe of left foot (that little piggy went ....). I was wondering 'bout your water sys and you answered it-Aqua Mira. I have changed to that to lighten up. Always have used a filter. My son was in an Arabic spking country for USAF. Now he's back home in UK. He's been over there for a few years. Been all over as an Arabic Linguist. Hope your training goes well. Remember to write home often and stay safe. I'll remember you in my thoughts and prayers. Kind of hard to forget a name like "Pyroman". One last thing, I could not get your gear list up. Could you post the list here for me to look at?

[SunnyWalker]

PYROMAN Also, what brand/type of sleep pad did you use? Did you cook using the ziplock type method?

[JHG008]

Thanks for the tips. I am starting March 30th. I can't wait to get out there and get going. Thanks for the help. One last thing do you think i should bring camp shoes? I keep changing my mind.

[pyroman9]

camp shoes... hell no! lightest sandels you can find... what the heck do you think your gonna do in camp? haha and march 30th should be plenty late if your considering dumping the long underwear set...

and thermarest neoair along with a Cocoon hyperlite pillow from REI (2.4 oz and its tiny but it blows up to be very comfy and plenty big).

[pyroman9]

Sunny I used my pot - ziploc method works but i enjoyed cooking my meal with adding in things like chicken or whatever else, washing one pot was very simple and never a problem.

[JHG008]

Yea I meant sandles. Thanks for pillow tip.

[SunnyWalker]

Did you ever find yourself going to two Knorrs or two Lipton dinners later on down the trail?

[pyroman9]

Late on the trail we were starving no matter what - hit around VT for us. Hell we hunted down a quail one day and ate it! haha.

[wiz]

Did you do any mail drops or did you do a self supported hike?

[pyroman9]

wiz - I supported myself for the most part - however bucketlist sent me six or seven mail drops of food supplies. Very cool trail magic!