Last Minute Gear Help

[Clueless Canuck]

I am leaving for my thru-hike in a couple of days (my start date is Feb 19) and am trying to ditch as many unnecessary items as possible. I have a few questions as I'm still undecided on a few things.

1. I have a pair of zip-off pants, a pair of rain pants, a pair of long johns, and a pair of fleece sweat pants. Would the long johns provide enough insulation that I can leave the sweat pants home?

2. I have a small inflatable foam pad for sitting on snow. Is this something that I can leave behind?

3. I was going to bring two pairs of hiking socks and two pairs of thick wool socks. Is it going to be cold often enough to justify bringing two pairs of wool socks, or can I look at leaving one behind?

4. I have some upper body thermal underwear, a long sleeved shirt, a short sleeved shirt, a very light wind jacket and a water proof jacket. I've been debating taking my fleece hoodie which is kind of bulky, or a down vest. Does anyone have any suggestions on what would be the better option?

5. On a completely unrelated note, has anyone had any experiences getting food confiscated at the airport. I'm bringing some beef jerkey, trail mix, peanut butter, and other standard hiking foods with me, but I'm a little paranoid that it'll get taken. I'm on an international flight if that makes any difference (though half the food was made in the USA).

I appreciate any help anyone can give me. I've spent the last few days trying to figure out how I'm going to pack and I hadn't really realized how heavy everything was going to be (I'm at about 38 lbs including food and water). I don't think I can save too much weight without replacing my tent and backpack, but I'm hoping I can at least save a little bit of space since I can barely close my backpack right now.

[royalusa]

5. On a completely unrelated note, has anyone had any experiences getting food confiscated at the airport. I'm bringing some beef jerkey, trail mix, peanut butter, and other standard hiking foods with me, but I'm a little paranoid that it'll get taken. I'm on an international flight if that makes any difference (though half the food was made in the USA).



Peanut butter is considered a gel and is therefore limited to the 3 ounce restriction for carry-on baggage. Same goes for Nutella if you are carrying it too.

[royalusa]

On the clothing questions, it is hard to give good advice without knowing more info. Are the clothing items listed just for hiking or are they also for sleeping? If some are for sleeping, which ones are dedicated to sleeping (i.e., won't be used for hiking where they run the risk of getting wet) and what sleeping pad and bag do you have packed?

With your early start you need to be prepared for single digit Fahrenheit temps at night and teen Fahrenheit temps during the day.

[The Cleaner]

8* this AM at Purchase Knob above Maggie Valley....High near 25* with some wind....

[bigcranky]

Pants: The sweat pants would be for camp and sleeping, so my first question is, what sleeping bag do you have? If you are starting with a winter bag, then you probably don't need them. If you're starting in Feb with a 20 or 30-F bag, then I'd bring the fleece sweats.

Sit pad: I would get a piece of closed cell foam and cut it to the size of your, er, sitting area, and bring that. It's very useful on the trail to keep you from losing heat to the ground or rock when sitting for a break, *and* you can stick it inside your sleeping bag under your feet for a surprising amount of extra warmth. I would not bring an inflatable sit pad, too much work.

Socks: 1 pair of thick wool socks is enough. Keep them with your sleeping bag for camp and sleeping, and don't get them wet.

Top: You don't have any real insulation on this list. It's going to be cold. I would bring my down jacket for a Feb start -- at the very least you'll want the down vest. I realize you are from Canada, however, and probably used to colder weather. But don't underestimate the Southern Appalachians in late winter.

Food: no, but I've seen the Dept of Agriculture dogs sniffing bags at the airport coming back from an international flight. If it's cooked and packaged you probably don't have anything to worry about -- they are usually concerned about fresh fruits and other plant material. But yeah, could happen.

Good luck and happy trails!

[Blissful]

I hope your sweatpants are not cotton!! If so DO NOT take them. Same for long johns. NO COTTON Check the tags.

You need an insulating jacket or you'll freeze. I took down. Be sure you have a hat too, and gloves

In my opinion you need three pairs of socks. Blisters are a big issue early on and sweaty dirty socks will compound it.

You may want to post your gearlist. I have a feeling we can help you with it. Or you can e-mail it to me too.

Sure I'd take an inflatable seat. I did. Loved it.

Food that is not liquid you can actually take in a food bag on the plane. You're allowed "food" for snacks and lunch anyway, and we got away with taking a nice parcel of backpacking food on board. I mean, they don't know your appetite. The rest you need to check in your checked bag.

[Clueless Canuck]

Thank you for all of the replies. I think I'm going to go the safe route and take too much clothing (I can always mail it home later), since I don't want to get hypothermia or frostbite again. I have no cotton clothing, and my experience has been that all of my hiking clothing dries quickly. I'm guessing the hoodie should be enough for insulation (it's pretty bulky and it's kept me warm at 0F and below), but I'll bring the down vest for breaks and camp. My biggest problem was space, and I've semi resolved that by putting my tent on the outside of my pack.

I'm hoping I'm not the only person with a much larger pack than necessary. I've done plenty of hikes with 35+ lbs so I'm not worried about it killing my progress, I just don't want to look too stupid (I'm already going to smell bad, I don't need to look bad too).

[bigcranky]

You won't look stupid. Most folks will have big packs, and all kinds of things they probably don't really need. I've seen 100 feet of climbing rope, full size axes, full size laptop computers, etc. A fleece hoodie is no big deal.

[MuddyWaters]

The more hiking socks you bring, the more wet socks you will be carrying around, as they never dry completely.
2pr hiking socks is enough. One to wear, one to wash out.

One pair for sleeping if you feet get cold in your bag.
Honestly, if your bag is warm enough, you dont need sleep socks.
A few extra oz of down in the bag for a warmer bag, is worth far more than a few oz wt of socks. Far , Far , more.
Carrying 4oz of socks for sleeping is a ridiculous waste of weight that could be put to better use.

If your feet get cold, wrap them in your rainjacket, or such works to add a bit of warmth too. At least as much as another pair of socks.

[bigcranky]

Let me put in a plug for a nice pair of wool socks for sleeping. (Hate to disagree with muddy, but I do.) Wool socks are great to wear in a sleeping bag. They keep my feet much warmer and drier, absorb any moisture, and prevent the clammy skin-on-nylon feeling. When I get up to answer the call of nature, my feet stay warm in my wool socks and camp shoes. In short, 3 oz is a small price to pay for that much comfort.

(Sorry, MW.)

[BrianLe]

Big Cranky started to get into this; I have to agree that you (O.P.) haven't given us enough information to really be of help.

Fleec sweat pants are likely something you'll regret, but without knowing the totality of your clothing carried, your sleeping bag, padding underneath, tent (if you plan to spend many nights in tent vs. shelter) --- you really have to look at this stuff as a system.

Foam pad: agreed that a small ccf sitpad is enough, if anything. Sometimes you'll adjust your ~lunch time to eat in a shelter along the way (to be out of wind and/or dry), others just whereever. I doubt you'll sit on snow much for a break, Smokies perhaps an exception.

Socks: is one of those pairs for sleeping or do you have someting else to keep your feet warm at night? In either case I agree that two pairs of wool socks is enough.

Upper body clothing. What's your primary in-camp and taking-a-break insulation layer? You didn't list anything like that, and for a late Feb start you really need something like that. Then you also need enough warm clothing to hike in, and even that depends on your hiking style and metabolism. If you take upper body thermal underwear, I suggest only something light and thin --- that dries fast. I'm not a fan of a fleece hoody unless it's a pretty thin, fast-drying one (Patagonia R1 for example).

[Datto]

You won't look stupid. Most folks will have big packs, and all kinds of things they probably don't really need.

Ha, wait until you see the people on your AT thru-hike who are carrying cast-iron skillets and radiator clamps. Or a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey stick.

Still cracks me up.


Datto

[SunnyWalker]

What was the hockey stick for? Did the hiker plan on playing ice hockey?