Another gear question... THANKS!

[Aviator37]

I'm leaving early may and ending late august. Some forums convinced me to start below damascus, VA so that I can finish in Maine. My main concerns are weather. I don't believe I'll run into really any cold weather but i've always liked to be better prepared than sorry. I'm debating on buying a thermarest mat to fit into my hammock because i've heard the breeze can catch and give you "cold butt" but with the weather not getting very low then i'm not sure it would be worth it since i have a 15 degree sleeping bag. I have shoes/socks and I typically research everything for a very long time before I buy stuff so any suggestions and tips would be GREATLY appreciated. I've been slowly making this list when ever I find the time to look up weights. I don't have a pack on there because I'm waiting until I get all of my gear picked out before I buy a pack to know how much space I'll need.

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=11271

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

[Datto]

Suggestions:

If you end up taking a pair of hiking trousers, don't take the rain pants.

If I were you, I'd start in Damascus, VA and head north from there in early May (that'll make the northbound hike an average of 14.5 miles per calendar day or so to get to Katahdin which is faster than normal speed for most people). Starting in Damascus you'll make friends with the other hikers and if for some reason you get to all the way to Katahdin and decide you want to extend your timetable/hike and finish the AT, you can return to Damascus and head south to Springer Mountain, GA in the autumn. If you're not in great shape right now, I'd start at Waynesboro instead since the beginning of your hike would have you starting out hiking through easier Shenandoah terrain rather than overtop of Mt. Rogers that's just north of Damascus (steep).

Also, if you use Potable Aqua/Polarpure/Aquamira your weight for water treatment will be less (not for people who have a thyroid problem) and you'll likely have considerably less hassle in treating your water along the Trail.

Take earplugs so you can get sleep at night. Use the brown Hearos brand if you have sensitive ear canals.

Backpack -- you'll want to get this in the 2.0 to 2.8 lbs range (empty weight). If you're looking for a suggestion, look at the Granite Gear Vapor Trail -- that is the best, most comfortable overall long-distance backpack I've ever owned.

Stove -- I would make sure you're going to be able to get canisters along the Trail for that stove -- most everyplace for resupply will have Heet (Alcohol) available for fuel to use with an alcohol stove. Make sure you don't get Isopropyl Alcohol if you switch to an alcohol stove (doesn't burn very well but the container looks a lot like a Heet container). The plus side of using that canister stove is that it's considerably less hassle than an alcohol stove so it's more a question of fuel availability.

Headnet -- be sure to take a No-See-Um headnet so the gnats don't harrass your face while you're hiking (they're terribly annoying). Further north in the Swamp Fuss of New Jersey and Connecticut the headnet will be invaluable to fight off the incessant mosquitoes.

Sleeping Bag -- you can probably get by with a 30*F sleeping bag to save weight since you're starting later than normal and it'll be warmer for you all the way north. If money is no object look at the Marmot Hydrogen sleeping bag.

If those Adidas shorts have a liner that doesn't cut up your business I'd forget the Exofficio underwear.


Datto

[bigcranky]

If you're going to sleep in a hammock, just get a 3/4 length closed cell foam pad, like a Ridge Rest. Works fine for warmish weather. The Thermarest is overkill unless you think you'll end up in a shelter (and the hammock is a lot more comfortable.) The CCF pad can be used at lunch and breaks, too.

[canoe]

Check out hammock forum for more help on your hammock

[fredmugs]

If you're in great shape I would do the whole thing. Most younger thru hikers that I run into can knock out 20+ mile days no problem once they get going.

[Aviator37]

Awesome guys! thanks. Yea I'm in decent shape but I wouldn't say GREAT shape. I just started running again so did 3.5 miles yesterday. I thought about doing the WHOLE thing but I started calculating things up and it seemed i'd be doing 20+ miles a day and thats not including going into to town to resupply and possibly meet people at a bars etc.. (going with a friend) I did read something about the CCF pad and wanted to test something like that out. As for the head net I have stuff called permethelin? "spelling" that you can treat your cloths with and it supposedly works really well but if not I'm sure I can probably find one along the way at a resupply area. The canisters are pretty standard I think EN 223 or something? but they can be found almost anywhere. I'm carrying the stove and my friend will carry the canisters. =D

[Snowleopard]

... As for the head net I have stuff called permethelin? "spelling" that you can treat your cloths with and it supposedly works really well but if not I'm sure I can probably find one along the way at a resupply area. ...
Permethrin: you treat your clothes with it, NOT your skin. It kills bugs that land or crawl across treated clothing. It makes it harder for bugs to bite through treated clothes. Combined with long pants it helps with ticks (Lyme disease); ticks crawling up your treated pants will die and fall off. It works pretty good; the spray on stuff lasts a month. It isn't a repellent, so a bug that is on your skin an inch away from treated clothes will be perfectly happy. So, the best thing to do when the bugs are bad is to use DEET on exposed skin and permethrin on clothes.
Head net: YES! I hate the things, but when the bugs are bad I use them. Black flies like to swarm around your eyes, which drives me crazy even if they're not biting.

[wesleygalles]

Wesley here from hammockforums.net

You'll definitely need a pad, even if you're in temps below 60*. Whenever you lay on your bag, you squish any insulation it would give you from the bottom. I have a 15* bag and I laid out in it the other day at about 55* and I had to run in to get my pad. Get the big blue one from Walmart and just cut to size.

[Aviator37]

wonderful. I'll check out walmart tomorrow wesley and I'll def. look into the bug nets. thanks for all the info guys.

[Tinker]

Permethrin: you treat your clothes with it, NOT your skin. It kills bugs that land or crawl across treated clothing. It makes it harder for bugs to bite through treated clothes. Combined with long pants it helps with ticks (Lyme disease); ticks crawling up your treated pants will die and fall off. It works pretty good; the spray on stuff lasts a month. It isn't a repellent, so a bug that is on your skin an inch away from treated clothes will be perfectly happy. So, the best thing to do when the bugs are bad is to use DEET on exposed skin and permethrin on clothes.
Head net: YES! I hate the things, but when the bugs are bad I use them. Black flies like to swarm around your eyes, which drives me crazy even if they're not biting.

Permethrin is limited only by how you use it. To be most effective, your pants should be tucked into your socks. In the summer I use a bug suit made from mosquito netting which I treat with permethrin. To make the system work you need to wear longish socks which are not very stylish - especially with running shoes or sandals (both of which I hike in).

I hammock and used to use a 3/8" thick piece of blue foam under my back and butt. Extra clothing is all you need for your legs. Having a second 20" wide foam pad to go from elbow to elbow will help keep your torso warm because wherever the hammock compresses your sleeping bag is a place which can get cold. You could use a system like mine, to the left, if you can find a relatively tight fitting sleeping bag which has a hole at the foot end. I pull the bag up over my hammock and it keeps me warm above and below. The bag cannot hang loose below the hammock. Your body will not be able to heat up a large air space without insulation in it. I have two bags: one for three season use and one for summer only. I combine both of them in cold weather.

When the bugs are out I enclose the whole rig in a bug net made by Eagle's Nest Outfitters. Unlike an enclosed hammock with sewn in bug netting, I can sit on the side of my hammock and be relatively well protected from the bugs (I spray the bug netting with permethrin, too).

Bug suits are available from Cabela's and REI. The nylon mesh is stronger than polyester. Polyester, however, is more UV resistant.

Btw: I wear shorts under my mesh bug suit. :o

[Snowleopard]

Permethrin is limited only by how you use it. To be most effective, your pants should be tucked into your socks. In the summer I use a bug suit made from mosquito netting which I treat with permethrin. To make the system work you need to wear longish socks which are not very stylish - especially with running shoes or sandals (both of which I hike in).

You're right about tucking pants into your socks; I keep forgetting to say that. I treat my shoes also, and should treat the tops of my socks. Lyme disease is a real problem here even in your backyard. Short gaiters seem popular out west to keep junk out of your shoes; if you use them, treat the gaiters also.