gear list for spring backpacking from a newbie

[slovakiasteph]

I’m a very new beginner working on a gear list… I’ve been backpacking one whole night, but am planning another trip at the end of March and a 3-6 day trip on the AT at the end of May. I’ll have to carry all my own gear. In Indiana, it could still be quite cold at the end of March.

I don’t want to spend a lot of money on new supplies, but am looking for ways to pare this down a bit. My clothes seem very heavy, but I’m not sure how I can get along with less, especially in March/May in the mountains. I will have a puffy to wear in camp in March-- will I need to bring that on the AT in late May? I figured I could layer my fleece with my rain jacket (although I'm not yet sure if I want to use a poncho or rain jacket). I might not take my fleece hat on the AT? My fleece jacket has a hood.

I’m trying to find out if I could use something else as a lid for my cookpot to save a few ounces besides the lid that came with it (that can also double as a smaller pot). I also might not take my mug, but… well, not sure just how light I want to go, and it does fit perfectly inside my cookpot. I need to be able to drink my morning tea without burning my lips. :) I’m sure some of knowing what I can toss will come with experience.

There are a few items whose weight I don’t know, so I left those blank…and I can’t find my Aquamira, so couldn’t weigh it.

Okay, enough yakking and on to the list. Did I forget anything?




THE BIG FOUR






Lightheart duo

32






Go lite jam L

30





sleeping bag (kelty 20 cosmic down)

31





therma rest z-lite

14







107

6.68





KITCHEN






stove and fuel (pocket rocket, canister)

16






Pot (wal-mart find- holds 32 oz)

8.8






Spoon (LMF spork)

0.5






bandana







scrubber

0.1






water bottle(s) (Gatorade)

2






Mug?

2






Bic mini lighter

0.4






platypus bladder

1.2






Aquamira






total:

31

2



















CLOTHES








1 t-shirt


4.6






1 pr shorts

5.6






fleece

8






1 set underwear

1.8






1 pr socks

2






rain jacket

8.8






hat (rain)

3






long underwear


8.8






Fleece hat

2.2









44.8

2.8






LIBRARY







Book?




















compass

1






Maps, guidebook

7

0.5

0.5


















MISC.








headlamp

2.8






stuffsacks

6






rope

2






orange shovel

3.4






duct tape

1






knife

0.8






pillow

3.5













cell phone







19.5

1.21






TOILETRIES
(not sure on the weights on some of these yet)
first-aid kit

1.6






towel














TP

1.2






soap

3






blister gel

3






chapstick

1






bug spray

2






brush







toothbrush

2

1














32.52

11.74

[slbirdnerd]

I'm a noob, too, so you can take my comments with a grain of salt! ;) I think your list looks really good, but there are lots of things I have learned by lurking here. One is you don't need the orange shovel (did REI tell you to bring that ;) ?). Use the back of your boot/shoe, a stick, etc. You may not need the pillow. Some use their pack, or a stuff sack with clothes in you're not wearing, etc. I'll use my clothes bag with something stuffed in it, or my pack if it's dry. I think you need a carabiner/rock sack to go with your rope for bear bagging. Also, a small home made first aid kit. I would take the mug if you might make coffee or cocoa. Make sure you have at least 2 pairs of socks, I see a lot say 1 to wear, 1 to dry and 1 for camp, always keeping the dry pair dry for camp. I am doing an REI trip in the Smokies in May as a precursor, and the GA AT in June. I about have all my gear scraped together and am so excited. Bet you are too! Have great hikes!

[Rocket Jones]

You can use a piece of heavy duty foil for a lid. You don't really need the soap or the shovel, and you should definitely carry an extra pair of socks or two.

[slovakiasteph]

I'm a noob, too, so you can take my comments with a grain of salt! ;) I think your list looks really good, but there are lots of things I have learned by lurking here. One is you don't need the orange shovel (did REI tell you to bring that ;) ?). Use the back of your boot/shoe, a stick, etc. You may not need the pillow. Some use their pack, or a stuff sack with clothes in you're not wearing, etc. I'll use my clothes bag with something stuffed in it, or my pack if it's dry. I think you need a carabiner/rock sack to go with your rope for bear bagging. Also, a small home made first aid kit. I would take the mug if you might make coffee or cocoa. Make sure you have at least 2 pairs of socks, I see a lot say 1 to wear, 1 to dry and 1 for camp, always keeping the dry pair dry for camp. I am doing an REI trip in the Smokies in May as a precursor, and the GA AT in June. I about have all my gear scraped together and am so excited. Bet you are too! Have great hikes!

I did try sleeping with my extra clothes last year, but it didn't work well (too small, kept slipping), so thought I'd try the pillow. I do have a biner and rock sack somewhere... will have to add them to the list. Thanks!


You can use a piece of heavy duty foil for a lid. You don't really need the soap or the shovel, and you should definitely carry an extra pair of socks or two.

I thought about foil, but wouldn't it blow away easily? I need to find something that's a good weight but not too heavy.

Our soil around here is rooty/rocky/hard so a stick won't work for a cathole... and I want to keep my trail runners from breaking for as long as possible. I'm hard enough on shoes as it is. :)

[Sarcasm the elf]

You can use a piece of heavy duty foil for a lid. You don't really need the soap or the shovel, and you should definitely carry an extra pair of socks or two.

Agreed...

Do you use trekking poles? The carbide tip on mine does a great job of digging a hole.

Extra socks are important.

Now regarding your first planned trip, here's some advice that the ultra light hikers are going to completely disagree with...

Assuming that you mean real, below freezing conditions when you say cold weather, it's best to be cautious. Almost anyone can hike ultralight in the summer when the daily lows are in the 60*'s, but being light weight in the cold takes a bit of knowledge. You learn what you really do and don't need through experience, all of us that are giving you advice are "experts" here on the internet, but don't forget that we all figured out what works for us individually through trial and error.

If you're a beginner, throw at least one extra mini bic into your bag. Keep it with your first aid kit just in case, hopefully you won't need it but it sucks when you're tired and not thinking straight and suddenly you realize that you've lost your lighter and can't cook dinner.

Are the listed cloths an extra set you are carrying or are these the cloths you're wearing and the only ones you'll have? If you're hiking in the cold and are a beginner, you should consider bringing some extra cloths just in case. If you're inexperienced and hiking in cold weather, it's better to bring an extra pound or two of clothing then to have a cold miserable night that makes you not want to go backpacking again.

You can offset some of the clothing weight by putting extra clothes in a stuff sack and using that as a pillow instead of bringing a separate one.

On that subject, make sure your sleeping bag is in a waterproof stuffsack while you are hiking. Consider a dry sleeping bag to be an essential piece of safety equipment in cold weather.

If you're camping in below freezing conditions, your zlite foam pad may leave you a little cold. If I'm expecting weather much below 30*f, I bring an extra pad to supplement the insulation of my zlite.

[Odd Man Out]

Ditch the shovel, but keep the soap. Buy a small bar of ivory soap for a buck, cut off a small piece and throw away the rest. It's a basic tool for hygiene and first aid (best way to clean cuts and scrapes). Bring a backup for first starting (another lighter or book of matches).

[Rocket Jones]

Good point about the extra pad. For winter camping I carry a length of blue foam pad from WalMart. With that on top of my regular pad, I'm much better insulated from the heat-sucking ground. A smaller piece makes an almost weightless sit pad that keeps you from freezing your butt off during the cooler months of the year.

[Chaco Taco]

Looks good, you could shave somethings down a little

I’m a very new beginner working on a gear list… I’ve been backpacking one whole night, but am planning another trip at the end of March and a 3-6 day trip on the AT at the end of May. I’ll have to carry all my own gear. In Indiana, it could still be quite cold at the end of March.

I don’t want to spend a lot of money on new supplies, but am looking for ways to pare this down a bit. My clothes seem very heavy, but I’m not sure how I can get along with less, especially in March/May in the mountains. I will have a puffy to wear in camp in March-- will I need to bring that on the AT in late May? I figured I could layer my fleece with my rain jacket (although I'm not yet sure if I want to use a poncho or rain jacket). I might not take my fleece hat on the AT? My fleece jacket has a hood.

I’m trying to find out if I could use something else as a lid for my cookpot to save a few ounces besides the lid that came with it (that can also double as a smaller pot). I also might not take my mug, but… well, not sure just how light I want to go, and it does fit perfectly inside my cookpot. I need to be able to drink my morning tea without burning my lips. :) I’m sure some of knowing what I can toss will come with experience.

There are a few items whose weight I don’t know, so I left those blank…and I can’t find my Aquamira, so couldn’t weigh it.

Okay, enough yakking and on to the list. Did I forget anything?




THE BIG FOUR





Lightheart duo
32





Go lite jam L
30




sleeping bag (kelty 20 cosmic down)
31




therma rest z-lite
14






107
6.68




KITCHEN





stove and fuel (pocket rocket, canister)
16





Pot (wal-mart find- holds 32 oz)
8.8





Spoon (LMF spork)
0.5





bandana






scrubber
0.1





water bottle(s) (Gatorade)
2





Mug? Probably could ditch this
2





Bic mini lighter
0.4





platypus bladder
1.2





Aquamira





total:
31
2


















CLOTHES






1 t-shirt Hiking t shirt or cotton
4.6





1 pr shorts
5.6





fleece
8





1 set underwear Id carry an extra pair
1.8





1 pr socks Id have an extra on backup to change into in camp
2





rain jacket
8.8





hat (rain)
3





long underwear I think its always best to keep these in your pack year round, you just never know
8.8





Fleece hat def hand on to this. It can get cold.
2.2







44.8
2.8




LIBRARY






Book?


















compass
1





Maps, guidebook
7
0.5
0.5

















MISC.






headlamp
2.8





stuffsacks You could probably do away with most of these
6





rope
2





orange shovel Id leave it and use your heel
3.4





duct tape wrap a bunch on your lighters
1





knife
0.8





pillow
3.5












cell phone






19.5
1.21




TOILETRIES
(not sure on the weights on some of these yet)
first-aid kit
1.6





towel












TP
1.2





soap
3





blister gel
3





chapstick
1





bug spray I think you could ditch this for a march hike but def have for a May hike
2





brush why got a date??






toothbrush
2
1













32.52
11.74

[slovakiasteph]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I will be wearing one set of clothing (t-shirt, short or pants, etc). It won't get below 20 at night, so I think I'll be fine there. I'll definitely bring a few extra pairs of socks, though, because I realized my feet might be cold with just one (they even get cold in my 58 degree house). I might end up wearing most of my packed clothes when I go out in March, but I'll have a puffy for camp (just don't have it yet).

I've been reading on BPL about stuffsacks and will go through and decide which I really need... definitely a waterproof one for my down bag.

I don't understand how people use the heel of their shoes to dig a 6-8 inch hole?

For soap, I was planning to use Bronners for washing and dishes. I'll stash an extra mini bic somewhere, thanks!

[grayfox]

Lots of good thoughts above--a gear list is like housework in that it is never really done, it is more of a lifelong endeavor.

I use a small cotton/poly travel pillow case with a light zipper and cheerful pattern as a clothes bag. It makes an excellent nonslip pillow at night and I don't need it to be water resistant in my pack, just need it to have my clothes in one place and easy to find.

Your local thrift store may have a lid to fit your pot--heavy duty foil works but a lid can be a plate or a clean prep area. When there, look at the old silverware and utensils for a large spoon that might be able to replace your orange trowel. In summer a boot heel or stick works ok but when the ground is frozen or dry you may be able to do a better job with a more serious tool. Mine says 'do not use for food' in nail polish -- still!!! My first choice is an MSR snow stake @$5, regular aluminum will bend.

My 20 degree Kelty bag is only good to 35 at best and I only use it in summer but it's old and yours may be ok.

Have fun, enjoy the hike and the ongoing process.

[Chaco Taco]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I will be wearing one set of clothing (t-shirt, short or pants, etc). It won't get below 20 at night, so I think I'll be fine there. I'll definitely bring a few extra pairs of socks, though, because I realized my feet might be cold with just one (they even get cold in my 58 degree house). I might end up wearing most of my packed clothes when I go out in March, but I'll have a puffy for camp (just don't have it yet).

I've been reading on BPL about stuffsacks and will go through and decide which I really need... definitely a waterproof one for my down bag.

I don't understand how people use the heel of their shoes to dig a 6-8 inch hole?

For soap, I was planning to use Bronners for washing and dishes. I'll stash an extra mini bic somewhere, thanks!

Digging a hole with the heel of you shoe is quite easy, or you can just use some sticks. I just think trowels are silly, unsanitary and, like camp shoes, I find them pointless