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View Full Version : Need a little hlep for my 2014 hike



Happy44
07-10-2013, 06:53
I did a hike from duncannon PA to pairsburg Va, about 500 miles in 2012, from aug 22 to oct 1, i went with ZERO knowledge of hiking overnights and Learn a great deal over the 6 weeks! my biggest issue was the cold temps that came thru in late sept, in southern va, the lows were in the mid 30s and my sleeping bag was rated 20 degrees but i felt like i was freezing to death every night and i had to stop my hike, i was hoping that someone would guide me with what to bring for the cooler temps in my THUR HIKE 2014 from springer to katahdin , i have the know how for the summertime but zero experience of hiking in the cold/snow so what sleeping bag and clothes should i be bringing? + will trail running shoes work in march and April in the great smokys! thx for your help, HAPPY 2012 :)

q-tip
07-10-2013, 10:05
I have a complete cold weather gear list is you are interested, PM me, Q-tip

fizz3499
07-10-2013, 10:43
You said you used a 20 degree sleeping bag could you tellsus who made it. In my personal experience temp ratings on sleeping bags arenot a very good indicatorof how warm the bag will actually keep you. Some things I doto help keep me warmer on cold nights, I put on my midweight base layer along withmerino wool socks and mywool knit cap. I eat and drink something hot and reasonablehigh in carbs before bed and I put boiling water in my aluminum water bottle. ( put that inyour sleeping bag and zip it up 20 minutes or sobefore you plan to go to sleep. I also put the water bottleinside a pair of wool socks to keep it warm longer.) If I wake up in the middle of the night cold I can alwaysreheat the water in the bottle and put it back in my sleepingbag. While I am waiting for the water to get hot I would dosome kind of exercise like jumping jacks to get my body temp back up. One last thing make sure your sleeping pad has agood R rating because you will never stay warm if you are losingbody heat through conduction to the cold ground all nightlong.

Just Bill
07-10-2013, 10:58
Trail runners- provided you have taken plenty of dayhikes/tune-up trips with them to make sure you picked the right ones are excellent choices anywhere on the trail. However, if your pack is over 35 pounds, you may find a boot or a hybrid (lightweight boot) a better choice. You may also want/need some neoprene socks during the wet/cold season. A GOOD twenty degree bag should be plenty. Synthetics quickly loose their insulating value, especially if you use a compression sack or beat them up. Most synthetics see a 10-15 degree drop after a year, if your bag was a bit older or beat up- that may have been the culprit. Some folks like down, but I personally think the AT is too damp. As mentioned, your sleeping pad is just as important. A short length pad is fine in summer, but once it gets colder stick to a good full length pad. Did you wear a hat? Sleep in your clothes? Bring a pair of heavy wool sleep socks and use them only for sleeping. You can easily add 10-15 degrees of warmth by simply sleeping in everything you brought. Also- even if you sleep in shelters- they can be pretty windy, so consider a light bivy or if you have a shelter along sleep inside it, even if you don't set it up. Having a wind stopping shell of some sort can make a huge difference. Finally- consider a Harpers to Springer, Harpers to Katahdin hike- there are lots of advantages to this trip, one of the biggest for you- milder temps during the spring.

fizz3499
07-10-2013, 11:02
You said you used a 20 degree sleeping bag could you tell us who made it. In my personal experience temp ratings on sleeping bags are not a very good indicator of how warm the bag will actually keep you. Some things I do to help keep warmer on cold nights, I put on my midweight base layer along with merino wool socks and my wool knit cap. I eat and drink something hot and high in carbs before bed and I put boiling water in my aluminum water bottle. ( put that in your sleeping bag and zip it up 20 minutes or so before you plan to go to sleep. I also put the water bottle inside a pair of wool socks to keep it warm longer.) If I wake up in the middle of the night cold I can always reheat the water in the bottle and put it back in my sleeping bag. While I am waiting for the water to get hot I would do some kind of exercise like jumping jacks to get my body temp back up. One last thing make sure your sleeping pad has a good R rating because you will never stay warm if you are losing body heat to the cold ground all night long.

max patch
07-10-2013, 11:04
Something is wrong is you are freezing in a 20 degree bag when it is 35 degrees. What bag do you own?

Most importantly, there is no reason to start a thru in March especially if you do not like cold weather. Start April 1 to April 15. You'll still have cold nights but much better than starting earlier.

ryan850
07-10-2013, 12:25
I can believe a 20 degree bag would be cold in 35 degree weather. I sleep cold too. On my April thru-hike of the Long Trail in Vermont, my friend slept fine in a 30 degree bag in 25 degree weather and I'm shivered in my 15. I switch from a torso-length therm-a-rest sleeping pad to a full-length neoair and was never cold again.

I agree with Max Patch, start later if you can. If you get to the Smokies by mid to late April, you'll probably miss most of the snow. It got down to 15 at night when I was in the Smokies on my 2011 Southbound thru-hike, but that was mid-December. I'd still go with quick-drying trail runners if it were me since daytime temperatures are probably going to be above 30. Have an extra dry pair of socks to change into though.

Plan to stay in shelters too. I think they all have fireplaces in the Smokies, and most had tarps to enclose them.

It also doesn't hurt to throw a few hand warmers in your pack. That 15-degree night, I slept with one on my chest between layers of clothing and it helped a lot (just don't sleep with them against your skin). Also, stuffing extra clothes and gear inside my sleeping bag around cold spots helped a lot too.

I wrote more about cold weather on the AT here if you're interested: http://ryangrayson.blogspot.com/2013/03/q-with-2013-at-thru-hiker-victor.html.

Happy44
07-10-2013, 15:33
http://www.amazon.com/Sports-TrailHead-Ultralight-Sleeping-87-Inch/dp/B007JTLKCC i used this bag

Happy44
07-10-2013, 15:39
A guy on the trail said that i was moving to fast because of the weight i lost ( i went form 240 down to 185 ) in a month and that my body would stop using its energy to heat myself at night and focus on muscle building or something more productive, i dont know how right this guy was but it sounds legit! i was thinking thats why i was SO Freaking cold! i had a pair if long pants and a light jacket that i slept with in the sleeping bag and in the tent but i remember just shaking all nite to the point were it stopped being fun :(

1234
07-10-2013, 18:11
Get a zero bag, quality. 750-800 or 900 down. Get a good down puff ball jacket, wear a beanie hat at night and down booties. you will not get cold in this set up. period. OH stay dry, that can be so hard to do. just my 2 cent from experience.

Happy44
07-10-2013, 18:13
what are the sizes of the zero bags? i have a large pack but zero bags are HUGE!