Early June Start - Preliminary Gear List

[futuretj]

Hey Everyone,

I am planning on thru-hiking this summer and I was wondering if I could get some input on my gear list. I would like to be able to carry this kit and have it work for the entire trail or until it wears out. Am I forgetting anything? Is there anything you can see that would cause me a headache on the trail? The items with stars next to them are the items I have yet to purchase. If you have an idea for an alternative item I would love to hear it.

Thank you!
-FutureTJ

http://lighterpack.com/r/frtx96

[map man]

Do you need a Leatherman AND a knife? Do you need chemical drops AND a filter for treating water? Do you need duct tape AND moleskin? Only bring a Nalgene if you are going to put hot liquids in it sometimes -- otherwise a Smart Water or Gatorade 32 ounce bottle will do for a third of the weight. Think about whether you need the ground cloth and tent liner -- in over a hundred nights out on the trail I have yet to have my Tarptent floor punctured (without a groundcloth) or had condensation cause me any difficulty that couldn't be taken care of with a couple quick swipes with a bandana or small camp towel. Hey, good luck on your hike -- I hope it turns out to be a low snow winter in Maine for your early June start.

[Honuben]

Only things I didn't see were hats, one for sun and a beanie/balaclava. I'll be starting on the 14th so maybe we'll run into each other.

[futuretj]

Thank you for the suggestions on cutting weight map man. I will probably ditch the liner and groundcloth. The Nalgene is indeed for hot water. Honuben, good catch on the hats. I will add those in. Thank you very much and I look forward to seeing you out on the trail.

[Honuben]

I've also looking at bug nets to include in my pack as lots of folks are saying bugs are bad in June/July up north and they weigh next to nothing. One item I'm on the fence about are camp shoes (also for stream crossings). I picked up some crocs but they are about one pound in weight. Though I'm not overly concerned about my pack weight I'm trying to keep it reasonably. What program did you use for pie chart breakdown? if possible could you pm it to me?

[futuretj]

A bug net for the head and camp shoes are things I was going to go without but now I'm rethinking that. I've hiked in the Adirondack Mountains and those black flies can be really annoying. I came back once looking like I had chicken pox from all of the bites.

[map man]

Since I did some nit-picking with my first post let me mention a couple big ticket items on your list that I think are likely to work very well. That Granite Gear pack is one that many folks here at WB are pleased with after thru-hiking with it. Likewise, Enlightened Equipment brand quilts have earned a very good reputation and I think you made an "enlightened" choice since a quilt is likely to work with more versatility than a sleeping bag for handling both cold times at the beginning and end of your hike and warm times in the middle (since you prefer to use just one item for the whole trip).

[futuretj]

Thanks map man. I actually chose those items based on the recommendations here and over at appalachiantrail.reddit.com and ultralight.reddit.com. I am getting really excited for this trip!