2015 Early Starters

[Boots and Backpacks]

I had a look at your trail journal: a "leaker" sleeping bag is justification for refund or exchange manufacturers will, in my experience, accept.

Big Agnes does stand behind their products. We're warrantied our pads 4 times this year alone due to them leaking. I'm great that they're standing behind them, but I getting a little tired of these only lasting a few nights.

[Sir-Packs-Alot]

Top of Georgia Hostel and Hiking Center is OPEN YEAR ROUND except for Christmas and New Years. www.TopOfGeorgiaHostel.com 706-982-3252

[Slo-go'en]

Big Agnes does stand behind their products. We're warrantied our pads 4 times this year alone due to them leaking. I'm great that they're standing behind them, but I getting a little tired of these only lasting a few nights.

Maybe the problem isn't with the pad but how your using them? Having 4 pads go bad after just a few nights of use does seem a bit out of the ordinary.

[Boots and Backpacks]

Maybe the problem isn't with the pad but how your using them? Having 4 pads go bad after just a few nights of use does seem a bit out of the ordinary.

We never had any issues with the old purple style. Once they switched to the new blue material is when the issues started. Plus, I've always asked what was wrong with the pads, and what I'm doing wrong that cold cause this. Each time they tell me that it's been a factory defect where the seam hasn't been properly sealed. The only thing that I can think of that changes in what we do has been the use of their stuff sac pump. Besides that we always clear any sticks, rocks, or objects that'll poke through the tent. I always air them up in the tent so they're not touching the ground where they could get punctured by something. When sleeping with them in shelters we've always put down our footprint for added protection.

[Don H]

Yep, and the other is carrying all the gear and food. It's the best way to distribute the weight, and the best for packability. We could each carry our own stuff, and split the food down the middle. If we did it this way we'd be carrying more weight due to needing extra food bags, and dry bags/liners for clothing.

The most practical way for us to carry the weight is how we're doing it. We've been packing like this for several years, and it works out great. It doesn't matter which way we pack leaving this time of the year.

I would really think about this. I know you're hiking together but there are several scenarios where I could see where you could be separated from each or have one of your packs separated from you.

Packs get stolen
Packs go in the creek and get soaked
Emergencies happen that requires one of you to stay behind while the other gets help
Bears walk off with your pack (saw this happen in SNP, luckily we recovered it but some gear was damaged)

You say you've always done it this way but have you ever hiked together for 6 months? If you've done the AT, PCT, CDT or some other long trail then please disregard.

Of course as always, HYOH and Good luck!

[Slo-go'en]

Maybe your over inflating them then? In any event if I had 4 pads go bad, I'd switch brands! That's something you don't want to fail on the trail this time of year!

We never had any issues with the old purple style. Once they switched to the new blue material is when the issues started. Plus, I've always asked what was wrong with the pads, and what I'm doing wrong that cold cause this. Each time they tell me that it's been a factory defect where the seam hasn't been properly sealed.

[Boots and Backpacks]

I would really think about this. I know you're hiking together but there are several scenarios where I could see where you could be separated from each or have one of your packs separated from you.

Packs get stolen
Packs go in the creek and get soaked
Emergencies happen that requires one of you to stay behind while the other gets help
Bears walk off with your pack (saw this happen in SNP, luckily we recovered it but some gear was damaged)

You say you've always done it this way but have you ever hiked together for 6 months? If you've done the AT, PCT, CDT or some other long trail then please disregard.

Of course as always, HYOH and Good luck!

Nothing is going to change on how we carry. We're not going to separate on the trail, and even if we do hike separate we'll still be sleeping at the same place. I don't plan on letting my wife spend a night without me, and it goes the other way too. If her pack goes in the creek it'll fine since she has CF pack and everything in waterproof sacks. Another words, it's not going to get wet. I know an emergencies can happen, but if that's the case then packs can be repacked. Bears can walk off with packs, but if that happens we'll still have all of our camp clothes.

The longest we've been out together has been 37 days on the Colorado Trail. While it was hiking, we did spend about 10 months in the vehicle driving the Pan American Highway from Missouri. The time being together isn't going to be the problem. The problem is going to be not getting hurt or sick. There's a reason for me carrying the heavier pack, and all the heavy gear. My wife has 2 steel rods in her back from scoliosis surgery that she had when she was 7.

We've been planning this for several years, and have tried many different ways to pack/carry our gear. Everything comes back to how we're doing it now.

[Don H]

I consider a sleeping bag a piece of survival equipment and would not do an overnight hike without mine on my back. Your greatest danger is hypothermia and the conditions can exist for that any month of the year on the AT. This is why I was never comfortable with slack packing. If something happens and you don't have your survival gear (sleeping bag, rain gear) you are screwed. Simple as that.

[Boots and Backpacks]

I consider a sleeping bag a piece of survival equipment and would not do an overnight hike without mine on my back. Your greatest danger is hypothermia and the conditions can exist for that any month of the year on the AT. This is why I was never comfortable with slack packing. If something happens and you don't have your survival gear (sleeping bag, rain gear) you are screwed. Simple as that.

OK guys. The way we're packing is the way it's going to be! If you're going to complain about the way we choice to pack that's fine, but please keep it to yourself. I understand the concern, and I appreciate the support. However, we're plenty experienced and have been packing this way for years. As I mentioned earlier, we pack this way for a very important reason. For those of you that have scoliosis you understand. For those of you that don't, yo umight not understand the cautions we need to take. Things can change along the way, and packs can be repacked at any point in time. We're NOT going to separate on the trail, and that's final!

[squeezebox]

I take it you've the right pack for her. Scoliosis can certainly be troublesome at times.

[Boots and Backpacks]

I take it you've the right pack for her. Scoliosis can certainly be troublesome at times.

Tried and true Kelty pack that she's been using for a couple years. We've tried other, lighter packs like Granite Gear that only caused problems. She has a Hyperlight Mountain Gear pack that is very comfortable, but she'll have to wait until warmer weather for that one. The pack that she is going to start is fitted for her uneven shoulders, and carry the load very well. She's going to have issues no matter what, and she's going into it knowing that. It's just part of life, and something that we deal everyday in some way.

[Don H]

You doing an online journal?

[Boots and Backpacks]

You doing an online journal?

I did start a Trail Journals that I'll use. We also have a blog which is in our signature, and I'll be sure to post up on this thread. From out blog you can access our Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts.

Trail Journal- Boots and Backpacks

[Connie]

What model Hyperlight Mountain Gear?

[Boots and Backpacks]

What model Hyperlight Mountain Gear?

Windrider 3400

It's a very comfortable pack, and carries 25lbs very well.

[Connie]

I had the beginnings of a scoliosis, after a car wreck.

Numerous treatments later, a clam-shell backbrace did the trick. It is called a Raney jacket, I heard it was named after Dr. Raney. Custom Orthopedic, Divisidero St. San Francisco, CA makes it either with buckles or velcro. I never had to wear it as much as a month at a time. In fact, lying down on the back portion, often was enough for relief from back pain.

I also have Good Feet MAX inside hiking shoes for metatarsal support, and, especially, heel strike (preventing sciatic pain).

[Boots and Backpacks]

I had the beginnings of a scoliosis, after a car wreck.

Numerous treatments later, a clam-shell backbrace did the trick. It is called a Raney jacket, I heard it was named after Dr. Raney. Custom Orthopedic, Divisidero St. San Francisco, CA makes it either with buckles or velcro. I never had to wear it as much as a month at a time. In fact, lying down on the back portion, often was enough for relief from back pain.

I also have Good Feet MAX inside hiking shoes for metatarsal support, and, especially, heel strike (preventing sciatic pain).

At the time for here that wasn't even available. It was either have the surgery, or be put in a body cast. She was one of first people in St. Louis to opt for the surgery. Had she known the long term effects then she might not have gone that route. That's the say the cast would even have worked for her though. There are good days, and there are bad days. She's a trooper though, and can withstand quite a bit.

[Speakeasy TN]

Let us know where you are. Definitely close enough for Trail Magic.....

[JBandStacy2014]

It's cold out here!! We're waiting on ya!

[Boots and Backpacks]

It's cold out here!! We're waiting on ya!

Still waiting...but soon we'll be there. We're trying to figure out our first stop at this point. Thinking about stopping at Suches, but we'd like to be able to make it to Hiawassee first. Who knows, we have nothing but time.