Hoping for advice on gear for Northbound thru-hike 5/1/14

[KayakNed]

Hey! Looking forward to hitting the trail 5/1/14 and most of my gear is from the late '80's - early '90's, military. Hoping to find best deals on new or gently used gear as well ass advice on things that didn't exist back then that I really should have. How often will my iPhone work, do I need a GPS, descent tent, good boots, titanium pots (really?), stove, etc. Saw a link here to backpacking gear, clicked and saw web site offering 90% off gear. Anyone who shopped there? As well as anything else an old SERE instructor who hasn't hiked in 20 years should know.
Psyched! And looking forward to your input!

[Slo-go'en]

The first thing you need to do is take a trip to a decent camping/backpacking supply store like REI or similer (not Dicks Sporting goods!). That way you can see and feel the gear and get an idea what is available. Trying to do it via web sites without any real knowlage of what you want or need will end up with you spending lots of money on stuff which isn't right.

The other problem you have is you only have 2 weeks to do all this in, so shopping for deals is not going to happen. Maybe the best thing to do is to go to the Mountain Crossings store at Neels gap with a fist full of dollars and have them outfit you top to bottom. It will cost you $1500, but you'll have what you'll need and it will be light.

To anwser you other questions, if you have Verizon your iPhone will work most of the time. If you have ATT not so often. GPS is not needed, but a guide book is. The A.T Guide by AWOL is one of the most popular. Without a guide book you will not know where everything is.

You need a good tent and good boots. Titanium pots, yes really. The lighter you pack is, the farther and longer you can go.
Good luck.

[KayakNed]

Looked up Mountain Crossings store at Neels gap. Good lead, thanks. Was really seeking advice on specific gear. There is a large disparity of pricing on numerous items by brand and/or models. Ie: Katadine water filtration pumps.

[KayakNed]

Oh, and my ATT contract is up; so, will switch to Verision, thanks again!

[Slo-go'en]

Looked up Mountain Crossings store at Neels gap. Good lead, thanks. Was really seeking advice on specific gear. There is a large disparity of pricing on numerous items by brand and/or models. Ie: Katadine water filtration pumps.

With out knowing what specific gear your looking at, how can we give advice? We're not psychic or mind readers don't ya know? You say you found a site selling gear 90% off, but don't say where the site is.

[KayakNed]

Sorry, I found TheClymb.com on this site. Thought it might be a common place to get gear. Specifically, 1) I have decent boots, would good insoles be as good as new boots? 2) I need a tent I can fit me and gear into (Ratings are across the board and not to be trusted, hoping for first hand advice). 3) Same goes for cookware, stove, sleeping pad, water purifier, best prices on freeze dried foods, etc.

[Feral Bill]

Get to a good bookstore or library and get a book covering backpacking in some detail. The Complete Walker is a good, if somewhat dated start. Also see innumerable gear lists picked to pieces on this site. Best to get at it. Also, I believe The Clymb is in the UK.

[map man]

Get a Western Mountaineering MegaLite sleeping bag rated for 30 degrees (since you are waiting for May to leave).
Get a Big Agnes Copper Spur tent if you want two walls and a Tarptent Contrail if you just want one.
Get a Granite Gear Crown 60 backpack.
Get a NeoAir inflatable sleeping pad.
Don't bother with a stove or cook pots -- eat all food that you can eat cold.
This food should be low in moisture content (and weight) and high in fat and calories -- peanut butter is all of these things.
Chemically treat (with chlorine dioxide) water with either Aqua Mira liquid or Micropur tablets and skip the filters.
Don't wear boots, wear trailrunners that are light, all-synthetic, and dry fast.
Get Darn Tough brand socks -- your feet will thank you.
Get a pair of trekking poles (without the "anti-shock" feature) -- your knees will thank you.
Get a pair of nylon hiking pants with zip-off legs -- Columbia and Campmor make some cheap ones.
Get cheap off-brand (Target or WalMart will do) synthetic shirts -- one long sleeve, one short sleeve.
Get a Marmot Precip rain jacket.
Get a light insulated jacket for cold nights in camp, like this: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/mar...colorFamily=01
Get a Sea to Summit water proof dry bag to go inside your pack to keep the things dry that absolutely must stay dry.
Bring some duct tape and bandages and ibuprofen (or naproxin or aspirin).
Buy a guidebook like the AT Companion.
If a lot of this stuff isn't cheap enough for you, go to the Sierra Trading Post web-site and start browsing.

I believe all of this advice is at least worth what you just paid for it.

[DavidDillow]

In my humble opinion just starting to figure out what you need for a thru-hike two weeks prior to our trip is extremely short sighted. Good luck! You're going to need it. I've been researching and collecting equipment for almost two years and am still tweaking my gear and weighing ounces. In fact, I'm going on another week long gear shakedown hike on the AT next week starting at Neel Gap. Unless you have money to burn don't get your gear at Mountain Crossing. They charge top dollar for everything they carry.

[KayakNed]

Exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks.

[KayakNed]

A little old lady did it in Keds. A guy in a loincloth jogged it. I appreciate your concern; but, I'm just looking for a little advice from those who are in the know. I'm a tough old survival instructor. Thanks for wishing me luck.

[Bipolar Roller]

I would recommend you take Warren Doyle's ATI course first. He covers gear during the session. There is one the first week of May, I believe. You can just Google his name. He has hiked the trail I believe 16 times.

[Venchka]

Get a Western Mountaineering MegaLite sleeping bag rated for 30 degrees (since you are waiting for May to leave).
Get a Big Agnes Copper Spur tent if you want two walls and a Tarptent Contrail if you just want one.
Get a Granite Gear Crown 60 backpack.
Get a NeoAir inflatable sleeping pad.
Don't bother with a stove or cook pots -- eat all food that you can eat cold.
This food should be low in moisture content (and weight) and high in fat and calories -- peanut butter is all of these things.
Chemically treat (with chlorine dioxide) water with either Aqua Mira liquid or Micropur tablets and skip the filters.
Don't wear boots, wear trailrunners that are light, all-synthetic, and dry fast.
Get Darn Tough brand socks -- your feet will thank you.
Get a pair of trekking poles (without the "anti-shock" feature) -- your knees will thank you.
Get a pair of nylon hiking pants with zip-off legs -- Columbia and Campmor make some cheap ones.
Get cheap off-brand (Target or WalMart will do) synthetic shirts -- one long sleeve, one short sleeve.
Get a Marmot Precip rain jacket.
Get a light insulated jacket for cold nights in camp, like this: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/mar...colorFamily=01
Get a Sea to Summit water proof dry bag to go inside your pack to keep the things dry that absolutely must stay dry.
Bring some duct tape and bandages and ibuprofen (or naproxin or aspirin).
Buy a guidebook like the AT Companion.
If a lot of this stuff isn't cheap enough for you, go to the Sierra Trading Post web-site and start browsing.

I believe all of this advice is at least worth what you just paid for it.

The real deal. Couldn't say it better myself. TarpTent for sure. Contrail, Notch, Moment, Raindow. Any one of those will work. Fill in the gaps at Mountain Crossings. You don't need to ask. They will tell you what you need.
Look at the for sale listings here at WhiteBlaze. Good stuff comes along every day.
Forget The Clymb. I went through their stuff in the past week. Nothing I would have.
On the home page here at WhiteBlaze, left side of the page, there are several articles on mileage, resupply, etc. Print a few pages, like a montgs worth, and take them with you. Reprint the next month in Hot Springs, NC.
DO not ask if there is a resupply in the Smokies N.P. other than Gatlinburg. I get tired of hearing that question. Gatlingurg is it. But resupply is not required through the Smokies. A PAID thru hike permit is required for the Smokies.
Here, all you need to know:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?221

Good Luck!

Wayne

[bigcranky]

This list is all you need. Actually, given your start date, it's more than you need, as the weather will be a little warmer (but still expect some nights around freezing.)

Map man's list is similar, and very good. +1 on the 30F down bag. I'd get a Tarptent Notch for shelter, 26 ounces for a good solid double wall tent is pretty darn light. +1 on basic trail runners. Definitely get a guide like the Companion.

Have fun!

[Venchka]

I gotta ask...
Given all the white blazes, shelters, shuttle folks everywhere and food right on the trail and the 15 mpd list in my link above, what do you need a guide book for?
Said by a compulsive self directed researcher who knows how to look tings up.
Just curious.

Wayne

[bigcranky]

When you're on the trail, a guidebook like the Companion is a useful, perhaps necessary, tool. It'll tell you how many hiking days to the next resupply, and where to finds bed, shower, grocery store, or restaurant. Just following the white blazes doesn't help much if you don't know where to get more food, or which road crossing goes where.

The maps show the trail and the towns, but don't have the detailed info. They are useful, too, but for me less so.


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[Sarcasm the elf]

When you're on the trail, a guidebook like the Companion is a useful, perhaps necessary, tool. It'll tell you how many hiking days to the next resupply, and where to finds bed, shower, grocery store, or restaurant. Just following the white blazes doesn't help much if you don't know where to get more food, or which road crossing goes where.

The maps show the trail and the towns, but don't have the detailed info. They are useful, too, but for me less so.

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Plus, when you get to NJ, NY, CT and MA you will mostly be required to camp in established campsites. The guide lists all of the locations as well as the mileage between them.

[sfdoc]

You might also try backcountry.com. Between them and REI, you can get reasonable priced gear and at REI, fairly good advice. You can also postpone for a year so you can do some thorough and cost saving research. Good luck and good hiking.
SERE instr. Wow, did my buddies hate you. I never had to take the course. Got plenty of that kind of training in AIT and phase 1 SF.

[rafe]

I'm with Venchka on the trail guide thing. I don't believe it's a necessity -- there are alternatives, particularly if you've done your homework first, and if you have the AT maps or something comparable.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I'm with Venchka on the trail guide thing. I don't believe it's a necessity -- there are alternatives, particularly if you've done your homework first, and if you have the AT maps or something comparable.

Sure it's possible to skip the guidebook. but the guy said he's leaving in two weeks and he hasn't hiked in years. The ATC guidebook will make it a much easier trip. Personally I do like the maps more, but they're a lot more expensive.