February 20th, 2015 NOBO Thru-Hike Gear List - What do ya think?

[NoSew]

So here it is! I am leaving February 20th from Springer. I know alot of people may frown at the idea of a 1 pound rain jacket and 10 oz. rain pants, but I'm going to do my best to stay dry when its freezing cold! The Foray rain jacket will be swapped out for a Helium II when the weather is appropriate. The wool base layers will be swapped out for lightweight capilene once it warms up. I will also swap out my sleeping bag for a 32 degree bag and lose the Denali gloves when it warms up.Those are my plans and I would appreciate ANY input/advice. I did a 'shakedown' over the past few days in NC and was very pleased with my sleeping situation and the weight on my back.

Cold Season Base Pack
Item					Weight
					Ounces
Tarptent Double Rainbow					41
GoLite Jam70					31
Mountain Hardware Phantom 0					44
Thermarest NeoAir Xlite (Long)					16
Minuss 33 Mid Weight Merino Top					12
Minuss 33 Mid Weight Merino Bottom					10
Smartwool Mid Weight Socks					3
Smartwool Heavy Camp Socks					4
Smartwool Balaclava					1.5
Mountain Hardware Dome Perinion (Beanie)					2.75
Outdoor Research Foray Rain Jacket					16.3
Outdoor Research Foray Rain Pants					10.7
Outdoor Research Revel Rain Mitts					3.5
The North Face Denali Gloves					3.75
Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket					8
Smartwool Liner Gloves					1
Samsung Galaxy S5					5.1
Anker® Astro E1 5200mAh Charger					4.2
Amazon Kindle					6.7
Charging Accessories
3 Liter Outdoor Products Dry Bag					0.75
5 Liter Outdoor Products Dry Bag					1
8 Liter Outdoor Products Dry Bag					1.25
8 Liter Sea To Summit Dry Bag					1.25
Sawyer Squeeze Mini					2
Sawyer Squeeze Plunger and Straw					1.25
Sawyer 2 Liter Flask					1.5
1 Liter Smartwater					1.3
50 Feet of Paracord					3
MSR Pocket Rocket					3.75
Stove Fuel					5.25
850 mL Titanium Pot					3.75
Homeade Pot Cozy					1
GSI Plastic Spoon					0.25
2 mini bic lighters					0.75
ATC Thru Hikers Companion (1/2)					5.5
Black Diamond Storm Headlamp					3.75
First Aid Kit					5
Leatherman Micra					1.75
Hand Sanitizer					2.25
Sunblock					2
Toothbrush and Toothpaste					1.5
Dr. Bronners					2
PackTowel					2
Buff					1.25
Journal and Pen					2.75
							In Pounds
Total Weight in Pack					282.3		17.64375
Salomon Comet GTX (Boots)					48
Smartwool T Shirt					6
Prana Stretch Zion Convertible					16
Smartwool Mid Weight Socks					3
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles					17.2

[Sprout78]

I'm leaving around the 24th, and this list is very similar to what I'm bringing. Here are my suggestions/suggestions I've gotten from others. I hope you get as much help from them as they gave me!!

1. Someone suggested I bring three pairs of socks, along with my "sleeping socks."
2. Everyone told me it was overkill to bring three head coverings (beanie, balaclava, and buff-in your case), particularly with the opportunity for hoods on your rain jacket and ghost whisperer. I chose to have a merino wool buff, along with my hoods-ditched the beanie and balaclava.
3. Someone told me that you don't have to bring the Sawyer straw and plunger if you have a Smart Water bottle. There is a way to back-flush with the bottle. Also, the mini doesn't get clogged for the first while you are on the trail.
4. You could probably get away with 1/4 of the guidebook-cut it at Damascus.
5. What's in your First Aid Kit?
6. Someone suggested to me that Dr. Bronner's (peppermint) can triple for toothpaste, soap, and hand sanitizer. I had all three in my gear advice video, as well. I tried it out for a toothpaste, and it wasn't bad, so I ditched my toothpaste. I don't want Noro, so nobody could convince me to give up the hand sani
7. Someone suggested I blog/write a journal on my Kindle or phone. There is a White Blaze App. I have personal reasons for bringing a journal, but I got a skinny moleskin (pack of three) to use/send home as I finish them.
8. The last suggestion I received was to bring Micro-spikes, especially if you are starting as early as we are!

Perhaps, I will see you out there! So exciting!

[NoSew]

Thanks for the feedback! I just got back from a 3 night trip testing all my gear, and I had a blast! My down jacket doesn't have a hood, and the balaclava wool balaclava was amazing to sleep in, I used my sleeping bag like a quilt. Most of the weight in the first aid kit is about 30 glucosamine/chondroitin joint pills for my knees, a must for me! I also have some basic pills, blister band aids, and earplugs. Hope to see you out there and let me know if ya have any other advice/questions for me.

[NoSew]

Any suggestions on microspikes for the trail? Are they necessary in February?

[smoothsailin]

I've hiked over 3500mi on the AT. I've attemped sobo/nobo/ff. I've been through the Smokies in various seasons.
In 2013, it snowed on day 2 and didn't stop until Northern VA. I walked across solid ice covered trails , frozen snow. My water would freeze 15min after getting it and my shoes were frozen 4 days in a row. I walked in ankle deep slush for days.

I would not start a hike before April with a 32 deg bag. I made it through to Gatlinburg in 2013 with a 32 & liner. I upgraded to a 10deg. You'll be too cold to sleep good and that's a problem..not that you'll freeze to death...that won't happen but you won't sleep good.
Microspikes....yeah..I'd carry them...better to have than not to have. The southern Appalachians regularly get wet/snow/icey storms up until May. If you get lot of snow and it freezes, it'll be full of hiker foot holes and when it's frozen..it's a huge pain to walk on.
I'd carry 4 pair of socks. Some nice warm fleece pants for camp. Extra fuel. Extra food.
Winter time is not the time to get all ultra lighty ...go lite...go freeze...

Less is more but zero is not enough.
I prefer to be strong and carry more weight than to be UL. 35lb in winter sounds right to me....25lb non-winter. My speed is the same regardless unless the weight is over 35lb.

I'd rather be nice and warm with a solid tent & maybe an extra tarp in winter than to be curled up in a ball freezing in some tarp tent or shelter.
A good tent will add 4-8 deg. Extra fuel and food means I don't have to worry.
With a late Feb start...you'll be in alot of winter weather....hence why most people wait until April....start in march - it's a coin toss.