Gearlist!

[drew_a_blank]

Hey Everyone,

I though I would share my starting Gear List for my upcoming 2015 Thru attempt!

Some Details:
Mid-April Start (between 10th-15th)
NOBO
Hammock for Shelter
Backpacking experience on West Coast - Coastal California and Sierra Mountains (no snow).

The hammock will be swapped for one with a net once bugs get bad (when does this start?).
I will swap the top-quilt with a warmer-weather one when it gets, well, warmer. I've heard after Grayson Highlands for this.

Please feel free to provide any feedback/thoughts/advise/criticism.

Also, hopefully others find this useful in finalizing their gear lists as well!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

[Cotton Terry]

Do you think you will need a wind shirt + the Marmot Precip? The Marmot Precip I checked is rain and wind proof. The down sweater + the Marmot Precip (+ thermals) are likely all you will need for a mid-April start, even in the Presidentials, IMHO. Also, I'm not sure what wind pants/shirt you selected, though. The aforementioned Marmot shirt weighs 8.8oz, alone. You allow only 6.6 for the shirt and pants.

You allow 5oz for an empty fuel canister. I don't see an entry for fuel weight. Some people end up eating out of their pot, but, HYOH. Will you be using more than one dry sack?

[drew_a_blank]

Thanks for the reply. That windshirt is definitely a luxury item. It's the Patagonia Houdini which weighs in at 4oz (wind pants 2.6). I tend to hike warm, so when I use the Precip it becomes a hot sauna, very uncomfortable, and I get soaked anyways. The houdini is one of my favorite items. That said, I have been on the fence about taking it, so if I don't leave it at home to start I won't be surprised if i choose to send it home.

I just put the weight of the canister empty because I was leaving out food, fuel, and water consumables. The amount of gas I have at any given time is variable, so I chose to use the empty canister for the constant.

For eating, I have always been with a partner or in a group, so we always brought cups to split up meals. I'll experiment if I do a solo shakedown hike, or just figure that one out on the trail!

No plans for additional dry-sacks, I will have a trash bag to line the inside of my pack, plus a rain cover, so that should stop any moisture from getting to any down/clothes.

Again, thank you for the reply!

[Cotton Terry]

The Patagonia Houdini sounds nice. Some have recommended having clothes and meals in seperate dry sacks, which I will do (all in a trash compactor bag).

[shakey_snake]

The windshirt is significantly less useful in the eastern humidity and in the trees than it is out west.

I would say take it, but don't be surprised if you end up deciding to send it home.

[CarlZ993]

You could save a little weight on your backpack. Not sure how much more money you have to spend on gear.

I used a wind shirt at the start of my hike (3/21) & used it a lot in the beginning. After a month or so, I sent it back. Lots of versatility for hiking in chilly weather. I really sweated in my rain jacket so I usually only wore it when it was actually raining.

I don't know about the wind pants. I'd go w/ some rain pants (especially in the beginning). That rain can be really cold.

I didn't see a trowel. I saw a lot of hikers not carrying one on their hike. I also saw a lot of feces not properly buried. It always amazed me how the "I'll use a stick to dig a cat hole" crowd was able to do that when I had trouble digging w/ a titanium trowel. You could also use a wide stake to do double duty so to speak.

It is start-date & pace dependent on when you swap out your sleeping gear for warmer weather stuff. I did it when I got to Waynesboro VA.

Best of luck on your hike.

[drew_a_blank]

Thanks for the replies, I've got some good things to think about.

Regarding the trowel, I forgot to put trekking poles on the list. I will be using either those or one of my tarp stakes (I'll have 2 Y stakes that should be good for digging).

I can definitely shave a bit of weight on the backpack, though I have yet to find a pack that fits as well! I tried on over a half dozen packs in the 2-3lb range before even considering the Savant, but none carried the load more comfortably. I have no problem moving to a lighter pack, but haven't found one worth the swap yet. Maybe once I get on the trail I will meet people with packs that aren't sold in retail locations so I can have an opportunity to try some new ones.

Cheers!

[q-tip]

I use a Marmot vest (5 oz ) and will be buying a Mont Bell windshirt (1.6 oz) . I chill pretty easy and those help with keeping body heat in. Hiking in my jacket is usually too hot.

[Frye]

The Houdini is a great choice. I love mine, although I use the pullover with no hood. I wouldn't want to use the majority of other windshirts on the AT, the Houdini excels because of how breathable it is. I'm not sure about the pants though, but if you like em, bring em. You can always ship em home later.

I do have a MH ghostwhisperer windshirt but will only use it in extremely cold temps as it just doesn't breathe.

As for stakes as trowels. My only concern would be when camping in places without a head. You can't always count on being at a shelter, and I can think of a few shelters which don't have em anyways. I'd hate to have to pull a stake in the middle of the night just to take care of business.

Qiwiz and suluk46 make some that are so light there's really no excuse not to have one.

[drew_a_blank]

Yeah, the Houdini is a great piece of gear. I take it practically everywhere I go, to work, out on the town, day hikes, summer backpacking, etc.

I'll have my trekking poles as well (which are not an integral part of my shelter system), so if the stakes are already in-use then I can just use my trekking pole to dig a cat hole. I will definitely not be leaving messes (especially of that nature!!) for others to have to deal with!

[Connie]

It isn't easy, and, maybe not even able to dig a cat-hole with a hiking pole.

It depends on the terrain.

It isn't easy with a trowell, either. I recommend the trowell.