I am planning a 2020 Flip Flop (HF>ME, HF>GA) starting April 26th after the Flip Flop Festival in Harpers Ferry. This itinerary was made necessary due to a family wedding. I see a lot of AT gear lists (Eric the Black, The Trek, etc) but they all assume a fairly early NOBO hike. Since I am starting in HF and will never be about 2000 feet for quite a long time, my gear needs are a bit different.
Below is a lint to my current best shot at a flip flop gear list. Yes, I do plan to carry a bear canister. They will soon be required (see article in the most recent AT Journeys or in the threads here on WhiteBlaze. net. My reasoning is twofold. First, I find hanging a bear bag when the sun is setting to be a highly annoying task with ideal trees to be few and far between. Second, bear canisters are as much as protecting bears as humans. Exposure to food habituates bears to seeking out food in shelter areas and, eventually, being labeled a nuisance bear and being moved or put down. It also has resulted tin highly aggressive bears with unfortunate human-bear contacts. So, I have come to accept, and admittedly with some struggle, that it is not all about me. So I have worked very hard to cut my weight to allow for the 2+ pound bear canister.
My list is at the link below. Note that I have a category of items I have swapped out or am considering swapping out depending on where I am on the trail and the likely weather conditions. For example. I will trade my 40 degree quilt for a 20 degree quilt when I reach Vermont.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
https://lighterpack.com/r/177dv