3 Season Gearlist Review

[DawgU]

I plan on replacing the G pack as soon as everything else is complete. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Clothing Worn
3.1oz Hat Tilley
6.2oz Hiking Shirt Icebreaker Tech T Lite
3.1oz Underwear ExOfficio Boxers
13.1oz Hiking Pants ExOfficio Amphi Pants
0.9oz Bandana Bandana
2.6oz Socks Smartwool Adrenaline
27.1oz Shoes Inov 8 Roclite 315
3.51lbs Total

Other Items Worn/Carried
6.4oz Trekking Poles GG Litetrek 3
0.5oz Whistle ACR Whistle w/ Photon
1.0oz Watch Timex
0.49lbs Total

Other Clothing
3.8oz Wind Shirt Patagonia Houdini
5.0oz Rain Jacket Dri Ducks
5.0oz Rain Pants Dri Ducks
2.7oz Extra Socks Darn Tough Socks
12.9oz Camp Shoes Crocs
2.0oz Warm Hat Beanie
1.2oz Warm Gloves Patagonia EW Liners
2.04lbs Total

Sleep System
15.4oz Shelter MacCat Std Tarp TotWt
22.7oz Hammock HH Hyperlite
1.8oz Support FlexAir Pillows
8.0oz Pad GG Thinlite 1/4 Wide
18.1oz Top Quilt JRB Stealth Long
23.0oz Under Quilt JRB Nest
5.56lbs Total

Packing
46.0oz Backpack Gregory G
1.5oz Stuff Sack Sea to Summit Lg
1.1oz Stuff Sack Sea to Summit Med
0.8oz Stuff Sack Granite Gear Sm
3.09lbs Total

Cooking-Water
0.6oz Stove 12-10 Alcohol
5.3oz Cookpot Evernew .9L
1.2oz Windscreen Caldera Cone
0.6oz Utensil Ti Spork
0.4oz Lighting Small Bic Lighter
2.2oz Water Bottles 1L-2L Platypus
0.5oz Water Treatment Kleerwater in Dropper
3.1oz Food Storage Ursalite Bag-OP Sak
0.87lbs Total

Other Essentials
??? Maps
0.8oz Knife Swiss Army Knife
0.6oz Reading Glasses Glasses in Case
1.0oz Compass Brunton Baseplate
1.0oz Light Petzyl eLite
3.7oz First Aid .3 First Aid Kit
0.8oz Firestarting Sparklite-firestarter in Aloksak
0.5oz Insect Repellant 100% Deet in dropper
4.0oz Pers. Hygene Toothbrush, Dr. Bonners, TP, handgel, Pack Towel in Aloksak
0.78lbs Total

Consumables
1.0oz Fuel Plastic Alcohol Bottle (empty)
60.0oz Food 2.5 days @ 24oz/day
16.0oz Water Avg Carried 1L
4.81lbs Total

Weight Summary
4.00lbs Tot. Worn/Carried
12.33lbs Tot. Base Wt. in Pack
4.81lbs Tot. Wt. Consumables
17.14lbs Tot. Initial Pack Wt.
21.14lbs Full Skin Out Wt.

Aside from weight savings, please let me know if there is something you would replace for durability/function also. Thanks for your help.

[Deadeye]

I'm assuming this is East coast/AT 3-season. Here's my .02:

Do you need a windshirt? The raincoat will do the job.

I don't see any insulating layers: I include a fleece pullover/sweatshirt and a down vest, 10 ounces each.

More socks! At least one more pair for clean, dry sleeping socks. I carry 4 pairs: one for sleeping, two for switching during the day, 1 just washed pair drying on the pack.

[Moose2001]

Deadeye's right...it's a little hard to evaluate without knowing your start date. Soo....

The Tilley hat is overkill. They don't call the AT the "Long Green Tunnel" for no reason.

Ditch the hiking pants and underwear. Use a pair of lightweight running shorts with a mesh brief. You'll stay much cooler.

More socks would be good.

I don't see any polypro. If we're assuming a normal March/April AT start, you have to realize you will see some VERY cold temps in the south. Also, as Deadeye pointed out, a good fleece layer would be good as well.

The Urasalite food bag is overkill as well. An OR stuffsack works just as well.

2.5 days worth of food and 1 liter of water? Try doubling both for a more realistic load.

Guidebook....maps....journal.....? They all add up.

[The Weasel]

I'll comment before seeing other posts; sorry if there is duplication. It seems that you're shooting for ultralight, so my comments will be directed to dropping weight.

-- Eliminate the watch. After a few days, you won't miss it as you start to live by sun-up, sun-down. Hard habit to break; break it.
-- Eliminate camp shoes.
-- Eliminate gloves. If your hands are cold, use your extra socks as mittens.
-- Eliminate pillows; use clothing tied in small soft ball
-- Eliminate Petzl light since you have Photon on whistle
-- Eliminate "sparklite". If your lighter fails borrow until next town.
-- Eliminate baseplate. Not needed.
-- Eliminate pack towel and use bandana instead

This eliminates 18.7 oz plus pack towel (assume 1.3) for 20 oz reduction, or 1.25 lbs.

TW

[The Weasel]

Deadeye's right...it's a little hard to evaluate without knowing your start date. Soo....

The Tilley hat is overkill. They don't call the AT the "Long Green Tunnel" for no reason.

Ditch the hiking pants and underwear. Use a pair of lightweight running shorts with a mesh brief. You'll stay much cooler.

More socks would be good.

I don't see any polypro. If we're assuming a normal March/April AT start, you have to realize you will see some VERY cold temps in the south. Also, as Deadeye pointed out, a good fleece layer would be good as well.

The Urasalite food bag is overkill as well. An OR stuffsack works just as well.

2.5 days worth of food and 1 liter of water? Try doubling both for a more realistic load.

Guidebook....maps....journal.....? They all add up.

I agree about the hat. Cheapo baseball type if any. One extra socks is adequate. Agree on food bag. Disagree on underwear/shirt; need them when cool/rainy. Your water/food assumed to be "averaged".

TW

[JAK]

Looks Good. Here is my 2.08 cents ( from Canada )

Other Items Worn/Carried
- Maybe add a compass and thermometer.

Packing
46.0oz Backpack Gregory G
- Seems a bit heavy for modest volume, but reasonable, and durable.

Other Essentials
- Looks Good. Maybe move compass and add thermometer to items carried.

Consumables
60.0oz Food 2.5 days @ 24oz/day
- Good enough stretch to 3.5 days in Summer.
- Somewhat iffy in Early Spring/ Late Fall if there is chance of delays.

21.14lbs Full Skin Out Wt.
- Very nice.

I would still do a cold weather test yourself, 3 days, with that amount of insulation and food, to know what your limits are in Early Spring, Late Fall. Based on Climate Extremes, Altitude, Wind, Precipitaion, etc. Find a campsite hike close to home or a hike with multiple exit points and do it in nasty weather that you think might be your limit for that setup. Enjoy.

Cheers.

[Dirtygaiters]

Just off the top of my head, two of your categories really stick out to me and could be cut down by a significant amount of weight...

Sleep System
15.4oz Shelter MacCat Std Tarp TotWt -> a solo silnylon cat tarp, guy lines, and stakes can weigh as little as 11oz and still provide adequate coverage-it can weigh less if you get one in spinnaker or cuben.
22.7oz Hammock HH Hyperlite -> replace it with a Gossamer Gear polycro groundcloth (1.7oz) and Nightlight 3/4 length ccf pad (8oz)
1.8oz Support FlexAir Pillows -> pretty light already, but you can probably use a stuffsack you already have and put your raingear and extra clothes in it. Think multiuse!
8.0oz Pad GG Thinlite 1/4 Wide -> don't need if you bring a Nightlight
18.1oz Top Quilt JRB Stealth Long -> good, but add in a homemade silnylon/momentum bivy (or comparable MLD bivy) to boost warmth and protect the down (~5oz, depending on dimensions and zipper)
23.0oz Under Quilt JRB Nest -> no need for this if you don't use a hammock
5.56lbs Total
New total = 43.8oz (2.74lbs)


Packing
46.0oz Backpack Gregory G -> replace with a Golite Jam2 (20oz, but less if you trim the straps and cut out the hydration bladder sleeve) or comparable frameless pack. With the Jam2, you can use the pack's ccf framesheet as insulation for your legs
1.5oz Stuff Sack Sea to Summit Lg -> probably would be able to reduce the sizes of your stuffsacks if you made the suggested changes above. If you replaced them with spinnaker stuffsacks, they'd probably all weigh under 1.5oz combined.
1.1oz Stuff Sack Sea to Summit Med
0.8oz Stuff Sack Granite Gear Sm
3.09lbs Total
New total = 21.5oz (1.34lbs)

Possible weight loss for just these two sections is 4.57lbs. After dropping that much weight, it even would be possible to even add in some gear, like a hooded down/or synthetic jacket, and primaloft insulated pants, boost the temperature range of your sleep system, while still carrying less weight than in your original list.

[Deadeye]

You know, another key variable you omitted is the duration of the trip. Is this for a 3-day weekend, or a 5-month adventure. I can put up with a lot for 3 days that I wouldn't want to live with for a long trip. Going bare bones (especially for those of us with old bones), can get real old, real fast.

My personal base weight has crept up a bit over the past few years, I'd still call it light, certainly not ultralight, but it's very livable, and I don't feel at all deprived.

[Dirtygaiters]

A couple more thoughts...

Cooking-Water
0.6oz Stove 12-10 Alcohol
5.3oz Cookpot Evernew .9L -> this weight doesn't seem accurate. My Evernew Ti 0.9L weighs 4.1oz. Are you using the factory stuffsack? If so, then you can save about an ounce by switching to a homemade noseeum stuffsack. You can save about an ounce and a half by leaving the lid at home and using a lightweight Al foil lid (or use heavy dudy oven liner Al and it will still be about an ounce lighter).
1.2oz Windscreen Caldera Cone
0.6oz Utensil Ti Spork
0.4oz Lighting Small Bic Lighter -> If you have a flint (and I'm assuming cotton) for starting fires, then an easier way to start a stove, imo, us with matches. A pack of 32 strike anywhere matches weighs about 0.2oz and are not subject to failure in the cold. Ever try to get a flame on a lighter on a cold morning with a slight breeze? Not fun. At least the matches will get you that 1 second for sure flame you need to ignite the alcohol.
2.2oz Water Bottles 1L-2L Platypus
0.5oz Water Treatment Kleerwater in Dropper
3.1oz Food Storage Ursalite Bag-OP Sak -> This one is of course personal preference, but if you're hiking with other people (and are worried about bears), this is probably overkill (just hang food in a silnylon stuffsack). If the concern is mice/other critters, then hanging a stuffsack will work just fine.
0.87lbs Total

[Appalachian Tater]

You can use your rain jacket for a wind shirt.
A watch is handy in town and to estimate distance.
Bandanas aren't very absorbent. A pack towel or even a cellulose sponge is handy if you sweat a lot.
If you start in the spring NOBO you need a hat &/or sunscreen lotion instead of bug goop if you have any tendency to burn. The leaves aren't on the trees yet and you can get a pretty bad burn in a day or two since you're outside all day. On the other hand, there aren't any bugs.

You need long underwear/polypro. Always have warm dry clothes to change into. It's a safety issue.

[soulrebel]

You can use your windshirt as a rain jacket might want a superstyling umbrella.

[Dirtygaiters]

Oh, are we talking about an AT thru-hike gear list? I thought this was just a 3 season backpacking list in general...

[DawgU]

I love this! Y'all are pointing out things that aren't the ones I already had doubts about! This is for three season 2 1/2 day weekend trip. I live just outside Smokey Mtn Natl Park. Please check out my remarks and keep the feedback coming!!


Evernew - stuffsack - it looked heavy to me, never thought of the noseeum! Where do you buy it?
- lid - read that idea a few times, but it never registered in my brain, duh!


Matches - certainly a savings. A few windproof ones are included with the sparklite in the aloksack. Just like the idea of having many more starts if I somehow became stranded for an extended period of time, but interested in others input

Ursalite Bag - if I kill the OP bag it knocks it down to 2 oz for just the bag, 40ft of line, mini caribiner and rock bag. I think thats about as light as it gets (further ideas?). I thougt it was better to not use one of my stuff sacks, but I like the idea.

Sleep system - I'm 46 years old and I don't want to give up the hammock. If I know where I'll be sleeping every night, and I'm sure I can find a comfortable spot on the ground I'd be willing to consider it, but otherwise I'm hanging!! Like the idea of the nitelite as opposed to the wide pad. Haven't had a lot of truly cold weather experience in the hammock yet to be sure about the minimum I need

Pillows - thought I would only end up carrying one for between my knees (that would cut the weight actually more than in half), but the stuff sack idea is great with the rain gear. If its cold and I'm dry the only extra clothes I'll have are socks and the windshirt.

Jam 2 - I know the G pack has got to go. Been considering a ULA Conduit (same 20oz). Any feedback on either of those would be appreciated (or others to consider)

Stuff Sacks - this one I expected. Waiting for the spinakers to be back in stock at BPL

Gloves - with only two pair I'm afraid to use the extras for gloves in case they get wet (hoping to have a dry pair to sleep in/use the next day). Of course with the suggestions to carry more than two pair it would be a great swap!

Petzyl/Photon combo - the only places I tried to have duplication were in fire starting and lights. If I became stranded the weight of the Photon for a backup seemed reasonable to me. Thoughts?

Tilley - I'll weigh a ball cap and see the difference. The Tilley is certainly a little warm for hotter days, but nice on cooler ones. Great in the rain, but certainly an idea worth considering

Eliminate baseplate - thought about one of the watch/compasses. I've been lost in the woods before (while hunting not hiking), and not sure about not having a compass of some sort

Packtowel/bandana - seems like some prefer one over the other, but deciding which one I like the most seems like a good idea

Crocs - expected this one - like the thought of having something to change in to when the day's over or to ford a creek. Certainly a luxury. Anybody know how much the ones from Payless weigh. Other suggestions?

Windshirt/Raincoat - surprised somebody didn't tell me to ditch the DriDucks for something more reliable but heavier. In terms of layering it makes sense to me to have both. Lighter suggestions for a windshirt? If I go to better raingear, suggestions?

No polypro/insulation layers - the Stealth is a little lighter version of the No Sniveller. If expecting colder temps I can add a Cocoon pullover, swap the T Shirt for a long sleeve wool baselayer, and probably need to buy a wool baselayer for my legs.

Ditch the hiking pants/underwear - I've considered the underwear, but haven't ever hiked long distances with the built in mesh. Any issues with chaffing? The convertible pants make sense to me - shorts when it's hot, something to cover my legs in the evening when it gets cool. Other thoughts?

What else I thought y'all would suggest - hygene and first aid. I figured someone would suggest looking at the detail in those to find some weight saving opportunites.

Thank you all very, very much! Please keep up the suggestions. I was pleased with everything except the G pack. I'm gonna LOVE my pack with these suggestions!!

[Dirtygaiters]

noseeum - thru-hiker.com has some really light noseeum, but if you go to a fabric store you can probably find some very similar material (the fabric section at Walmart has some very similar stuff too). I realize that the weight savings is pretty minor on the whole (probably 0.9-1.0 oz total), but I made this upgrade to my own Evernew pot because I thought the whole point of having a 4.1oz titanium cookpot was to save ounces. I took one look at the heavy mesh stuffsack and balked.

sleep system - oh well, I had to try didn't I? I'm one of those "ground sleepers" who doesn't get why sane humans would want to hang themselves from trees. I'm sure hammocks are great and to each his own, etc etc. For my part, though, I've never been on a backpacking trip where I was unable to find a human-shaped spot on the ground that couldn't be slept on.

Pack - the ULA packs get great reviews. The Golite ones are much less expensive, however, and imo the Jam2 is plenty good for me.

compass - I agree with you. The compass should stay. It's perfectly possible to navigate by the sun or stars, but if it's been raining and overcast for a week, then don't hope for a clear day...when and if you do get lost or decide to simply go off trail.

stuff sacks - you can buy spinnaker from thru-hiker...really, though this is one of those changes that can only change your pack weight by fractions of an ounce per sack. It is fun to make your own gear, though.

Petzl/Photon - I'm in total agreement here. Of course, one should always be able to pitch a tarp in complete darkness, but light is nice!

packtowel/bandana - if you wear a bandana, then by all means bring one! In an emergency, if you've run out of tinder for your flint, you can scrape a cotton bandana with your knife and get some cotton fiber. As far as packtowels go, the MSR Ultralight is about as good as it gets. Very absorbant and very small. I did my own test with this and found the size Small to be even more absorbant and quicker drying than a comparably sized leather chamois. There are endless uses for either one. For instance, I was once on a backpacking trip where I ran out of water and the only water source I could find was a creek that was almost dry. The only water I could find was in very shallow rocky pools that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to dip my water bottles into. I absorbed this water with my packtowel and wrung out enough water to fill up all my water bottles.

matches - a matter of personal preference to be sure. I've just torn up my fingers on too many cold mornings trying and failing to get lighters to hold a flame that my own preference is for matches and flints.

Crocs - they stand out in any gear list to be sure, but if you're going to be crossing creeks that are too deep to rock hop, then the only other option is to get your hiking shoes wet. Also, unsuccessful rock hopping in certain streams could very possibly result in you falling into the stream and everything in your pack getting wet.

[Deadeye]

I still say you need insulating layers at the least, and a nice dry shirt, too, unless all you're going to do is go straight from hiking into bed. All you've got is a t-shirt, wind shirt, and rain jacket. Picture this: it's 45 degrees, been raining all day, you're wet (yes, you're wet!) and you have no dry comfortable clothes to change into. It's going to drop into the thirties tonight, and you're naked in your hammock, too cold to sit outside and make something hot to eat and drink. Then you wake up in the morning and your clothes are still cold and damp.

Don't that sound like fun!

[Dirtygaiters]

I second that. A WM Flight vest would be an easy fix at 6oz (actual weight), and there are tons of full featured, relatively inepensive down jackets in the 11-14oz range. Likewise there are plenty of synthetic jackets for comparable prices and weights.

[DawgU]

Noseeum - hey that's probably the least expensive ounce I save on the whole thing. Don't know how to sew, but maybe I can con my wife into it.

Sleep system - I realize I could lose a ton of weight in cooler/cold temps here, but I haven't fallen out of a tree yet!

Pack - I haven't begun my serious shopping yet - waiting on the final gear list. My G pack wasn't the fanciest/most expensive thing and it has served me well. Time will tell.

Stuff sacks - if I can get the wife to help it works for me. I've been waiting on those things at BPL for months!

Bandana/Pack Towel - funny to hear you say that. It's exactly what I thought last night. Never worn the bandana, so I guess the pack towel is the way for me.

Matches - you're right. For the .2oz I think I'll just add them to what I already carry

Deadeye - insulating layers - picture this, thinking of being cold, wet, and naked in 30 degree weather just makes me want to stay at home! Seriously, I agree. I've got a long sleeve wool baselayer, would like to buy some wool bottoms as well, and thanks to the one 25%off sale at BPL on my birthday weekend, I've got the Cocoon vest, bottoms, and pullover at approx 5,7,and 9 oz respectively.

Thanks again for all the help!!! If you can think of anything else please let me know.

[Deadeye]

Being cold, wet and naked in 30 degree weather makes me want to get outside! First real snows of the season are falling now.

[coss]

Campmor sells a whistle/compass/thermometer/LED combination for only $5.99, item number 80505. The compass is a simple affair, but it does point north every time, which is about all you need on the non-orienteering AT. It weighs 0.7 oz. By contrast, a Photon, separate whistle, and baseplate compass cost about $23 and weigh 1.4 oz. If I had found the Campmor item before I bought the other pieces, I would have been better off.

In regard to making mesh stuff sacks and silnylon bags, AYCE at thru-hiker.com sells both the netting and a beginner's stuff sack kit. Four years ago, I bought a kit and had my wife teach me the basics of sewing. That was many pleasurable hobby projects ago. If I can learn to make pretty much an entire ultralight equipment set (two sets, actually), anyone can do it.

Coss

[DawgU]

I'll see if my wife is up to giving lessons (not that she hasn't been trying to teach me for the last 19 years!).