Gear List! Please take a look!

[quasarr]

I finally wrote down my gear list!! Any advice would be appreciated! Especially if it's regarding at item I haven't bought yet.

this is for 2008 SOBO, start date June or July. I haven't weighed everything, so a lot of the weights are educated guesses. And I wrote some comments at the bottom.

Thank you!!!

Link:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?k...F_1p3ldltH8UDA

[JAK]

Montbell Alpine down jacket 9.5 oz

How much of that is shell weight and how much of that is down?

[quasarr]

according to their website, the fill weight is 2.8 oz, and the down is 800 fill

[ScottP]

you don't need the fleece and the down jacket--get rid of the fleece. I would buy a Western Mountaineering Flight down vest if I carried any insulation. You may not need any to start off with.

you don't need to carry a long sleeve shirt if you're already wearing one, same with leggings--just keep one set. Also, bring some sort of a t-shirt or tank top to hike in.

Why not get a ray way pack as well?

Ray way quilts are good, especially if you and your boyfriend will be sharing one. nunatak and jacks are better both make 2 person down quilts if you want to go with down

You might want to think about a canister or wood stove cooking for two people, and also a 2.5-3L pot.

You WILL want something for the bugs to start off with (net tent, etc)

a separate hat is a good thing.

you don't need the umbrella--that's for desert hiking

add a DWR coated windshirt from REI or EMS--good for the rain/wind, adds a lot of warmth for the weight.

[JAK]

according to their website, the fill weight is 2.8 oz, and the down is 800 fill

I'm thinking you might be better off putting that 9.5oz together with the 10oz or so fleece layer into some additional or thicker wool layers, but I already beat this horse to death in another recent thread.

[envirodiver]

Are you planning on making some test runs with this gear list prior to living with it for 6 months?

[quasarr]

you don't need the fleece and the down jacket--get rid of the fleece. I would buy a Western Mountaineering Flight down vest if I carried any insulation. You may not need any to start off with.

This is what I was hoping to hear! I meant to use the fleece while hiking if it was cold. I usually generate a lot of heat exercising, so unless it gets below 20 I don't think I'll need the fleece for hiking. Western Mountaineering anything is a bit out of my price range thought

you don't need to carry a long sleeve shirt if you're already wearing one, same with leggings--just keep one set. Also, bring some sort of a t-shirt or tank top to hike in.

I like to have one shirt & pants for hiking, and a separate set to keep dry for sleeping in. Maybe I could do away with the extra leggings. If it's cold enough to wear them hiking, I won't be sweating on them! The silk shirt is what I planned to wear, and just roll up the sleeves if it gets hot. Kind of a 2 shirts in one deal. I thought of cutting the sleeves off but I don't think I'll do that.

Why not get a ray way pack as well?

To be honest, I just don't feel like making it! It's taken weeks to finish my Ray-Way stuff because I can only work on it during visits to my mom's house (she has a sewing machine). Also I already bought the quilt kit but have not finished sewing it yet. Yes, me and my boyfriend are sharing the quilt.

You might want to think about a canister or wood stove cooking for two people, and also a 2.5-3L pot.

We each have our own cookset, his is a duplicate of mine. We usually don't share meals because I'm a vegetarian and he isn't.

you don't need the umbrella--that's for desert hiking

I'll admit I'm new to using an umbrella as rain gear. I just like the idea of it, to avoid sweating so much under a jacket that you might as well be in the rain! And there's a nice psychological boost of being "sheltered."


Thank you very much for your comments!

[quasarr]

Are you planning on making some test runs with this gear list prior to living with it for 6 months?

good point!! I'm going on a 1-week shakedown trip over spring break. Hopefully I'll have good things to report. And although I'm new to lightweight, I've logged lots of time with my old heavy stuff. At one point this summer I was carrying 7 lbs of just cheese ... I told myself, never again!

[envirodiver]

LOL that's a lot of cheese. That's great a week will give you a decent feel for what you have and maybe don't have.

Good luck and have a great hike.

[ScottP]

check out packs from ULA, www.zpacks.com, or six moons--you're going very light, so you really don't need a frame/hipbelt pack. Rucksacks are also way cheaper.

[bigcranky]

I have to smile a little at the weights -- though many of them are "educated guesses," even those have been guessed to the tenth of an ounce. (Yes, my own gear list is in tenths of an ounce, though I am sure my scale isn't quite that accurate. Hence the smile.)

It can get cold on a sobo hike. Even in Maine in July, especially in the south in the late fall. I'd bring a light rain shell to start -- it'll be lighter than your umbrella/cheap poncho -- and add rain pants when I pick up my winter gear. Much warmer and far more durable than a cheap poncho. If you really like the umbrella idea, the Golite is good. I use one in warm weather as my only rain gear.

I like my wind shirt. It's far more useful than its three-ounce weight might indicate. You do need something to hike in when it's cold, and a wind shirt over a l/s base layer has worked well for me in all kinds of weather.

I've always carried a separate hat or two. But this weekend I tried on the hooded Montbell Alpine Light Parka. Mmmmmmmm. Especially if you want to use a quilt for sleeping, the hooded parka is pretty sweet. I'd still add a light fleece balaclava, especially in my winter kit.

Looking at the above, my one "big-picture" suggestion would be to have some cold-weather clothing ready to pick up somewhere in the South, maybe in mid to late October. The other suggestion is that your list isn't all that heavy, even as-is. Though a March shake-down will help point out any refinements it might need.

[sheepdog]

No cup? What are you going to drink you nice hot cup of spiced cider or tea in just before bed time? I guess I am not an ultra lite guy.

[quasarr]

I have to smile a little at the weights -- though many of them are "educated guesses," even those have been guessed to the tenth of an ounce. (Yes, my own gear list is in tenths of an ounce, though I am sure my scale isn't quite that accurate. Hence the smile.)

ha ha ha! I'm in school for engineering, can you blame me? At least I rounded my guesses to the nearest half ounce ...

It can get cold on a sobo hike. Even in Maine in July, especially in the south in the late fall. I'd bring a light rain shell to start -- it'll be lighter than your umbrella/cheap poncho -- and add rain pants when I pick up my winter gear. Much warmer and far more durable than a cheap poncho. If you really like the umbrella idea, the Golite is good. I use one in warm weather as my only rain gear.

I like my wind shirt. It's far more useful than its three-ounce weight might indicate. You do need something to hike in when it's cold, and a wind shirt over a l/s base layer has worked well for me in all kinds of weather

Thank you for this info, I've lived in the South my whole life so I have no idea what to expect in New England. Cold? Snow? Sharks??

And I have a nylon wind/rain shirt that my boyfriend got for free from his old job, but it weighs 6oz. I haven't cut off the pockets yet, maybe I can shave that down to 3 or 4!!! (he gave me the green light to do that, by the way )

I've always carried a separate hat or two. But this weekend I tried on the hooded Montbell Alpine Light Parka. Mmmmmmmm. Especially if you want to use a quilt for sleeping, the hooded parka is pretty sweet. I'd still add a light fleece balaclava, especially in my winter kit.

Looking at the above, my one "big-picture" suggestion would be to have some cold-weather clothing ready to pick up somewhere in the South, maybe in mid to late October. The other suggestion is that your list isn't all that heavy, even as-is. Though a March shake-down will help point out any refinements it might need.

Yes I am planning to use the jacket with the quilt. I think the hood will be warmer than a separate hat, but the hat is more convenient. I like to wear a hat for the first few minutes of hiking until I warm up. I am ordering the jacket soon, so I have to decide! Also I have some leftover insulation from the quilt, I thought of making an insulated balaclava from that.

[QUOTE]No cup? What are you going to drink you nice hot cup of spiced cider or tea in just before bed time? I guess I am not an ultra lite guy./QUOTE]

I just use my water bottle! Works just as good as a "heavy" extra cup. The Gatorade bottles have a wide mouth that it's easy to pour into. Actually, you gave me an idea! I work at a coffee shop and we use those stryfoam cups. They are very light, I bet if I cut one down to fit in my pot it would weigh less than 0.5 oz ...

Thank you everyone for your comments!!!!

[maxNcathy]

How will an umbrella fare in rain driven by mountain crazed winds..

If You use hiking poles who holds the umbrella to ward off the wild wet winds..

Oh, well, what's a few ounces anyway..maybe you can find a use for it.

[ScottP]

In a New England July you can expect mud and bugs. You'll want to camp on mountaintops because there are less bugs there.

It can get brisk at night on the top of a mountain, but not so cold that you can't stay warm in camp just by wrapping up in your quilt--it's much more useful than a sleeping bag.

You'll be much more likely to be hot when hiking than cold--by the time you get to the south you'll know what you want/need for warm stuff there. I'm still a believer in the afternoon-breaks in very cool or hot weather--spend the coldest parts of the day hiking and the warm parts of the day relaxing in the shade and swimming, cooking your hot meal, etc.

[quasarr]

How will an umbrella fare in rain driven by mountain crazed winds..

If You use hiking poles who holds the umbrella to ward off the wild wet winds..

The idea is to use the umbrella when it's rainy but not windy, and when the wind picks up use the poncho - although it flaps annoyingly. I don't use hiking poles so that's no problem.

I only used my umbrella once while backpacking, but it was glorious! The rain began, heavy and warm but not windy. The other hikers glumly put on their $200 GoreTex rain coats and began to roast away. I pulled out my umbrella with a flourish and stayed dry & well ventilated! The looks on their faces were a hoot.

I know that probably isn't a representative sample of backcountry umbrella use, but hey it won me over! On my shakedown I can bring the umbrella and a the nylon jacket, hope for rain and see which I prefer!!

It can get brisk at night on the top of a mountain, but not so cold that you can't stay warm in camp just by wrapping up in your quilt--it's much more useful than a sleeping bag.

You'll be much more likely to be hot when hiking than cold--by the time you get to the south you'll know what you want/need for warm stuff there. I'm still a believer in the afternoon-breaks in very cool or hot weather--spend the coldest parts of the day hiking and the warm parts of the day relaxing in the shade and swimming, cooking your hot meal, etc.

The quilt has the "split-zip" option, which means it zips in two and we each carry half. Half a quilt will be nice and manageable to wrap up at camp! Good suggestion, I had not thought of that.

And I get hot easily while hiking and tend to sweat a lot, even if it's in the 40s and I'm wearing a t-shirt. But at camp I tend to be colder than other people, probably because of the aforementioned sweating!

Thank you both for your suggestions

[Appalachian Tater]

The idea is to use the umbrella when it's rainy but not windy

That won't happen enough on the A.T. to make the weight of an umbrella worth it. (You even admit you have only used it once before.) You're not going to stay dry in the rain, you will be wet either from the rain or from sweat. Wear a rain jacket if it is cold so you will be warm and wet rather than cold and wet. I would invest in durable rain protection, not a glorified garbage bag.

Forget the spork, go with a spoon, The spork doesn't work very well as a spoon. Not once when hiking have I ever needed a fork.

Am I missing your compass?

Ear plugs.

Sun screen for an early spring start if you burn.

[bigcranky]

I'm pretty sure she's a sobo, but I'd still carry a squirt of sunscreen in a film can. Nothing like preventing cancer for less than an ounce of weight....

Ditto on the spoon -- a spork is just the definition of a compromise, doesn't do either thing well. I love a long-handled spoon to dig out food from the bottom of a pot or ziploc bag.

Engineering school, huh? NCSU? My dad's an engineer. I am familiar with the species.

[quasarr]

Thanks guys!

I'll go with a spoon instead of a spork. I did indeed forget to list my compass.

How do you guys feel about a rain hat and a rain jacket without a hood? I feel that setup keeps your head dry but your neck cool. I've never been cold enough to need a hood while hiking.

Yes I go to NCSU. Graduating in May with Mechanical Engineering ... yay!

[Appalachian Tater]

Thanks guys!

I'll go with a spoon instead of a spork. I did indeed forget to list my compass.

How do you guys feel about a rain hat and a rain jacket without a hood? I feel that setup keeps your head dry but your neck cool. I've never been cold enough to need a hood while hiking.

Yes I go to NCSU. Graduating in May with Mechanical Engineering ... yay!

If you have a hood, water doesn't get in the neck. If you wear glasses, it also helps keep them dry.

If you end up going with a rain jacket like a Marmot Precip or similar, you won't need a wind shirt or wind jacket. So you would save weight over an umbrella, poncho, and wind shirt. You might also consider something like a Packa. I wish I could borrow one to try out for a rainy weekend.