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Thread: Help!!!!!!!!!!!

  1. #1
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    Default Help!!!!!!!!!!!

    I am just trying to make my final preparations and have just packed everything up. I don't have a scale here so I can't weigh everything until tomorrow morning. After packing everything up I am "alot" worried that my pack is going to be quite a bit heavier than I thought. I'm not planning to do the approach trail. Right now, I have 5 days of food packed to start out with...is this too much? Should I only start out with 4 days worth of food? packing list as follows:

    1 pair of convertible pants
    1 pair of synthetic shorts
    1 set of thermal underwear
    1 synthetic t-shirt
    1 long-sleeve shirt
    1 fleece vest
    1 soft shell jacket
    1 rain jacket
    1 rain pant
    3 pairs of underwear
    3 pairs of socks
    3 pairs of liner socks
    1 first aid kit
    1 titanium cook pot
    trangia alchohol stove
    MSR sweetwater purification system w/ extra filter
    treking poles
    50ft nylon cord
    Big Agnes air-core sleep pad
    Big Agnes Seedhouse SL-1 tent w/footprint and rainfly
    synthetic sleeping bag

    I also have things like hand sanitizer, campsuds, vitamin I, multivitamins, deodorant, body glide, lotion, sun screen, q-tips, dental floss and extra batteries...are any of these necessary? How extensive should the first aid kit be...it seems like I could shed some weight there. I'll get back you guys on the total weight after I have a chance to stop by my clinic tomorrow morning to throw it all on the scale there. Let me know what you think so far guys, for the first time I'm starting to feel a bit nervous. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks

    -Lavy

  2. #2
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    I forgot to put in there that I also have a pair of gloves with silk liners as well...

    Thanks everyone

  3. #3
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    i would lose the shorts you have convertibles pants
    are the thermals for sleeping?
    ditch the soft shell jacket u are carrying a rain jacket(double duty)
    send the extra filter when needed
    the rest looks pretty good imho
    Peanuts (aka i.j.)
    "A womans place its on the trail"

  4. #4
    Registered User LIhikers's Avatar
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    I'd jettison one pair each of socks, sock liners, and underwear.
    You only really need one pair on, one pair clean, and one pair waiting to be clean.
    I DON'T see any guidebooks or, map and compass, or any kind of headlamp or other light, or warm hat. And don't forget stove fuel and matches or lighter. You mention having food but how about a little water? I think you're weight is going to have to go UP a little.

  5. #5

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    You don't need deodorant or the footprint or extra batteries, either. Lay everything out and take out everything you don't absolutely need.

    You will not be able to stay clean, so forget about clean and dirty clothes, think about wet and dry clothes, you always need to have one dry set of something to wear at night. Everyone else will be dirty, too, and won't notice.

    If you don't get rid of this stuff now, you're going to suffer, and then get rid of it anyway.

    What's in your first aid kit? Half of it you don't need. List everything in your pack.

  6. #6
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by peanuts View Post
    i would lose the shorts you have convertibles pants
    are the thermals for sleeping?
    ditch the soft shell jacket u are carrying a rain jacket(double duty)
    send the extra filter when needed
    the rest looks pretty good imho

    Jacket is needed for the varying temps, though (I had my down one until May). You may want to ditch the vest instead or use it in May.

    Also, I'd bring the three pairs of socks. Clean (or cleaner) socks help cut down on blisters, IMO. And I brought three pair of undies (one was cotton) wearing one clean pair in the sleeping bag is nice. Might consider a silk liner for sleeping bag.

    Hat? Fuel bottle? Spork? headlamp? Water bottles or platypus? Cell phone? Camera? Tyvek for footprint. Lighter for stove.

    Ditch deodorant, lotion, extra batteries. Bring only a small amount of campsuds, but may not need. First aid should have a few bandaids in various sizes, small antiobotic cream, small hydrocortisone cream, a needle, one ace wrap, duct tape. And bring your toothpaste and toothbrush.

    Four days of food is plenty if not starting the Approach trail.







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  7. #7
    Registered User Frolicking Dinosaurs's Avatar
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    I'd lose one pair of socks, liners and underwear and have the extra water filter mailed to me along the trail when needed.

    As Tater says, the little stuff adds up - list it all.

  8. #8
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    You could jump on the bathroom scales for total weight on feet, and total skin out.

    4 or 5 days of food?
    - I work out food on a per mile basis unless I plan zero days.

    Clothing? Don't bring any clothes you can't wear all at once!
    - leave home either convertible pants or synthetic shorts
    - bring your long underwear pants assuming non cotton
    - leave home either synthetic t-shirt or long-sleeve shirt
    - leave home either fleece vest or soft shell jacket
    - bring a wool sweater
    - bring rain jacket and rain pant
    - leave 2 pair of underwear home, bring 1
    - leave 2 pair of liner socks home, bring 1
    - leave 2 pair of medium socks home, bring 1
    - bring 1 pair of heavy wool socks

    - why not a comfortable and stylish pair of wool pants and a light merino wool sweater for most of your walking on trail and in town instead of some of the items above?

    Other gear?
    1 first aid kit - OK
    1 titanium cook pot - OK
    trangia alchohol stove - OK
    MSR sweetwater purification system w/ extra filter - OK
    treking poles - OK
    50ft nylon cord - 25 ?
    Big Agnes air-core sleep pad - OK, plus 20"x48" blue foam pad for cold start
    Big Agnes Seedhouse SL-1 tent w/footprint and rainfly - OK
    synthetic sleeping bag - OK

    Other stuff - OK, you will find out what is unneccessary

  9. #9
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    1 pair of synthetic shorts - convertables have built in shorts and rain pants are your extra pants for laundry

    1 long-sleeve shirt - thermal underwear does this job

    1 soft shell jacket - use the vest and thermals with rain coat

    1 first aid kit - usually over stuffed, go through it and weed out stuff

    trangia alchohol stove - there are lighter alcohol stoves out there

    MSR sweetwater purification system w/ extra filter - extra filters are unnessecary, you can buy them in trail towns or have them shipped to the next one

    50ft nylon cord - if it is 550 parachute cord you can gut the insides and just use the shell.

    Big Agnes air-core sleep pad - consider foam pad, get used to the hard ground

    Big Agnes Seedhouse SL-1 tent w/footprint and rainfly - you could ditch the footprint, just find a good clean site

    hand sanitizer - you are already cooking with alcohol, throw some on your hands

    campsuds - I only bring soap type stuff that I can use as toothpaste. If you are considering how to clean your pot, the pot gets clean when you boil water for your next meal.

    deodorant - no one is trying to smell better than anyone else out there

    lotion, sun screen - these are basically the same, depending on lotion needs you could possibly use your body glide if you don't use that much

    extra batteries - deal with not having a light for a few days until you resupply

    How extensive should the first aid kit be...it seems like I could shed some weight there. - my kit is duct tape, Ibuprofin, one cigarette (bug bites/stings), gold bond.

  10. #10

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    Hey Lavy,
    I believe personal style is the critical element in this quandary. There's also nothing like learning from experience. I would imagine that you will jettison those things that you find burdensome fairly quickly. That being said, I believe there are a few changes that could be made to lighten the load.

    Take the shorts. You're already taking rain pants.
    Take the long-sleeve shirt. You do have the option to swap gear through mail as you feel ready to switch to short sleeves.
    Take the vest and the rain jacket. I would leave the soft shell at home.
    Take 2 pair underwear.
    Take 1 pair hiking socks. (If you need the liner socks take 2 pair.)
    Take 1 pair sleeping socks (If you use sleeping socks.)
    Take the first aid kit (ruthlessly cut the kit down. If it doesn't present a practical easy solve, leave it out.)
    Take 30' of cord.
    Other things mentioned require more clarification. So, some questions...
    Have you repackaged your soap, hand sanitize, lotion, sun screen, vitamins, dental floss into a smaller amount?
    About your food needs, what kind of shape are you in? What is you daily milage estimation? How long will it take YOU to get to your next resupply?
    LIhikers brings up a good point about maps, headlamp, water bottle, and fuel container. Do you have those things? You may also want to consider a bandanna (light hand towel, head cover, can also pre filter very silty water)
    Ditch the deodorant, the q-tips, soft shell, and the foot print.
    I would mail the filter replacement as you feel you need it.
    Hope this helps a little. Keep us posted. Good luck.

  11. #11
    Registered User jesse's Avatar
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    load everything up, then go to a local stadium and walk up and down the stairs for 8 or more hours, if you can do it you're not too heavy, if you can't, you are.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by JAK View Post
    You could jump on the bathroom scales for total weight on feet, and total skin out.

    4 or 5 days of food?
    - I work out food on a per mile basis unless I plan zero days.

    Clothing? Don't bring any clothes you can't wear all at once!
    - leave home either convertible pants or synthetic shorts
    - bring your long underwear pants assuming non cotton
    - leave home either synthetic t-shirt or long-sleeve shirt
    - leave home either fleece vest or soft shell jacket
    - bring a wool sweater
    - bring rain jacket and rain pant
    - leave 2 pair of underwear home, bring 1
    - leave 2 pair of liner socks home, bring 1
    - leave 2 pair of medium socks home, bring 1
    - bring 1 pair of heavy wool socks

    - why not a comfortable and stylish pair of wool pants and a light merino wool sweater for most of your walking on trail and in town instead of some of the items above?

    Other gear?
    1 first aid kit - OK
    1 titanium cook pot - OK
    trangia alchohol stove - OK
    MSR sweetwater purification system w/ extra filter - OK
    treking poles - OK
    50ft nylon cord - 25 ?
    Big Agnes air-core sleep pad - OK, plus 20"x48" blue foam pad for cold start
    Big Agnes Seedhouse SL-1 tent w/footprint and rainfly - OK
    synthetic sleeping bag - OK

    Other stuff - OK, you will find out what is unneccessary
    ok I gotta speak up here about those socks. Hiking with only one pair of socks just ain't gonna cut it. Three is ideal, one wearing, one drying, and one pair dry. I always have a dry pair of socks to put on at camp, I never wear them in my boots. It is amazingly wonderful to put on dry, clean socks when everything else is soaked. Take care of your feet.

    I've never used sock liners and I've never gotten a blister. ymmv
    "It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of America." - Daniel Boone

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by smirkingjack View Post
    Have you repackaged your soap, hand sanitize, lotion, sun screen, vitamins, dental floss into a smaller amount?LIhikers brings up a good point about maps, headlamp, water bottle, and fuel container. Do you have those things? You may also want to consider a bandanna (light hand towel, head cover, can also pre filter very silty water)
    Ditch the deodorant, the q-tips, soft shell, and the foot print.
    I would mail the filter replacement as you feel you need it.
    Hope this helps a little. Keep us posted. Good luck.
    I have repackaged all of these items you have mentioned into snack sized ziplocks or smaller containers. I do have a headlamp and as far as the fuel bottle goes I have one of the MSR fuel bottles. I will be taking the appalachian pages with me as well so I was figuring that solved the need for maps...am I wrong in that assumption? I will be taking a bandanna along because I have very long hair that will become quite an annoyance without one. I'm still up in the air as far as how I should be carrying water. I have Nalgenes and a camelback hydration bladder so I could go either way. I was also considering bringing a 4 liter dromedary...is this at all useful? I have started cutting back on alot of this stuff you guys have been mentioning and will be able to check my weights later on in the morning. I'll get back to y'all on it. Thanks everyone you guys are saviors.

  14. #14
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Yeah I am kind of amazed that people (mostly men) are advocating one pair of underwear and one pair of socks. Do agree with ditching the liners. But I still believe in three pair of socks and three pair of underwear (eps if you wear underwear hiking. If you plan to go commando you could probably leave one behind)). For health reasons even - women are also more prone to such things as yeast infections and there are chafiing issues (we can discuss this more on the female forum if you want)

    Personally, I'd consider cutting your hair so you don't have to deal with the aggravation of snarly hair. But of course that's up to you.

    Have a great hike!







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  15. #15
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    what backpack are you using? if your pack weighs 6 pounds, you can easily loose weight by switching to a 3-pounder

    also it seems you are bringing too many personal care items. things I would leave at home

    deodorant - you'll stink anyway and deodorant attracts critters

    q-tips - can't imagine what you'd use these for

    lotion - not useful and attracts critters

    camp suds - leaving these behind will make your town shower that much better!

    You say you have an MSR fuel bottle - those are heavy and totally unnecessary since you're using alcohol! Alcohol can be safely stored in a plastic bottle. I use an empty Mountain Dew bottle, it's green so I don't confuse it with my water bottles.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lavy View Post
    I have repackaged all of these items you have mentioned into snack sized ziplocks or smaller containers. I do have a headlamp and as far as the fuel bottle goes I have one of the MSR fuel bottles. I will be taking the appalachian pages with me as well so I was figuring that solved the need for maps...am I wrong in that assumption? I will be taking a bandanna along because I have very long hair that will become quite an annoyance without one. I'm still up in the air as far as how I should be carrying water. I have Nalgenes and a camelback hydration bladder so I could go either way. I was also considering bringing a 4 liter dromedary...is this at all useful? I have started cutting back on alot of this stuff you guys have been mentioning and will be able to check my weights later on in the morning. I'll get back to y'all on it. Thanks everyone you guys are saviors.
    I have found that a simple 16 oz plastic soda bottle-Pepsi is best-thicker plastic and better shape works well for alcohol. I know of several that survived thruhikes.

    Same goes for water bottle, use either 20 oz or 1 litre, multiples if you need it.

    Both these together will save about a pound over what you listed. I also wrap about 10 wraps of duct tape around one or the other.
    Last edited by hacksaw; 03-12-2008 at 14:42. Reason: Left out duct tape

  17. #17
    Registered User hammock engineer's Avatar
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    It looks like you got at least all your bases covered. Meaning nothing major is left out. For me some of the things look like overkill, too many of one thing. I just have my hiking clothes and sleeping clothes, along with an extra pair of socks.

    I would just say that as long as you can comfortably carry the weight, just go with it. It will not take long for you to figure it out for yourself. Just keep in mind that everyone gives advice based on what works for them, not bad just the way it is. After a few days you'll figure out what you are not using and can do without. Just be prepared to change things along the way.

    Enjoy your hike.

  18. #18

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    A whisle, molskin, instaed of sleep sock be a pair of hiking socks, a vsest is more versable a specily you have a rain jacket & a long sleve T-shirt or your themo short.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blissful View Post
    Yeah I am kind of amazed that people (mostly men) are advocating one pair of underwear and one pair of socks. Do agree with ditching the liners. But I still believe in three pair of socks and three pair of underwear (eps if you wear underwear hiking. If you plan to go commando you could probably leave one behind)). For health reasons even - women are also more prone to such things as yeast infections and there are chafiing issues (we can discuss this more on the female forum if you want)

    Personally, I'd consider cutting your hair so you don't have to deal with the aggravation of snarly hair. But of course that's up to you.

    Have a great hike!
    Where did that come from. I thought from the profile, Lavy was a male and I didn't see any picture showing what his hair looked like
    OWL

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lavy View Post

    Big Agnes air-core sleep pad
    Unless your air-core is insulated you will be cold! Add a foam pad to start

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