My 09 Gear List

[Lummox]

I am hitting the trail the first week or so of March. I already have a -20F sleeping bag, boots and socks at a local EMS, Headlamp, Gloves, and First Aid Kit. The list below is what I am planning to buy from Campmor or local hardware stores. Please have a look and help me to see any missing or extra gear.

***** Legs *************
Duofold Tall Men's Ankle Length Pants - 79704
Campmor Men's UPF Travel Pants 32"Inseam 75430 Columbia Men's Fleece Pants - 48801
Columbia Men's Omni Dry Silver Ridge Cargo Short 56510
***** Torso ************
Expedition Weight 360 Stretch 2 layer Crewneck - 30649
2 T-Shirts, wicking
Campmor men's Microfleece Grid mix zip T-Neck - 33416
Columbia Men's Bugaboo Interchange Parka w/ removeavle 250 fleece - 50266
Campmor lightweight pVC Rainsuit - 79690
***** Head/Hands/Feet ******
Campmor Glove Liner - 11211
Outdoor Research Sonic Balaclava - 33493
SoftShell Headband - 66501
Outdoor Research Men's Highpoint Cap - 76260
********** Cooking *************
DIY alcohol stove and windscreen w/ 4oz fuel bottle
Katadyn Hiker Pro Microfilter - 81917
Open Country 2 Pot Cookset - 82090
OilCamp Space Saver Cup - 25001
Chop-sticks and Spoon
Thermal Mug - 80919
4 32oz Nalgene Canteens - 80900
2 16 oz Nalgene Canteens - 80896
Magnesium Fire Starter - 3131
Waterproof Matches - 8485
3 Lighters
Ursack (From site)
********** Tent etc. ***************
Wenzel StarLite Tent - 3584
Camouflage Poly Tarp 10X10
http://www.tarpsplus.com/poly-tarps-...age-tarps.html
2X 4pack 6in Stakes - 28881
Thermarest Trail Medium Self Inflating Pad - 43008
2 X Space Blanket - 81280
100ft Rope
http://www.armysurplusworld.com/prod...ProductID=5226
********** Pack and Sacs *********************
GoLite Quest Internal Frame Pack - 80699
BackPack Rain Cover - 60809
Hydroseal Dry Sac medium (extra fleece/pants/hat) - 81486
Hydroseal Dry Sac large (sleeping bag) - 81487
********* ETC **********
Multi Purpose Radio - 88880 Organic Multi use soap
Dry Lite Towel - 83033










Thanks for reading

[phishpapond]

Wenzel StarLite Tent really on a thru hike? Hope you no rain you will get wet.Way to much rope.4 32oz Nalgene Canteens - 80900
2 16 oz Nalgene Canteens - 80896 . At most you only need 3 32oz bottles.

[SOBOTORTOISE]

You seem to be very equipped. What does it all weight?

[ArDiAcMe]

That seems to be a rather large thru hiking pack list. How much does it weigh. I am also planning a thru hike this year and am putting together a list of items. Id drop the mug and a few bottles, cut the rope in half at least. Ive decided to go without a filter and just use iodine to save space, but am not sure how much more expensive it'll turn out to be in the end.

[Blissful]

-20 bag to start? No way, won't need it!!! 15-20 degree is fine and you can bring a liner just in case. No need for space blanket. 50 ft of rope is plenty.

Rainsuit - you get what you pay for. Might look at Frogg Togg.
Your clothing options are really heavy. Buy one pair of convertible pants and some mid weight underwear. A merino wool shirt to hike in if cold. Only need one t-shirt to start. Underwear? Parka is overkill with a rain jacket. You can get a lightweight outer jacket (either synthetic or down sweater-like) at a good price now. Liners for gloves are optional (I'd forget them)
Don't need the headband if you have a hat.
Way too many Nalgenes, and they are heavy also
Cookset - just get a K mart gease pot and one lexan spoon
Only need one lighter, no need for firestarter
Tent - you get what you pay for. Wenzel is lousy. Might look into something else that might protect you better and weigh a lot less. Check here on WB for ideas (some hikers are selling gear too) or do a tent search. One tent or tarp will do. Not both.

How much weight can this golite handle?

[KG4FAM]

I am hitting the trail the first week or so of March. I already have a -20F sleeping bag, boots and socks at a local EMS, Headlamp, Gloves, and First Aid Kit. The list below is what I am planning to buy from Campmor or local hardware stores. Please have a look and help me to see any missing or extra gear. considering the other choices on the list I doubt that you actually have a truly rated -20 deg sleeping bag, what kind is it and how much does it weigh.

***** Legs *************
Duofold Tall Men's Ankle Length Pants - 79704
Campmor Men's UPF Travel Pants 32"Inseam 75430 Only need one pair of pants
Columbia Men's Fleece Pants - 48801
Columbia Men's Omni Dry Silver Ridge Cargo Short 56510
***** Torso ************
Expedition Weight 360 Stretch 2 layer Crewneck - 30649
2 T-Shirts, wicking
Campmor men's Microfleece Grid mix zip T-Neck - 33416
Columbia Men's Bugaboo Interchange Parka w/ removeavle 250 fleece - 50266
Campmor lightweight pVC Rainsuit - 79690 Ewww, pvc=bad, get some dri ducks/frogg toggs if you want to cheap out on the rain gear
***** Head/Hands/Feet ******
Campmor Glove Liner - 11211
Outdoor Research Sonic Balaclava - 33493
SoftShell Headband - 66501
Outdoor Research Men's Highpoint Cap - 76260
********** Cooking *************
DIY alcohol stove and windscreen w/ 4oz fuel bottle
Katadyn Hiker Pro Microfilter - 81917
Open Country 2 Pot Cookset - 82090 you only need one pot
OilCamp Space Saver Cup - 25001 too heavy, get an orikaso cup if you cant drink out of your cookpot
Chop-sticks and Spoon chopsticks? w t f ?
Thermal Mug - 80919 another cup? one for each hand maybe?
4 32oz Nalgene Canteens - 80900 get some gatorade bottles, cheaper, lighter
2 16 oz Nalgene Canteens - 80896 if you are doing bladder just get one big one
Magnesium Fire Starter - 3131 just get a bic lighter
Waterproof Matches - 8485 see above
3 Lighters 2 is enough
Ursack (From site)
********** Tent etc. ***************
Wenzel StarLite Tent - 3584 worthless
Camouflage Poly Tarp 10X10 2.75 pounds of tarp, no. find a lighter one
http://www.tarpsplus.com/poly-tarps-...age-tarps.html
2X 4pack 6in Stakes - 28881
Thermarest Trail Medium Self Inflating Pad - 43008
2 X Space Blanket - 81280
100ft Rope 1/2 that is enough for hanging food and that is all you use if for on a day to day basis
http://www.armysurplusworld.com/prod...ProductID=5226
********** Pack and Sacs *********************
GoLite Quest Internal Frame Pack - 80699
BackPack Rain Cover - 60809 crap as well, find a silnylon one
Hydroseal Dry Sac medium (extra fleece/pants/hat) - 81486 just shove everything into a trash compactor bag
Hydroseal Dry Sac large (sleeping bag) - 81487
********* ETC **********
Multi Purpose Radio - 88880 dear god, are you trying to give me a heart attack. you can find a cheap pocket radio that weighs next to nothing. sansa m240 is what I use
Organic Multi use soap
Dry Lite Towel - 83033

[TomWc]

Columbia Men's Bugaboo Interchange Parka w/ removeavle 250 fleece - 50266
Campmor lightweight pVC Rainsuit - 79690
4 32oz Nalgene Canteens - 80900
2 16 oz Nalgene Canteens - 80896
3 Lighters
Ursack (From site)
********** Tent etc. ***************
Wenzel StarLite Tent - 3584
Camouflage Poly Tarp 10X10
http://www.tarpsplus.com/poly-tarps-...age-tarps.html
2X 4pack 6in Stakes - 28881
Thermarest Trail Medium Self Inflating Pad - 43008
2 X Space Blanket - 81280
100ft Rope
http://www.armysurplusworld.com/prod...ProductID=5226

Multi Purpose Radio - 88880 Organic Multi use soap
Dry Lite Towel - 83033

Just some thoughts on these items.

A rain shell and fleece/wool layers will be more versatile and lighter than the interchange parka and pvc rainsuit. Thrift store fleece and wool are good options (there's lots of this in the goodwill) as are frogg toggs mentioned earlier.

All the nalgenes could be replaced with gatoraide bottles, cheaper and lighter

2 bic lighters, one big and one mini, keep them dry and skip the firesteel

ursack is heavy and not really necessary, lots of folks use plastic grocery bags or stuff sacks

That's a big tarp, especially if you have a tent too and poly is heavy, look at the nylon and silnylon tarps on campmor.

Haven't seen the starlite in person, but haven't heard good things about them. Alps mountaineering zephyr is not much more expensive and top quality. Sports authority has a pretty good hiker/biker tent for about 35$, often on sale for 20. It's less than 4 lbs.

Gutter spikes from the home improvement center make good cheap tent stakes

Thermarest trail medium is a pretty heavy pad, might want to look into other options if you can save money elsewhere.

I like having a space blanket, it makes a good groundcloth and might be good for emergencies. Why 2?

Chamois type towels can be found cheap in the auto parts section of walmart a lot cheaper than pack towels

Holy cow on that radio! Don't get me wrong, I like a radio, especially shortwave, but you can save a pound, 20$ and get better reception with a grundig mini-pe300.

[John B]

I agree with the previous suggestions. If you just have to carry Nalgene, maybe carry just one and then a Gatorade bottle. 4 of the things plus 2 16oz canteens is way too much The woods are full of sticks, so I'd definitely ditch the chopsticks and use what will be all around you if you just have to have them. You could replace two pair of pants with just one pair of convertible pants. Definitely carry a cheap Zippo instead of the firestarter thing -- one shoudl be plenty; just look at the bottom from time to time to make it still has enough gas. Personally I don't see a need for an Ursak, but some argue that they're good at keeping mice out of food. One cook pot is plenty and you can get rid of the extra pot, cup, and thermal mug -- just use the pot for hot coffee if that's what you want.

You've got so much heavy stuff that I hate to suggest more things, but you might want to carry a tooth brush and travel paste, also a very small knife (1" blade) to open packets of food.

Lots of us like to use toilet paper -- one WB member carries 6 rolls; however, most of use get by with one small roll.

I'd suggest an ounce or so of gelled alcohol to ward off cooties on your hands.

I'm cold natured, too, but a -20 bag is meant for the Yukon, not the AT. A 15-20 degree should be just fine.

I'd say 30' of rope is plenty. Pretty much all you'll use it for is bear bagging or maybe a clothes line for drying.

My best advice is that I'd suggest you look at the gear lists of some of the really experienced hikers here, compare their lists to yours, and learn from their experience.

[TomWc]

Also a good piece of advice I received here is that if you can't wear all your layers at once, you have too many. JAK has it right, Base layer+wool layer+fleece layer+shell layer.

[KG4FAM]

You've got so much heavy stuff that I hate to suggest more things, but you might want to carry a tooth brush and travel paste, also a very small knife (1" blade) to open packets of food.

If you don't mind a salty taste and the weird texture just brush your teeth with straight up baking soda. Its more LNT friendly than tooth paste, lighter since the water is not there, cheaper at like 50 cents a box, more readily available at small towns than travel sized things, and easier to clean off your brush using much less of your treated/filtered/[at least gone down to the spring and fetched] water.

[buckwheat]

If you don't mind a salty taste and the weird texture just brush your teeth with straight up baking soda.

If you have coffee or cigarette stains, you will also find this will significantly brighten your enamel. My grandmother turned me on to baking soda as a toothpaste as a kid 30 years ago. Arm & Hammer finally wised up and now sell a baking soda infused toothpaste.

[John B]

I gotta put in a plug for toothpaste again. While I agree that baking soda is more convenient and works well, note that you won't be getting any flouride from any other source for X mths except for toothpaste and what water you consume in towns. Anyway, no matter which you pick, your teeth and gums will thank you for it.

[Lummox]

I love all the replies, thanks everyone. I'm going to work down my list with some changes that you all have suggested.

Pants - Dropping the shorts and pants and getting the Campmor Convertable travel pants - 75430

Torso - I am going to get the $60 classic frog toggs instead of the rain suit and parka. But does the fleece need to be high tech- or will any fleece sweater do? Being cold and wet is my biggest worry on the trail.

Cookware - I'm dropping the 2 pot set and going down to Walmart tomorrow to get one 1L pot. Dropping the small cup, but I want to keep my insulated mug as I am a coffee and tea addict. The nalgenes were for holding loose food like rice or oatmeal as well as water, so I am still going to bring 2 for food, but I'll use gatorade bottles for my water. I am going to take out the flint fire starter, but I am still going to bring some matches in a film container just in case along with 2 Bic lighters.
Tent - I am going to switch over to the tent suggested by TomWC (http://www.sportsauthority.com/sm-al...i-3093717.html) and go for aluminum gutter nails for the pegs. The 100ft of rope was misleading, I am only going to bring 50 ft at the start, and have extra if I need it mailed out. The same goes for my 2 emergency blankets. I have the Ursack on there since I don't feel 100% confident on my bear bagging skills, but do not want to slack on keeping safe either.

Pack - I will get a different rain cover, but I think I am going to order my gear first and measure the size of everything packed to avoid a lot of empty space on the rain cover.
On my walmart trip I am going to try and find a cheaper pack towel.

Oh and I do not know the specs of the sleeping bag, but my roomate tarped around Utah during the winter, so I am sure it will get me through the cold nights in the first few months. I am very nervous of the cold. After that I've got other bags I can borrow from another hiking friend.

I'll re-post my list when I get back to my usual computer in a few days, for you all to rip through again. Thanks so much everyone!

[Panzer1]

Pants - Dropping the shorts and pants and getting the Campmor Convertable travel pants - 75430

Your going need to have something to wear while your doing your laundry.
Are you planning to wear your frog toggs while your pants are in the washer?

Panzer

[Panzer1]

Oh and I do not know the specs of the sleeping bag, but my roomate tarped around Utah during the winter, so I am sure it will get me through the cold nights in the first few months.

I would make sure that bag is warm enough before heading out. Maybe you could plan a car camping weekend this winter and test the bag yourself.

Panzer

[Mongoose2]

I love all the replies, thanks everyone. I'm going to work down my list with some changes that you all have suggested.

Pants - Dropping the shorts and pants and getting the Campmor Convertable travel pants - 75430

Torso - I am going to get the $60 classic frog toggs instead of the rain suit and parka. But does the fleece need to be high tech- or will any fleece sweater do? Being cold and wet is my biggest worry on the trail.

Cookware - I'm dropping the 2 pot set and going down to Walmart tomorrow to get one 1L pot. Dropping the small cup, but I want to keep my insulated mug as I am a coffee and tea addict. The nalgenes were for holding loose food like rice or oatmeal as well as water, so I am still going to bring 2 for food, but I'll use gatorade bottles for my water. I am going to take out the flint fire starter, but I am still going to bring some matches in a film container just in case along with 2 Bic lighters.
Tent - I am going to switch over to the tent suggested by TomWC (http://www.sportsauthority.com/sm-al...i-3093717.html) and go for aluminum gutter nails for the pegs. The 100ft of rope was misleading, I am only going to bring 50 ft at the start, and have extra if I need it mailed out. The same goes for my 2 emergency blankets. I have the Ursack on there since I don't feel 100% confident on my bear bagging skills, but do not want to slack on keeping safe either.

Pack - I will get a different rain cover, but I think I am going to order my gear first and measure the size of everything packed to avoid a lot of empty space on the rain cover.
On my walmart trip I am going to try and find a cheaper pack towel.

Oh and I do not know the specs of the sleeping bag, but my roomate tarped around Utah during the winter, so I am sure it will get me through the cold nights in the first few months. I am very nervous of the cold. After that I've got other bags I can borrow from another hiking friend.

I'll re-post my list when I get back to my usual computer in a few days, for you all to rip through again. Thanks so much everyone!

With all due respect to Tom; this tent is a huge gamble! This tent will be your shelter in cold and driving rains. I would strongly suggest that you buy a tent with a solid reputation or test this one before taking it out. REI sells a great one man tent, as does Coleman (Kraz $99.00). Both of these tents are about 3 lbs and will protect you. I have both and both are good choices. Your tent, bag and pack are critical to your success and comfort. What about shoes/boots?

[knicksin2010]

Are you brining trekking poles?

[Scrapes]

I love reading packing lists, so much can be learned. It really is make or break. I was working on mine, stuff all over the basement, then the basement flooded. Lot of wet hiking gear. A precursor perhaps?

[the_black_spot]

you definitely got a lot to thin out. you can listen to folks here, or just bring that stuff with you and listen to trail. just don't leave gear in shelters, throw cheap stuff away and send valuable stuff home.

[Pickleodeon]

I agree with keeping that Ursack. It will put my mind at ease on the trail. Worth the weight. I'm bringing less rope because it wont be doubled over a tree limb. I think I have about 30 ft.- to tie it to a tree trunk, and for clothesline.