What clothes to pack.....help!!!!

[jbrecon2]

I know it is such a matter of personal preferance, but I would appreciate the input. So far I am going with capilene 2 top and bottom, patagonia baggies and a North face tka fleece.


When leaving Springer in late march i should have _________ in my clothes bag:



When the weather becomes warm i should send home _______, and now have __________ in my clothes bag

[Tinker]

Late March temps at Springer will probably be in the 30s at night, occasionally dipping to the mid 20s (check the average temperature charts online). It will be colder in the Smokies because of the higher elevation. Once you've figured out the likely conditions you'll be in pick a similar day near home (preferably rainy and windy and right around freezing) get sopping wet (accidentally on purpose) and walk for 10 miles or so in hilly country on an empty stomach. That should give you an idea what to take.
The second question is much easier based on my recent break from tradition. When very cold weather is unlikely I don't bring any long underwear. I plan on hiking in shorts and wear long nylon hiking pants to sleep in. They're warm enough and I can wear them around town without looking too out of place.
Being a section hiker who's been in the company of quite a few thruhikers gave me the idea I gave above (hiking with an empty stomach). I've run out of food once, and believe me, the next day felt quite a bit colder without having any fuel to stoke the metabolism.

[turtle fast]

#1 nothing cotton, with exception to a bandana possibly. All weather
#2 A spare set of footwear like Crocks, Tevas, Chacos, or flip flops for town use, showers, and sometimes in camp.
#3 A hat...winter hat of fleece or other light weight material. Ball cap summer or boonie.
#4 Long johns for winter 1 pair various light weight materials Capeline, etc.
#5 Lightweight shorts summer
You basically have to remember that you have to carry everything with you...be aware of your weight...the articles here are awsome! Anyway, everyone tends to carry too much with them when they leave Springer Mountain. Here is an open secret.....do a shakedown of your stuff when you get to Mountain Crossings right on the AT less than a week out for most folks from Springer Mountain. Really....they will help you shave off unneeded pounds and you can ship it home from the place!!!!

[drastic_quench]

Is it really that helpful to mail your starting sleeping bag home, switch to a warm weather bag, and then get your starting bag mailed back to you to finish the hike?

I've got the purple 20 degree Campmor bag. It doesn't weigh much at all. Wouldn't sleeping on top of it (or just using it as a pillow) in warm weather be just as effective?

[River Runner]

Is it really that helpful to mail your starting sleeping bag home, switch to a warm weather bag, and then get your starting bag mailed back to you to finish the hike?

I've got the purple 20 degree Campmor bag. It doesn't weigh much at all. Wouldn't sleeping on top of it (or just using it as a pillow) in warm weather be just as effective?

The problem is usually those 'in between' nights that are too cool not to have some sort of cover, but too hot for a 20 degree bag. I know I don't get a lot of sleep when I'm constantly alternating between flipping a bag/quilt off and then trying to pull it back over me when I get too cool.

[Hacmatac]

Anybody complete the AT without switching gear? Sounds dramatic to me...

[DrRichardCranium]

Is it really that helpful to mail your starting sleeping bag home, switch to a warm weather bag, and then get your starting bag mailed back to you to finish the hike?

I've got the purple 20 degree Campmor bag. It doesn't weigh much at all. Wouldn't sleeping on top of it (or just using it as a pillow) in warm weather be just as effective?

I've never thru-hiked, but assuming you're heading NOBO, and it starts to get warm, could you mail the 20 degree bag to some maildrop place up north (Vermont, maybe, where you'll be when it starts to get cold) and get a light bag for the hot months? Then when you reach that maildrop, you get your warm bag back & mail your light bag home?

I'm thinking about doing that. Any experienced folks think that that is doable? How long will they hold maildrops anyway?

[drastic_quench]

Anybody complete the AT without switching gear? Sounds dramatic to me...

The thought has occurred to me - basically out of stubbornness and the idea that keeping the postal service out of my hike somehow makes it "more real", but I've got the feeling those temporarily useless items will get ditched in short order in actuality.

[garlic08]

Since you're asking on the ultra light forum, here's the clothing I brought on my ultra-light AT hike, starting early April: Marmot Driclime jacket (no fleece--too heavy/bulky), Marmot Essence rain jacket (7 oz) and similar light pants, light nylon trousers (no long undies), long underwear top (Hot Chillies), light cap and glove liners (3 oz total), two spare pair of Smartwool socks, one pair of briefs, one bandanna. That's it. That got me through two multi-day blizzards, one in the Smokies and one on Mt Rogers, both with low teen overnight temps, wet snow and strong winds during the day. That and an excellent sleeping bag, the Marmot Helium (15F).

Caution: With that little clothing, you are on the edge and cannot afford to make a mistake, like getting all your socks wet or hiking with your insulating jacket on and getting it sweaty or wet, or letting your bag get damp. The good news on the AT is that it's very easy to bail out, or simply get a weather report and stay in town an extra day until bad weather passes.

I used a 45F down bag from mid-May to the end of my hike in mid-July, but I carried everything else with me the whole way. I could have sent ahead the hat and gloves and jacket for a little. But I wasn't doing mail drops and didn't want to mess with that, and the jacket was nice for laundry stops.

If someone's limited by finances or logistics to one bag, that Campmor bag is probably the best one to carry.

[dreamsoftrails]

you need a wool long sleeve to always keep dry for sleeping in, you need a wool shirt to always wear, same with bottoms, and you need an insulating layer, a fleece or insulated jacket. when it gets warm you will know by then what you need.

maybe an extra layer of polypro or wool just to be safe.

[Tinker]

Is it really that helpful to mail your starting sleeping bag home, switch to a warm weather bag, and then get your starting bag mailed back to you to finish the hike?

I've got the purple 20 degree Campmor bag. It doesn't weigh much at all. Wouldn't sleeping on top of it (or just using it as a pillow) in warm weather be just as effective?

If you can use your bag as a quilt, pushing the down from the top to the sides, you can pretty effectively control how warm the bag will be. If you leave in April, the 20 degree bag should be warm enough. If you leave in early March, expect temps to go down to 15 or lower when you get into N.C. (They have been even lower). The worst weather is when it gets just above freezing and you get condensation in your tent and dampness in your bag only to have the next night in the teens, when your damp bag initially refuses to regain its loft until you get into it and warm it up sufficiently. Not likely, but better to be ready for the unlikely.
Bringing a vapor barrier is a great way to lower the effective temp. rating of your bag (but beware, whatever you wear inside the vapor barrier will be damp). The purpose of a vapor barrier is to keep your insensible perspiration away from your down (moisture is moisture), therefore keeping your down at its maximum loft and thermal efficiency. Yadayada....

[Jonnycat]

Lose the fleece, try something like this.