Another gear check

[dillard]

Any suggestions/comments are welcome.

Note: I am not looking for "ultralight" just a sensible pack... and budget is a concern hence the hand-me-down army goods. The list of cloths includes everything worn or packed.

Right now my pack with everything in it minus food/water weighs in at 25lbs.

***BIG 4***
1 Backpack – Osprey Kestrel 68
1 Tent - Mountain Hardwear Lightpath 2
1 Sleeping Bag, 30F Military
1 Sleeping Pad, Mummy Self Inflatable

***Kitchen***
1 Stove - Optimus Crux
1 Fuel - 220g Canister
1 Pot/Pan - Snow Peak 1L
2 Lighter - bic
1 Bladder – 3L Camelbak
1 Bottle - Empty Gatorade
1 Food Bag - Sil-Nylon Stuff Sack
1 Spork - Vargo Titanium
1 Bear Line – 50’ Paracord

***Clothing***
1 Light Fleece - UA Armourfleece Hoody
1 Heavy Fleece - Moosejaw 230wt Fleece
1 Thermal shirt - XGO Phase 4
1 Thermal pant - XGO Phase 4
1 Neck Gaiter - Polarmax Fleece
1 Beanie
1 Gloves - CamelBak Heat Grip CT
1 Pants - Army ACU
1 Shorts - O'neill boardshort
2 Shirt - XGO Phase 1
1 Boonie Hat
1 Bug net
1 GI Poncho
3 Socks - Smartwool medium
3 Sock Liners - Starter Dri-Star
1 Boots - Oakley 8"
1 Shoe - VFF TrekSport

***Hygiene***
1 Microfiber Hand Towel
1 Roll of TP
1 Bar Soap - Dr. Bronners
1 Toothbrush
1 Toothpaste

***Emergency***
1 First Aid kit
1 Repair Kit
1 ID & debit card

***Luxury Items***
1 Bug Spray
1 Multitool - Leatherman Squirt
1 Reading Light - Photon Freedom Red Beam
1 Flashlight - Lumintop TD15x & extra batteries
1 Pump/Filter - Camelbak tactical
1 Water Purification - Aquamira drops
1 Compass - Suunto MC-2G Global Compass
1 Trail Guide - AT Guide SOBO
1 Book - Ranger Handbook

[Rocket Jones]

You can get a decent headlamp at Wally World for less than 10 bucks. Worth it for the convenience of a headlamp vs. flashlight.

[10-K]

A couple of suggestions:

1. Do you need a whole roll of TP

2. Do you need a 1 liter pot?

3. Heavy fleece, neck gaiter, and long underwear can be sent later.

4. Swap out Leatherman for a smaller knife

5. Trade flashlight/reading light for headlamp (as mentioned above)

6. You could lose the filter and just use Aqua Mira

7. Look in your first aid kit for unnecessary items....

8. Keep some cash with your ID and debit card.

[Hooch]

I'll agree with what 10-K said, with these two additions:

-Leave the Ranger Handbook at home. It's a pretty sizeable book and heavy to boot. You're going hiking, not looking for Al-qaeda operatives.

-Trade out the poncho for a set of Dri-Ducks or Frogg Toggs. The wind will blow you poncho all over the place, rendering it essentially useless. Dri-Ducks or Frogg Toggs are lighter, more breathable and pretty doggone cheap. I got mine at Dick's for $20.

[Bags4266]

Personally I think you should lighten up a bit. With a base at 25# you will be near 35# after fully supplied and thats just a little to much but hey as the say HYOH.

[kayak karl]

take less clothes. ill let the experts detail your list.

[Jersey Tim]

It's a good start; no critical omissions. You'll mail some things back home at Neels Gap as you figure out what you truly do and don't need. Some general advice:

-Pick up some alcohol-based (unscented) hand sanitizer. Keeps germs away and disinfects wounds.
-Unless you're planning to night-hike long and often, the tactical-grade flashlight and extra batteries are wasted weight and bulk. Your red headlamp will do well for nighttime bathroom breaks.
-Your 8" military boots are going to be darn heavy (and hot) after ten miles. Lightweight hiking boots or trail runners are a more comfortable and efficient choice.
-If your paracord is 550-lb. cord, it's just as good for bear-bagging with the core stripped out, and considerably lighter.
-A filter plus Aqua Mira works for absolute purification of truly putrid water sources; on the AT, it's overkill.
-Look to trim the first aid kit as much as possible. The trail is busier and closer to civilization than you expect, so there's no need to be prepared for wilderness triage.

[ScottP]

I wouldn't be comfortable carrying that much. You might not mind.

How much time do you have until you leave? There are plenty of very cheap, light options for hiking--especially in warm weather.

[bigcranky]

It's a good start; no critical omissions. You'll mail some things back home at Neels Gap as you figure out what you truly do and don't need.

As this is in the SOBO group I expect he's going southbound, and thus won't have a chance to mail stuff home for a long-ish time.

To the OP: your list is fine, but you have some redundancy in some gear and especially clothing. If you can get your pack weight down a bit it'll help with the first part of the hike. Understood on the cost issue, but things you leave behind don't cost anything.

I would drop:

The filter (aqua mira works, and you're carrying it anyway)
The Ranger handbook
I would not take the Squirt, but it's a nice little tool. I take the smallest SAK, with scissors, tiny blade, and nail file.
Some of the clothing. You appear to have five shirts. I would wear one shirt for hiking, and have a dry shirt for camp, and one warm layer for cool nights to start. Think about how you are going to use them as a system, and then choose. If you take the hoody you probably don't need the neck gaiter, for example.
The Camelbak. I gave up on bladders. Bottles are lighter and easier to use. YMMV.

I would replace:

The big compass - get a tiny one that fits on a watchband
The flashlight - looks freakin' huge, no offense. A 1-AA light is fine, or a 3-AA headlamp is better.
The poncho, with an inexpensive and light set of rain gear, top and bottom. The DriDucks are inexpensive and work well.
The boots, unless you are totally used to wearing them. I personally prefer just mesh trail runners these days.

OK, so you asked, and these are my thoughts.

Have a great hike!!!

[dillard]

1. Do you need a whole roll of TP (no of course not)

2. Do you need a 1 liter pot? (I also have the 600ml that fits inside, do you think 600ml is sufficient for single person cooking?)

3. Heavy fleece, neck gaiter, and long underwear can be sent later. (can these wait until I run into winter down south or do I need them for the Whites?)

4. Swap out Leatherman for a smaller knife (the leatherman is a 2oz keyring version)

5. Trade flashlight/reading light for headlamp (weight is almost the same and the flashlight & has a clip)

6. You could lose the filter and just use Aqua Mira (i only included the filter/pump because I have heard some water sources are hard to fill from)

Personally I think you should lighten up a bit. With a base at 25# you will be near 35# after fully supplied and thats just a little to much but hey as the say HYOH.

I guess I should mention I am 6' 230lbs. I took the gear for a test hike of 8 miles and honestly hardly felt the 40lbs I loaded it to. The 40 lbs weight was with full 3 liters and 9lbs of food to simulate going thru the 100 mile wilderness. Granted I was on mostly flat land being in Florida but I was also keeping a 4mph pace.

-Unless you're planning to night-hike long and often, the tactical-grade flashlight and extra batteries are wasted weight and bulk. Your red headlamp will do well for nighttime bathroom breaks.

-Your 8" military boots are going to be darn heavy (and hot) after ten miles. Lightweight hiking boots or trail runners are a more comfortable and efficient choice.

-A filter plus Aqua Mira works for absolute purification of truly putrid water sources; on the AT, it's overkill.

I do intend to explore a good bit at night and maybe even do some night hiking. The flashlight is only a few ounces more than the headlamp and the batteries are actually lighter than AAA's.

I do agree that the military boot will probably be excessive... I will probably bring my Vibram Five Fingers TrekSport also to do rain, river fording, camp shoes etc... at 2lbs I am hoping the boots wont be too bad when I pack em instead of wear them.

As mentioned above only brought the filter/pump because I have heard some water sources can be hard to collect from

[dillard]

Thanks for all the replies so far! It pretty much confirmed the suspicions I already had about some of my gear.

[dillard]

You appear to have five shirts. I would wear one shirt for hiking, and have a dry shirt for camp, and one warm layer for cool nights to start. Think about how you are going to use them as a system, and then choose. If you take the hoody you probably don't need the neck gaiter, for example.

(I suppose your right about not needing the gaiter if i have the hoody... as far as layers it would be long fleece underwear then tech shirt then light hoody then hevy hoody on top... i figure it gives me 4 chest layers and 3 arm layers... probably way overkill but being from Florida I have no experience with hiking in freezing temps. As a quick weight ref. the shirts are 4.5oz the hoody 7.5 and the underwear is 7.5 so only the heavy fleece is not made of light tech layers.)

I would replace:

The big compass - (thinking of leaving it home all together since im not carrying the maps)
The flashlight - looks freakin' huge, (despite looks it isnt very large and only weighs a few ounces more than my 3AAA headlamp and the batteries are actually lighter)
The boots, unless you are totally used to wearing them. I personally prefer just mesh trail runners these days. (I am very used to wearing them, but I am open to options... I am thinking of taking my VFF TrekSports but am concerned about some of the colder sections)

OK, so you asked, and these are my thoughts. (and they are much appreciated)

Do quotes not count as characters in a post?

[dillard]

Sorry quick corrections from that last post since I dont know how to edit on this forum.

The heavy fleece is NOT a hoody...

the extra t-shirt IS for a dry camp shirt

[ScottP]

a good headlamp is way better for night hiking than a good flashlight

I go pretty light and still carry a 1.4L pot. but then again, I cook big meals and eat leftovers for breakfast the next morning. I wouldn't screw with anything in your 'kitchen' section.

don't need TP (leaves/moss) and those micro towel things just end up as bacteria hotels. Hand sanitizer is nice, though.

IMO a filter is not very useful. Chemical treatments are faster and lighter. If you run into the rare case of muddy water, filter through a bandana or something.

No matter how big/in shape you are carrying more weight is going to slow you down, make hiking less pleasant, and make you more prone to overuse injuries. For many, the tradeoffs of having extra comforts, margin of error, etc. is worth the above. For many, it isn't.

If you're into making your hike a physical challenge, you may be better off (as far as injury prevention goes) doing more miles and carrying less, but I can't say that I'm aware of any credible research directly on this topic.

If you're looking to save weight (or want ideas for the future if you decide that you want to save weight) keep reading. Otherwise ignore the below.
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It's July. You don't need much for clothing. Shorts, one t-shirt, whatever hats/bugnets you like, 3x running socks, and a lightweight jacket is plenty (that includes what you're wearing).


If your hiking shoes are so uncomfortable that you don't want to wear them in camp, what are you doing hiking in them? 1 ounce on a foot=7 ounces on your back, in terms of the work it requries to hike. Military boots vs running shoes is like carrying a cement porch goose in your pack, literally.

consider not carrying a 2 person tent. Or possibly get rid of it and pick up a tarp once the worst of the biting insects are done with.

[dillard]

It's July. You don't need much for clothing. Shorts, one t-shirt, whatever hats/bugnets you like, 3x running socks, and a lightweight jacket is plenty (that includes what you're wearing).

If your hiking shoes are so uncomfortable that you don't want to wear them in camp, what are you doing hiking in them? 1 ounce on a foot=7 ounces on your back, in terms of the work it requries to hike. Military boots vs running shoes is like carrying a cement porch goose in your pack, literally.

Thanks Scott, lots of good things to think about here.

The only reason I was thinking to start with my cold weather gear is I keep hearing that ME can get cold even in July and I want to minimize the amount of gear im shipping to/from the trail. Maybe just taking the light fleece and sending the rest forward would be best as far as cold weather gear.

As far as the boots, its not that they are uncomfortable... far from it actually, I just think them a bit bulky for some uses. Trail runners and other low cut shoes tend to wear right on the back of my Achilles tendon and is a reason i like a bit higher back. Maybe you can provide some solutions for the rubbing besides the obvious tape or moleskin.

[dillard]

Ah yes and on the tent issue, once I am past the horrible swarms of bugs up north I intend to send the main tent body home and use it in its "trail light" config using only the fly, footprint, poles & stakes at a weight of 3lbs 2oz.

[ScottP]

'hike h igh, camp low.' If the weather is bad, the peaks will get cold at night, but if the weather is bad you probably don't want to camp up on a peak.

Make sure that your shoes fit well, and are sized for hiking. I buy my hiking shoes 1 size larger than my running shoes.

That kind of rub is also a result from your current training/sports. When your ankles 'bottom out' your feet will rub on the backs of your shoes.

I'm assuming that most of your athletic activity is running on mostly flat roads/trails. If you want to be in shape for carrying loads on steep rugged trails, then you will need stronger calves.

Jumping rope, cycling (with a properly fitted bike and using cycling shoes/pedals), and sprints will help develop calves that are strong.

[ScottP]

a 6x10 flat tarp is about 9 oz and $80 or so. Something to think about when you get down there.

[dillard]

OK, will have these shipped to me when it gets cold:
Heavy Fleece
Thermal top & bottom
Neck Gaiter

and leaving the following items behind now:
Microfiber Towel
Pump/Filter
Compass
Army ACU Pants (just cant live with 50/50 nylon/cotton)

Quick question:
Will shorts alone be OK to start or should I really pick up a pair of cheap convertibles or something to have some kind of pants.

[ScottP]

I rock a kilt and only wear microfleece pants when I have to posthole lots. Northwoods bugs will bite through pretty much anything that isn't wind/waterproof.