Is my total pack weight too much?

[oldbear]

s.ivanoff
as a solo hiker it is critically important to the rest of your life that you be able to effect a self rescue should you have an encounter with hypothermia ; aka E&E : aka Exhaustion and Exposure : aka The killer of the unprepared .
With that in mind you should seriously consider carrying a 15 degree warmer bag , a gasoline stove , a fleece pull over , a warm hat and 25% more weight in food than non -solo hikers are carrying

[kevperro]

I'm surprised this hasn't degenerated into a gun thread. Carry if you feel the need but you will most likely be sending it home. The trail is probably the safest place in America. You run into odd people but the only scary ones are in towns.

I'd recommend at looking at the packing list of people who have actually finished a Thru-hike. All kinds of people generate packing list but if you focus on the people who finished you will get a better idea of what is actually useful.

[waasj]

If you have to ask,it's probably too heavy. Keep whittling away the little stuff and look at your food.

[jeffmeh]

The ULA Circuit is a great choice. If you haven't already bought the sleeping bag, you may want to take a look at some of the down quilts. For the same weight you could get one rated for colder temps, or you could shave a few ounces for the same rating. I would opt for the former, as I do find it pretty easy to regulate my temperature with a quilt even in warmer weather.

[Bucho]

I was originally going to go with the same big agnes tent but I read a couple bad reviews and had been directed to the lightheart solo. And after someone suggested the ULA circuit I looked at the pack online and it seems like a great pack so I think that is the one I will be going with now. I think the original big 4 items i picked out totaled to 9lbs but I was able to get it down to 5.8lbs.

My girlfriend and I hiked with the Big Agnes sl2 last year. We liked it, I would have liked to go with something that was even a little lighter but Jen was worried about the whole UL thing and threatened to break up with me over it. However, you'll see plenty of lightheart solo's on the trail. People love them.

I also used the circuit for my thru hike, considering the kind of time you're trying to do this in I'd say that the ohm should be more the sort of thing that you want to look into.

[rocketsocks]

My girlfriend and I hiked with the Big Agnes sl2 last year. We liked it, I would have liked to go with something that was even a little lighter but Jen was worried about the whole UL thing and threatened to break up with me over it. However, you'll see plenty of lightheart solo's on the trail. People love them.

I also used the circuit for my thru hike, considering the kind of time you're trying to do this in I'd say that the ohm should be more the sort of thing that you want to look into.

Baby got back! Awesome,sounds like a keeper.

[bfayer]

s.ivanoff
as a solo hiker it is critically important to the rest of your life that you be able to effect a self rescue should you have an encounter with hypothermia ; aka E&E : aka Exhaustion and Exposure : aka The killer of the unprepared .
With that in mind you should seriously consider carrying a 15 degree warmer bag , a gasoline stove , a fleece pull over , a warm hat and 25% more weight in food than non -solo hikers are carrying

What exactly is agasoline stove going to do that any other type of stove is not?

Stoves don't. Prevent hypothermia staying dry does.

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[oldbear]

What exactly is agasoline stove going to do that any other type of stove is not?

Stoves don't. Prevent hypothermia staying dry does.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

In a self -rescue from a near death experience w/ hypothermia it is critically important to the rest of your life that you find a way to quickly get warm liquids into your body to warm up your core
In order to do that you need a stove that meets all of these requirements
It must be idiot proof
It must be as reliable as sun on the desert
It must immune to the vagaries of weather
It must be able to get liquid up to temp quickly
It must have a long burn time per tank
And the only kind of stove that meets those parameters is a gasoline stove like my trusty old Svea -123
which as it so happens was an integral part of my sucessful self rescue from hypothermia over 40 years ago on the Presidentials
Yes hypothermia is usually preventable and ideally nobody would ever it But we don't live in an ideal world we live in real world where even experienced hikers still die from it

[bfayer]

In a self -rescue from a near death experience w/ hypothermia it is critically important to the rest of your life that you find a way to quickly get warm liquids into your body to warm up your core
In order to do that you need a stove that meets all of these requirements
It must be idiot proof
It must be as reliable as sun on the desert
It must immune to the vagaries of weather
It must be able to get liquid up to temp quickly
It must have a long burn time per tank
And the only kind of stove that meets those parameters is a gasoline stove like my trusty old Svea -123
which as it so happens was an integral part of my sucessful self rescue from hypothermia over 40 years ago on the Presidentials
Yes hypothermia is usually preventable and ideally nobody would ever it But we don't live in an ideal world we live in real world where even experienced hikers still die from it

My jet boil does that, my windpro II does that, and so does a pile of sticks and a match.

As for the Svea I retired that over 25 years when I bought my whisper light. Althought I still like my Svea it is the most fussy stove I own especially in cold weather.

There is no need to carry a gas stove unless you hike in the winter below 0 degrees or just like really like them.

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[oldbear]

I guess I must have used my Svea enough to get all of the bugs worked out .
I too bought a whisper light bc having a stove that ran off of a 1 quart bottle appealed to me at the time
Hated it
Back to using a Svea 123

[bfayer]

I guess I must have used my Svea enough to get all of the bugs worked out .
I too bought a whisper light bc having a stove that ran off of a 1 quart bottle appealed to me at the time
Hated it
Back to using a Svea 123

I bet you use the optional pump

My favorite gas stove is my optimus 99, but with new options its not worth the weight.

To the OP, it sounds like you have your weight down to a good starting point. Once you get all your gear, go hike. It wont take long to figure out what works for you.

No two people are alike and everyone carries a load differently. The biggest mistake people make is starting a long hike with gear they have never actually used.

Now a days if I have to carry more than 30 pounds I am not a happy camper

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[Moose2001]

With the exception of the Golite Jam pack and the gun, I think the OP has a pretty well thought out gear list. We can all talk about cutting ounces here or there or advocate ultralite but the only way you really learn how to do that is to get out and hike. We all have to learn what works for us and what doesn't. Then we make changes. Take your stuff, hit the trail and have a great time.

[Bucho]

Here's a plan that will give you a rough idea of what you're getting yourself into http://www.theatguide.com/2010%20PlanNobo18.htm

You've got a lot of clothing, I'm not a good person to help you cut weight there but I see extra weight.

Hiking solo do you really need a cup, bowl and pot? Seems like you can cut out at least one of those I cut out two.

Here's the .9 oz knife I brought and ended up sending home because I found that I just didn't need a knife: http://www.crkt.com/PECKin-the-Dark-...zor-Sharp-Edge

Everybody gets rid of the trowel.

Depending on which kindle you have it's possible to journal on your Kindle.

[Feral Bill]

. Althought I still like my Svea it is the most fussy stove I own especially in cold weather.

Operator error.

[bfayer]

Operator error.

No I can work it just fine. It's just every other stove I own is less fussy. Svea stoves are the backpacking stove version of a Harley, those that love them will never see or admit their short comings.

[Nutbrown]

Do you have the camera on your iphone? If so, leave the camera and batteries at home.
the 1.3l pot seems huge. Can you freezer bag cook? Being solo, you won't have to heat so much water for your meals. You can just heat up water 2x in the ti cup.
Take 1 pair of shorts and one long sleeve shirt. In the summer you might just be hiking in your sports bra. What are you sleeping in? It's nice to have something non crunchy at night. I take 2-3 pair of undies. You can wash and dry em on your pack for that oh so fresh feeling at the end of the day.

Something to consider if you carry, which you prob have, is where you will carry. Ankle? Waist? Shoulder strap? If in the pack, the gun becomes pointless.

[Bucho]

I've got to say I didn't see many gas stoves on the AT. Seemed like the common options were a pocket rocket or some sort of alcohol stove.

[Connie]

I have that knife. My present knife is Piranha Alpine Knife: it cuts webbing and paracord.

I also carry mini folding sissors (Made in China) for my 1st aid kit. When I used to have blisters, before I found out a narrow heel makes the difference in footwear, for me, I cut a slightly larger than blister size hole in the Moleskin. The Moleskin thickness goodness took all the pressure off the blister. I now carry these items as an act of charity for blister sufferers.

Hairbrush? Headband? Hairtie? Depends on your hair type. I separate the tangles with my fingers and have my hair go au natural pulled thru the back opening of a REI LED Trail Cap. Any baseball-type cap will do. In wind, my long hair is tucked inside the back of my shirt, windshirt, poncho, jacket hood, etc.

Petzyl Tikka XP Headlamp? Ditto. I have a REI LED Trail Cap. It lights up the world at night. In addition, I have a Photon X-Light Micro LED because with squeeze-and-hold and quick squeeze ON/OFF it can be set to the lowest brightness setting for a nighttime pee without waking everyone camping nearby. This is very considerate.

Crocs? I have water shoes. Not as cushy comfortable as Crocs, water shoes give me more protection in Montana high mountain stream crossings. Maybe not a consideration for the AT, I don't know.

Trowel? Take one or even two triangle-shape tent stakes for the ridgeline of you tent of choice. Use one for the trowell.

Biners? Learn easy to pull out, but not slip out, knots.

Foil windscreen? Never holds up for much time. Titanium, yes. Worth every $$$. Suluk 46 has them for sale. Less money to purchase the foil from Suluk46 or from TiGoat and find someone with a spot welder to make the circle diameter and height to fit your stove and cookware of choice.

Evernew Titanium 1.3L cook pot?
Snow Peak titanium bowl?
MSR Titan Cup (for cocoa and coffee)?

Maybe consider your cook pot as a bowl.

Maybe all three, as I do. I have the Vargo Titanium 750 Sierra for all three.

If more civilized, have a separate cup. It could be insulated and sized to use to support freezer bag cooking.

I used to think 1.3 liter cookware was essential. I decided that kind of thinking was based on the saucepan size I like at home. Now a 2-cup cookware, with headroom to avoid boil over, is almost too much for solo backpacking.

In fact, my Vargo Titanium 750 Sierra is 2-cup cookware with lots of room to avoid boil over. This my favorite.

In fact, recently, I am heating 1-cup for my hot drink, then, heating 2-cups for my freezer bag meal or cooking in the pan by heating the primary ingredients and putting a little mound of couscous in the middle to soak up the liquids and calling it done.

[double d]

"Don't Pack Your Fears"

[QiWiz]

I am planning to thru-hike the AT and I wanted to know if my total weight is too much.

Total weight: 40lbs (this includes everything packed, food, water, clothing & shoes worn and trekking poles carried). Pack weight is around 37lbs not including my clothing&shoes worn and my trekking poles

Food: 14lbs (7days, 2lbs/day) This is the max amount of food I will be carrying so it will vary depending on how often I stop so it may go to 10lbs for 5 days

Water: 2 liters (4lbs) at a time (refill mid day)

I think once I get going I will realize that I don't need some things so I will send them home or throw out so I know it will lighten as I go but I want peoples opinions on whether or not this is manageable. I am young, I don't have any preexisting aches or issues, and I am in pretty good shape. But I do plan to do the hike pretty quickly (4 months max due to time restraints) and this will be my first backpacking trip longer than a few days aka I'm a rookie.

Any advice is much appreciated!

Just a few reactions. You will enjoy your hike more if you carry less, so efforts to go lighter pay off. I think you will find you rarely need to be carrying 2 liters of water if you have a good guidebook that tells you where the water sources are. Same with 7 days food. Resupply more often and carry less food. Makes a huge difference.

Other than that, do not know what else makes up your weight, so hard to be specific. If I were hiking, my pack would never be heavier than about 25 pounds (5-6 days of food and 40 oz water included), clothes worn not included. For me, that's a pretty high pack weight, but everyone needs to decide for themselves what they want to do. HYOH!