Final Gear List

[NaturalHiker]

Starting my thru Feb 14th, 2013:

I just want to get some opinions from you vets so i feel comfortable my gear is sufficient enough to keep me warm though the early months of the year since im starting in Febuary. Im in great shape and do hikes with at least a 4000+/4000- elevation change over at least 8 mile's everyday with a full pack to keep myself fit for the trail. My only concerns are the cold, not getting enough sleep, and re-supply. Im totally winging it and just taking the A.T. Guide and a smartphone with me, but will rely on communicating with other hikers if i need to ask for help first, im just not too sure how many hiker's will be around in late Febuary. I'll be going alone.

Pack: ULA Circuit

Shelter: TT Moment w/ liner

Sleeping: NeoAir Xlite, Marmot Helium

Cooking: Jetboil Sol, Spork, 2 cup collapsible cup

Water: Sawyer squeeze w/ 2L pouch, Aquamira, 2L water bladder

Rain Gear: Marmot Precip Jacket, Marmot Precip Pants (doubles as pant), Packcover

Clothes;
Top: Capilene 2 t-shirt, Icebreaker 200wt. long sleeve, Patagonia R1 Hoody, Arcteryx Atom Lt Jacket
Bottom: - ExOffico boxers (2), Icebreaker 200wt. long underwear, synthetic shorts
Feet: - Smartwool ultralight socks (3 pair), thick wool socks, Cascadia 7 trail runners.

Accessories: 50ft. nylon cord, headlamp, knife, first aid kit, trash bag liner, bandana, mini bic lighter (2), toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, contact case, earplugs, sunglasses, 2013 AT Guide (loose leaf, first half till harpers ferry), phone, phone charger, headphones.

Food/Water/Fuel:
*6lbs food
*2qts water
*1 canister fuel
( *After full re-supply )

[NaturalHiker]

~ Debit card/ID/Cash in small waterproof bag needs added to list.

[NaturalHiker]

~ Mountain Hardwear gloves also needs added.

[NaturalHiker]

Ah well, i guess i'll survive.. leaving tuesday morning. Im stopping by REI on my way to the trailhead from Atlanta, so i could always pick up an extra pair of capilene top/bottoms, beanie, warmer gloves, or sleeping bag liner if i think i'll need it.

How many people will be on the trail for the second half of Febuary?

[Stir Fry]

Do not see a jacket for the cold. When you are at REI get a Marmot Zuse jacket good to 0*. I just got the Ice Breaker 200wt top and bottom. let me know how it works. Good luck, its going to be colddddddddddddddd to start. I think the worst thing about this time is the short days.

[evan_rolltide]

I haven't hiked the trail but your gear list looks similar to mine...I am going to be starting late Feb-March. I would recommend a warm hat to begin with though.

Curious why you are bringing aquamira and the sawyer squeeze?

[Stir Fry]

How many people will be on the trail for the second half of Febuary?

You will get to spend a lot of nights alone.

[topshelf]

duct tape, tent pole repair items, neoair repair kit, contact solution, glasses, glasses case, batteries, camp shoes

all i can come up with

[NaturalHiker]

the Arcteryx Atom Lt + Marmot Precip is my jacket.

the icebreaker top is really nice, when my back get's soaked from sweating with my pack strapped on the fabric stay's nice and warm rather than freezing cold like other fabrics when it gets wet.

[BrianLe]

Looks good overall. The neoair xlite might leave you a little cold underneath? I started in late Feb in 2010, used a standard neoair, and that wasn't enough --- I layered gossamer gear thinlight pads with it, initially two (one above, one below), then mailed one home from Pearisburg.

I suggest mittens over gloves, or rather, get some $6 polypro G.I. type liner gloves online, and really decent warm mittens to put over that.
I liked having earbags, as cold wind was a factor while on the trail --- something that can keep your ears out of the wind while not overheating your head is good for me, anyway.

Just one pair of wool socks? I think you want some sort of sleeping socks. I used down booties, and liked having these "around camp" too, but I had a 20F rated bag rather than a 15F.

If you keep your pace up, you can plan on sleeping in shelters every night. And thus carry a relatively minimal "emergency" tent early on if you opt for that --- I hiked with two other guys from Springer starting in late Feb and we had one night where a bunch of us had to cram tightly into a shelter but otherwise, there was always space. YMMV, of course, so do take a shelter (!).

Collect some bread bags (the plastic sack that a loaf of bread comes in) or the like from family/friends/self. A pair of those are good to wear around camp to keep dry socks dry (so I do recommend a second pair of wool socks for that reason too) inside of wet shoes. They can also be good emergency VB socks or a poor man's mitten shells. Not terribly durable, but it you mostly use them just in camp they'll last a while.

Warm hat: ditto comment above on this. I layered two warm hats, a fairly thin balaclava and a larger synthetic hat I could wear over the balaclava or put over my hat for starting out walking in the mornings. This worked great. The balaclava was worth while too as my nose can get painfully cold when the temps drop into the teens.

[Rock Lobster]

Earplugs...wise man

Added these to my kit last summer and was thankful many times.