WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Results 1 to 20 of 20
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-08-2015
    Location
    Chester, NJ
    Age
    67
    Posts
    36

    Default Gear Review Please

    My current plan is to start a northbound thru hike on March 17 from Amicalola Falls. Here's a link to my gear list as it stands now.

    http://lighterpack.com/r/7fdyv

    Thanks in advance for any feedback and suggestions!

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-26-2015
    Location
    Denver Colorado
    Posts
    800

    Default

    Well, I never done an AT thru, but free advice is worth twice as much

    Osprey packs are excellent.....REI Flash 65 sub $100 on sale with coupon and will shave almost 2#
    I think rain covers are ineffective, use a compactor bag or turkey oven bag will shave 1 oz or so
    Substitute polycro for footprint will shave 2 to 3 oz
    Iphone Ipod seems redundant

  3. #3
    Wanna-be hiker trash
    Join Date
    03-05-2010
    Location
    Connecticut
    Age
    42
    Posts
    6,922
    Images
    78

    Default

    Did you weight the Osprey to get to 4.56lbs? REI has the weights listed as a little over 3.5lbs. (There I just saved you a pound )

    Also curious, do you already own all of these items, or is this a list of what you intend to purchase? The list looks decent and perfectly workable. The only thing I would caution you about is using a sawyer mini in mid march. If it freezes it can break and there is no good way to that I know of to tell if the filter is still working properly or not if it is allowed to freeze. It may be best to stick to aqua mira drops for the beginning of the trip.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    08-04-2004
    Location
    Jacksonville, Fla
    Age
    67
    Posts
    686
    Images
    8

    Default

    Pretty sure your Iphone will take great pictures, I would ditch the camera. Take look at ULA or Hyperlite packs, very popular on the AT because they work, and are lighter. Great List.
    Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. -Kahlil Gibran

  5. #5
    Registered User coyote9's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-05-2015
    Location
    Atlanta GA
    Posts
    67
    Images
    1

    Default

    I dont see much wrong with your gear. I went with a sawyer squeeze personally because the flow rate is better and to me I thought it was worth the extra bulk. Just keep the thing in your sleeping bag or pocket if its crazy cold.
    I have also considered a stand alone camera because I love to take pics and having the zoom and quality to me seem worth it. The same goes for the iPod. Saves phone battery and it weighs nothing.
    I use a beer can stove even in winter and it weighs nothing. I have a Snowpeak 600. Serves my need well.
    I have the same pack and I love it. I have small ultralight pack as well but you cant beat the comfort of a Osprey.
    Have you used all the gear on your list?
    Dont let the gram weenies get ya twisted up

  6. #6

    Default

    Looks fine. One word of caution - that bag liner will give you maybe 4-5 degrees of increased warmth. S2S is too optimistic in their +20F rating.

    Ryan

  7. #7
    Registered User coyote9's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-05-2015
    Location
    Atlanta GA
    Posts
    67
    Images
    1

    Default

    +1 on the S2S liners

  8. #8
    Registered User Wise Old Owl's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-29-2007
    Location
    High up in an old tree
    Posts
    14,444
    Journal Entries
    19
    Images
    17

    Default

    Ditch the Nikon - I own one but Chief is right - load the songs on the phone - make sure the buds have an over the ear clip or wire. Dump the shuffle. See if you can skip the pack cover - I use a garbage bag inside the pack and on real cold nights I slide sleeping bag into the GB. Leave the Crocks. Not sure if you really need the rain pants. I did Canada in downpours and shorts - didn't bother me a bit. As for the tent floor if you take time to look at the ground a Footprint isn't needed. I used to use them only to discover the sun can make pinholes faster anyway. Don't forget the TP & powder.
    Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.

    Woo

  9. #9
    Registered User heckyesnugent's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-16-2015
    Location
    Fairfield, Ohio
    Age
    33
    Posts
    22

    Default

    I don't see an issue with an ipod and a phone. You don't want to kill your phone if you want to listen to music. If you don't mind the weight keep them both.

    You may need some sort of insulating layer when it's a bit colder though, especially for night/mornings when you aren't hiking.

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-10-2015
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Age
    33
    Posts
    10
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    Like others have said look into getting a new pack. You can cut 2-3 pounds real easy that way.

    The 2L gravity systems at 11.5oz seems really heavy to me. I think the sawyer squeeze is only 3oz. Not sure how you got that number.

    Others suggested as well ditch the camera and extra batteries. Your phone on Airplane mode should last several days. Everything I've read implies that you will have places to charge your phone.

  11. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Did you weight the Osprey to get to 4.56lbs? REI has the weights listed as a little over 3.5lbs. (There I just saved you a pound )

    Also curious, do you already own all of these items, or is this a list of what you intend to purchase? The list looks decent and perfectly workable. The only thing I would caution you about is using a sawyer mini in mid march. If it freezes it can break and there is no good way to that I know of to tell if the filter is still working properly or not if it is allowed to freeze. It may be best to stick to aqua mira drops for the beginning of the trip.
    Always wondered if Aqua Mira would freeze also?

  12. #12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kenl View Post
    My current plan is to start a northbound thru hike on March 17 from Amicalola Falls. Here's a link to my gear list as it stands now.

    http://lighterpack.com/r/7fdyv

    Thanks in advance for any feedback and suggestions!
    i`ll be starting the same day..

  13. #13
    Registered User Wise Old Owl's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-29-2007
    Location
    High up in an old tree
    Posts
    14,444
    Journal Entries
    19
    Images
    17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by swisscross View Post
    Always wondered if Aqua Mira would freeze also?
    stick it in the freezer and find out.
    Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.

    Woo

  14. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Wise Old Owl View Post
    stick it in the freezer and find out.
    Even if it does freeze it's easy enough to warm back up in a pocket. If you're using aquamira anyway, you're used to waiting around

  15. #15

    Default

    According to the company who makes aquamira, it is freeze/thaw stable.

    https://mcnett.zendesk.com/entries/4...e-Thaw-Stable-

    Customer service representative response.

  16. #16

    Default

    +1 iPhone

    The iPhone ACDSee app helps take great photos and video. There are lens attachments online, perhaps for the iPhone 6, as well as a "steady cam" for video, however SticPic and an iPhone holder does the job if you have a steady hand. The movement of hiking does add to the authenticity of the video, in many ways.

    If you find a USB headlamp, you may like it better.

    Add a two-port USB for recharging when in town.

    This avoids batteries.

    Anker recharger for the trail is very acceptable. If you do a lot of iPhone video, find out if that Anker model is sufficient from other Anker enthusiasts.

    I don't do video. I don't have an iPhone.

    I have an iPod Touch. That Anker is sufficient, for me.

    I don't bother with a bag liner. I would much rather add a MontBell Thermawrap or "puffy" vest and beanie or balaclava to a half-zip Icebreaker merino and silkweight bottoms for sleepwear.
    Last edited by Connie; 12-05-2015 at 10:15.

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    10-08-2015
    Location
    Chester, NJ
    Age
    67
    Posts
    36

    Default

    Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback. Have made some modifications based on comments received.
    Onwards and upwards and best of luck to everyone heading out in 2016!

  18. #18
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-25-2014
    Location
    Westchester County, NY
    Posts
    2,305

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bemental View Post
    Even if it does freeze it's easy enough to warm back up in a pocket. If you're using aquamira anyway, you're used to waiting around
    Actually AM works fine if you do a daily pre-mix in a small bottle (3cc from US Plastics).

    Some advice about that dropper tip on the 3cc bottle... if you remove and replace it a bunch of times it will start leaking at some point. The workaround for that problem is to use the tiny white mixing cup and put in 30 drops of A and 30 drops of B, then squeeze the 3cc bottle to force out some air, stick the dropper tip into the mix, relax the squeeze and let the vacuum suck the AM mix into the 3cc bottle. Done this way, the dropper tip need never be removed from the 3cc bottle.

    I keep the 3cc bottle in my shorts pocket, so when I need to refill at a stream or lake I simply stick my Gatorade bottle underwater to refill, immediately put the AM drops in, re-cap and put the Gatorade bottle in my pack's water bottle holder and hike on while the AM does its thing. Never even have to take off my pack.

  19. #19
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-24-2014
    Location
    Fishers, Indiana
    Age
    75
    Posts
    50

    Default

    Was there a first aid kit of some description included? I missed it.

  20. #20
    Registered User
    Join Date
    01-03-2015
    Location
    Boston, Massachusetts
    Posts
    2

    Default

    I did not use the Sawyer filters during my thru-hike (I went with Aquamira), but every other thru-hiker that I met with a Sawyer said they switched from the mini to the regular squeeze due to the flow rate. The amount of use you'll be getting out of it will be worth the extra 1 ounce for the squeeze over the mini. Also - you could consider ditching the platypus. I actually hiked almost 3/4 of the trail with a 2L camelbak bladder but sent it home went it sprung a tiny leak. I learned that just carrying two 1L Smartwater bottles was sufficient, and that before I was carrying too much water simply because I had the capacity for more. But it really is a preference thing. By having a bladder and a smartwater bottle, you could fill up all your water sources each night at camp, and not have to fill up again until sometime later the next day on the trail.

    Personally, I'd ditch the Nikon camera and iPod shuffle. I brought my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) plus one backup battery. Most of the time I was in airplane mode, and could get 4 days out of one battery, then switch to the other for another 4 days. Never completely died, since there were enough stops to recharge. And the 4 days was including listening to music/podcasts for sometimes up to 6 or 7 hours a day (again - in airplane mode most of the time, and power saving mode), and taking pictures.

    Did you include the weight of fuel canisters for the JetBoil?

    I believe crocs actually weigh a full 16 ounces (could be wrong though). My advice is to find super cheap flimsy flip flops. I got a pair at a goodwill store for $3 and they weighed 3.2 ounces!

    After my thru I compiled a detailed list of my gear at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...#gid=976507064

    Let me know if you have any questions! [email protected]

    Best,
    French Press, SOBO '15

++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •