Newly Retired Starting Soon Needs Gear List Review

[Ginocasanova]

Hello, Starting NOBO from Springer Mtn on April 4th. Use to do some backpacking at a much younger age. The gear has changed dramatically. I am at 21.1 lbs without 3 days food. Listed below is my gear list without food/water. Please provide me your critique. Thank you in advance for your help. Rad

1	Pack Group	lbs
	ULA Circuit	2.7
	Compactor Bag, Pack Liner	0.3
	ULA Circuit Pack Cover	0.2
	total	3.2
2	Shelter Group
	Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2 w/ stakes/fly/sack	2.6
	Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2 footprint with sack	0.3
	total	2.9
3	Sleeping Group
	Mont-bell #1 U.L. Spiral Down Hugger Bag (Long), 15 degree rating with Sea to summut 20L nano stuff sack	2.4
	UL Pillow NemoFillo (Luxury Item)	0.7
	Thermarest Pro-lite Large w cuben fiber stuff sack	1.2
		4.2
4	Kitchen Group
	Snowpeak Gigapower Stove w4oz canister	0.7
	Snowpeak Gigapower Stove windscreen	0.1
	Snowpeak 35 oz titanium cook set	0.5
	BIC Lighter	0.0
	Water Bottle- used Gatorade Bottle	0.2
	Platypus Bladder -liter	0.1
	Sawyer Mini Squeeze Filter with syring	0.3
	Aqua mira	0.2
	Green scrubbie	0.0
	Titanium fork Sea to Summitt	0.0
	Titanium spoon Sea to Summitt	0.0
	Campmor bandana	0.1
	MLDesign Pro Bear Bag Systems with 60', carbiner	0.2
		2.4
5	Hygiene Group
	Purell Hand sanitizer 1.25 oz	0.1
	Dr Bronner Soap 1.0 oz	0.1
	MSR Small Pack Towel sham wow	0.0
	Body Glide	0.0
	Partial Roll Toliet Paper/baby wipes	0.5
	Small Toothbrush	0.0
	Small Toothpaste/ Floss .85 oz	0.1
		0.8
6	Navigation Group
	Trail Guide/maps	0.1
	Black Diamond SPOT Headlamp	0.2
	Combo Compass/Thermeter	0.0
	Glasses w/case	0.4
	Small Bundle Paper	0.1
	Pencil (wraped with Leuko tape in first aid kit	0.0
		0.7
7	Repair/First Aid Group
	Small Roll duct tape 50 inches	0.0
	Repair Kit for thermal rest	0.0
	Knife Gerber Ultralight LST	0.0
	Whistle	0.0
	Pills- 6 Execederin, 24 Advil	0.1
	First aid kit	0.2
	Emergency Fire Starter Pack	0.1
		0.5
8	Luxury Items
	Ipod with charger	0.1
	Blackberry with charger	0.6
	Ear Plugs	0.0
	Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 with case/charger	0.6
		1.4
9	Rain Gear
	Frogg Toggs	0.7
		0.7
10	Clothing - In Pack
	Darn Tough Hike Trek Boot Sock Cushion- Green Large	0.2
	Darn Tough Hike Trek Boot Sock Full Cushion Grey Large	0.2
	Fox River Sock Liner x-static ultra lite oder resist	0.1
	Exofficio Give and Go Boxer Large	0.2
	Exofficio Shorts- Green	0.6
	Dirty Girl Gaitors	0.1
	Smartwool NTS 250 weight LS zipper top XL	0.6
	Smartwool NTS 250 weight Long Leg bottom XL	0.5
	Camp Shoes Vivo Barefoot	0.6
	Smart wool Glove liners	0.1
	Patagonia Nanopuff Pullover	0.7
	Patagonia Houdini	0.3
		4.3
		lbs
1	Pack Group	3.2
2	Shelter Group	2.9
3	Sleeping Group	4.2
4	Kitchen Group	2.4
5	Hygiene Group	0.8
6	Navigation Group	0.7
7	Repair/First Aid Group	0.5
8	Luxury Items	1.4
9	Rain Gear	0.7
10	Clothing - In Pack	4.3
		21.1

[Coffee]

I'm sure that you will get lots of responses. I just wanted to make one observation since we both use the same backpack and sleeping pad. I find that I do not need to use a stuff sack for the Prolite. Instead, I deflate it and fold it in fifths and put it up against the back panel of the Circuit. Then, I load the backpack as normal with the sleeping bag at the bottom and other gear on top of it. I find that the sleeping pad adds a bit of cushion to the back panel of the Circuit. And I save the small weight of another stuff sack. Good luck with your trip!

[rhjanes]

Nice gear. I'd forget the frog rain gear. Look at the Golite poncho tarp. Very multipurpose


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[Meriadoc]

I'd take that gear to Katahdin.

Thoughts:
What is the Patagonia Houdini's purpose? When it is still cold enough that I need rain protection, I use rain gear for protection from wind. Later on, I use a jacket such as the Houdini for warmth in rain too. Still, it's not too heavy to carry.

I would only bring a single pot unless you plan on some fancy meals. A small cup can come in handy but I count that as a luxury item unless the weather is cold.

A pillow can be made by filling stuff sack with clothing not worn for sleeping. That would save 0.7 lbs.

Starting April 4th, there can still be some cold times ahead. I would add a jacket insulation layer until past Mt. Rogers. I liked having a light down jacket even though I only used it a handful of times.

[Don H]

Suggestion, I never use a pack cover or pack liner. I put the items I need to keep dry on Sea to Summit UL Dry Sacks.
They weigh and ounce or two each depending on the size and guarantee your stuff won't get wet.
One for each, sleeping bag, clothes and food. I use the clothes one for a pillow.

[scudder]

You might want to add a hat.

[Bags4266]

I think more water storage is needed. You might need to camel up at points in time. And more water when at shelter.

[Drybones]

I think more water storage is needed. You might need to camel up at points in time. And more water when at shelter.

IMO your okay with the bottle and a Platypus. I carried a Smartwater bottle and a 2-liter Platypus for dry stretches, which you rarely if ever will need, but the 2-liter is nice to fill up when you get to camp and you have enough to start out the next day.

[Drybones]

BTW...congratulations on retirement.

[Violent Green]

Overall, that is a good list. I would drop the whistle, pack cover, compass/thermometer, and the fork although none of that is going to give you huge weight savings. I think you will find you don't use any of those very much. I'm also not a fan of camp shoes personally. I will agree with Meriadoc on using clothes/stiff sack as a pillow, but will disagree on the Houdini. A wind shirt is a must for me due to it's versatility.

Ryan

[Autummyst]

Hi! I wanted to let you know that I used smartwool glove liners and they fell apart after about three weeks out here. My husbands fell apart shortly after. I'm currently thru hiking. Maybe you'll have better luck. We started feb 17th, so had used them most days every day.

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[CarlZ993]

Congrats on retirement & your upcoming AT thru-hike.

I like having redundancy in water protection of my stuff - pack liner, pack cover, & waterproof stuff sacks. Adds extra weight but your stuff stays dry. I think it is worth it.

You can go lighter w/ a NeoAir Xlite pad ($$$). I used the regular sized one & it worked fabulously the entire trek. You can get by w/ only one utensil (spoon). You could go lighter w/ a pot (Evernew 0.9L wide pot is my favorite). I'd add Imodium & Benadryl to my first aid kit. I was partial to using lined running shorts as underwear. You could wear them in lieu of pants or when doing laundry. Did I miss a knit cap in your list?

Anyway, good luck on your hike. Lots of retired guys & gals on the trail. Do us proud.

[Weather-man]

First of all congrats on retirement.

- There are lighter options for pillows that you may want to research. I don't prescribe to the using a stuff sack with extra clothing as I often find myself wearing everything I'm carrying at night...I travel pretty light though.

- As mentioned I'd say you'd benefit from more water storage. Personally after a long day and sore feet I only want to hump down to the water source once. I'd add a 2 liter platy for camp water.

- Personal choice but I only carry a long handled spoon. Never needed a fork.

- Are you carrying AWOL's guide?

- No phone? They do come in handy....

- Sleeping hat?

- As mentioned you could drop the pack cover. I used an ULA circuit for years and love that pack. It never seemed to sponge up water in a rain storm. Just make sure that you're using a good pack liner.

All in all you're carrying pretty much what I carry but I use more Cuben and save some serious lbs in doing so. I also see that you estimated weights in lbs, not ozs. I'd be interested in what the actual pack weight is once you're all packed up as opposed to the estimated weight. Not that it matters but it'd be interesting to see how much you were off by.

The best of hikes to you!