My lightweight gear list (sub 10 pound base)

[CoconutTree]

AT NOBO Mid-April Gear List:
http://lighterpack.com/r/469qnl


Thought i would share my planned gear list for my 2016 hike. This will be my third long distance hike, planning to hike from georgia to harpers ferry starting mid-april. I am recovering from some knee problems, so i am strongly motivated to reduce weight. What works for me won't necessarily work for others. Still it is fun sometimes to see what others carry.

Much of this gear i used on a 6 week section hike this year, and surprisingly, isn't that different than what i carried on my 99 thru hike. Note that many of the weights are estimated and might have missed a few things, so the total base weight is a rough approximation. Maybe add a pound to get a more realistic number, so 8+1=9 pounds.

I placed an asterisk for the gear that will be new for this trip, only 5 items. Everything else i used on this year's section hike.


Comments on my thought process:

shorts with mesh liner - i use this just because that is what i have always used, there might be something lighter or quicker drying

black diamond hiking poles - noticed that gossamer gear has lighter poles. if i ever buy new poles i'll try those next.

rain gear philosophy: the poncho is to keep me dry. the rain shell (jacket, pants, gloves) are to keep me warm when needed. the rain shell is my primary way to keep warm while hiking when i need more than a wind shell. poncho also keeps pack dry and i can take off my pack under my poncho to access gear or for a snack break. overall i find i enjoy rainy days much more with a poncho.

poncho - currently have a sea2summit model, but it is a little too big and it is bright orange, not my favorite color. planning to make one using roy robinson's pattern, sized down to a more normal size.

wind shell - i carry this in addition to a rain shell because it is comfortable over a much wider temperature range. it also is more comfortable for sleeping in and part of my standard sleep wear. wind shell provides insect protection. wind shell is also more durable for everyday use than the waterproofing used in rain gear.

wool sleeping socks - quilt smells better, can wear hiking in an emergency

warm clothes - these are primarily intended to keep me warm at camp. i plan to keep mileage on the low side, so can't rely on hiking to keep me warm all day and don't want to go to bed early to keep warm. they might get some use hiking, but not much. if the down clothing gets wet, my alternative is to get in bed.

down pants - i used army surplus field pants liners on this year's section hike. they were great, but more than twice as heavy as the down pants, so i am planning to upgrade.

uniqlo down jacket - used it on this year's section hike and it was great. there are a few lighter options out there, but this seems good enough. i tried on 2 montbell models, but did not like the loud crinkly fabric they used.

silnylon tarp - i used a plastic drop cloth this year, same as my 99 thru hike, and it only cost $2. silnylon is maybe just slightly lighter. main difference is should pitch tighter for less flapping in the wind and be stronger in storm conditions. cuben tarps are significantly lighter, but have not found a commercially made tarp that has the features i want: mild catenary curves for a tighter pitch and long for extra rain protection. making my own seems like a big project. still thinking about this. also, cuben is really expensive and not very durable.

down quilt - for a mid-april start, i wanted to be prepared for a 20 degree night. i think a 30 degree quilt with some warm clothing would work, but feel better with a 20 degree quilt. Not much difference in cost or weight. My warm weather option is a 50 degree synthetic quilt that i used last summer. For a colder weather trip i can stack the quilts.

pad - used z-lite this summer, and mostly was happy with it, but occasionally found myself wanting something softer. next year will use full length 1/8" gossamer gear pad, with additional layer of z-lite for torso area. i am a side sleeper and do fine with narrow pads, so will cut it down to 14" wide (really). i will also cut the 1/8" pad into 2 pieces, one sized to be a sit pad. it is possible i will ditch the z-lite and get an inflatable pad, but i hope not.

kitchen - pretty standard setup

pack - my 3rd homemade pack. performed well on my section hike this year. the 70d silnylon (2.3 oz/yd^2) is ideal. Very simple design for a very light pack.

camera - canon s95: great image quality for a light weight camera.

[soumodeler]

Just a note: If you ever wanted to get a cuben tarp made to your specs, email Joe at ZPacks and talk to him. I've ordered several things from them and they were always more than willing to customize it to my liking. They will probably make a fully customized tarp for you if you ask.

[CoconutTree]

Thanks. I had talked to ZPacks about making a flat tarp, but in the end decided i really wanted catenary cut. I never asked if they could do that, but that might be worth looking into.

[Sandy of PA]

What are you going to do when the bugs start eating you in New Jersey?

[CoconutTree]

Well, only planning to go to Harpers Ferry, but hypothetically if i was in jersey and bugs were bad, first i would try a combination of shell clothes and deet. If that wasn't enough, i would look into bug nets. i have used the sea2summit pyramid at 3 oz, and there are other options if that isn't enough.

[sparky2000]

Fire? Are you a wood burner - lighter or matches only.
F/o? small furnace cat or larger units?
Gas canister? From the small to the large.
None of the above - don't cook?

[solobip]

Alcohol stove.

[CoconutTree]

sparky, huh?

Back to the gear list, i am contemplating swapping the 8oz down jacket with a synthethic jacket. This is to help when hiking on cold, windy, rainy days. I own a 16oz synthetic jacket, but lighter would be to use a 12oz army field jacket liner. It looks like i can modify it into a vest with detachable sleeves, which is more useful for hiking than a full jacket.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-weight-8-2-oz

[CarlZ993]

Nice ultralight list. Unfortunately, all my suggestions will add weight instead of reducing it. I'd substitute a dedicated headlamp for the squeeze LED light (I'm showing my personal preference here). Ex: the Black Diamond Ion light (2 X AA batteries) would be about ~1.6 oz. I swap out the Sawyer Mini for the Sawyer Squeeze for the filter (faster flow rate; disclosure: I like & use AquaMira drops). That would add about an oz. I'd add a home-made pot cozy. Probably add ~1.2 oz or so on a solo pot but it might save you some fuel weight over time. I'd consider a more cushy sleeping pad. If I wanted a close-cell foam pad, the Ridgerest would be my choice for comfort, the Z-Rest for compactness.

Good luck on your hike.

[CoconutTree]

Carl, thanks for the feedback. i think all those substitutions sound reasonable. I hiked 6 weeks this summer and i'm not sure if i ever used my light, so a coin light seems like more than enough. sawyer mini IS slow, but not slow enough to bother me. the homemade pot cozy might happen at some point. i like the ridgerest as one of the layers for car camping and winter backpacking, maybe i will switch to that if i decide the z-rest isn't comfortable enough.

i have used chemical water treatment before, but i really like to stop beside a cool stream and quench my thirst there, not wait for the chemicals to work. i find myself carrying more water when i use chemical treatment to help compensate for the waiting.

[CarlZ993]

Carl, thanks for the feedback. i think all those substitutions sound reasonable. I hiked 6 weeks this summer and i'm not sure if i ever used my light, so a coin light seems like more than enough. sawyer mini IS slow, but not slow enough to bother me. the homemade pot cozy might happen at some point. i like the ridgerest as one of the layers for car camping and winter backpacking, maybe i will switch to that if i decide the z-rest isn't comfortable enough.

i have used chemical water treatment before, but i really like to stop beside a cool stream and quench my thirst there, not wait for the chemicals to work. i find myself carrying more water when i use chemical treatment to help compensate for the waiting.

Unfortunately, I must get up several times a night so a headlamp is something I need regularly. Again, good luck on your hike & I hope Santa brings you some new gear.

[Malto]

sparky, huh?

Back to the gear list, i am contemplating swapping the 8oz down jacket with a synthethic jacket. This is to help when hiking on cold, windy, rainy days. I own a 16oz synthetic jacket, but lighter would be to use a 12oz army field jacket liner. It looks like i can modify it into a vest with detachable sleeves, which is more useful for hiking than a full jacket.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-weight-8-2-oz

Is there really a need for the scenario you describe? It can imagine ever hiking with my insulation layer and rain. If it's raining it's warm enough (for me) to wear a base layer and rain jacket or wind shirt at the most. Even in colder temperatures it is extremely rare for me to hike with an insulation layer. So, in this case down would be the right answer unless you plan on sitting around in the rain without shelter.

[CoconutTree]

Is it overkill? Maybe. My base layer is a thin merino wool tshirt. Using that and my rain shell, with wind and rain, at about 45F seems ok, but even then if i want to stop i have to add a layer. I had days like this on the AT in late may of this year.

If it was low 30s and windy and rainy, as it might be in april, i am thinking it would be more of a struggle to stay warm. I'm sure i could get by, but it would be nice to have the option to warm up without worrying about getting the down wet. I try to be a bit conservative about staying warm and not to go overboard in trimming ounces in that category.

Another option is a heavier base layer, but i beleive that would be more heavy and less warm if i really needed the extra warmth.

[hayshaker170]

Disclaimer: I am a newbie section hiker.

But I noticed you listed 1oz for your alcohol fuel bottle. I would think you would use that much fuel in one day. I am using a home made Fancy feast stove this year and was planning to carry an 8oz flip top bottle of alcohol.

[CoconutTree]

Real hikers only need an ounce of fuel. Just kidding. 1 oz is the weight of the empty bottle. I did not include weight of food, water, and fuel in my base weight.

[hayshaker170]

Ah, ok that makes sense.
By the way, you could save .4oz on the spoon by switching to Sea to Summit long titanium spoon which I weighed at .3oz. That should take you to the next level.

[bemental]

My concern with your sub-10 base weight is that it doesn't include things you'll actually be taking :P

[Malto]

Is it overkill? Maybe. My base layer is a thin merino wool tshirt. Using that and my rain shell, with wind and rain, at about 45F seems ok, but even then if i want to stop i have to add a layer. I had days like this on the AT in late may of this year.

If it was low 30s and windy and rainy, as it might be in april, i am thinking it would be more of a struggle to stay warm. I'm sure i could get by, but it would be nice to have the option to warm up without worrying about getting the down wet. I try to be a bit conservative about staying warm and not to go overboard in trimming ounces in that category.

Another option is a heavier base layer, but i beleive that would be more heavy and less warm if i really needed the extra warmth.

I just got back from a weekend hike that was quite wet with temperatures between 38 and 50 deg. I hiked with very thin base layer and wind shirt on the colder day. Even with just a super lightweight base layer and a wind shirt I had to unzip to keep from overheating. I don't see how you could hike with an insulating layer under a rain jacket and not overheat. Then you will either sweat it out or take the layers on and off anyway. I think it is unrealistic to think a clothing solution in the conditions you describe will work while both hiking and when stopped. But as always CYOW.

[Connie]

No tarp stakes?
Here are tent stakes for your consideration. https://www.geargrams.com/list?id=22878

[CoconutTree]

I just got back from a weekend hike that was quite wet with temperatures between 38 and 50 deg. I hiked with very thin base layer and wind shirt on the colder day. Even with just a super lightweight base layer and a wind shirt I had to unzip to keep from overheating. I don't see how you could hike with an insulating layer under a rain jacket and not overheat. Then you will either sweat it out or take the layers on and off anyway. I think it is unrealistic to think a clothing solution in the conditions you describe will work while both hiking and when stopped. But as always CYOW.

There are times when it is raining and i am a bit damp and start to feel cold and i want to add a layer. If i have a synthetic layer, i can just put it on and get warmed up, and not worry too much about getting it damp. Once i am warmed up again, i can take it off. Having this flexibility is nice.

If i don't have a synthetic layer, i then have to decide do i want risk getting the down wet, or should i just hike faster and stop less than i would prefer. This can lead to bad decisions sometimes. My hiking is generally at a more relaxed pace, stopping whenever something interesting catches my attention. That is why I am out there hiking. If I had to, i can make the down jacket work, but i think it would be more enjoyable for my style of hiking and also provide some added safety with a synthetic layer. At only a 4oz difference, I think the tradeoff makes sense for me.