GEAR HELP: I am always looking to lighten my pack...

[Queen of the MST]

I'll be SOBO mid-September to mid-October. Do I have enough or possibly to much clothing?
Is there anything I am overlooking and have not added to this list?
Is there other piece of gear that I should look into that would better serve me for this hike?

Thank you,
Queen of the MST

	Max Weight	In Pack	Base Weight'
Backpack: Osprey Exos 36 small w/lid	36.41	36.41	36.41
Backpack: Sea to Summit Dry Sack (20 Liters)	3.00	3.00	3.00
Sleeping: Hammock Gear Burrow 20 (2oz overstuff) Top Quilt	24.40	24.40	24.40
Sleeping: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Sleeping Pad	15.25	15.25	15.25
Cooking: Toaks 1100ml pot/pan set	5.50	5.50	5.50
Cooking: BRS Ultralight Camping Gas Stove	0.90	0.90	0.90
Cooking: Spoon	0.74	0.74	0.74
Cooking: Sea to Summit Dry Sack (13 Liters) food bag & bear bag rope	3.88	3.88	3.88
Cooking: Daliy Food Bag/Head Net	0.70	0.70	0.70
Cooking: REI Cooking Towel	0.12	0.12	0.12
Cooking: Homemade Fuel Cozy	0.83	0.83	0.83
Cooking: GSI Coffee Drip	0.21	0.21	0.21
Cooking: JetBoil 8.1oz Fuel Canister	13.50	13.50
Cooking: Food (3-6 Days) 1.25 pounds per day	120.00	120.00
Water: 2 x 2.5 liter Evergreen water bags	3.00	3.00	3.00
Water: Camelbak 14oz	2.96	2.96	2.96
Water: Sawyer Mini Water filter	1.90	1.90	1.90
Survival: BrightMedic Headlight rechargeable	1.60	1.60	1.60
Survival: Pocket Knife	0.70	0.70	0.70
Survival: Lighter 2X	0.81	0.81	0.81
Survival: First Aid	1.67	1.67	1.67
Survival: Misc. (Duct Tape. sewing kit, patch kit)	0.46	0.46	0.46
Survival: 1 Carabiner	0.19	0.19	0.19
Hygiene: Toiletries	3.50	3.50
Hygiene: Medication / Vitamins	0.48	0.48
Clothing: Mountain Laurel Design Gaitors	1.60
Clothing: Columbia pants	9.23
Clothing: Flip Flops (Crocs) (camp/town)	6.00	6.00	6.00
Clothing: Finger Socks x 4 (1.03 each)	4.12	3.09	3.09
Clothing: Camp Socks	3.49	3.49	3.49
Clothing: Tank top (Generic)	2.20	2.20	2.20
Clothing: Tank top (Generic)	2.20
Clothing: Sports bra (Generic)	3.50
Clothing: Shorts (Generic)	1.90	1.90	1.90
Clothing: PJ's top & bottom (Generic)	10.81	10.81	10.81
Clothing: Salomon Xacompa 7 Hiking Shoes	16.50
Clothing: Fleece long sleeve (Generic)	5.13
Clothing: Puffy (Generic)	13.23	13.23	13.23
Clothing: Columbia winter cap	1.20
Clothing: Gloves (Generic)	1.42	1.42	1.42
Clothing: Gloves Underarmer	1.41
Rain Gear: Sierra Designs Rain Pants	6.88
Rain Gear: Helium 2 Jacket	5.94	5.94	5.94
Rain Gear: Patagonia h2no rain jacket	12.51
Rain Gear: Swing Lite-Flex Umbrella	7.90	7.90	7.90
Backpack: Cuben Fiber ZPack Pack Cover	1.48	1.48	1.48
Trekking Poles: Black Diamond (1 poles)	9.00
Technology: iPhone 6 Plus w/ LifeProof Case	10.05	10.05	10.05
Technology: Delorme Explorer InReach	6.73	6.73	6.73
Technology: 12,000 mAh battery pack, cables	8.31	8.31	8.31
Technology: IPod Nano	2.58	2.58	2.58
Technology: Headphones	0.40	0.40	0.40
Technology: Fitbit	0.60	0.60	0.60
ID, Insurance Card, ATM Card, Cash	0.50	0.50	0.50
Shelter: Bivy Sol Escape	8.50	8.50	8.50
	25.50	21.12	12.52

[Connie]

the list:
Osprey Exos 36 enough volume for this list? The backpack has to carry weight and volume both.
1100 ml is a big cookpot for cooking for one
the choice of a canister stove adds a lot..
cooking towel? There are small and tough compressed paper towels, for example, Lightload Towels or this http://www.basicbackpacking.com/ez-t...towels-review/
GSI coffee drip? How about small Melitta papers punched thru and suspended over the cup with a chopstick?
carry water? TWO 2.5 liter, plus a Camelback? How about two .5 or 1 liter and one 2.5 liter or more for bringing water up to the campsite?
Sawyer Squeeze is favored by thru-hikers
Lighter? SPARK-LITE instead
Tenacious tape instead
Tank top, not sports bra unless absolutely necessary
Shorts? I never wear shorts, if there is brush or even tall grass: no sunburn, nscratches, no ticks.
PJ's? How about tights (leggings) and a t-shirt (tank top)
Fleece or puffy.. not both, and consider that fleece takes more volume in the backpack, only helpful if really wet.
One pair of gloves, unless rain shell mitts for hiking in wet and cold rain.
Shorts and rain pants? or Long pants and rain wrap skirt? I wouldn't have long pants and rain pants unless RAIN is the primary hiking conditions.
Helium jacket, light rain, ocassional rain - mostly, a comfortable amd lightweight windbreaker jacket.
Patagonia H2No is heavy. I had one.. for town. If you expect RAIN, okay I guess. This is all getting to be more pack volume than you have.
Do people carry an umbrella on The Long Trail? The CDT PCT desert sun start is for sun umbrellas.
Cuben fiber pack cover? I recommend LightheartGear hoodie pack cover, for myself, because it protects the connection of the backstraps to the backpack, a source of water penetration, and, I don't like rainwater down my back.
iPhone has a GPS and there are great tracking GPS apps, GPS map apps, and topo maps, and the AT trail apps.
DeLorme? use the iPhone.
12,000 mAh is more than many AT thru-hikers carry, unless you are doing a lot of photography with that iPhone.
iPod Nano? iPhone has music.
Bivy Sol Escape? will sweat thru and thru your beautiful Burrow 20 in fact, you would sweat in nothing more than wearing your clothing - it is for survival, not regular use.
Have a tarp instead, use as a ground cloth in a shelter and as a tarp if not in one of the shelters - practice in your backyard or at a local park. I prefer a UL bug bivy and a tarp. It does the job, weighs less, and isn't high volume in the backpack. I even carry a polycryo ground sheet, altogether lightweight and low volume.

[Queen of the MST]

Thanks for the response!

I'm planning on primarily using the shelters, so I brought the SOL Bivy only as an emergency shelter in case the shelters are full or something really bad happens (sudden storm or get lost and can't make it to a shelter kind of thing). Because of this I still have plenty of space left it my pack even with up to 6 days of food.


This bivy was only decided on because of it's 8 ounce weight. However, I have no experience with it. Does condensation form to easily with it?


The GSI Coffee drip is a reusable coffee filter but only weights .2 ounces and I use my tent stakes (or twigs) for support while filtering. It's pretty minimalistic.


The CamelBack bottle is a 14 oz which I use to drink my coffee out of and can use in a pinch to fill with hot water and keep my legs warm at night :-) This may not be required.


Helium Jacket -- good point, it's being removed since I have the heavier rain jacket already. I've heard that there can be up to 100% chance of rain every day from mid September to mid October. This is why I thought a heavier rain jacket would be required. Is this assumption incorrect?


The DeLorme InReach isn't really used as a GPS, it's primary used as an emergency locator beacon if something major goes wrong. It also has 2 way satellite communications so I can check in and let my husband know where I'm setting up camp and when I'm leaving camp.


Rain mitts -- I was worried that the extensive rocking scrambling would ruin them...but I'll look into them again for when I'm on the "regular" trails where I don't have to use my hands.


Battery Pack -- I definitely plan on taking lots of pictures. Plus, I plan on taking lots of video so I can relive what I expect to be an amazing adventure later on. My video skills suck, but it'll be fun anyway.


I haven't heard of the UL Bug Bivy -- I'll investigate. My main concern is rain (since there's so much of it), and am worried that a ground sheet won't be good enough to keep me drying during a storm.

[Deadeye]

Keep the fleece and the puffy - October can get cold enough to make it worthwhile. I carry a fleece and down vest year-round. More often than not the vest is just a pillow, but it's useful often enough to carry. Can't see much reason for 2 raincoats, esp. if you carry an umbrella (me too). Really don't need a head net in the fall - mosquitoes and blackflies will be a non-issue. You may have an occasional horsefly buzz you, but the net won't help that.
The rest, like pj's and almost 2 pounds of tech stuff, is personal choice, but not worth it to me.

[colorado_rob]

Overall, nice kit. the pack does seem small, but you'll know if it all fits or not, of course.

FWIW, looking at the rain stats along the way, there is actually a drop in precipitation starting in September. Sure, it will probably rain quite a bit and over multiple days, but I don't see worse rain mid-Sept to mid October

http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate...ed-states/3215

click around the various cities along the way. I understand climate in the actual green mountains would be different, but at least this shows a trend.

Anyway, I plan on a SOBO LT attempt also starting in Mid September, so with regards to your rain jacket, my rain kit is similar. I will be carrying two lightweight rain jackets; a Helium 2 and a dri-ducks (AKA Frogg Toggs), total weight about 12 ounces, and I like the versatility of having the two and layering them occasionally, plus in a steady rain, sometimes it's nice to have a fresh, dry jacket to put on when it finally stops. For pants, I will be carrying dri ducks, mostly for warmth, occasionally during heavy rain. I might carry a rain skirt, I sure like it on the AT.

Looking forward to this LT attempt... I'll be starting on the 19th, heading south.

[Deadeye]

Agree with Connie on the bivy, too. A bivy is really not meant to stand alone without a tarp above. Just imagine (or even try a backyard test on a rainy day) stuffing yourself into an oversized baggie in the rain with nothing else. Pretty miserable. A tarp, or light shelter like a Shires TarpTent is a much better option.

[Connie]

I purchased the SOL Escape, in fact, each version from that supplier.

I tried it with clothing only.. it is a sweat box.

It is important not to have your clothing or sleeping gear wet, from rain, dew, condensation or sweat.

As a matter if survival, however, men have survived in rain gear even soaked with sweat. When the choice is warm sweat or cold water, cold water conducts heat away.

The foil emergency bags can conduct heat away, as well, so sit on your pack or lie down on insulation.

Survival gear is not camping gear, in spite of "survivalist's" claims.

TiGoat, ZPacks, and others sell effective and lightweight bivies and ZPacks has a "pocket tarp" or solo or solo plus. He even has a poncho-bathtub "floor" to combine with a tarp. His tarps are a very refined product.

If you practice pitching a tarp in the backyard or at a local park, a 5x9, 5.5x8, or 6x10 you put together yourself may be satisfactory. ZPacks, Dutchware, Quest Outfitters, and others sell materials.

I sorted out my favorite tarp, cutting and taping 3 mil - 5 mil plastic sheeting from the hardware store and using ordinary string taped to the plastic, until I achieved the size and configuration (pitch) I liked best.

[Queen of the MST]

The PJ's are a fleece long sleeve top and bottoms...aka camp clothes.

I was thinking the extra raincoat was more of a layer of clothes....but since I have the fleece and the puffy I should be just fine.

I totally agree with you on the bug net -- I really use it for my daily food bag (dual purposing).

[Queen of the MST]

Great points

Funny you mention the Zpack tent because I just sold mine a few days ago and Ill be switching over to a Lightheart Gear Solo. Ideally, I would like to only sleep in the shelters so I was thinking the lightest backup solution. I think the tarp is the way to go. Thank you so much for your pointers.

[StubbleJumper]

Background:

Since you are from North Carolina, let's first consider the conditions which you should expect to encounter in Vermont from mid-September to mid-October:

-day-time temperatures should range from the mid-40s through the mid-70s, depending on the day
-overnight, temperatures could range from about 20 in mid-October if you are at altitude to possibly the low-60s on a cloudy night in September
-there will probably be frost on a couple of mornings when you wake up
-chances are conditions will be muddy as any rainfall will not dry out as quickly as during the summer
-bugs will be virtually non-existent
-the leaves will still be on the trees and will be green at the beginning of your hike and will be near peak-colour at the end of your hike
-you should expect about 13 hours of daylight and about 11 hours of darkness
-getting a hitch into town from the green license plates will be easy, but out-of-state cars (leaf-peepers from Boston) will zoom past without a second look
-motels will be full of leaf-peepers, especially on Columbus weekend and will be expensive


Implications:

-Since you will be hiking at temperatures ranging from near-freezing to pleasantly warm, you should consider convertible pants (you wouldn't need both shorts and pants)
-On some mornings, you may want to start hiking with an insulation layer, so consider keeping your fleece for hiking and the puffy jacket for evenings in camp
-There will probably be few days where you would want to hike in a tank-top alone, so I would consider swapping out the tank-tops for a long-sleeve trekking shirt -- just roll up your sleeves for the nice afternoons when it hits 70 degrees
-Don't worry about insects or sun because these won't be much of an issue
-Depending on your cold tolerance, the gloves could be helpful on those near-freezing mornings, but don't worry about wearing them out on the sections of trail that require three points of contact because there's not that much trail where three points of contact are required and you won't necessarily hike those sections in the morning when you are wearing gloves
-Leave the umbrella at home and just go with a rain jacket, as the jacket is also good for sitting around camp
-for sleeping, you'll probably want the winter cap because it'll hit the freezing point a couple of nights, but consider swapping out your PJs for some sort of synthetic (polypro?) long underwear. The polypro gives you more options for clothing when you are hiking and for sitting around camp.
-I would bring a regular headlamp that takes AAA batteries because nights will be long and you might actually use your headlamp in camp a fair bit. The rechargeable headlamp is okay, but you can't bring spare batteries and it could be a pain to recharge it in town
-Definitely bring some form of entertainment, possibly including your I-pod and I-phone. Nights will be long and you'll probably want to listen to some tunes for an hour or two while laying in your sleeping bag at night.
-Depending on your level of comfort, I would ditch the personal locator beacon. You will not get lost on the LT and it's possible to send a text message at some point during the day on most days. So, if it's good enough to send hubby a text from a mountain top or from a road crossing nearly every day, that would save you some weight.
-As others have said, most years there's plenty of water on the LT, so you probably don't need both of your water bags
-It looks like you are allowing for 6 days of food. Most of the time on the LT you should be able to get by with 3 or 4 days, so that's a nice little bonus.
-Unless you have lots of money, you'll need to carefully plan your overnight stays in town. Chances are that the hostel in Manchester will be closed by the time you get there, and everything else in town is expensive. The Inn at Long Trail may be targetting leaf-peepers at that time of year, so there might or might not be a cheap-ish room available there. By the time you get to Smugglers Notch, leaf-peeping will be in full swing, so Stowe could be a bit expensive. Plan this out in advance as Rutland might be one of the cheaper (but less desirable) options.


Have fun!

[Queen of the MST]

Thank you for all your helpful information

[Queen of the MST]

Colorado Rob I sent you a message but I got a messaging saying your inbox is full.

[colorado_rob]

Thanks Queen, I just cleared some space. Sorry 'bout that....

[Bronk]

Offhand I'd say you can drop 2 or 3 pounds worth of clothing...sounds like you already know that. I'd get rid of the rain pants...use a rain jacket that comes almost down to your knees and some nylon jogging pants instead...the jogging pants will get wet from your knees down but they don't soak up a lot of water and will dry very quickly once out of the rain. You can also wash them in a sink, wring them out and then put them on slightly damp and they will be dry in about 20 minutes. You don't need 2 jackets or 2 pairs of gloves and you don't need an umbrella. You've got a pound and a half of "technology." I'd ditch the whole lot of it.

[QiWiz]

You have received lots of good advice. It could get pretty chilly, even when active on trail, during the timeframe you are hiking, so I'd probably not ditch the rain pants. Agree with tarp over bivvy for "emergency" shelter. A tarp makes it easy to get a weather break even mid-day on trail if you want in bad weather. As far as clothes go, I'd have one set to hike in and one set for camp/sleep. Never let the camp/sleep clothes get wet, so never wear them on trail. For underwear and socks, have two sets, one you are wearing and one you are drying on outside of pack as you hike, having washed them out the night or morning before.