Originally Posted by Appalachian Tater
I have this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VW2QPO
and its been dropped numerous times. I'm sure it'll be fine.
Hammock Hanger
Section Hiker
Nature Lover
It's more a matter of it getting lost. Bounce boxes (and drop boxes) have been lost and hikers have sent packages home that never showed up. The slight risk of one package getting lost is acceptable but if you keep mailing something you're taking unnecessary risks. It is okay if it is something replaceable but your photos are not.
How would you feel if the whole drive got lost in Maine after taking pictures all summer?
Besides, ALL hard drives eventually fail, the odds of that are absolutely 100%. Yours is old. It is foolish not to back it up since your data is irreplaceable.
Something else to consider is that many people who start out with a bounce box quickly realize that it is more trouble and expense than it is worth and stop using it pretty quickly. Unless you're on some sort of special diet or have other special needs it's probably not worth messing with.
Please elaborate. I'm reading that as you're going to follow bear bag procedures but use your pack in place of a seperate bag? Hope you have some strong cord.
Ok, elaboration..I'm hanging one of my two waterproof sea to summit stuff sacks
Hammock Hanger
Section Hiker
Nature Lover
Ahh, my gear list just gets better and better. I've been invited to interview at REI next week, and if I get the job. WooHoo!! I couldn't think of a better place to work as a thru-hiker in planning.
Hammock Hanger
Section Hiker
Nature Lover
Blissful, you are right there, i use DEET 30% on my clothing and still had them on me when i stripped down after hiking there. Only advise i can give that worth a dam, is go fully clothed.
I't an't stupid, untill you say its stupid, When you belive its stupid, It's probaly not worth mentioning! DU '08.
Well, I've finished purchasing everything but shoes. I'll update everyone within a day of my weights and costs. I went for the lightest, and it was right around $1400, I'll let you all know.
Hammock Hanger
Section Hiker
Nature Lover
no update?
although my kit will end up looking very different than yours, i find this immensely helpful.
thanks.
aqua-mira
http://www.thebackpacker.com/gear/wa..._aqua_mira.php
and reviews on all hiking, camping gear
you are what you eat: Fast! Cheap! and Easy!
unless you are just into gadgets you want need the SPOT there will be plenty of hikers on the trail going NOBO also as others have suggested you want need the trowel just dig a cathole with you heel
Did you update it yet? I am going light and cheap so it will be interesting to compare.
Hi SurferNerd,
On the subject of repellents, something I know a thing or two about.
For clothing:
I would pre-treat my clothes with Permanome as mentioned above. It is very simple, you just follow the directions, soak your clothing for the recommended time and your done. Do not treat your undies or base layer.
Once you have done this you have a semi permanent (lasts through several washes) and effective repellent against ticks, chiggers, mosquitos, flies, nats and other no see ums. You don't have to worry about constantly re-applying and such while on the trail.
For skin:
Do not put 100% DEET on your skin, it melts plastic for Petes sake.
!00% DEET is something you apply to clothing and allow to dry before wearing,
however the Permanome clothing treatment is superior to DEET.
Yeah I know, lot's of people put 100% DEET on their skin and swear by it, and have not died yet. That does not make it the smart or best course of action!
The best product currently on the market for skin application is Ultrathon, hands down. It is micro-encapsulated (time release) and you will get 10 - 12 hrs. per application. Works damn good! Much better than DEET alone.
Second to Ultrathon, is Sawyers, also time release, and also works much better than just DEET.
Both Ultrathon and Sawyers contain DEET and several other specialty repellents that work well together.
Also don't be fooled by cheap gimmicks like wristbands, electronic devices, and such.
Citronella candles, and mosquito coils have marginal effects in areas that have a low insect count, but will be no help in areas with heavy concentrations of insects.
Only the female mosquitos bite, and they fly at about 6-7 MPH, no see ums are even slower, so sometimes it helps to jog for a bit if you have a cloud of them about you. Black flies can reach speeds in excess of 80 MPH so good luck trying to outrun those. Maybe wack them with your hiking pole if you're also a Kung-fu master!
But that's what the Ultrathon is for.
You will find that a lot of areas on the AT are not bad at all in terms of insects, and the colder it is the better of course.
Good luck on your trek, and God speed!
It has been said that a journey begins with a single step. I say hogwash! It starts with a dream.
On the bear spray: MS has the right idea. It is not for bears. It is for dogs if necessary, and people, if necessary.
Finally an updated list!
Well sorry for the long time to get a list up here, dear God I've been busy with work, and saving money, and test hiking. Since I last trolled the forums, I've taken numerous overnight and weekend hikes and tests, several day hikes, much traveling across my state (never knew how many parks are in TN). It's been a long and crazy journey but here's whats going in my pack.
*$4000 in savings account, bringing debit card
TN Drivers License
Medical Insurance and Emergency Info Card
Apple iPhone (DONT JUDGE TIL I EXPLAIN WHY)
iPhone Wall Charger
Casio G-Shock Expedition Watch(compass, altimeter, barometer)
Canon A590 Digital Camera
2 16GB SDHC Photo Cards
Gerber Infinity Flashlight
Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter
2 32oz Sigg Bottles
50oz Camelbak Omega Bladder
REI Ti Spork
Snow Peak Trek 700 Mug
Snow Peak LiteMax Stove
REI Stormproof Matches
BIC Disposable Lighter
REI PackTowel Medium
CampSuds 4oz Nalgene
Liberty Mountain Finger Toothbrush
Vargo Titanium Tent Stakes
HS Tarptent Contrail
REI Sub Kilo Sleeping Bag
Sea to Summit Sleeping Bag Liner
ThermaRest Prolite 3
REI TuffLite Compression Sack
2 pairs FOTL Boxer Briefs
2 pairs REI Wool Socks
REI Sahara Pants
REI Tech Tee
Sierra Designs Waterproof Pants
REI Taku Waterproof Jacket
REi Sahara Outback Hat
UnderArmor Thermal Base Suit
Home Made Medical Kit
40% DEET Bug Spray
Travel Size Toothpaste and Deodorant
Coppertone Travel SunBlock
50ft of Orange Rope(Bear Bags, Repairs)
Strips of Duct Tape wrapped around Sigg Bottles
Gerber Paraframe 2 Knife
REI Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
Waterproof Bible
Fisher Waterproof Pen
Waterproof Paper
Gregory Z55 backpack
During the hike I will have the following expendables:
At no time on the trail less than 3 AA Lithium Batteries
2 Snow Peak Fuel Cans 110gr
Mini Tabasco Sauce
Salt and Pepper Packs from Restuarants
One roll of TP BOUGHT from local store
One a Day Vitamins
I've decided on the following for water, I'm carrying a limit for 114 ounces of water which is 7.126lbs of water. At any given time I will carry no more than 64 ounces, 4lbs, unless there is a verified drought or lack of water ahead.
As for food, I've decided to purchase as I go, and buy protein full foods, and several carb friendly meal plans. I'm looking into pasta's, fruits, vegetables, salt dried meats, and lightweight ideas. I've brought into consideration no more than 2 lbs per day.
Regarding bug stuff, I have already soaked my clothing in a Permanome, and I'll do it again before I hit the trail, I didn't touch the stuff to my waterproofing gear though.
As for bear spray, I decided against it. I've got the best protection of all, God, and if He wishes something to happen upon my life, then so be it.
The iPhone, I know I know...too much, I look at it this way. When I get free wifi its my internet device for updating blogs and trolling whiteblaze, when I'm on the trail, its my phone in emergencies. It'll be off 80% of the time.
Shoes, still working on deciding, but I've done all my test hikes in Nike Air Zoom running shoes with no issues other than thin soles, so I'm still deciding for boots.
All this gear has been worn or tested at least once, I've thoroughly given every item a good rubdown, verified its use, its necessity, its importance, how it works, and its weight. I've brought myself to the lightest and most comfortable gear I feel will allow me to succeed in my hike next year. Now the numbers...
According to the scale at REI, minus water and food, my pack with ALL its contents weighs in at 17lbs 4ou. Including 4lbs of water, and a tester 5 days of mountainhouse food(just for guess, not paying $10 a meal), it weighs in at 25lbs 2ou.
As for costs, everything I purchased minus taxes, came to a total of $1248.67, add my tax of 9.25% on local purchased items, $1356.92.
Pre Guess Hiking Costs:
$85 Greyhound ticket to Georgia if my fiance' doesn't drive me
$110 Greyhound ticket from Maine " " " " "
$40 Taxi Ride from Greyhound Georgia to TrailHead
And there you have it....my updated lists, lol. Feel free to fire comments, suggestions, and flames...
Hammock Hanger
Section Hiker
Nature Lover
What a good list!
I missed the early parts of this thread; here are my comments on what you just posted:
*Consider Gatorade or 1-Liter soda bottles instead of the 2 Siggs. It'd be
lighter and the bottles would be cleaner as you'd periodically replace them.
*Forget the waterproof matches. Everything gets moist out there; when you
need 'em, they won't work.
*In all likelihood, you'll be carrying two or three bandannas, which have all
sorts of multiple purposes. So lose the towel.
*Instead of camp suds, bring hand sanitizer instead. You'll be healthier.
*Sorry. Put me down with the folks that say when you need DEET, you'll
want it strong. I've SEEN people use 23-30-% stuff in New England in July
and August, i.e. the buggiest part of your trip. I'm hear to tell you the
weaker stuff doesn't work.
*You will NOT be able to find REI replacement poles or pole parts on your
trip, so if anything goes wrong with your stix, you'll have to wait til they
send you new ones. Granted this'll be free, but you'll still have to wait til
the new parts arrive. If you can, I'd switch to Leki's. One, it's a better
stick, and two, you'll find parts and repair kits everywhere.
*Some add ons to your list: Bring a journal/diary. It'll also double as
address book, photo log for pictures, etc.
*Bring a book. You'll want something to read other than Trail Guides and
a Bible.
*Don't forget a Trail Guide and Maps. You'll want one of the major guidebooks
while on route and if you're smart, you'll carry the maps, too.
*Bring some extra Ziplocks, especially some large ones. Anytime you get mail
from home, have them include 2 or 3 big ones, you won't be sorry.
*I'd bring more spices than salt and pepper, but that's just me.
*Relying on the Lord is great, and no, you don't need bear spray. But in
case of the odd difficult bear, I carry firecrackers, they work like a charm.
*Re-Supplying en route is the way to go, but there are still a few places you
may want to get stuff sent from home. There's a full-length article on
Re-Supply on the Home Page of this website that may prove helpful; it also
will tell you approximately how much food to carry on each section and how long it'll likely take to hike each section.
Your present list looks great, I'm sure you'll do just fine. Oh, and if that photo in uniform is you, thank you VERY much for your service! I hope you have a wonderful trip, you've earned it.
Your gear
Hello. I see you are a Marine. Thank you!
I further assume you are from, or currently live in, California (Surferdude?)
If so, you cannot get Aqua Mira in California. You can find it easily along the AT. I used it along the AT and wouldn't use anything else.
Some comments on gear:
1. Gear is per the individual, any advice we give, is just that advice. People do this and other trails with the oddest assortment of stuff! Ultimaetly it's your mind that will move you.
2. Much of what I say has probably been said in the pages above, if so, sorry.
3. Water: Consider using gatorade type bottles. Light, cheap, replaceable, and on first use they are filled with, well, gatorade! Dromedary bags are good for camp and on a few stretches of trail, but they are heavy and leak. When I hike now, I use gatorade bottles and a 1 liter platypus w/tube.
4. Sleeping bag. A 20 degree bag is fine. Everyone sleeps differently, so mileage will vary. But you can wear extra clothes for extra warmth. Later on, switch it out for a 40 degree or so, you'll save weight and space, and the East Coast is damn hot and muggy...you'll look back on the cold nights fondly.
5. Bring a silk liner (try to get a square cut vs mummy). Liners add 5-10 degrees of warmth and keep your body sweat from infecting your bag. The wieght almost nothing. I slept in just my liner during the summer months on the AT.
6. The MSR Hubba tents are great. Free standing tents are a HUGE advantage on the AT where the ground is rocky and hard in many places. I wished I had one on many nights...until I got a Hennessy Hammock from Damascus VA onwards.
7. Per the above, consider a Hammock. HOWEVER, they sleep COLD. No ground to insulate yourself. So starting early, if you use a hammock, plan keeping it packed and sleeping in shelthers alot. Hammock open up a ton of camping terrain along the AT. Anywhere you find trees, you can hammock along the AT. I loved mine.
8. Stoves. Alcohol stoves are great. Cheap, light, plenty of fuel to be found along trail. However, depending on your eating habits, consider no stove at all. Energy bars, cereal, peanuts, etc. Ya, it might stink to have no hot dinner, but having no pot, pan, stove and fuel to worry about (not to mention carry) is nice. I went stoveless after 800 miles and never looked back.
9. No need for bear spray. If you are in a situation where you need it, it will be against a person (and that is rare!!!!). Just use your fists or a rock instead. Lord knows the AT isn't short on rocks.
10. Lights. One small headlamp or pinch light will do just fine.
11. Clothes. Plan on having one dry set of clothes at ALL times, especially early on when hypothermia is a real danger. The Eastern Mts are wet--and when it's cold out...look out! But clothing is where most hikers (myself included) tend to gain the most weight for little return. Eventually, when you reach summer, your clothing supply will be minimal. You'll be down to your extremly smelly-omg-I-actually-wore-that shirt for hiking, and your hey-this-smells-but-not-so-bad town shirt.
12. RainJackets. Wouldn't go without one early on--for the reason above. They are also very warm at night in your bag. So if it isnt wet, you can sleep in it if your bad doesn't suffice. Consider Frog Togs or Dry Ducks rain gear. Cheap, light and more breathable than the fanciest raingear from the fanciest stores.
13. No need for sunglasses or a hat. The AT is a tunnel.
14. Bandannas. Love 'em, always have two on me when I backpack.
15. Bug Spray. No need early on, just wait and buy it when you need it. DEET. Whether 30% or 100% DEET. Kill the damn bugs dead.
16. Trekking Poles. Again, personal choice. I couldn't have lived without mine on the AT. A few people did fine without them, a few people just used a stick. Nowadays my backpacking shelter tends to be a tarp, so I need the pole(s) anyways. But the AT is steep!!!! The poles were invaluable to me on downhills.
17. Food. Resupply along the way unless you have special diet needs. The opportunity to resupply along the AT is frequent.
18. Books, IPODS, etc. I am an avid reader, but I rarely read or needed to read along the trail. Books are heavy and bulky and I prefer lightweight packing. Plus, once I got the Thur-Hiker Guide (by Wingfoot back then) it's all I read anyways--constantly going over possible next-day destinations and such. When I got into camp I was usually too tired to read. Plus, along the AT, you can read the shelter journals. IPODS are great. Get a books on tape!
Hope this helped. Everyone has their own style. I found (after doing the opposite) that a lightweight pack with minimal but essential items makes for a much better hike. Less prone to injuries, higher miles if desired, faster miles if desired, or shorter more pleasant miles if desired as well. Anything is better than having a pack that makes you lean forward...
If you're still considering packs, I've recently used the GoLite Jam2. It was perfect for me. 22 oz, large capacity, can be cinched down for smaller loads, very durable, simple. Nice all around.
Enjoy your trip--it has a lot to offer. But along the way, you may realize it's a ton of work. And it is. I hated some days, but the AT has a lot to offer.
Surf Nerd, I'm not sure how you are in the cold, but I don't do well in the cold. I used a Mountain Hardware Phanton 15 for this years hike. I left on March 1st and was never cold in that bag. Couple times I slept with my long johns on. It was pricey but well worth every penny.
I was a fast hiker and by the time I got off the trail I was in the top 10 people on the trail according to the registry's on the trail. So I was in the cold weather for some time.
Hey SurferNerd,
You look like you are in good shape.
If your packweight is 30lbs or under just bring everything, you'll toss
the stuff you don't need pretty soon.
I will comment on a few items so you'll know when to toss them if you do
bring them...
bug spray - There are no bugs this early. Buy the spray when they start to bother you. I didn't use
bugspray until Massachusetts.
hat - I loved my hat when hiking in the rain. You can always ditch it.
bandanna - Have 2. They are the new multitool.
lekis/stick - Leki's are the only brand that can be easily and quickly repaired on trail. I started with
off-brand poles and when they broke in VT I just went with a hiking stick at that point.
pencil - Your pen won't work at night when it is freezing.
hand sanitizer - keep it in the same ziploc with your TP.
multiple small sd cards - I had packages lost and have seen other hiker's flash cards die. I went with
5 small (1-2GB size) sd cards that I would mail home periodically and get back with care packages
along the way.
boxers - they are an extra layer that holds sweat and will make you colder and chafe. But, I did get a pair in the
summer months to sleep in when it was hot.
sunscreen - Bring it, use it 3 times like I did in Georgia, then get rid of it by NOC. Your skin will have
adapted to the winter sun, then the leaves come and you never need it again. I carried mine until Monson (doh!).
Have an awesome time!
-Barley
This might help
http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_inf...FQcCswodxyLLyAI'm a dumb-@$$, I searched Google for Aqua Mira IMO...not thinking in my opinion as it was written, hahaha.
See if this link helps..
On the stove, I'm making one out of Buds Blue Lite bottle..
For chilly nites, I'm packing some microfiber pants and shirts for layers..
Cheap from Wally for 9.88$ a shirt and, 11.88$ each for the pants. Black, White or Red colors.
Good Luck~
RedDogPatch
What about in the summer when all your wearing is a tee shirt with out an long sleeve shirt. Would you treat your tee shirt?
Panzer
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