april 09 working gear list for critique

[bonnie]

i put a few questions at the end, but this is where i am at right now. i am starting the approach trail to springer april 3, and will be hiking solo.

PACK
osprey exos 58
plastic bag for liner
pack cover
trekking poles

SHELTER
Shires Tarptent with tyvek footprint
MSR stakes

SLEEP SYSTEM
cat's meow 20° bag
sea to summit thermal liner
thermarest prolite 4, 3/4 length infl. pad
bergaline long underwear
fleece cap
1 pr socks dedicated for sleeping

COOKING and FOOD
pepsi can alcohol stove
snowpeak mini solo set, spork, windscreen
lighter and h2o-proof matches
bear bag
plastic bottle for alcohol
fuel

FOOTWEAR
montrail hardrocks with superfeet
crocs

CLOTHING
baseball style hat
short sleeve shirt, synthetic
long sleeve shirt with zipup collar, synthetic
zip-up fleece jacket (polartech 200)
convertible zip pants
liner gloves
2-3 pair socks
2 pr underwear
sports bra
marmot rain shell (non-insulated)
rain pants
short gaiters
chopat knee supports (i have some knee issues)

HYDRATION
2l camelbak reservoir
katadyn hiker pro filter
aqua mira
additional water storage?--gatorade bottles or platypus bag?

TOILETRIES (this is the master list right now, will refine and reduce based on need and resupply)
insect repellant
toilet paper
sun block
toothpaste
toothbrush
bug spray
contact lenses--1 set wears for 1 month (plus backup set)
bronners in small bottle (used for toothbrushing in the past, not a huge fan)
floss
lip balm
vitamins
nail clippers
ibuprofen
hand sanitizer
wipes
first aid kit**

WAYFINDING
basic compass
2008 thruhiker guide
petzl headlamp & 1 set of batteries
whistle

PERSONAL SUPPORT
ID & emergency contact information
cash
credit/debit card
cellphone**
watch

MISCELLANEOUS
glasses
small pocket knife
camera**
notebook and pencil
bandanas (2)
1/2 camp towel
partial roll duct tape
plastic bags (ziplocks, grocery)--as needed
stuff sacks--as needed for articles above
nylon cord


a few questions:

is an insulated jacket necessary--i am starting april 3, and was planning on adding layers to keep the warmth in, topped off with the rain shell and pants.

if the long underwear is meant to be my "clean-ish" sleepwear, do you advise to bring a second set as hiking base layer?

can a lighter silnylon bag, caribiner, and nylon cord be used in place of a commercially available bear bag? the one i have now is very large (my husband and i both use it when we are camping), but since i am going solo, i don't need such a large capacity.

also, any recommendations for an odor-proof ziplock bag make?

water treatment--my experience to date has been treating with a pump filter, though the overwhelming consensus (at least what i am reading) is that these are unnecessary...i purchased aqua mira as my backup, but i wonder if i should forego the 13.3 oz of filter altogether?

my goal is a 15 lb pack weight (minus consumables), which i think is doable--i am hovering around 17 lbs right now sans camera and phone which are pretty heavy items, if i drop that water filter, anything i can do (and you can suggest) to smartly reduce load on my knees would be greatly appreciated.

thanks so much!

Bonnie

[Tinker]

Looks good, from what I can see. Do you have a pocket knife for cutting bagels and other food as well as cordage?
No long bottom layer? I'd bring one just to help keep the sleeping bag warm.
I think you'd appreciate a light insulated jacket, though you could get by using your bag in camp (though you'd have to wrap up in it and that would limit your in-camp mobility).
Some people carry more, some less. If you start off with more than you think you'll need you can send some home in the first couple of weeks, or lend it or give it away. Lots of stuff gets left in hiker boxes early on - someone got my extra Nalgene Cantene in 2006. I left it in Hiawassee when I realized I didn't need it, and I picked up a Ridgerest pad to supplement my blue foam pad for comfort. As I'm fond of saying, "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it". Experimentation is best done the year before the big hike so you're comfortable with your own gear and methods.

Did I miss something about gloves? You should have some liners and shells. Oops! Well, you might want to have some waterproof shells for those liners, they're not very warm when wet (a pair of examination gloves worn underneath the liners keeps your sweat out of them, too). Together with the shells, the liners and examination gloves make a vapor barrier insulated system.

[Panzer1]

Under "Cooking and Food" I always like to have a plastic/lexan table knife for making sandwitches, ect. I don't like to use my pocket knife when working with food except maybe to open a food can/packet.

I also think its good to have a pair of shorts to wear when your long pants are in the washing machine or if your long pants get whet while hiking in rain.

additional water storage?--gatorade bottles or platypus bag?

When in camp, sometimes you have to walk half way down to the bottom of the mountain to get water. You only want to do this once. I would have another gatorade bottle or start with a 4 liter camelbak. You can always use the additional water storage.

I would also have hand soap in case you get poison ivy. You need some way to wash that off.
Also soap is good to wash your hands and face on a daily basis.

under WAYFINDING I would add a set of maps. These have terrain profiles which allow you to judge the difficulty of the trail in front of you, plus for many other reasons.

can a lighter silnylon bag, caribiner, and nylon cord be used in place of a commercially available bear bag?

I use the plastic bag they give you in the supermarket. I put about 3 of them together and hang from a tree using a 4 mm nylon cord, no caribiner needed.

A digital watch is handy to have. I took off the batch band and just carry watch in my hip belt pocket. I use it in my tent for waking up and timing my arrival into town. I can also estimate how far I hiked by noting the number of hours I've been hiking.

Panzer

[bonnie]

thanks tinker! i have a small swiss army that will do all of my cutting duties... my sleepwear consists of bergeline top and bottom--sorry if i wasn't clear. another pair of long underwear for day wear wouldn't add that much more weight--same goes for the glove shells and a light insulated jacket.

[bonnie]

that's a great suggestion for food prep--thanks Panzer!

[Runsalone]

i put a few questions at the end, but this is where i am at right now. i am starting the approach trail to springer april 3, and will be hiking solo. .

PACK
osprey exos 58
plastic bag for liner
pack cover
trekking poles

SHELTER
Shires Tarptent with tyvek footprint hmmmmmmm.
MSR stakes

SLEEP SYSTEM
cat's meow 20° bag
sea to summit thermal liner dump this Use xtra clothes
thermarest prolite 4, 3/4 length infl. pad
bergaline long underwear
fleece cap
1 pr socks dedicated for sleeping good!

COOKING and FOOD
pepsi can alcohol stove
snowpeak mini solo set, spork, windscreen One pot all really need
lighter and h2o-proof matches
bear bag silnylon
plastic bottle for alcohol
fuel

FOOTWEAR
montrail hardrocks with superfeet
crocs

CLOTHING
baseball style hat
short sleeve shirt, synthetic
long sleeve shirt with zipup collar, synthetic
zip-up fleece jacket (polartech 200) If you get insul jacket dump this
convertible zip pants
liner gloves
2-3 pair socks
2 pr underwear 1 xtra or two total?
sports bra
marmot rain shell (non-insulated)
rain pants May not need these take till u sure
short gaiters U sure you need these? rain pants and other pants
chopat knee supports (i have some knee issues)

HYDRATION
2l camelbak reservoir
katadyn hiker pro filter Dump! use your aqua mira
aqua mira
additional water storage?-- 2 -20oz. gatorade bottles

TOILETRIES (this is the master list right now, will refine and reduce based on need and resupply)
insect repellant
toilet paper
sun block small bottle? (dump dont be a wussie)
toothpaste
toothbrush
bug spray already said insect repellant.
contact lenses--1 set wears for 1 month (plus backup set)
bronners in small bottle Dump it.
floss Wrap some around your medicine bottle.
lip balm
vitamins
nail clippers Does your little knife already have scissors?
ibuprofen
hand sanitizer They make super small bottles of this
wipes
first aid kit** shouldnt need much here 4-6 oz.? dont be wussie!!

WAYFINDING
basic compass A button compass should be fine
2008 thruhiker guide Trim this down a section at a time and bumpbox
petzl headlamp & 1 set of batteries lithiums= dont need xtra
set they last months
whistle firecrackers and a bic

PERSONAL SUPPORT
ID & emergency contact information
cash
credit/debit card
cellphone**
watch

MISCELLANEOUS
glasses Cheap plastic case from eyedoctor 1.5oz.
small pocket knife
camera**
notebook and pencil memo pad works or write in guidebook?
bandanas (2) 1
1/2 camp towel use bandanna
partial roll duct tape 3-5 feet
plastic bags (ziplocks, grocery)--as needed
stuff sacks--as needed for articles above silnylon?
nylon cord Mason twine? spectra?


a few questions:

is an insulated jacket necessary--i am starting april 3, and was planning on adding layers to keep the warmth in, topped off with the rain shell and pants.

No, but warmer for the weight than your fleece, get one and dump the bag liner, use to extend bag rating should you need to. Im reading you to mean Puffy type jacket...

if the long underwear is meant to be my "clean-ish" sleepwear, do you advise to bring a second set as hiking base layer?

Maybe, this very personal. I suggest yes but make them very lightweight, and dump them later if you find you dont need them.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Pagansdad Boring but might be of intrest see clothing series.

can a lighter silnylon bag, caribiner, and nylon cord be used in place of a commercially available bear bag? the one i have now is very large (my husband and i both use it when we are camping), but since i am going solo, i don't need such a large capacity.

Heck yes! my whole bearbag rig weighs 1.5 oz. silnylon spectra and mini beaner. I also have a mini figure 9.

also, any recommendations for an odor-proof ziplock bag make?

water treatment--my experience to date has been treating with a pump filter, though the overwhelming consensus (at least what i am reading) is that these are unnecessary...i purchased aqua mira as my backup, but i wonder if i should forego the 13.3 oz of filter altogether?

Dump it! Filter with bandanna to get floaties then treat with aquamira.

my goal is a 15 lb pack weight (minus consumables), which i think is doable--i am hovering around 17 lbs right now sans camera and phone which are pretty heavy items, if i drop that water filter, anything i can do (and you can suggest) to smartly reduce load on my knees would be greatly appreciated.

I tried to answer in this spirit your gear list looks pretty good to me!

thanks so much!

Have an awesome hike

Bonnie

.

[John B]

That's a well-designed list. My only suggestions would be to toss in a couple of Pepto Bismol caplets. If you don't already have a watch, check out the Timex Expedition -- it has an electronic compass built in that's quite accurate, an alarm, and a push button back light, all for about $35. You don't say which tarptent you're taking, but Shires makes such a fine product that it really doesn't matter. Enjoy!

[mountain squid]

Looks very good. Some observations:

check the sternum buckle on your pack - that might be a whistle
platypus instead of Gatorade bottles - less bulky when empty
insect repellant and bug spray?!?
keep the sleeping bag liner - it helps keep your bag clean
aqua mira instead of filter
needle for draining blisters
ear plugs
and as Panzer1 noted - maps

See you on the trail,
mt squid

[Blissful]

Yes, recommend some type of insulating jacket. I carried a down until May and then my montbell all the rest of the way. You can get temps in the teens and snow in April.
Bring 3 pairs of socks. Keep your feet happy and they will keep you happy. Skip gaiters, they keep your feet too hot, IMO. Your feet will get wet no matter what you do. I did not find debris in my shoes that big of a deal.
Agree - aqua mira only is fine.
Compass is optional, if you have maps you're pretty well set.
You have bug repellant listed twice - ?
Wear what you wear in camp to bed (I did) you won't get it dirty and sweaty in camp - the outer jacket is protecting your top and rain pants can protect your long underwear if it's muddy, etc. But don't wear your hiking clothes to bed. Suggest a pair of cotton undies for your sleeping bag too.

[bonnie]

thank you so much for all of your considerate responses! yes, the insect repellant twice was a mistake. so if i get a puffy jacket (synthetic for me), do i ditch the fleece altogether? the tent is a contrail, the compass i have is on my whistle (it's a combo deal). do you think i would need true gloves, rather than just the liners?

[windy city]

Consider bringing these with your liners. Waterproof and only 1 ounce. http://www.ula-equipment.com/mist.htm

[Mercy]

I have a Cat's Meow bag, and when it gets below freezing, I start to! I'm a cold sleeper. I would be cold in your sleeping system without my jacket and rainpants.

I love my down bag.

[the_black_spot]

thank you so much for all of your considerate responses! yes, the insect repellant twice was a mistake. so if i get a puffy jacket (synthetic for me), do i ditch the fleece altogether? the tent is a contrail, the compass i have is on my whistle (it's a combo deal). do you think i would need true gloves, rather than just the liners?

having some form of shell over your hands can be great. however, leaving in april, probably not neccessary.

what i do sometimes is use salvaged stuff sacks from inside my pack that are about mitten size. i just throw whatever was in them into some other stuff sack in the pack or just leave em unpacked. you can cinch the drawstrings on the sacks over your wrist, and they work rather well.

[Jack Tarlin]

Very good list.

*You right want a real journal as opposed to just a little notebook. Every
good bookstore sells blank books.

*I also carry a book at all times as I'd go nuts without something non-Trail
related to read.

*As several other folks already pointed out, I'd bring along maps. The weight
and cost are minimal compared to what you'll get out of them.

[Runsalone]

thank you so much for all of your considerate responses! yes, the insect repellant twice was a mistake. so if i get a puffy jacket (synthetic for me), do i ditch the fleece altogether? the tent is a contrail, the compass i have is on my whistle (it's a combo deal). do you think i would need true gloves, rather than just the liners?

Yes dump the fleece you wont need it while hiking and youll have the puffy jacket for when you stop.