Superior Hiking Trail - Need Thru-Hiking Advice

[BryanE]

Hello, I am going to thru-hike the Superior Hiking Trail this summer. I don't have much experience with long hikes, but I've done some shorter backpacking trips. I will be going alone, and will be leaving for a southbound trip around May 13th. I just subscribed to the Superior Hiking Trail Association and got the 6th edition guide, which should help my planning a lot.

The thing I need the most help on is my gear list. This is what I have on my list so far. I own about 3/4 of it already:

Pack (with liner)
o Tent
o Water Filter
o Water bottle & water bladders
o Sleeping Bag (sleeping pad?)
o Rope (& carabiners)
o Knife
o Food
o Flashlight (headlamp?)
o Sun screen
o Bug repellent
o Clothes
o Towel
o Boots/Trail Runners
o Notebook and pen (with duct tape)
o Lighters/Fire-starters
o Compass
o Maps
o Cookware/Silverware/Plate
o Toilet Paper
o Toothbrush
o Rain Gear
o Stove & Fuel
o Hiking Poles
o First aid kit (including whistle, tylenol, etc.)
o Cell phone (emergencies)
ID and cash (plus debit card)
Bandana


How does this look? I know it's too heavy, so I need to find some ways to cut it down. I'm keeping my tent and water filter. Even though tarps/hammocks, alcohol stoves, and other water filters are lighter. I can switch out my Nalgene for a lightweight water bottle if need be. I am having a lot of trouble deciding between boots and trail-runners. I've read a lot of debates on this forum and it seems that most people prefer trail-runners. I am going to go to REI and try a couple of each on and see what fits me the best.

Once I get the book I will be able to plan out a detailed itinerary, that will be very nice. I am gluten and dairy intolerant so eating on the trail is going to be interesting, but I think that I have found enough recipes to last me.

Does anybody have any experiences on the trail? I have read one report on Trailjournals and the one thread that I found on it here. I am extremely excited. I am very underweight right now (because of my stomach issues). So I am going to spend the next 6 months gaining weight, training, and acquiring the rest of the gear that I need.

If you have any advice, experiences, or just want to say hi, feel free to post here. Thank you very much,
Bryan

[Kerosene]

I strongly suggest that you invest in a small digital scale to weigh all of your items. Your list looks reasonable, but it may very well be too heavy if you're lugging a water filter better suited to a group or a two-burner stove! Food will also add a lot of weight, although you should be able to re-supply along the SHT as needed if you don't mind wasting a day to get to a store and back.
.
I've only hiked a few miles of the SHT on day hikes and researched a bit on-line. I think you will find cool-to-cold temperatures in mid-May, and quite a bit of water (falling from the sky and in the streams). I'd replace the water filter with Aqua Mira. I do think that the SHT would be ideal for trail runners, as there did not appear to be as many pointy rocks in the trail bed as on the northern portion of the AT.

[Lyle]

I haven't through-hiked the SHT, but have done the northern 30 miles plus the Border Route and KEK a few years back. As suggested above, you have given general items to take, which looks good, but the real proof will be in the details. You need a scale, or at least manufacturers weights to really see how you are doing. Each of the items you list can vary tremendously, and have either great or miserable affect on you overall load and comfort.

Reconsider the filter, it is heavy, plus you may well hit some below freezing nights. Filters are a pain when they freeze.

Trail runners will be fine. You may have some snow to deal with, depending on the year, so make sure you have plenty of dry socks (three pair). You will have wet trail conditions.

Strongly suggest carrying a head net. They are light, compact, and do wonders saving your sanity during a black fly or gnat outbreak - completely possible.

You seem insistent on a stove, which is fine. Depending on what style cooking, if it's boil water type, REALLY consider an alcohol pop-can stove. If you want to do real cooking, one of the light-weight canister stoves will serve you well, such as the Pocket Rocket, or others of similar design. You will have more difficulty getting canisters along the way than you will getting alcohol.

When I did my hike up there, we started the first week in May. Mostly daytime temps were fairly warm. Some snow about a foot or two deep in areas left on the ground. We did also have wind/rain/sleet/snow for a couple of days with temps well below freezing. These were the exceptions, however, and temps were generally pleasant. We did have several days of intense gnat activity a bit later in the trip, MAN are they annoying - hence the recommendation for a head net.

It's a great area, beautiful hiking for the most part. I really love the north woods and have spent much time in the UP of Michigan, Boundary Waters in MN and Isle Royale. Never had a bad trip up there.

Good Luck and HAVE FUN!!!

[Lyle]

I just noticed a few minor points with you list. I will just add a few more comments below.

Hello, I am going to thru-hike the Superior Hiking Trail this summer. I don't have much experience with long hikes, but I've done some shorter backpacking trips. I will be going alone, and will be leaving for a southbound trip around May 13th. I just subscribed to the Superior Hiking Trail Association and got the 6th edition guide, which should help my planning a lot.

The thing I need the most help on is my gear list. This is what I have on my list so far. I own about 3/4 of it already:

Pack (with liner)
o Tent
o Water Filter
o Water bottle & water bladders
o Sleeping Bag (sleeping pad?)Definitly need an insulating pad. Plus a lot of rocky ground so comfort should also be a consideration.
o Rope (& carabiners) Hope that by rope you mean nylon cord. No real need for anything like climbing rope.
o Knife Small, light. Mostly used for spreading peanut butter, slicing sausage, occasionally cutting some of you cord (above). I find a micro leatherman to be fully adequate, and the scissors option is very useful.
o Food
o Flashlight (headlamp?) Headlamp with a tiny Photon keychain LED for back-up (especially since you will be solo)
o Sun screen
o Bug repellent
o Clothes
o Towel Bandana works, and you're already carrying it.
o Boots/Trail Runners
o Notebook and pen (with duct tape)
o Lighters/Fire-starters
o Compass
o Maps
o Cookware/Silverware/Plate Only silverware needed is a lexan spoon and your pocket knife
o Toilet Paper
o Toothbrush
o Rain Gear
o Stove & Fuel
o Hiking Poles
o First aid kit (including whistle, tylenol, etc.)
o Cell phone (emergencies)
ID and cash (plus debit card)
Bandana


How does this look? I know it's too heavy, so I need to find some ways to cut it down. I'm keeping my tent and water filter. Even though tarps/hammocks, alcohol stoves, and other water filters are lighter. I can switch out my Nalgene for a lightweight water bottle if need be. I am having a lot of trouble deciding between boots and trail-runners. I've read a lot of debates on this forum and it seems that most people prefer trail-runners. I am going to go to REI and try a couple of each on and see what fits me the best.

Once I get the book I will be able to plan out a detailed itinerary, that will be very nice. I am gluten and dairy intolerant so eating on the trail is going to be interesting, but I think that I have found enough recipes to last me.

Does anybody have any experiences on the trail? I have read one report on Trailjournals and the one thread that I found on it here. I am extremely excited. I am very underweight right now (because of my stomach issues). So I am going to spend the next 6 months gaining weight, training, and acquiring the rest of the gear that I need.

If you have any advice, experiences, or just want to say hi, feel free to post here. Thank you very much,
Bryan

[BryanE]

Wow, really great advice everybody. Thank you very much for taking the time to help me.

I have heard a lot about Aqua Mira on these boards. It looks like they are water treatment drops. I will have to look into those because they would be much lighter than my MSR water filter. The reason why I was so insistant on the water filter and stove is because I just spent a lot of money on them a few months ago, and the thought of having to buy something else and not using them upsets me, but that's just my ego getting in the way to an enjoyable backpacking trip. I will definitely look more into Aqua Mira and Alcohol Stoves (I also just bought a Whisperlite).

I will definitely look into head-nets, thank you very much for the tip. I hadn't even considered that, I guess that's why you guys are here. I will go to REI in a few weeks and try on some trail runners to see what fits well.

I will get a sleeping pad as well. That's going to be a pain to fit into my pack. Yes, by rope I meant Paracord, I just call it rope. I had a Buck 110 knife before I lost it. I loved that thing to death. It is heavy for a knife but I really would like to re-buy it. I just probably consider the Buck 55 or an actual lightweight knife for my trip however.

It looks like I should ditch the towel for a bandana. I guess it will be too early in the year for a swim, so that should be alright. My silverware is a spork that is part of my GSI cookset, it is very lightweight. That won't be a problem.


I am scared that I am not going to be able to maintain this level of excitement for the next 6 months. It's all that I can think about. I really need to go and really want to go. I just need to make it happen.

It's nice to see some fellow Minnesotan hikers on here. I really appreciate the advice everybody. I don't know what I'd do without you all.

[BryanE]

I can't figure out how to edit my post. Yes, next step is definitely planning an itinerary and weighing out my pack. I need to go pick up a scale.

A foot plus of snow in May? Man, in the cities it's all melted by then. Thanks for the heads-up, I will plan accordingly.

Picking out clothes is also going to be quite a task. I just found the "Articles" section of this website which is helping my planning immensely.

[Cookerhiker]

I hiked nearly all of the Superior Trail just this past September; I ended less than 20 miles short of a thruhike because of excruciating heel blisters that were starting to become infected. I don't think the problem was my trail runners per se so I think you'll be OK with them.

Resupply will definitely be a challenge for you. We sent ourselves maildrops in Grand Marais and Finland. There are also decent grocery stores in both towns.

By definition, you don't face any long 1,000'+ ups and downs like the AT but most of the ascents & descents are very steep. Also much of the Trail is rock and root strewn similar to New England.

Re. water, I used Aqua Mira with no problems. Water availability was an issue in some parts but you should be OK with a May hike.

If you can time it, camp one night at Gooseberry Falls State Park. You pay a reduced rate for backpackers and the backpackers' campsites are right on the lake - much better than the car campers.

I recommend an overnight stay in Grand Marais and dinner at the Angry Trout restaurant. In addition to superb Lake Trout, everything on their menu is health-conscious. For example, all their veggies come from local sources. The only issue is whether they're open in May or not. I know they close for the winter.

Finally if you haven't discovered it yet, the guidebook is geared to day and section hikers, not thruhikers. So the mileage is misstated because it includes side trail miles from parking areas not on the SHT itself.

It's a very nice trail. Good luck. And check out WB's "Other Trails" forums; do a search and you'll find other Superior Trail threads: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/sear...earchid=709988

Oh - to edit your posts, join WB as a Donating Member.

[BryanE]

Cool! Did you hike SOBO or NOBO? A zero in Grand Marais would be really cool. The Angry Trout looks like a really nice place, and it's right on the lake too. They say that they are open starting in May, so it looks like I will be able to do that.

Did you have any problems with sediment in the water? Oh my, I spent one night in Gooseberry right on the lake with no tent, just right under the stars. It happened to be during a meteor shower. I was with my ex-girlfriend and it was one of the best nights of my life. I would love to work another night there into my trip.

The guidebook is still in the mail, and this is extremely disappointing to hear. I was really counting on that to plan my hike.

Thanks for the heads-up on the donating member. I am very active on other forums and usually don't have trouble figuring stuff like that out. It looks like there are a lot of threads on the Superior Hiking Trail, I have my reading cut out for me. I should probably wait until finals are over but I just can't. Time to practice some restraint.

I outlined my gear list with the template laid out in one of the articles on this website, it is much more organized.

Pack Group:
REI Pack – xx ounces
Liner – xx ounces
Stuff sack? – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces

Shelter Group:
REI Quarter Dome – xx ounces
Stakes – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces

Sleeping Group:
Sleeping Bag – xx ounces
Stuff sack? – xx ounces
Z-Lite Sleeping Pad? – 14 ounces
Total – xx ounces

Kitchen Group:
Whisperlite (or alcohol stove) *– xx ounces
Fuel bottle (or alcohol) – xx ounces
GSI Ketalist Cookset – 11.1 ounces
Lighter ~ .6 ounces
Nalgene (or Gatorade bottle) – xx ounces
3L Platypus Bladder – 1.5 ounces (empty)
Stuff Sack/Food bag – xx ounces
MSR water filter (or Aqua Mira) – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces

Hygiene Group:
Toothbrush – xx ounces
Toothpaste – xx ounces
Toilet Paper – xx ounces
Ziplock bag – xx ounces
Hand sanitizer – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces

Navigation Group:
Map – xx ounces
Compass – xx ounces
Headlamp – xx ounces
Bundle of paper – xx ounces
Pen – xx ounces
Camera? – xx ounces
Repair/First Aid Group:
Paracord (how many feet?) – xx ounces
Duct tape (wrapped around) – xx ounces
First aid kit (inc. whistle, vitamin C)– xx ounces
Emergency fire starter (magnesium/Swedish fire steel) – xx ounces
Head Net – xx ounces
Carabiners – xx ounces
Sunscreen – xx ounces
Bug repellent – xx ounces
Matches – xx ounces
Cell phone (emergencies) – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces

Rain Gear:
Rain jacket – xx ounces
Rain pants – xx ounces
Rain mittens? – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces

(2 tops, 2 bottoms, rain gear, extra pair of socks)

Clothing:
3 pair socks – xx ounces
Underwear- xx ounces
Wallet with ID, cash, debit card – xx ounces
Pocket knife (buck 110?) – xx ounces
Watch (with alarm)? – xx ounces
Trekking Poles – xx ounces
Trail Runners (Vasque?) – xx ounces
Bandana – xx ounces
Sunglasses? – xx ounces
WHAT ELSE
Total – xx ounces

Consumables:
Fuel (how much, how many days?) – xx ounces
Water – xx ounces
Food – xx ounces
Food bag – xx ounces
Total – xx ounces


The things I own already are:
REI pack, REI quarter dome T2 tent, Whisperlite stove, MSR waterfilter, GSI Ketalist cookset, sleeping bag, and other miscellaneous things.

I need to buy:
Trekking poles, trail runners, maybe Aqua Mira, maybe alcohol stove (build), rain gear, clothes, stuff sacks, paracord, knife, water bladder, compass (I have a cheepie), headlamp, headnet, and other miscellaneous things.

[Feral Bill]

To edit posts become a donating member. Well worth it to support the site.

[stranger]

I would recommend that you don't break everything down and analyze it, a much, much easier way is to plan a 3 day hike, bring everything you think you will need, when you get back dump everything you did not use. You don't need to spend alot of money to keep a pack down in weight, just take what you need. If you decide to lighten up some more, one can usually shed the most weight in these 4 categories:
- Shelter
- Pack
- Sleeping Bag
- Extra Clothing
I now carry about 10lbs less than I used to in these 4 categories alone!

[BryanE]

I will definitely consider becoming a donating member. All this information that I'm getting is worth a couple of bucks, even for a student.

I am hoping to do a warm-up 3 day trip in early spring that will help me get my pack weight down. But for now, analyzing it gives me something to do. Thanks for the advice again everybody.

[map man]

I think the time you are going is a great time of year to hike the SHT. There is a time window in mid to late May after typical snow melt and before the typical first hatch of mosquitoes (though you will experience a number of gnats in a few locations). I hiked it this same time period three years in a row in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (I've hiked all of the trail north of Two Harbors both NOBO and SOBO). In a total of six weeks of May hiking in those years I only got one overnight dusting of snow (though there was snow on the ground in a few protected areas), and maybe three or four nights that got down around freezing. Two of the years I didn't run into any mosquitoes to speak of and one year I was just starting to see them around Memorial Day weekend. At that time of year average lows are in the low 40s and average highs are in the 60s. This can make for some great hiking weather.

I never was tempted to filter water at that time of the year -- I just used chlorine dioxide tablets to treat (the same chemical you find in the Aqua Mira liquid). You will see some tint in the water you get from streams and lakes, in varying degrees, due to tannins (from decomposing leaves), but this does not effect taste in my experience.

[BryanE]

Great, I would love to not run into too much snow. I just realized that my sleeping bag is only rated to 40 degrees, not 20 degrees. Is that going to be a problem?

I was thinking about these trekking poles, does anybody have any experience with them?
http://www.rei.com/product/745686/rei-hiker-shock-light-staff

[map man]

Lots of variables when deciding on a temp rating for a bag. Do you sleep warm or cold? How many clothes do you wear in the bag? How insulating is your pad? I find I would rather err on the side of caution and be sure my bag is warm enough. I also find that if I'm expecting a cold night it's really important to keep my feet warm. Once they get really cold it's very hard to warm them back up and really difficult to get any sleep. So I pack an extra pair of socks if it's going to be cold -- some heavy fleece socks just for sleeping. Insulated booties work too.

[BryanE]

Hmm, I'm not really sure whether I'm a hot or cold sleeper. I would say a little more on the warm side, but I like my warmth as well. I guess before I decide if I need a new bag (I really should have not bought anything until I came here), I need to figure out what clothes I'm bringing.

I am planning on buying the REI Z-Rest Lite Sleeping pad, although I do not have it yet, and am still open to suggestion. Apparently it is a very good pad but is a bit bulky from what I have read.

Heavy socks sound like a very good idea, I'll have to bring those for sure.

[Lyle]

There are tricks to extend a bags warmth, but a 40* bag will be stretching it in northern MN that time of year. The items in red are what I find most effective, the others will also help.<br><br>-<span style="color:#ff0000;"> Sleeping pad - along with your Z Lite, buy a cheap blue pad from Walmart and cut it down to fit under your torso. Double pads will help a lot in stretching your bags rating.<br></span><br>- <span style="color:#ff0000;">Nice warm, DRY pair of socks will help. Make sure they are loose fitting so they do not constrict your circulation at all. Tight socks compound the problem instead of solve it. Best option - some down booties but these are expensive, and probably overkill for this temperature expectation.</span><br><br>- Silk Bag liner is very lite and compact and adds a little warmth, about 3* worth. Fleece liner adds more warmth (10*), but is much heavier and bulky.<br><br>- <span style="color:#ff0000;">Sleeping set of lightweight or mid-weight silk long underwear is very effective. Cheap PolyPro from K-Mart will also work.<br></span><br>- Wear your extra insulating clothes to bed. Just be certain that you do not over-stuff your sleeping bag so that you are compressing the insulation from the inside, that is counter-productive. Maybe just drape your jacket over you bag instead of wearing it.<br><br>- If you do hit really cold night, a sturdy water bottle (Nalgene) filled with hot water just before bed can be taken into your bag with you and put at crotch or feet.<br><br>- <span style="color:#ff0000;">Make sure to eat a late night snack, have something handy to eat during the night if you wake up cold. Got to fuel the furnace.<br></span><br>- Isometric exercise inside the bag can warm you up at least temporarily, allowing you to get back to sleep.<br><br>- If you have to pee, do it, you will be much more comfortable than trying to avoid getting out of your bag and hold it 'till morning.<br><br>These things will help get you through a cold night, but some will add extra weight/bulk to your pack. <br><br>It is ALWAYS best to start out with a bag that is capable of handling the temps you will probably encounter, and will get you through the worst you can expect (using the tips above). Unfortunately, a 40* bag probably doesn't fit this criteria for your planned hike. <br><br>Did you buy your bag at REI? How long ago? Have you used it much? The reason I ask, is that REI has an excellent return policy. Could you exchange it for a warmer bag? That would be your best option. Just something to consider.<br><br>

[Lyle]

WOW! The above is NOT what I formatted. The system logged me out while I was writing, and completely jumbled the formatting while I was logging back in. Definite problem with the system. I'll try again.

There are tricks to extend a bags warmth, but a 40* bag will be stretching it in northern MN that time of year. The items in red are what I find most effective, the others will also help.

- Sleeping pad - along with your Z Lite, buy a cheap blue pad from Walmart and cut it down to fit under your torso. Double pads will help a lot in stretching your bags rating.

- Nice warm, DRY pair of socks will help. Make sure they are loose fitting so they do not constrict your circulation at all. Tight socks compound the problem instead of solve it. Best option - some down booties but these are expensive, and probably overkill for this temperature expectation.

- Silk Bag liner is very lite and compact and adds a little warmth, about 3* worth. Fleece liner adds more warmth (10*), but is much heavier and bulky.

- Sleeping set of lightweight or mid-weight silk long underwear is very effective. Cheap PolyPro from K-Mart will also work.

- Wear your extra insulating clothes to bed. Just be certain that you do not over-stuff your sleeping bag so that you are compressing the insulation from the inside, that is counter-productive. Maybe just drape your jacket over you bag instead of wearing it.

- If you do hit really cold night, a sturdy water bottle (Nalgene) filled with hot water just before bed can be taken into your bag with you and put at crotch or feet.

- Make sure to eat a late night snack, have something handy to eat during the night if you wake up cold. Got to fuel the furnace.

- Isometric exercise inside the bag can warm you up at least temporarily, allowing you to get back to sleep.

- If you have to pee, do it, you will be much more comfortable than trying to avoid getting out of your bag and hold it 'till morning.

These things will help get you through a cold night, but some will add extra weight/bulk to your pack.

It is ALWAYS best to start out with a bag that is capable of handling the temps you will probably encounter, and will get you through the worst you can expect (using the tips above). Unfortunately, a 40* bag probably doesn't fit this criteria for your planned hike.

Did you buy your bag at REI? How long ago? Have you used it much? The reason I ask, is that REI has an excellent return policy. Could you exchange it for a warmer bag? That would be your best option. Just something to consider.

[Lyle]

There are tricks to extend a bags warmth, but a 40* bag will be stretching it in northern MN that time of year. The items in red are what I find most effective, the others will also help.<br><br>-<span style="color:#ff0000;"> Sleeping pad - along with your Z Lite, buy a cheap blue pad from Walmart and cut it down to fit under your torso. Double pads will help a lot in stretching your bags rating.<br></span><br>- <span style="color:#ff0000;">Nice warm, DRY pair of socks will help. Make sure they are loose fitting so they do not constrict your circulation at all. Tight socks compound the problem instead of solve it. Best option - some down booties but these are expensive, and probably overkill for this temperature expectation.</span><br><br>- Silk Bag liner is very lite and compact and adds a little warmth, about 3* worth. Fleece liner adds more warmth (10*), but is much heavier and bulky.<br><br>- <span style="color:#ff0000;">Sleeping set of lightweight or mid-weight silk long underwear is very effective. Cheap PolyPro from K-Mart will also work.<br></span><br>- Wear your extra insulating clothes to bed. Just be certain that you do not over-stuff your sleeping bag so that you are compressing the insulation from the inside, that is counter-productive. Maybe just drape your jacket over you bag instead of wearing it.<br><br>- If you do hit really cold night, a sturdy water bottle (Nalgene) filled with hot water just before bed can be taken into your bag with you and put at crotch or feet.<br><br>- <span style="color:#ff0000;">Make sure to eat a late night snack, have something handy to eat during the night if you wake up cold. Got to fuel the furnace.<br></span><br>- Isometric exercise inside the bag can warm you up at least temporarily, allowing you to get back to sleep.<br><br>- If you have to pee, do it, you will be much more comfortable than trying to avoid getting out of your bag and hold it 'till morning.<br><br>These things will help get you through a cold night, but some will add extra weight/bulk to your pack. <br><br>It is ALWAYS best to start out with a bag that is capable of handling the temps you will probably encounter, and will get you through the worst you can expect (using the tips above). Unfortunately, a 40* bag probably doesn't fit this criteria for your planned hike. <br><br>Did you buy your bag at REI? How long ago? Have you used it much? The reason I ask, is that REI has an excellent return policy. Could you exchange it for a warmer bag? That would be your best option. Just something to consider.<br><br>

[BryanE]

Those are some great tips, thank you very much.

I bought my sleeping bag from REI Outlet while it was on sale around a year ago so I doubt that I will be able to return it.
Another member provided a link to a website that is having a sale on sleeping bags right now. I found these two sleeping bags rated at 15 and 20 degrees, respectively. Should I be thinking even lower to a 0 degree bag for this trip?

http://www.takeahikenc.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=BELR11!BIG01
http://www.takeahikenc.com/istar.asp?a=6&id=ADWKLNG!TNF01

I don't have much money, so it would be a shame to have to spend 100-200 dollars on a new sleeping bag, but I will be out for about a month and I don't want to be miserably cold. That would make the experience much less enjoyable.

[Lyle]

I would still check with REI about exchanging your bag. They have a VERY liberal return policy, and I think this would be a legitimate reason for exchange. Unless, of course, the bag is heavily used.

I expect a 15 or 20 degree bag would be very sufficient for most nights you will encounter. Temp ratings are very subjective though, and usually mean "You can survive at this temp, not necessarily will you be comfortable." This is especially true for lower cost bags.

I would shop around for a name brand bag on sale. Campmore used to have a highly regarded down bag, rated to 20*, but I don't see it on their website currently. Perhaps it will return in the spring. Also check out Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) I have been very happy with their Primaloft insulated bags in the past.

You can sometimes pick up a great bag off ebay for cheap. I would just keep my eyes open for a good sale. You have plenty of time to buy a full-priced bag before your trip.

If your current bag is still in like-new condition, though, I would REALLY check into returning it to REI before you do anything else.

Another option would be to offer your current bag for sale here, then replace it. Unless of course, you like the bag and will have a use for a "summer" bag.