New Updated SOBO Gear List

[gsimp18]

Bear in mind I am a college student and can not make drastic changes due to strained finances.

Golite Jam 50L - 30oz
Mountain Hardwear UltraLamina 32 - 31oz
Therm-a-rest ridgerest pad - 8oz
ENO Hammock - 22oz
ENO ProFly Tarp - 22oz
New Balance Minimus - 7.5oz
Chaco Z1 - 30oz
Arc'teryx Beta SL Jacket
Mountain Hardwear Microchill fleece
Alcohol Stove
Snow Peak Titanium solo pot
Titanium spork
Convertable hiking pants
Exofficio wicking shirt
Running Shorts
2pr. of smartwool socks
2pr. of sock liners
1pr. exofficio boxer briefs
trash compactor bags for waterproofing (i'm not using a pack cover)
dry sack for electronics
iphone (for emergencies)
camera w/charger
Bug Spray
Sunscreen
2 Nalgene Bottles(Decided not to go with camelback to save volume in pack)

Please inform me of any huge items I may have forgotten. I just got back from a hike today and I'm a little tired.

Possible Items:
Long sleeve shirt(keep bugs from biting my arms)
Bug net for hammock

I am open to suggestions. I am looking to leave on June 11th and once again I am SOBO. Thanks Again.

[gsimp18]

i forgot my toiletries such as toothpaste and toothbrush

[Hooch]

First 2 things I see that you're missing are a first aid kit and suspension for your hammock.

[firestarter]

ditch the sunscreen...it really is a walk in the woods.

leave the chacos at home and get some crocs. they are by far the camp shoe of choice.

otherwise, it looks good. get excited!

[gsimp18]

First 2 things I see that you're missing are a first aid kit and suspension for your hammock.

Thanks Hooch for reminding me. My suspension is whoopie slings with tree higher straps. Very minimal suspension. My first aid will be minimal as well. Bandaids, neosporin and blister protection.

[gsimp18]

ditch the sunscreen...it really is a walk in the woods.

leave the chacos at home and get some crocs. they are by far the camp shoe of choice.

otherwise, it looks good. get excited!

Firestarter,

I was wondering if I should keep my sunscreen or to ditch it since it is "the green tunnel". However the chacos I do need to keep because they are my main hiking shoes/sandals. My NB minimus shoes will more than likely be my backup hiking/camp shoes. I appreciate your reply though. I am so excited!

[ScottP]

you might want to think of a way to keep the bugs off you at night
you might want to think a bit more about your footwear setup
you have too many clothes
nalgenes are a tad silly. use gatorade bottles instead
I dislike massive frameless packs like the jam. If a frameless pack is right for you, get something about half to two-thirds that size.

[Rusty Nail]

25 Ltrs seems WAY too small. Are you sure about that? SMD nor ULA make anything close to 25 ltr.

[gsimp18]

To be honest with you I love the jam. I just got it two days ago and I went on a hike today with all my gear for the AT and it was more comfortable than my Gregory baltoro 70. My pack weight today was around 25 pounds with food a d water. For me that's pretty good. As for my nalgene's I probably could go with Gatorade bottles but footwear as I said earlier the chaco's are my go to hiking footwear. They are heavy for sandals, but they will be on my feet 80% of the time and they are the most comfortable footwear I've ever worn. I also stated that I was considering taking a bug net. That might have to just be a birthday present request though. Clothing wise I only have one shirt one pair of convertible pants, 2 pairs of socks, possibly running shorts, my mid layer and my shell. I thing that's pretty simple.

[Slo-go'en]

SOBO stating in mid June? - Kid, you need a SERIOUS bug net! Not only one for your hammock, but one to put over your head. You will understand why once you get here and experiance our Black Flies first hand. Just hope they don't make you swell up like a ballon like a lot of people who aren't used to thier bites. (might as well leave the bug spray home, it has no effect on them)

You also need a pair of real boots. Sandals might be okay were you live, but up here in the real mountains, they will not do at all. Unless you enjoy stubbed toes, twisted ankles and wet feet all the time. You may actually need more clothes. June can be a chilly and wet month here. You need one set of dry tops to change into. Wet pants you can deal with if they dry quick with body heat. A long sleeve shirt is a good idea.

[gsimp18]

SOBO stating in mid June? - Kid, you need a SERIOUS bug net! Not only one for your hammock, but one to put over your head. You will understand why once you get here and experiance our Black Flies first hand. Just hope they don't make you swell up like a ballon like a lot of people who aren't used to thier bites. (might as well leave the bug spray home, it has no effect on them)

You also need a pair of real boots. Sandals might be okay were you live, but up here in the real mountains, they will not do at all. Unless you enjoy stubbed toes, twisted ankles and wet feet all the time. You may actually need more clothes. June can be a chilly and wet month here. You need one set of dry tops to change into. Wet pants you can deal with if they dry quick with body heat. A long sleeve shirt is a good idea.

Slo-go'en,

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't sure if they would still be bad mid June, but since you live up there and have first hand experience I will more than willingly take your word for it. I'm not just bringing sandals. I have shoes too. I don't mind my feet being wet because I might as well get used to it when I first start so that I'm used to it on the rest of the trail. I've hiked on the AT with these sandals already and they did fine. Maybe they will work in new England but then again maybe they won't. Extra clothes are doable for me. I just have to find space. This whole trail is a learning process for me. Either way I appreciate your feedback and first hand knowledge of the black flies.

[on_the_GOEZ]

you might want to think of a way to keep the bugs off you at night
you might want to think a bit more about your footwear setup
you have too many clothes
nalgenes are a tad silly. use gatorade bottles instead
I dislike massive frameless packs like the jam. If a frameless pack is right for you, get something about half to two-thirds that size.

SOBO stating in mid June? - Kid, you need a SERIOUS bug net! Not only one for your hammock, but one to put over your head. You will understand why once you get here and experiance our Black Flies first hand. Just hope they don't make you swell up like a ballon like a lot of people who aren't used to thier bites. (might as well leave the bug spray home, it has no effect on them)

You also need a pair of real boots. Sandals might be okay were you live, but up here in the real mountains, they will not do at all. Unless you enjoy stubbed toes, twisted ankles and wet feet all the time. You may actually need more clothes. June can be a chilly and wet month here. You need one set of dry tops to change into. Wet pants you can deal with if they dry quick with body heat. A long sleeve shirt is a good idea.

I started July 8 and the bugs were still fairly bad up until southern Maine. I got in my Hammock during lunch just to keep the bugs off of me. Theyre relentless - be ready!

As far as footwear goes, Im with the others. I hiked a trail here in southern Indiana in Chacos thinking I'd be fine because they "were the most comfortable shoes I'd ever worn, etc. etc." Long story short, I still have scars from blisters. HIGHLY recommend a sport shoe of some sort. The NB Minimus are great IFF you are an experienced minimalist runner. I trained for over 8 months in VFiveFingers and my calves were still sore the first couple of weeks. I summitted Katadhin with NB MT 101 - fantastic shoe, have gotten another pair since.

Finally, go with Gatorade bottles - you wont regret it.

Here's my pack after Monson (dropped quite a bit, picked most back up in Waynesboro, VA - extra clothes and kitchen,)

Clothes
Sunglasses – Wal-Mart cheapos
Fleece Hat- Campmor
Bandana
Watch (Simple Timex)
Waterproof Jacket - DriDucks
Thermal Shirt (Helley Hansen Merino Wool)
Warm Layer (MontBell Down Jacket)
Shorts (Swim Trunks)
Thermal Pants (SmartWool Merino)
Socks (1 pair lightweight smartwools + 1 pair of liners)
Hiking Shoes (NewBalance MT 101)
T Shirt (Arc Teryx Synthetic T)
Hiking Poles (Leki Makalu)
Clothes Bag (JRB waterproof Stuffsack)


Sleep & Carry Gear
Backpack – ULA CDT
Pack Liner (Compacter Bag)
3 season Sleeping Bag (Warbonnet Mamba Regular)
Z-lite 3/4
JRB Hex Tarp
3' X 7' piece of Tyvek
Titanium Stakes

Kitchen
Titanium Spork
Water Carrier (1L Platy) + (GATORADE BOTTLE)
Mini Bic

Miscellaneous Gear
Razor Blade
Bobby Pin
Camera and case (Nikon CoolPix + Spare Battery, broke and replaced with disposable cameras)
Headlamp (Cyclops Atom, bought a Petzl in VT)
Map (AT 2011 SOBOer’s Guide Looseleaf)
Duct Tape (~5 ft.)
Food Bag (JRB StuffSack)
First Aid Kit (Neosporin, BandAids, Gauze, Alcohol pads)
Bug Repellant (Ben's)
Small container of Bleach for water treatment
Toothbrush (Sawed-off thing)
Spare Battery (2 Coin cell Lithium)
Carmex Chapstick
ID, Credit Card, Insurance Card, Cash



Youre going to have a BLAST!

[gsimp18]

I started July 8 and the bugs were still fairly bad up until southern Maine. I got in my Hammock during lunch just to keep the bugs off of me. Theyre relentless - be ready!

As far as footwear goes, Im with the others. I hiked a trail here in southern Indiana in Chacos thinking I'd be fine because they "were the most comfortable shoes I'd ever worn, etc. etc." Long story short, I still have scars from blisters. HIGHLY recommend a sport shoe of some sort. The NB Minimus are great IFF you are an experienced minimalist runner. I trained for over 8 months in VFiveFingers and my calves were still sore the first couple of weeks. I summitted Katadhin with NB MT 101 - fantastic shoe, have gotten another pair since.

Finally, go with Gatorade bottles - you wont regret it.

Here's my pack after Monson (dropped quite a bit, picked most back up in Waynesboro, VA - extra clothes and kitchen,)

Clothes
Sunglasses – Wal-Mart cheapos
Fleece Hat- Campmor
Bandana
Watch (Simple Timex)
Waterproof Jacket - DriDucks
Thermal Shirt (Helley Hansen Merino Wool)
Warm Layer (MontBell Down Jacket)
Shorts (Swim Trunks)
Thermal Pants (SmartWool Merino)
Socks (1 pair lightweight smartwools + 1 pair of liners)
Hiking Shoes (NewBalance MT 101)
T Shirt (Arc Teryx Synthetic T)
Hiking Poles (Leki Makalu)
Clothes Bag (JRB waterproof Stuffsack)


Sleep & Carry Gear
Backpack – ULA CDT
Pack Liner (Compacter Bag)
3 season Sleeping Bag (Warbonnet Mamba Regular)
Z-lite 3/4
JRB Hex Tarp
3' X 7' piece of Tyvek
Titanium Stakes

Kitchen
Titanium Spork
Water Carrier (1L Platy) + (GATORADE BOTTLE)
Mini Bic

Miscellaneous Gear
Razor Blade
Bobby Pin
Camera and case (Nikon CoolPix + Spare Battery, broke and replaced with disposable cameras)
Headlamp (Cyclops Atom, bought a Petzl in VT)
Map (AT 2011 SOBOer’s Guide Looseleaf)
Duct Tape (~5 ft.)
Food Bag (JRB StuffSack)
First Aid Kit (Neosporin, BandAids, Gauze, Alcohol pads)
Bug Repellant (Ben's)
Small container of Bleach for water treatment
Toothbrush (Sawed-off thing)
Spare Battery (2 Coin cell Lithium)
Carmex Chapstick
ID, Credit Card, Insurance Card, Cash



Youre going to have a BLAST!

Thanks for the info! What you had leaving monson is exactly what I want my pack to be like. Did you wear socks with your chacos or just bare feet? I have problems with them when I don't wear socks but they seem to be fine with socks. I've had the minimus shoes for a while now and I was only planning on wearing them on lighter days anyways. I am by no means a minimalist runner expert. Also did you have your hammock when you left monson or was it just the tarp and ground cloth? What about a bugnet for my head? Would that be smart? I appreciate all the feedback as its just making me more prepared and more excited for my thru this year!

[ScottP]

Gsimp:
18-25L is a good range for the AT.

Chacos are fine long distance hiking footwear and many people have thru-hiked using only chacos. Most people need to combine socks with them so their feet don't dry out and crack.

If you plan on using the minimus you might want to start working with minimalist shoes now. You need to start logging miles in minimalist footwear if you want to be able to do a thru-hike in them. Your feet need to work much differently and have a different shape. If you can put on chacos without pain then you probably don't want to attempt to thru in the minimus, unless your feet can adapt very quickly. So maybe stick with plan chaco.

The bugs will be gnarly. If I were hiking at the end of the spring semester (starting mid-may to early june) I would NOBO. You can flip if absolutely needed, but it probably isn't.

leave the convertible pants, boxers, fleece, and long sleeve shirt at home

look at trading out your current hammock+tarp in for a hennesy (with included bug net)


have fun

[on_the_GOEZ]

Also did you have your hammock when you left monson or was it just the tarp and ground cloth? What about a bugnet for my head? Would that be smart? I appreciate all the feedback as its just making me more prepared and more excited for my thru this year!

Gsimp:
18-25L is a good range for the AT.

Chacos are fine long distance hiking footwear and many people have thru-hiked using only chacos. Most people need to combine socks with them so their feet don't dry out and crack.

If you plan on using the minimus you might want to start working with minimalist shoes now. You need to start logging miles in minimalist footwear if you want to be able to do a thru-hike in them. Your feet need to work much differently and have a different shape. If you can put on chacos without pain then you probably don't want to attempt to thru in the minimus, unless your feet can adapt very quickly. So maybe stick with plan chaco.

The bugs will be gnarly. If I were hiking at the end of the spring semester (starting mid-may to early june) I would NOBO. You can flip if absolutely needed, but it probably isn't.

leave the convertible pants, boxers, fleece, and long sleeve shirt at home

look at trading out your current hammock+tarp in for a hennesy (with included bug net)


have fun

Gsimp - A bugnet OF SOME SORT will be necessary, whether it be a head net that cinches (I have a SeatoSummit) or a hammock with a big net that completely encloses you. If you're wearing long sleeves and pants, the headnet should be fine. However, in warmer situations, you might not want to be in your bag covered in clothes. The bugs were the absolute worst in NY/NJ and Conn (probably due to flooding of valleys and lowlands)At this point I did not have my hammock; I had sent it home in Gorham and didn't carry it the rest of the way. There were quite a few sleepless nights in the MidAtlantics due to bugs. Be prepared! Also, don't forget that Bens 100 percent deet will MELT synthetic material, like your sleeping bag. It's powerful stuff..

Finally, you will find whats right for your feet hiking miles a day. It's inevitable or you'll have blisters or foot chafage, etc. I started with a minimalist, switched to Crocs for ~300 miles, then gradually bought slightly heavier shoes as I went on. I finished with Solomans GoreTex trail runners. I was against anything Goretex until I bought these shoes. I love them and still wear them everyday. My best suggestion is to keep an open mind not only towards your shoes but all of your gear and your hike, in general. I loved being able to "fly by the seat of my pants" and make myself happy however I needed, whether it was gear, food, rest, whatever. Just pay attention to your body and you'll be alright, Chacos or not.

PS your feet will be wet ALOT if you wear Chacos, socks or not.