2013 Thruhike: my gear, what I changed and what I learned

[Praha4]

hey sadaddays: gear/clothing questions. Ques 1: You said you sent back your rainpants in VA, but later said you wore your rainpants when it got cold. (having sent back your convertible pants). Was it never cold enough in New England to need the rain pants or did your baselayer suffice in NE? Ques 2: which MH mid-layer zip up? a MH fleece jacket? Ques 3: ever have any problems with that food bag relative to rodents or bears? Ques 4: use a pack cover? (sorry if I overlooked that) Ques 5: did you use a hydration bladder/hoser (Platypus or Camelbak) or did you strictly carry water in your bottles/bladders? Ques 6: what did you carry in the line of a first aid kit? Were the liner socks good enough for you, or did you use any type Hydropel or Sportsslick to help prevent foot blisters? what socks did you use? merino or synthetic? thanks again, great info you shared! "Florida Mike"

[Cro-Mag]

Hey Salad Days-I think I met you while having lunch at the Abol Campground at the end of the 100 mile wilderness back in late August. You had mentioned that you have lived in Cape Elizabeth for while. Congrats on finishing your thru-hike.

Best,
Finn Melanson

Hey! Yes, that is me. I hope you made it back to school on time!

[Cro-Mag]

hey saladdays - this was a great WB post, thanks for taking the time to write about your experiences with us, you shared some great advice to future AT hikers, both thru hikers and section hikers. I will definitely get to watching your video and trail blog. Spring-2013 in the southern Appalachians brought many weather surprises to hikers, not to mention all the rain, mud and bugs through most of the year into New England also. Each year will bring different weather challenges to AT hikers. I really enjoyed reading how your clothing and gear choices evolved over your hike, can relate to many of your selections. I have used the Osprey Atmos 50 my last two section hikes, and absolutely love the Osprey Atmos series packs. If I was doing an entire thru hike, I'd also pick the Atmos 65. Oh boy you mentioned pillows. I also used a clothes bag for years as a pillow, to varying degrees of comfort or discomfort. This past fall, I picked up an Exped pillow, and now love it, never slept better on the trail. (thanks to another 2013 AT thru hiker, "Lady Grey", for that recommendation over on Trail Journals). The Neoaire X-lite pad is the best pad I've ever used also, good choice. For water treatment, I gave up any pump filters or the Sawyer Squeeze, too many problems, they get clogged, the SS bags break, etc. Have used Aqua Mira on every hike the last 3 years, always worked great. I was especially impressed that you used an inexpensive tent like the Eureka Spitfire and was pleased with it. Shows you don't have to buy a $300 shelter to have a good hike. Again, it's to each his own on gear, clothing and shoes. What works for one, might not work for another. Which Mountain Hardwear Zip Up (middle layer) did you use? Was this a midweight fleece? Food was an area I liked reading, this is the biggest phase of hiking I am constantly changing. Great post, good tips, good luck in your future endeavors, maybe meet you on the trail some day. I'll be heading up to Glasgow, VA in mid April to do another AT section heading north, and maybe heading back to Vermont in September for another LT e2e hike. Happy trails! "Florida Mike"

Hey Florida Mike,

Thanks for the post. The Mountain Hardwear fleece is about 9 years old. It would be considered a midweight fleece. It is not the lightest option, but it is my favorite piece of clothing I own. Consider it a security blanket for a toddler haha

[Cro-Mag]

hey sadaddays: gear/clothing questions. Ques 1: You said you sent back your rainpants in VA, but later said you wore your rainpants when it got cold. (having sent back your convertible pants). Was it never cold enough in New England to need the rain pants or did your baselayer suffice in NE? Ques 2: which MH mid-layer zip up? a MH fleece jacket? Ques 3: ever have any problems with that food bag relative to rodents or bears? Ques 4: use a pack cover? (sorry if I overlooked that) Ques 5: did you use a hydration bladder/hoser (Platypus or Camelbak) or did you strictly carry water in your bottles/bladders? Ques 6: what did you carry in the line of a first aid kit? Were the liner socks good enough for you, or did you use any type Hydropel or Sportsslick to help prevent foot blisters? what socks did you use? merino or synthetic? thanks again, great info you shared! "Florida Mike"

1. It was chilly evenings in NE, but I just wore my baselayer pants at night. I am one of those people that can be comfortable in shorts all year round. It is my torso that needs to be warm.
2. MH Fleece 3/4 zipup. It is about 9 years old.
3. I luckily never had my food back damaged by rodents or bears. I had some rodents get into my backpack at night, but the damage was not too bad. Around VT (I think) I stopped hanging my food in a tree and started to sleep with it.
4. Yes, I used an REI duck's back pack cover. I wouldn't use one again though. After a full day of rain my pack would still be wet. My thought at the start of the trip was "Keep my pack dry to keep the weight down". I found out that my pack would dry within 30 minutes after the sun came out, so it was never an issue. I would go for a trash bag as a liner next time around.
5. For the first half of the hike I would fetch water in a Platy bag and mix my Aquamira inside that bag. I would then pour the purified water into my Camelback or Nalgene (I only used my Nalgene for Carnation Instant Breakfast). By VT, I ditched my Platy bag and Nalgene. I just fetched straight with my Camelback, purified in it and drank from it. If I wanted to mix something or scoop water, I would use my cup from my Jetboil.
6. My first aide was not the best, to be honest. I would have a few band-aides, medical tape, tweezers, neosporin, a few larger bandages, Pepto, Ibuprofen, anti-diarrhea and Benadryl. I really need to take a wilderness first aide course
7. My liner socks were the best surprise in gear for my hike. Again, a single pair lasted my entire hike. I never added any cream or lubricant to them to stop blisters. I know that is unique, but it is what worked for me.
8. I stared with Smartwool and then switched to Darntough in VT.

Thanks!