Can I get away without a mid layer for the CT?

[Alex Herron]

As of now I will be taking a 5.5 oz fleece vest, then wind pants to go under the chaps and over the shorts. Seems like a good compromise…

I will be carrying an apex hood that will be fine to wear during the day and should add significant warmth.

Eli, I had foot problems as well a year ago but they have largely gone away after training more and switching to lone peaks. Best shoes ever. Of course I don't have the experience of stacking 30s on each other to the extent you have, so hopefully I won't break myself. I am taking a 20 deg quilt so should be good at night. I won't have to go above 30 mpd because all my resupplies will be on the trail. Copper twin lakes, Princeton, molas. Princeton to molas being a tougher 7 day stretch.

Let's both wish for healthy feet.

Thank you all for the responses.

[Edward Jursek]

Maybe I am crazy, reckless and stupid, but I typically don't carry a mid layer in the summer. I wear Arcteryx Rampart pants, an Ibex merino shirt, and a wind shirt (only if I get cold) and for rain a Zpacks cuben poncho/groundsheet and cuben chaps. My mileage is usually about 20 miles a day give or take a few. Not uncomfortable at all and do not feel unsafe at all in poor weather.

This system has worked in cold rain, wind and a bit of snow on an early August hike on the Boundary Trail. One of those days the high was 39 degrees and it snowed in the morning and then rained on and off and was windy. Sadly, not even close to hypothermia or death, nor was I cold until just before bed. I recently got caught on a CDT mid-August section hike with 2 days of cool, wet and often windy weather with no problems, including plenty of time above the tree line. Also hiked in several days of cool, wet, occasionally windy weather on the Wonderland Trail in mid September with the above set-up. Woke up one morning at Sunrise to about an inch of snow, clear skis and temps in the high 20's. I was chilly breaking camp, but fine on the move.

I do tend to run warm in general, but I question the need or value of a mid layer any time in my summer hiking except for camp. I make camp late and like quick mornings, where my wind shirt suffices until I get moving. A poncho/chaps set-up provides a lot of warmth and thermo-regulation options when things get wet and cool/cold.

[D M]

I never had a mid layer the whole PCT, I either needed my puffy or not. My longsleeve shirt was enough unless it rained and then I wore my raincoat. I did though sleep in my base layer, raincoat and puffy if it got real cold at night.

[Mike M]

he's not bringing a puffy

[John S.]

A midlayer is any piece of insulation, either fleece or puffy, worn over your next to skin layer and under your wind/rain shell. The OP wants to take neither as Mike said. Sure you can do it since you have an enormous piece of insulation in your sleeping bag, but be prepared if you decide to go that route since not many do that.

[Edward Jursek]

Sounds like the OP is now going with a 5.5oz fleece vest after getting feedback. I think the original, narrow question was did he need to take a mid layer on a CT hike in August. I would not, but sounds like most people would.

[Alex Herron]

I am going back and forth whether I will bring the fleece vest. I walked around in 25 degree snowy conditions just now in my hypothetical setup and was just fine. And if I am grounded by t storms I can setup camp really quick and use as mentioned before, the large amount of insulation that is my quilt.

Will be using wind pants though as just chaps and shorts seem a little chilly for the above conditions haha

[Stephen M]

If it was me I would just bring the fleece vest, think of it as a "Get out jail free card"
Its like health insurance, we all hope to not have to use it, but if we need to we are covered.

[Dave @ Oware]

Might as well leave your quilt at home too. See what you are really made of. Only wimps bring rain coats too.

[jimmer ultralight]

If the OP runs hot and sleeps warm ,then he can get by with less. His call

I am planning a CT trip as well this sunmer (at a more leisurely pace).
NOAA is predicting a wetter, cooler summer for that area again this year.

Me? I am carrying a grid fleece hoody AND a down vest.

And a UL poncho, windshirt and rainpaints, but everone's requirements will vary.

I wish the OP the best of luck for an awesome trip.

[Dihnekis]

I did an August JMT thruhike with no insulation or fleece layer. Total clothing worn/carried was:

– One pair smartwool phd ultralight socks
– trail runners
– icebreaker wool 200 wt top long sleeve
– exofficio boxers
– cheap athletic shorts
– turtle fur beanie
– wool buff
– montbell ultra thin long john tights
– cheap thin plastic poncho
– OR swift cap

Really all that changed from my day clothing to my night clothing was I put on my tights and my beanie.

I had a 20 degree RevX quilt. I'd just put my head through the foot area (smelly) and do the cinches around my body and wear the quilt like a big green slug when i was cooking at camp. I definitely got cold some nights before getting in the quilt. My plan if there was a rain storm was to stop and setup camp and get in my tarptent moment. It didn't rain at all in the 13 days it took to hike it.

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