JMT First-Timer Clothing List

[Matthew / BPL]

I'm an Arizona backpacker doing a three-week SOBO JMT for the first time starting mid-June. My 12 year old son will join me so we are going to do this at a leisurely pace with some time in camp to relax. I'd appreciate any critique of my clothing choices. I'm concerned about being cold at night. Bugs might be an issue in June as well.

Railriders Eco-Mesh Pants
Really lightweight woven polyester shorts
Icebreaker short sleeve tech tee (150 weight)
Sunday Afternoons sun sleeves that go over my hands (I hate wearing sunscreen)
Icebreaker long sleeve tech tee (150 weight)
Montbell Tachyon Anorak windshirt
Montbell Alpine Light down jacket (no hood)
North Face eVent something or another jacket (I can't figure out what it is)
ULA silnylon rain skirt
2 X UnderArmor compression shorts
2 X Darn Tough lightweight crew socks
Outdoor Research Sun Runner hat
Black Rock down beanie (or a Smartwool beanie)
Smartwool liner gloves & TNF rain mitts
Bug net for my head
Insectsheild buff

Sleeping clothes: icebreaker 150 weight long underwear bottoms, loose thick wool socks. I need to pick up a top, probably 200 weight merino. I'll be sleeping in a ZPacks Duplex in a HammockGear Burrow 20° quilt on a women's NeoAir pad.

Stuff I own and have thought about bringing but have decided against:
REI Sahara long sleeve button down shirt
Arcteryx Fortrez fleece hoodie

I think it might make sense for me to take either the Tachyon windshirt or the Sahara long sleeve button down to cut the wind and as another line of defense against mosquitos.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you are willing to share.

[Robin B]

Well, we're all different and I run a bit warmer than some others, but I'll share my experience on the JMT. I typically take layers similar to yours but with a few modifications.

Basically I find this works for summer in the Sierra for me:

Hiking:

Sunrunner hat
150 merino t shirt
Sunsleeves
Houdini wind shirt
Running shorts (or RR pants)
Wind pants (if wearing shorts)
Dirty girl gaiters
Merino socks
Rain poncho or driducks if the forecast is cooler
Headnet
Then, if it is buggy, I will sometimes swap out my merino Tshirt for a long sleeve button up shirt that will help keep bugs off my arms.

Insulation/Sleep:

Light down jacket with a hood
150 merino long underwear top and bottom
Sleep socks
Fleece cap
glove liners if forecast is cooler

And that's it. I use a 20 degree quilt as well and an Xtherm mat, which actually does a lot to add warmth at night.

So, looking at your list, a few comments:

-I wouldn't take both a short and long sleeve merino hiking shirt, seems redundant.
-I would take the down beanie over the wool since you don't have any sort of hood.
-If you're worried about cold, perhaps adding a ccf mat would help with sleeping and also give you a nice seat during the day.
-Bring the wind shirt, I think they are very valuable in the sierra summer.

OK, hope that helps.

[Matthew / BPL]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Robin.

I didn't mention my DG gaiters. I love those and wear them constantly.

I'll have a reflectix sit pad and so will my son. If either of us are having trouble with the cold at night those can be layered with our pads.

I'll bring the windshirt. It weighs so little.

My thought with the short and long sleeve shirts that I could layer them, perhaps with the windshirt for hiking if it's cold during the day. I can't imagine hiking in my puffy because it's so warm.

Thanks again.

[jscott]

All those merino liners are kind of heavy. Another option is to take a heavier down jacket, not a light weight one, and leave the layers behind. You'll be warmer, and quite probably lighter.

[Valerie E]

Well, you may take all of those layers out of Yosemite Valley, but I doubt you'll have all of them past your first re-supply.

I think you'll be fine. You could always wrap your sleeping bag around you in camp if you're too cold. The rest of the time, you'll be moving, and won't be cold.

[Matthew / BPL]

The consensus seems to be that I'm taking too many layers. This prompts two questions:

1) Y'all read I'm starting in mid-June, right? My assumption is the temps are lower in June than July/August. I've looked at graphs of temps at various locations along the JMT and the averages are lower so I'm being conservative compared to the gear lists I see for July & August hikers.

2) What layers should I leave behind? Robin suggested losing the LS merino T. Maybe my initial post wasn't clear, the last group with the button down shirt and fleece hoodie are items I COULD bring but I don't think I will.

[Justin Baker]

Looks pretty good.

I wouldn't go with 200 weight for a sleeping shirt. Base layers are nice for something clean/dry to change into, especially antimicrobial wool, but they don't provide much warmth for the weight. So better to just go with a thin 150 weight.

I would wear the long sleeve tech-t for hiking during the day, so long as it's not black. Or take the sahra shirt, more sun protection but less breathable. Don't take both.

Save the short sleeve tech-t as a sleeping shirt.

There will be bugs in June. In my experience they won't get you while moving. Bring the tachyon and throw it on every time you stop for a break.

[Matthew / BPL]

Justin, thanks for your response. I'm glad to hear that everyone is telling me to take less, not more.

[Justin Baker]

Mathew, it's a little confusing on what you intend to use every piece of clothing for. It would make things clearer if you divided your clothes into a few categories like:

1. warm weather hiking clothes (stuff you wear all the time while hiking)

2. active clothing for cold or bad weather, like a rain jacket or light fleece

3. camp/sleep clothing, like your down jacket and long underwear

I usually have my hiking clothes and my camp clothes completely separate. I wash the hiking clothes every night and they are dry in the morning. If you keep them both separate, you always have something clean to sleep in. If you mix them, then you end up with two sets of stinky clothes. Half way through the trip make an early camp so you can wash your sleep clothes and dry them before bed.

[Matthew / BPL]

Justin,

I'm feeling pretty good about my choices but here is my slightly refined list formatted as you suggested. Thanks for your feedback and suggestions.

Hiking
=========================
Railriders Eco-Mesh Pants
Really lightweight woven polyester shorts
Icebreaker short sleeve tech tee (150 weight)
Icebreaker long sleeve tech tee (150 weight)
Montbell Tachyon Anorak windshirt
UnderArmor compression shorts (two pairs)
Darn Tough lightweight crew socks (two pairs)
Outdoor Research Sun Runner hat
Sunday Afternoons sun sleeves
Insectshield buff
Bug net for my head

Cold/Bad Weather Clothes
=========================
Montbell Alpine Light down jacket (no hood)
North Face eVent rain jacket
ULA silnylon rain skirt
Black Rock down beanie
Smartwool liner gloves & TNF rain mitts

Sleeping Clothes
=========================
Icebreaker 150 weight long underwear bottoms
150-200 weight merino long underwear top (I haven't bought this yet)

Clothing Options I'm not bringing
=========================
REI Sahara long sleeve button down shirt
Arcteryx Fortrez fleece hoodie

[Matthew / BPL]

So if the mosquitos are biting and it's warm out, what top should I be wearing? I'm totally not interested in wearing DEET. I could wear my Montbell Tachyon wind shirt or I could bring my REI Sahara long sleeve button down. I could soak either of those in permethrin, like my hat and buff.

I've heard that mosquitos can bite through knits (like tee shirts) but not through woven materials (like a nylon wind shirt or nylon button down). Any thoughts on that?

[Cayenne Redmonk]

Nylon shirt and pants would be my next to skin layer.
Poofy jacket and poofy pants for insulation.
Rain gear as outer layer to block wind/precipitation.

Sunhat, bugnet, balaclava, and gloves as desired.

I would bring a Wind shirt because it's the most jacket I can wear while moving, at least the first 20 minutes. Slower people might be able to wear a rain jacket. Adding underwear under the hiking shirt is PITA.

YMMV, but I get easier and *more* use out of my snow pants and puffy jacket than long underwear. I only wear long johns in fourth season to hold warm air next to my skin. In normal 3 season use, I don't need more warmth, I need more air flow.

[Matthew / BPL]

Thanks Willie.

What kind of snow pants do you like? I've never looked at them before.

[Cayenne Redmonk]

I have the montbell synthetic pants with the big zippers on the side (thermawrap ?), but several companies make primaloft/synthetic pants or down pants. If you search for synthetic / down pants you can find decent deals. I think some people had some down pants from goosefeet at a GGG, so there could be cottage options available. I've had mine almost a decade, and haven't kept up with all the current options.

[jscott]

Just to be clear: nylon shirt/pants will block mosquitoes from biting, even without permethrin. At least mine do. But my nylon sun shirt is pretty thick and maybe too hot for some. Worth it to me.

[Matthew / BPL]

That's great to hear. I don't get many chances to deal with mosquitos here in the desert.

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