Old Newbie Gear List – Help!

[Steph M]

Hi all, I've hiked & backpacked a long while ago & am getting back into it. I've been hiking with a pretty serious group doing relatively fast 13+ mile day hikes, and plan on doing a 3-day gear shake down (once I have it all – hopefully you all can help with my choices!) before this trip.

Since this is my first multiday in a very long time, I'll be part of a team (with an experienced leader) – however I have made this list up to reflect future solo trips and basically want to pretty much act like I'm solo with my gear so I can test out the kit (future trips = Sierras, Scotland/England/Europe).

This trip will be in the Sierras (Sequoia and Kings Canyon to summit Whitney) in early August for 7 days. I am bug-phobic so will want full enclosure, and I have Raynaud's syndrome and very often get dead-looking fingers the moment I get out of bed (ugh, not good for my fingers and it hurts!), so I am planning on carrying what probably is more clothes than others may need (will test out warmth on my shorter trip). I want to go light as poss while still comfortable/safe.

I'd appreciate all comments & suggestions on my list below (doesn't include consumables) – thank you!

Wear (5.42lbs; own all):
LEKI Thermolite XL trekking poles 16.4
Merrel Moab Ventilator Shoe (or try NB Leadville WT1210 21.2oz or Brooks Cascadia?) 2
Darn Tough Team Micro Crew Ultra-Light 3
Injinji Run Lightweight No Show (liners) 1.5
Dirty Girl Gaiters
Icebreaker SF150 Tech Short Sleeve 4.2
Railriders Adventure Top 6.8
Moving Comfort Fiona Bra 4.23
Convertible Pant prAna Monarch 14.7
Patagonia Active Hipster underwear 1
OR Swift Cap 2.5
Merino wool infinity buff 3.5
Oakley prescription sunglasses

Shelter/Sleep (3.75lb; need to buy)
Zpacks Hexamid Solo-Plus Tent (or Soloplex?) 17.7
Zpacks 6.4" Carbon Fiber Tent Stakes (x10) 2.1
Gossamer Gear polycro (or tyvek?) 1.5
Sleeping Bag Alpine Down Hugger 800 Thermal Sheet (own)(eventually replace with zpacks 10 degree bag 19.8oz or similar; may borrow similar for this trip) 15
Sea to Summit Silk Stretch Traveller Liner (delete when get new sleeping bag) 6
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xtherm or Exped DownMat UL 7 Air Pad or? 15
Sleeping pad repair kit Gear Aid Seam Grip Field Repair Kit 0.6
Sleeping bag stuff sack Sea to Summit Ultrasil Nano (13 L) (or Sea to Summit eVAC Dry Sack 5L) (or Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry Sack 6.5L 0.6) 1.7

Pack (need to buy)
ULA Circuit (or Elemental Horizons Kalais + 2 large pouches 33)(or Gossamer Gear Mariposa 27.5) 39
Trash compactor bag (or zpacks liner 1.9oz) 3

Clothing Packed (4.6lb; own most)
Sea to Summit Ultra Sil Dry Sack 6.5L 0.6
Darn Tough Vermont Team Micro Crew Ultra-Light (2) 6
Injinji toe socks (2 prs as liners) 3
thermal top (+camp/sleep)Ibex Women's Hooded Indie 8.8
thermal bottoms (+camp/sleep)Ibex Woolies 220 8.16
Icebreaker SF150 Tech Shirt Short Sleeve tee 4
Moving Comfort Fiona Bra 4.23
Patagonia Active Hipster underwear (2) 2
MH Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket 6
Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket (own: eventually will replace with OR Helium II or?) 11.4
Marmot PreCip Rain Pants (or? – need to buy) 8.1
Arc'teryx Bird Head Toque 2.3
merino liner gloves 1.4
camp shoes (+ water crossing) Vivobarefoot Ultra Pure 8

Kitchen (need to buy; 1.3lb)
Sistema Soup Mug or Open Country Cup 1
Light My Fire Spork (own) 0.3
Ziploc plastic bowl (for team trip only, otherwise use pot) 0.9
ZPacks Roll Top Blast Food Bag 1.4
Jetboil Sol Ti (or sumo – difference?) or Snow Peak – LiteMax Ti? 9.8
fuel canister
mini-bic lighters (2) 0.8
Playtypus 2L 1.3
1L Smartwater bottle (x2) 2.6
sawyer filter (or?) 3
Bear Canister(when needed)

Other Packed (2.3lb)
REI bandana 0.9
Petzel Tikka Plus 2 2.9
Photon II LED Micro-Light (instead of spare battery/bulb)0.2
Emergency Whistle Acme 636 Safety or Sol Slim Rescue Howler 0.2
Sunscreen 1.2
toilet paper in ziplock bag + pee rag + hand sanitizer + extra ziplock bag 2
toothbrush and paste 0.71
insect repellent 1.5
chapstick Burts Bees 0.3
ditty bag Granite Gear Lg 0.8
camera Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GM1 9
selfie trekking pole stick StickPic 0.4
iPhone 6 with Gaia GPS app 4
phone case Lifeproof Protective Case 1
Plug-in charger & USB cord 1.4
pen and paper?
Ipod nano 1.1
sewing kit (needle + floss) 0.2
duct tape wrapped around water bottle 0.2
maps/Wilderness Permit printed in ziplock bag 3
compass Silva Forecaster 0.5
ID etc (cash, DL, Credit card, Insurance card) 0.5
First aid kit (ibuprofen, benadryl, neosporin, vitamins, moleskin, bandaids, extra lip balm (in zipliock bag)) 2
Swiss Army Classic SD Knife 0.8
mosquito head net Sea to Summit Insect Shield 1.3
small shovel eg GG deuce of spades trowel 0.4

Total Carried 14.6lb (doesn't include worn)

[Jennifer Mitol]

Hey Steph…welcome to the dark side! I made notes on your list and here they are:

First of all – there is no need for BOTH the adventure shirt AND the short sleeve top. Pick one (i vote for the adventure top – the sleeves are nice to have and you can make them long or short)

Do you want the wool buff????? a) that seems heavy and b) hot? I use those synthetic Buff(TM) ones and find them invaluable on the trail.

No need for a sleeping bag stuff sack. Just put a liner for ALL your stuff that needs to be protected – trash compactor bag, Zpacks cuben liner, etc) and loosely stuff your bag/quilt in the bottom. That way the fluffy bag fills up all the empty spaces. Honestly, I just shove any spare clothes i have in there, too – no stuff sack for them, either. Those stuff sacks can seriously add up…

Carbon fiber stakes – I really wanted to like these, and there are probably appropriate places to use them. But I've taken them in my stake set kit 4 times (ozarks, west texas desert) and all four times I broke 1-2 stakes each trip. I'll never use carbon fiber stakes again; I've gone full circle back to the plain ti hooks – they seem to work in the most types of soil I seem to encounter. Of course, you DO have to look at where you're going and plan accordingly I've learned. There are several threads and even an article here about where to use what stakes. For the sierra I'd absolutely go with ti hooks and NOT the carbon fiber ones.

OK – carried clothing is where you can SERIOUSLY cut some weight.
first of all – no need for an extra bra. I wear the same one every day for weeks on end – just wear it when you take a swim (it acts like a bikini top anyway). For a single week trip there is NO need to swap this out.
For anything a week or less I only bring a single pair of socks and wash them out every night. For more than a week I bring 2 – wash one, wear one. Same with underwear – no need for more than 2 – wash one, wear one. Remember that!

Why TWO short sleeve t-shirts?? you have a shirt (adventure top or 1 ice breaker T) and a warm shirt (hooded indie). You're done with tops.

I'd also ask you to question why you need a stuff sack for your clothes…IF you have the pack liner. Just shove your clothes in there! when you take out your sleeping bag/quilt ta-da! there are your dry sleeping/warm camp clothes. Heck, store them in the bottom of your sleeping bag (that's what I do). you've got the biggest stuff sack there is!

I vote NO on rain pants……look at the super light weight silnylon or cuben kilts out there.

no need for water crossing shoes or camp shoes. just cross in your trail runners (especially in the sierra – you'll dry right away) and once you get to camp, just loosen your laces. I was a HUGE camp shoe addict and frankly, for the past few years I haven't worn them at all and I haven't missed them in the slightest.

You will not need the mosquito head net in the sierra in august. Some may disagree (listen to them!) but in my last two years there I've never even needed to zip up the screen of my tent.

Maybe you can answer this – why bring the iPod nano if you already have the iPhone??? listening to music hardly touches the iPhone's battery power (especially if on airplane mode) – so why not just use the single device??

For a trip of a week, how do you plan on charging your stuff with the plug in charger and USB cord?? where are you going to plug in??

Have fun! and welcome to BPL! we need more ladies on this website…..way too much testosterone here….

[Steph M]

Jen,

thanks so much for your input!

Stuff sacks & extra clothing – gone! I'll look into the rain quilts – any suggestions?

Will switch out the stakes for Ti.

iPod nano – I was concerned with phone battery, will try out how long it lasts on airplane mode – I suspect you're right, as I was away this last week and mostly had it on airplane mode and the battery lasted quite a while. I should have stated that for this trip the chargers would stay in the car, I left them in the list more for future longer trips.

Any thoughts on my shelter & pack choices? I need to get these soon, so would appreciate yours or others feedback (particularly women's views on the backpacks).

Also, have I left out anything critical?

I'd like to thank everyone on this forum, it's because of all your valuable information that I was able to come up with this list in the first place.

I can't wait to test it all out!

[Jennifer Mitol]

Check out Zpack's rain kilt for the expensive cuben version, Mountain Laurel Designs has a nice silnylon one, and you can certainly just make your own with a cut out trash bag and some tape. LOL

I've had both the Hexamid Solo-plus and the solplex – they are both GREAT shelters. I regret selling the Hexamid solo-plus and wish I'd kept it, and I really liked the solplex – I just happened to like my duomid from MLD better and I couldn't justify keeping two high-end shelters.

I'd go with the solo plus with the net bottom if you like more open-and-airy feel (loved that and REALLY miss it) but want to be enclosed in a bug-free space (the best part of a tarp without the bugs!), but the solplex is more enclosed (more like my duomid I think). PERSONALLY, if money were no object, I'd get another hexamid solo-plus.

Packs on the other had are so very personal – like shoes. You picked some really nice ones to start with – the circuit, mariposa and the EH Kalais. I'll throw Katabatic Gear's Helios in there, too – my new pack that has so far been just a dream to carry (of course, ask me after the CT this summer – I'm really picky about my gear and tend to fall out of love way too quickly. At least that's what my mother tells me……

If you can spare the funds, order 2-3 of the ones you want, try them all on at home and walk around your house with them loaded up and compare. Then send back the ones you don't want. It's really the only way…..

Good luck!

[Link .]

It's the EH Kalais ELEMENTAL HORIZONS KALAIS

[Steph M]

Thanks to BPL members' help – I'm still refining my list and will likely post a new one shortly. Last weekend I went to Santa Cruz Down Works and tried the Osprey Exos 58 and the ULA Circuit (loaded with 30lbs) – for me a huge difference in comfort – the ULA one out by far! Now I'm waiting not so patiently for delivery of a Katabatic Helios 55 (expected tomorrow), so am looking forward to trying that. A Hexamid solo-plus is on order and due the end of July. I decided to try it with the poncho groundsheet (and perhaps eliminate my rain jacket) – I can always switch it out if I don't like it. This is almost as good as shopping for shoes!

[Kate Anthony]

I love my hexamid solo plus. I think you made a great choice.

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