My girlfriend and I will be doing the Appalachian Trail in 2010. We will start in the middle of May at Georgia. Lately I have been extremely flustered with trying to figure out what gear to buy. So I had an idea! Why not come on here, tell everyone what I have so far, and get opinons on things I know I still need and things I have never thought of.
Here we go, I hope this will be as fun as it is for me as it is for you Keep in mind, this is going to be my girlfriend and I going, do don't look at this as a one person trip.
So far here is what we have:
(Me) Granite Gear Short Nimbus Ozone Backpack. [2LBs 13ozs]
(GF) She will either be getting the Vapor Ki or Vapor Trail [1LB 14ozs]
(Me) Gossamer Gear LightTrek 4 Regular Poles w/straps [8.2ozs]
(GF) Gossamer Gear LightTrek 4 Short Poles w/straps [8ozs]
(Me) Petzl Tikka XP Headlamp [3.35ozs]
(GF) Petzl Tikka XP Headlamp [3.35ozs]
(Me/GF) MSR Miniworks EX Water Filter [14.6ozs]
(Me/GF) SnowPeak GigaPower Stove Starter Kit. Comes with .7 liter Titanium Trek 700 Mug and Spork. Plus we got another Titanium Trek 700 Mug and Spork so we both have one to eat out of. [11.75oz]
…and thats about it Now here is what I am looking to get. You fill in the blanks. Everything on this list is a must have for us. Therefore, saying something like, "You don't need a pillow, cross that off your list", trust me I need a pillow with how bad my neck feels in the morning using just some rolled up clothes.
Tent_________________________
*List 1 traditional brand name single or double wall tent and 1 tarp tent or alternative. That way I have some choices to work with. Tent must be made for 3 people or be 60 inches wide at the head of the tent if its a two person tent. In other words, it could be 60 inches wide at the top and 40 inches wide on the bottom. All tents/shelthers must have a floor and bug netting.
Sleeping Bags________________
*Please list 1 down and 1 synthetic bag. We are still unsure of whether or not my girlfriend will react to down in the manner that she thinks she will. So we need to get recommedations on both just in case. I am 5'6 and my girlfriend is 5'2.
Sleeping Pads________________
*Pad must be at least 2.5ins thick. Also please list 1 that is 20ins wide and 1 that is 25ins wide. We are unsure of whether or not we want to have a nice wide sleeping area or can deal with a narrower one. The pad can be no shorter than 65ins in length. No NeoAirs. We tried them and do not like them.
Sleeping Bag Liners___________
*We want these to keep the bags clean and do not want to wear silk long underwear because we dont like the air tight feeling of the clothes on our skin when they are dirty over the course of several days.
Pillows_______________________
*I cannot even begin to describe how important pillows are to us. I had a Large Thermarest Pillow and it just did not do the trick for me. I need something that is nice and lofty which will not lose its cushion as my head sinks into it over night. I am almost at the point of saying screw it and bringing my pillow from at home even if it is 2lbs, thats how badly I need head support. Nothing inflatable please.
Rainwear________________
*I am a novice in this area. We need something that is light and effective.
Hiking Boots____________
*Trailrunners will not work. We both have bad ankles from playing basketball. We need something with high ankle support.
Hydration Pack__________
*Seems like it would be lighter than a water bottle. Although maybe I could be wrong. If you feel as this is an unneeded item, this is the one item that you can tell me that I can do without.
With the main things out of the way here are a couple of other questions.
What types of clothes will we need and how many of each item should we bring? I talking basics, like how many pairs of underwear and socks, all the way to the more complex things.
Should we bring a clothesline line to hang our clothes?
Is it alright to ditch out on most of the items in a typical first aid kit and bring an assortment of bandaids and mole skin? Also what is the most a self-made first aid kit should weigh and what things would you put in it if not just bandaids and mole skin?
How much should toiletries weigh and what should they consist of?
Do I need bug netting for my face? I found it quite hilarious when someone made mention of this to me once I told them I was going to do the AT in 2010. However, maybe I was wrong for laughing. Thoughts?
Well thats about it. If there is any other essenticals that you can think of which I am forgetting, please fill me in. Trust me I am sure I am forgetting a crap load. Thanks!
