Clothing question

[chris arvin]

I'm going on a week long trip on the AT through the Smokys in mid October. I've looked up the temps at that time and altitude and they should be highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s.

Here's what I plan to take for my main clothing so far:

Nike synthetic mock turtle with zipper
Mountain Hardware zip off pants
Montbell Ultralight down inner parka (for around camp, rest stops, and to add if I need, to my quilt)
Packa for rain and wind
Baseball cap

Do I need anymore than this to keep warm hiking? I could also add either a synthetic t-shirt or a fleece jacket.

[Frank Deland]

I would take the synthetic T. You will probably end up wearing it as you hike. Your mock T-neck will probably get too hot to hike in. You might want to add a wind shirt, too. If you want to take your pack off in the rain, you will have to remove the packa. The wind shirt is a nice layer to wear as if it were a sweater, under your Montbell parka. Use the wind shirt instead of a fleece.

At the site where you bought the packa, you can purchase water-proof shells or mittens that fit nicely over liner gloves and will keep your fingers warm in the rain and cold.

The windshirt and packa are my two most favorite pieces of gear. With the packa, taking rain gear on and off without having to take off one's pack is a nice convenience. A wind shirt is a great lightweight way to kill the chill. Both will be with me as I hike along the AT in October a few miles north of you, Mt. Rogers to Pearisburg, VA.

[Misfit Mystic]

Hi Chris, you've listed a system basically identical to the one I carry in the Southern Highlands in fall and spring. I personally add:

— A windshirt, it'll be pretty breezy above 5000 ft, especially in the morning. Also nice on those damp, foggy, but not quite raining days.

— A light beanie, again for the cool morning temps when you're hiking and not wearing the puffy.

— Liner gloves, again for those cool mornings.

I think you have plenty of clothing to stay warm, the wind will have a greater impact on hiking comfort than temps. A windshirt is also nice when combined with a garment like the Packa; it gives you a much more breathable option for variable conditions. Mine weighs ~4 oz, so there's not much of a weight penalty.

[Frank Deland]

One amazing feature of the Smokies is that even at 5-6000 feet, the trail is usually surrounded by huge trees. Ridge lines are mostly in the trees. Don't under estimate the ridges either, there are lots of ups and downs among them.
Tie your food bags securely to the hanging cables. I heard of one bear that was seen banging on the cables hoping to dislodge the hanging food bags. I never saw a bear in the Smokies,but others did. A wild pig did scare me as it rain across the trail ahead. Have fun on your hike, the Smokies are a nice place to be.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/558298071DUtVaZ

[Eric Blumensaadt]

I'd carry an extra poly T shirt for sleeping only just to keep your bag cleaner.

When I get home from a trip I always turn my sleeping bag inside-out and spray it with anti-microbial Fabreeze and dry it in the sun to let the UV rays get at any remaining bacteria. Keeps the bag good smelling and does kill a lot of the bacterial build up.

Eric

[Misfit Mystic]

Frank is right about the bears; bag and hang your food carefully. I've had a few bear encounters in the Smokies; I find the bears there less fearful and more curious than most other places in the South. Personally I prefer to stop for dinner, then hike on to where I'm stopping for the night. Of course I tend to always do this in bear country when solo. My reasoning in the Smokies is that the shelters are a beacon for bear activity, and a lack of food/cooking odors might make them a bit less curious. Be on the lookout around Russell Field; there was a problem bear earlier in the year. Might have been dealt with, but the shelter is still closed I believe.

Have a great trip! Frank put it well: "The Smokies is a nice place to be."

[Erik Graf]

* I'd consider a thin synthetic – short sleeve or long. This time of the year I'd use a Patagonia capilene top of GoLite DriMove Silk. As mentioned – I sleep in this top to keep my bag cleaner and then wear it out on the last day.

* More than anything I'd also bring along a fleece hat. I use an OR Windstopper Balaclava year 'round. My head is my thermostat. Around camp and in my bag it boosts the warmth of the clothing I do have.

Case in point – this past July I hiked a stretch of the AT around Roan Mtn. Woke my last morning to a wicked wind, thickest fog I've ever seen, and temps easy in the 50's. The balaclava was great.

I used to bring liner gloves too at this time of the year but only used them for about 2 hours per day total. So, hands went in my pockets or I started using my spare socks as mittens. Just me though….

+1 on the bearbagging. I too will oftentimes stop to cook and then move on. I've also stopped at lunch time and ate my cooked dinner and then ate my non-cook lunch later so as to avoid cooking where I was sleeping – esp. in GSMNP…

Good luck.

[chris arvin]

Thanks for all of the responses.

Anyone have any good recommendations for a best for the money wind shirt?

On a recent trip to the smokies we had a bear come into camp at 7:30P, just after everyone had eaten supper. Luckily he wasn't aggessive and we got some cool pics.

KY Chris

[Erik Graf]

I love my GoLite Wisp Windshirt. Thing works great, stores into it's own pocket the less than the size of a tennis ball, tougher than it looks.

If you're a large and like green: $35 at Camp Saver

http://www.campsaver.com/itemmatrix.asp?GroupCode=gol0094&MatrixType=1

Dom's at $41:

http://domsoutdoor.com/product.asp?pn=1-071095&sid=FROOGLE&EID=FR1-071095&bhcd2=1253814007

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