Long Trail thru hike gear list

Oops, the formatting didn't work out the way I hoped. I will have to redo it.

Swap the Filtration system out for Aqua Mira. The water in Mudmont/Vermud is so good, you won't need a filter, just chemicals to treat.

Swap the leatherman out for a locking single blade, ie Spyderco Ladybug.

I don't like bagliners and prefer to have each item in a StS dry bag. The bagliners wear out over time and will leak much faster then individual dry bags.

Use plastic 1 L water bottles instead of a platty as the patty increases chance of failure, is heavier and risks getting your gear wet.

Liking the sleeping setup as I have a WBBB too:)

When are you going?

Thanks for the advice. I will investigate the Dry bags. Makes sense to me.

The filter might stay though. I am bringing my dog and while I know it is impossible for her to avoid drinking from streams I do like her to have filtered water when possible. The gravity setup just makes sense for us. If I change my mind on bringing her I will go Aqua Mira.

I did forget that I am bringing a Gatorade bottle as well. This carries the water that I will boil for dinners and will be a backup to the Platy hydration bladder. I am so hooked on that darn bladder though with it's handy little hose.

Still working on pad/UQ solutions for the Blackbird. I have a Bridge that works fantastic with a GG pad in it's pocket and hoping I get the same performance in the BB. Got the 1.0 dbl to save a few ounces over the Bridge and also have the ability to put the tarp in storm mode easier. Tough to do with the spreader bars on Bridge. It is my overnight fair weather hammock still.

Leaving the first good weather window after August 1st. Not committing to a firm date as I prefer not to start this long hike with a week of rain. ;)

– You have 5L of water capacity (3L Platy, 1L (clean) Sawyer and one Gatorade bottle). Do you need all of this?
You could just get buy with a two or 3L platy, the gatorde bottle and a frontier pro filter.

-Nix the pillow, do you have a stuff sack that you could stuff with clothes instead?

– Is the camp towel for the dog? If not then you could just take a bandanna

– Leatherman could be switched.

– Iphone and charger could be nixed or bounced.

– You could probably knock an ounce or two out of your FAK.

– 3.5oz of TP is a lot of TP. Nix or pair down some and repackage

I have 4 liter capacity, the Sawyer has a 2L dirty bag for gravity filter which will feed my 3L Platy bladder. The Gatorade bottle is just for carrying dirty water for boiling FBC dinner and breakfast water and a backup in case Platy bursts. Probably overkill so I will rethink the Gatorade bottle.

The pillow is a stuff sack. It has a microfiber lining. I had this on the list for when I planned on taking my Bridge hammock as anyone who has used a Bridge knows that you lay so flat you really need a pillow. It hold my clothing and I turn it inside out for sleeping. Now that I have shaved quite a few ounces by switching to a Blackbird 1.0 I probably could leave this behind and save 2 ounces using just a DryBag.

Camp towel I kinda like just because when your shoes get real wet you stuff this inside and step on it and it sucks all the water out. They dry so much faster. But you are right. An item that can probably be left out.

Leatherman has scissors for trimming nails, tweezers for pulling thorns etc. It is on the list of things to leave home for the thru hike though.

Iphone has to stay. I hike solo and my girlfriend freaks out if I leave it at home.

Your right on the TP. Just plugged in a number. That is half a roll. Probably need only a quarter of that for my planned five day resupplys.

Thanks for the advice!

That sounds like a pretty good gear list, but I didn't notice a camera or any navigational aids (map or the LT guidebook). In addition, I tend to like to list those little items that begin to add up, like dental floss and duck tape.

Have you hiked the LT before with your dog? There are several spots with ladders that are difficult for dogs. Some of them aren't too bad to work around if you can pick up your dog, while others pretty much require you to find an alternate route. You may already be familiar with this issue, but I figured it's worth mentioning.

Also, since you're bringing your dog, watch out for all the porcupines along Division 6 between Rolston Rest and Sunrise Shelter. That area tends to have lots of low ferns and wet trail. My dog and I have seen some massive, massive porcupines on that part of the trail. Two summer's ago, I got so close to one hidden by ferns that I almost stepped on it (luckily my dog wan't with me that day). You may want to carry some first aid supplies for you dog too.

Thanks for the feedback.

Iphone has a camera.

I have hiked on the Long Trail with my dog but not thru-hiked it. I am away of the ladders near Mansfield but have discussed it with other thru hikers and feel confident I can take some blue blaze trails around them. While it won't be a pure white blaze hike I must make this sacrifice for my dog who suffers from extreme separation anxiety without me.

My dog, luckily, will charge a porcupine out of camp at night but so far hasn't put her mouth on one. She has a sleeping pad that goes under my hammock. I plan on a 15 foot piece of dyneema line as a night time tether just to keep her from getting into porkies. She has a pack with her food, sleeping pad, small first aid kit and a pair of needlenose pliers for porkies. She is UL! Thinking of making her pack out of Cuben just for fun!

Hey Keth,

I did the LT last summer, so I'm really excited for you. I'd love to take some time off and do it again this year, but alas that isn't going to happen. I see a lot of familiar choices in your gear list. I ended up sitting right around the 12 lb mark as well, though over the course of the trail I came up with some thoughts that could bring me lower.

Some thoughts on your gear. First of all, don't let anyone talk you out of the Sawyer filter setup. I had mine set up inline, and it was fantastic. I was always the first one drinking after a water stop! I used a pair of 2L Platy's, too, and it was a great setup for backflushing. Honestly, though, I rarely used the second for anything else. One thing you should think about is your hose arrangement. My first town stop in Manchester Center I went straight to he Mountain Goat and bought a hose splitter. It was horribly inconvenient without that. And lose the Gatorade bottle. Totally unnecessary.

Second, the hammock might be a little heavy, but it's absolutely the way to go on the LT. I used a tarptent, and I can't tell you how many times I wished I'd had a hammock. New England is a rocky place, and the LT doesn't have a lot of nice flat ground. But it has tons of trees! You won't be sorry. The sleeping bag will be a little warm for this trip, but you probably aren't going to find a lighter bag at any temp rating. I wished I'd had a quilt, for the flexibility, but you won't be unhappy. The pillow is a bit overkill. I used the Walmart floatie pillow I found in the forums here, and it was heaven for an ounce. Definitely a good alternative to the Thermarest one.

The alcohol stove is a great choice. Plenty of alcohol available in town when you stop. I also like the towel. I brought a small section of camp towel to dry rain and condensation from my tarptent, and I used it every day.

I had no problems with bugs. Like you, I brought a head net, but never took it out. Other people have told other stories, but my headnet and Deet went unused (the way I pefer). For reference, I left July 5 and went north.

As far as clothing goes, I had a pair of running shorts with no pant legs, and the only thing I ever wanted to change about it was to get lighter shorts. Your experience may be different. I used an umbrella for rain, which got me stares of intense jealousy from people I passed (2009 appears to have been one of the rainiest summers on record), and found that I barely used my Golite Wisp shirt as a result. I threw it on a few times in the morning, but that was it. The only time I wore the wind pants was when I did laundry in town.

One thing I don't see on your list is a vest. It never got cold on the LT, but it got just chilly enough that I wore my Montbell Thermawrap vest every night and every morning. I also brought a pair of thin running gloves and a beanie that got used almost daily. I didn't have a hoody, though, and simply don't tend to wear (very) dirty socks on my hands while eating.

I, too, used an Ohm on the trail. Awesome pack, you won't regret it. However, mine developed a few problems along the way. Be prepared to spend some time thinking about trail maintenance issues. For example, both my hip pockets pulled loose at the bottom and started flopping around, the eyelets on the side sock cords pulled out, and the frame tube stitching broke. Nothing major, and nothing I couldn't handle, but worth thinking about in advance.

I wholeheartedly agree with Chris about the leatherman and the iPhone. I used a Spyderco Ladybug, and I could have gone with a smaller and lighter knife if I could find one. I highly doubt you'll need any more than that. The iPhone? An absolute waste. Take it from a guy who carried his iPhone for the whole trail last year… that's a significant weight savings that you just don't need. Plus, the northern half of the LT is a lot of slick steep rock. You're going to take a few tumbles. You don't want to be worried about that glass screen every time you do. Also, as you must know already, the battery doesn't last at all. The charger is cute, but it doesn't do you much good in the woods. If you must have a phone, buy a cheap light Nokia off Craigslist. Oh, and the iPhone takes unacceptable pictures on top of it! If you want to take photos, you're going to need a camera. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but don't make the same mistake I did.

As for the dog, I wouldn't worry too much. Plenty of people bring their dogs. You may have to carry him up a ladder or two, but you'll be happy to have the companionship. Generally, he'll be at home on the LT. My buddy joined me for a weekend with his lab, and I couldn't believe some of the rocks he ran up and down. Your pup is going to love it.

Feel free to reach out if you want any beta about the trail or my gear. More than happy to share my thoughts.

Emmett

August on the AT, no bugs. A hammock will be nice when you need to camp on uneven ground or in thick trees on a slpoe. A thin under layer hanging below your hammock will be enough to keep out the cold drafts. Your pad might not work in your hammock, but it will be a nice option for sleeping in a shelter or on the ground.
a 40 degree bag should be fine.
Try making your own alcohol stove. Fuel can be carried in an empty plastic bottled water bottle.
Instead of converta pants use shorts and your rain pants as your long pant option, even in a town.
Take your iphone for emergencies and it can double as a GPS, too. It will help identify the exact location you are calling from. Verizon reception is good along many spots, but not everywhere. I do not know about AT&T. You can also find easy access to outlets near the trail. I made a credit card call from a phone in the ski patrol hut at the top of Bromley Mt.! I also rode the chair lift down into the town of Stratton from the MT. top and found reduced summer rates in the hotels. I left a lot of mud in the the welcomed hot shower!
For emergencies, make a list of the VT counties the trail passes through. Why? If you call 911 from the trail you might get the State Police Headquarters where the operators might have no clue where the Long Trail is. They will ask what county you are in, so they can locate the nearest local police. Will you know what county you are in?
This scenario happened to me. By the time I got the right local police after several attempts at wrong counties, they were most helpful until the battery on my phone went dead. Luckily, it was not a life threatening emergency. My car had been vandalized at a traihead.

Fish and Game handles emergency evacuations, but still 911 is your best option since they will answer 24/7, Fish and Game has office hours and they call the police anyway to activate S&R.
Apologies for the side track!

Good advice about porcupines. I saw one on the trail just ambling along.

Be sure to carry the End-Enders Guide. It is a lightweight pamphlet with most helpful trail/town info. Once you leave the AT portion you will find nice solitude during the week days.
Don't worry about ladders and your dog.

Don't worry, no matter whether you hike nortbound or southbound, it is all uphill.

Thye most upbeat hiker I met along the LT was a guy who upon reaching Canada, having hiked from MA, turned around and started hiking southbound!

Hey, I too, hiked the LT in a rainy August carrying an umbrella. One woman, meeting me in a downpour, said. "Well, I was going to bring one of those, but thought I would look stupid, so I left it at home."

Another rainy morning I passed by a shelter full of huddling hikers, none of whom even as much as even smiled when I asked from under my Golite Umbrella if they had any Grey Poupon! Oh well, enjoy your journey.

PS I carry a couple of saftey pins to hang wet socks or other wet laundry off my pack as I hike in the sun.

I sectioned hiked the LT, doing 100 sections over three summers,all in August. The Green Mountain Club holds a spring workshop for aspiring thru-hikers. The one evening session is run by former thru-hikers.

Writing this note brings back lots of great memories along the LT and I still hike on it, usually with my daughter who lives in Burlington, VT.

I thru-hiked last July with a hammock, and it can get chilly. I had an emergency bivy that I cut upen and hung as an UQ on my hammock, blocks the wind and gives you some radiant heat. I didn't find that very noticable at night when i was cold, but If you warm up a bit before bed it helps alot. I had a ridgerest and an old synthetic bag, couldn't have been rated to more than 45 degrees, and I was fine most nights with long underwear on. The 32 degree bag might be overkill for on top, but it won't help your bottom side at all. You may already know this, but it was news to me.

If the weather is anything like last year, an umbrella would be a life-saver, even though it adds a bit of weight.