AT Thru Hike 2011 or 2012 Gear List

Nice list. My opinion is once you get down to about 10 lbs small changes don't matter much. You could get down to 5 by dropping every single luxury, but most of us (at least I) don't want to do that.

But there are a few small things you can drop.

Rite-In-Rain Journal 3.2 – use the iphone for journal

Dr. Bonner Soap in Dropper Bottle 2 – probably don't need to carry this much. a bpl mini dropper full is ~ 1 oz.

TP half-roll 2 – use natural techniques, yeah I now but it works very well along with the hiker's bidet

MSR Titan Pot 4.2 – there are lighter options to save 1.5 oz.

Sprint Aquatics Mesh Shoes 2 – do you really need these?

Moutain Hardwear Mesa Pant 11 – just wear the shorts, add wool bottoms when cold or driducks

Things you might want to add:
water bottles
water purification – aquamira is the lightest
button compass – you never know
gossamer gear 1/8" foam pad to protect the neoair and sit pad
synthetic or down jacket for in camp and to supplement the golite quilt which barely makes it down to 30 let alone 20.
wallet – I like the simblissity, but ziploc baggie also works

Things you asked about:
bpl headnet
rei 100% deet in a bpl dropper bottle – ~ 1 oz
baseball cap (use with bandanna to protect neck from sun)
cotton dress shirt. I prefer cotton for sun protection and heet. Does a much better job of keeping one cool than any of the synthetics. Cheap too.

In any case you're pretty much dialed in and can do any necessary fine tuning on the trail.

Just as an aside, not that it matters, but it's probably a bit of a stretch to include your camera in the worn category.

I see no insulated clothing. What you have listed will likely not keep you warm enough unless you push your start date back.

Thanks for all your comments. This has been very insightful. I updated my list – see above. Weight is more realistic to me just under 10 lbs.

– I am looking at keeping the Aquatic Shoes as base camp shoes/creek crossing shoes. At 2 oz, I think its nice to have and they a inexpensive enough to get rid of if needed.

– Opted to drop the MH Mesa Pant for BPL Thorofare Pants and Shirt (BTW Anyone know when these will be in stock)

– Currently researching new cooking pot. I liked the MSR Titan because of its lid. Could not find anything else on the market similar. Any ideas?

Main issue I see is start date. If you're to begin hiking that early, and the weather is like it was this year, you're going to be trudging through knee-deep snow along the TN/NC line in the smokies. I was up there the first/second week of April, and there was still 3+ feet of snow across the trail in spots. Making mileage through that can be pretty arduous, not to mention the nights will be pretty cold still.

I wouldn't want to be thru-hiking when there's still snow up high, and there was a good deal of it until at least mid april above 6k feet this year.

Your list is looking very nice. Great work!

Winter snowpack in the Smokies had melted off by April 2nd this year even at the highest elevations. I was there too and recall the dates of my trip precisely. Mat’s overall point is valid though his memory might be just a touch hazy. Anyway, exact date of this year’s snow pack melt is not really the issue at hand. An early start off of Springer could set you up for some nasty conditions in the Smokies. The smokies are only about a 160 miles into your hike so you could definitely encounter some freaknasty funky conditions in late March or early April with your mid march kickoff. I would be very in tune with understanding the potential for winter conditions in the Smokies and making sure your gear/techniques will keep you safe and comfortable. The potential for winter storms exists well into April and even into May sometimes. I got hammered in a late April “winter storm” (or was it a spring storm?) this year. Check this out if you don’t believe me.
click here Be sure to check out the entire thread.

For a lightweight L/S tee you could look at the Rab Aeon l/s tee. SPF 30, weight around 4.5 oz. I own a s/s version but have a l/s on order. I can recommend the s/s version, l/s should be goot also.

swap iphone for calling card (I know that might be a non-negotiable, but the way i see it – we're electronically tethered to people all year – the trail is a good place to unplug on a number of levels)

swap gatorade bottle for platypus – .6 oz

Looks like you've got a great list especially to start with – you'll definitely have the dynamic tuning the whole trip. Have fun

Your list looks pretty well thought out; do you have a charging cord for that iPhone, however?

I'm thru-hiking this year, temporarily off-trail just now fighting off a bout of Giardia. I started on Feb 25th and my feeling is that you're going to be cold even with what you've modified your list to include.

I'm actually using a thermawrap jacket now, and a WM 32F rated sleeping bag and they're plenty for where I'm at (I left the trail in New York). But I started with a WM 20F bag and a Montbell Alpinelight parka, and slept a good few nights wearing both of them — temps got down into the teens in the Smokies and elsewhere this year. I suggest you get something like the Alpine light parka. In fact, I also carried a thermawrap vest that I layered with my windshirt for walking during the day.

Because note also that during the day in the early part of my trip there were some very windy (fairly continuous wind) days, a cold wind indeed. So I liked using my earbags combined with a baseball cap, and definitely some sort of light wind-proof mitten shell Plus a good rag wool or equivalent synthetic mitten. (gloves are rubbish IMO, and unfortunately outdoor stores along the AT don't sell mittens, or only heavy/bulky ones). Don't know about a hood vs. hoodless windshirt, but very nice to have one with a collar that zips all the way up the neck.

I even appreciated having longjohns, which I normally find to be a PITA. They're handy along with shorts when washing clothes in town too, and on the coldest days I even walked with them on a couple of times.

Getting the right mix of warm clothes is a bit of a challenge, but while you could end up fine (luck of the draw with weather) with just a thermawrap jacket and a Golite 20F quilt — I think it's pushing it a little too aggressively.

@Jeffrey

I was on top of Mt. Guyot on the 3rd of April, and measured 36" of snowpack (marked my trekking pole and measured when I got home). The snow was most certainly NOT gone by the 2nd of april at all elevations. There was more than 3 miles of AT in that area with 1-3 feet of snowpack over the trail, I made several 2.5' postholes while walking it. It was exhausting even with a few pounds of daypack. I'd have hated tackling it with a full pack and no snowshoes. Snow that weekend in that area still remained on North facing slopes as low as 4200 ft, and was widespread anywhere over 5800.

Bottom line though, I agree with you…you need to be prepared for cold and snow in the Smokies if you're starting early from Springer.

I've been looking at the .75l Evernew pasta pot. 3.2oz with lid. There are a few options out there.

I hear these are all the rage these days on the trail good way to save an OZ or 2

http://zpacks.com/accessories/cloudkilt.shtml

http://www.ula-equipment.com/rainwrap.asp

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