New England Summer AT Solo List

[Charles Hensley]

The attached list is for a solo 3+ day hike along the AT in New England. This excludes areas in New Hampshire above the tree line and is intended for lows above 40 degrees which should cover Mid May through Mid September. I started hiking last year and completed 3 overnights on the AT and completely fell in love with the trail, its people and its culture. What I did not love was my 35 lb. pack. Thats right, 35 lbs. for a 2 day 1 night hike on the trail. I have spent the past 7 months rebuilding my kit, from the ground up, and offer it now for your inspection and comment. I think I did keep my whistle and compass from the original kit. What happened to everything else? To quote Katz," I tossed it!"

I offer the following comments before the feedback comes in:

1. I require a minimum of 2 liters of water and I carry a 3rd empty bottle just in case I am uncertain about the next water source. I need to hydrate constantly so I go through a lot of H2O. Probably because I am generally out of shape. These New England winters kill me.

2. I am a hanger and simply cannot sleep on the ground so a Hammock set up is a must. I believe I have found the best weight to comfort ratio here.

3. I am a warm sleeper so I do not carry a lot of extra layers.

4. Other than the i-Phone, which I am not giving up, I believe I have kept the kit pretty clean. This is what I am comfortable with on a solo hike.

5. Bug Sock is still on order, but all other kit is ready to go.

Having said that, let me know what you think and what I might want to consider. Have I missed anything? Thanks in advance for the comments.

2011 Summer Weight Type Total lb. Total oz.
Inventory Base Weight 8.28 132.42
Consumables 7.82 125.18
Wear and Carry 3.59 57.40
Total Weight 19.69 315.00

Category Item Description Weight (oz) Qty Tot Weight Category Weight

Pack No Frame Murmer w/ Bungee cord 8.4 1 8.4 10.6
Belt Pouch 1.1 2 2.2

Insulation 1/4" CCF Pad Cut to fit 3.9 1 3.9 18.9
TopQuilt Shenandoah 15 1 15.0

Shelter Tarp / Sack / Ridgeline Cuben Hammock Tarp 6.7 1 6.7 23.0
Tarp Tie-downs 8' cord w/ Fig-9 hook 0.55 4 2.2
Hammock Nano7 w/whoppie slings 7.3 1 7.3
Bug-Net Bug-Sock 2.2 1 2.2
Stakes Titanium 0.3 4 1.2
Toggles Titanium 0.1 2 0.2
Straps Tree Straps 1.6 2 3.2

Cooking Alcohol Stove V-8 Turbo (MYOG) 0.4 1 0.4 5.3
Cup 2.5 Plastic (MYOG) 0.9 1 0.9
Pot with lid Heine Keg Can 1.6 1 1.6
Lexan Spoon – Modified Generic 0.5 1 0.5
Fuel Bottle 4 oz plastic 0.5 2 1.0
Caldera Cone Collapsable (MYOG) 0.9 1 0.9
Cozzy-Heine Keg Cup Reflectex 0.5 1 0.5

Extra Clothing Jacket – Rain Super Mica 8.7 1 8.7 31.4
Pants Rain Cuben Rain Kilt 1.6 1 1.6
Shorts / Swim Columdia Nylon 7.5 1 7.5
Micro Fleece L/S 1/4 zip Omni Shield (Size XL) 9.6 1 9.6
Sleep Socks Smart Wool 2.6 1 2.6
Camp Hat Polar-tec 1.4 1 1.4

Water Container Camp Water Platypus 1 Gal Water Tank 3.8 1 3.8 8.3
Water Bottle 33.8 oz / disposable 1.5 3 4.5

Heigene TP/ Wet Naps / Bag Generic 4.0 1 4.0 9.3
Colgate Whisp ToothBrush 1 each day 0.2 3 0.6
First Aid Kit / Duct Tape Generic repackaged 4.7 1 4.7

Misc LED Headlamp w/3 AAA Batteries 2.9 1 2.9 21.2
Multi-Tool Leatherman Micra 1.7 1 1.7
Phone iPhone 5.1 1 5.1
Maps in Ziplock Bag Photocopied and cut to fit 3.0 1 3.0
Water Purification Aqua Mira – Repackaged 1.3 1 1.3
Camp Soap Dr. Bronner's – Repackaged 1.0 1 1.0
Spectra cord Bear Bag cord 0.033/ft 40 1.3
Camp Towel 1.3 1 1.3
Insect Repellent Ben's 30 Deet wipe 0.2 3 0.6
Compass Silva 0.9 1 0.9
Trash Bag Ziplock Freezer Bag 0.2 1 0.2
Whistle / Laynard 0.6 1 0.6
Lip Balm Chap Stick 0.6 1 0.6
Mini-Bic 0.4 1 0.4
Matches / Box 0.3 1 0.3

Storage Food DryBag Cuben Dry-Sack 0.5 1 0.5 4.4
Pack Liner Poly Pack Liner 1.3 1 1.3
Clothing Stuff Sack Cuben 0.4 1 0.4
Cooking Bag Mesh Bag 0.5 1 0.5
Stove Fuel Container 4oz squeeze bottle 0.5 2 1.0
Tarp – Misc Stuff Sack For Tarp Accessories 0.4 1 0.4
Misc Stuff Sack Cuben 0.2 1 0.2
i-Phone Stuff Sack Cuben 0.1 1 0.1

Consumables Water 1.043 68 70.9 125.2
Food 3 Days 16 3 48.0
Stove Fuel Heat 1.043 6 6.3

Wear / Carry Shoes Salomon XT Trail Runner 12 2 24.0 57.4
Hiking poles LT4 adjustable carbon fiber 3.4 2 6.8
Pants Nylon Convertible 10.5 1 10.5
Shirt s/s Wicked Lite T-Shirt 5.0 1 5.0
Underwear Ex-Officio Boxer Brief 3.4 1 3.4
Socks Smartwool Hiking Sock 2.6 1 2.6
Socks Silk Liner Sock 1.7 1 1.7
Gaitors MLD Low 1.0 2 2.0
Buff / Bandana 1.4 1 1.4

[Charles Hensley]

Sorry for the formatting.

The numbers did not post the way I had it set up.

All numbers are:

weight per item (oz), Quantity, combined weight and category weight for the first item in each category.

[Nate Davis]

My suggestions are pretty minor, but…

DITCH

Camp towel(not really necessary, but if you need something, use a lighter weight bandanna) – 1.3
Trash bag (just use your first empty freezer bag) – .2
Tarp accessories stuff sack (unnecessary) – .4
Clothing stuff sack (you have a pack liner) – .4
Use a quart-size freezer bag for your misc stuff sack. Saves .1 oz and it's clear and pretty durable. – .1 oz
I bet you could shave another ounce from your first aid kit – 1 oz
Shorts (you have convertible pants which will dry quickly) – 7.5 oz
I find gaiters unnecessary in New England – 2 oz

Total savings 12.9 oz. Up to you whether it's worth those weight penalties or not.

ADD

For the .1 oz weight penalty, take another mini-bic instead of matches. More reliable in wet conditions and easier to use. Or, take a fire steel, which weighs only .2 oz. Once you learn how to use it, this is about as reliable as it gets.

Is 4 oz of fuel really going to be enough? Also, you included the bottle in two separate sections

[Charles Hensley]

Great feedback Nate. I use 2 4oz fuel bottles instead of 1 8oz as they fit better inside the Heine Keg. I would carry a total of 6 oz for 3 days. I have been thinking about the extra bottoms. I prefer to sleep in something I don't hike in as i sweat quite a bit. I could drop the convertible pants, wear the shorts and add a bottom base layer which should save some weight over the convertible pants. I hit a lot of mud last year hiking so I will probably keep the gaitors. Each hike is different, but I prefer to keep them. I will rethink the stuff sacks. I tend to think I need a separate bag for everything and that nothing should be loose in the pack. Camp Towel…… Why is it so hard to leave this thing behind.

[Nate Davis]

Just think of it this way — the more you leave behind, the less you'll need stuff sacks!

When things are muddy, there also tend to be a lot of stream crossings. When I wore boots, I used to do everything I could to keep my feet dry, including spending ten minutes taking the boots off and putting them back on in order to cross. Now, I just walk right through wearing my trailrunners. They dry within 15-30 minutes depending on temperature and humidity (and sock thickness). This saves time, keeps me cool on hot days, and also cleans the shoes off. Just a thought.

Personally, I never take an extra pair of bottoms (shorts/baselayer/rain/ or otherwise) in the summer. I'd consider it in the Whites, but that's about it. I hike in non-convertible, lightweight pants and wear underarmour boxer-briefs below those (and Body Glide below those). I switched to non-convertible because the zippers add weight and I never hike in shorts, anyway. Between bugs, thorns, and nettles, pants are a much more enjoyable option for long hikes. If I want to take a dip, the boxer-briefs are fine. New England summer nights are far too warm to be wearing anything aside from the boxer-briefs while sleeping. Plus, you said you're a warm sleeper and you've got a warm quilt. I don't know where you're headed, but I can pretty much guarantee you won't need the extra bottoms.

The fuel bottles make sense to me. It's worth the .2 oz weight penalty or whatever for the convenience and simplicity.

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