AT 2016 list

If I could comfortably get by with a foam pad, I would do it.  It’s pretty nice, especially when walking over months, to stop, drop your foam pad, and plop on the ground.  When you stay in a shelter, it’s especially easy.  I use a Neoair because I need it for sleep comfort.  I would consider a warmer foam pad.

Dri-duck UL are fine.  And cheap.  And light.

The trumpet sounds fun, but only if you play it well.  Otherwise, its just loud and obnoxious.

Have fun.

I’m pretty comfortable with the foam pad but the problem is I get really cold.  Also my longest trip has been 10 days on it.  It was recommended I try a thicker pad with more R value and I’m guessing a foam pad won’t be as comfortable a few weeks in.  Also I plan to do few or no zeros because of two things i need to go to (see below) and a wedding mid-August.

Re: trumpet- used to be a full time pro.  Took some time off recently in acupuncture school (yeah, music only pays the bills so much) but I have at least two conferences I’ll need to play at during the hike, need to be in shape.

You might want to add a cathole digging implement to your kit. Especially in rocky and/or rooty areas, it makes the chore much easier. You can go inexpensively with a snow stake or get the cadillac of cathole trowels. Can you dig it?

Haha, that’s a good reminder.  Forgot to put it on there.

Anyone else with some ideas to shed weight?  I’m thinking that fleece can be modified maybe or changed up w/something else?  Also the pack maybe?  I’m finding there’s always a lot of extra space, thinking to size down.  Not sure to what though- I’m open on brands.

Dawn,

When are you heading out and which direction?  Alcohol stoves in winter are tough in the Smokies in the cold. You may want to carry something like a pocket rocket until it gets warm. Hot food and drink can save your life when its 33 degrees and raining.  I also heat up water and pour it into a nalgene bottle to put in my bag at night. I’m SOBO this year starting in June. Will also start off with an alcohol stove but move on to a canister stove when it turns cold.

BK

If you are a side sleeper and plan to sleep in shelters a lot, then I think the XLite is a better option than a foam pad.  I find that my arms and legs tend to fall asleep at night when using a foam mat on hard shelter floors.  Even if you plan on sleeping in your tent most nights, you might appreciate the extra padding.  I’ve done a decent amount of backpacking on the AT from WV to PA and the number of available flat and rock free tent sites are few and far between on these portions of the trail, especially when the trail is busy during the summer months.

At almost 12 oz., you could probably find a lighter pair of sandals or camp shoes or just do without.

Knowing when you plan to be on the trail and what direction you are heading will be helpful for those who want to provide advice on clothing and insulation.  If you end up in the Mid-Atlantic states during the summer, then I think you’ll find your 15 degree sleeping bag to be overkill.  You might want to swap it out at a resupply point.

Most people would not drop a lot of weight off that list.  A lighter Zpacks tent or tarp would save a bit.  You’re probably not going to save too much weight on a new pack.  The fleece is heavy.  You could save a little weight on your poofy jacket.

I would expect some periods of prolonged (a week or more) rain.  I would want a trash bag liner or something else pretty waterproof for my down.

“cheapo Japanese titanium pot that apparently weighs 5.29 oz”

For $30, the OliCamp heat exchanger pot is almost the same weight (5.9 ounces without handles or lid) and it will boil faster and save you 30% of your fuel (and therefore canister) weight.

If you haven’t picked a knife out yet, I’ve been using the Victorinox Classic at 21 grams.  Blade, nail file, scissors, toothpick, tweezers.  $18 on Amazon for a new one.  I can send you a used, TSA-seized one for $5.  If you don’t have a kill a bear with it (although I’ve seen a BPLer butcher a bear with one), it’s all the knife I’ve ever needed while backpacking.

The Petzl e-lite is nice light choice.  Get on eBay and order fifty 2032 batteries for $9 with free shipping (18 cents each) and put two in each resupply box.  At 36 cents a pair, don’t even think about it, just replace them at each resupply and toss the old ones.  Also, spurge and blow through 36 cents of batteries while at home and get a sense of just how long they last and how the headlight gets dimmer and dimmer, very slowly, over the batteries’ life.

I see only one mini-Bic on your list.  At only 11 grams and considering how important it is for lighting your stove and potentially a warming fire, I’d spurge and tuck another in a different spot in your pack.  It’s hard to imagine another 11 grams which, if lost or dropped, would screw you quite so much.

Hi,

Bruce, I’m starting very end of March.  Should be ok with the alky, or no?  I think at this point I’d rather just no cook for a few days if it’s still cold.  This may or may not be influenced by the fact I jettisoned my fire maple at a hostel in rural India last month.

David,

Yeah, that pot needs to go.  I might try to trim handles (they are on pot and pan-lid) but really thinking something like grease pot now.  Probably I can still sell if I leave the handles intact.  I’ll check that OliCamp thing too, though this is first time I’ve heard of it.

Second mini-bic- actually I’ve been thinking to take some matches or even something spendy like Vargo titanium fire starter along with the bic (purchased w/Amazon credits,of course :)  I just suck at using lighters, even when modified.

Batteries: sounds like a great deal but in 9+ months of travel (which included living in places with little/no electric, and hikes 3-15 days) I still haven’t run out of battery on my dollar store headlamp (unfortunately heavy :/  So far I tend not to night hike and just don’t really use it a night.  Wondering what requires so much light on the AT that you’d go through batteries that quickly?

Ben C- I’m not sure what to do re: fleece.  I have two ideas: 1. Get rid of pockets (they have zippers too which make them heavy) and shorten full zipper to 1/4 zipper with a cheap tailor in SE Asia, where I’m going next.  That shouldn’t cost more than $5-10, if that.  2. Invest in a better quality/lighter option.  I saw this 1/4 zip by Patagonia that looks AWESOME, Capilene thermal weight zip, it’s 6.2oz.  Have to decide :/

I know the puffy could loose an oz or two but I think I’ll keep because I’ve used it successfully as quilt in warm weather- it’s a coat so longer.  Plus it was way cheaper than Ghost Whisperer or whatever.

Will have a rethink about sandals too.  I like the idea of camp shoes and something that can handle river crossings.  But I am probably thinking with mind for recent trips- how frequent and/or severe are crossings on AT?  Probably not too crazy, right?  Maybe I can cut that out, make gram weenie or something?

I’d still consider a cheap pocket rocket. Heating up a hot water bottle has saved my butt more than I care to like to admit. Plus having plenty of hot food in the winter is a necessity. Provides you with heat and fuel. You can have your alcohol stove in your bounce box and trade out when you feel comfortable with it. Below is an 74 year old AT thru that explained how he left the trail early to change out his alcohol  stove. It gets cold in the Smokies.  I’ll be SOBO this year. I’ll start with an alcohol stove but will finish with a pocket rocket in late fall.

Lucky’s list:  http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=50708

BK

Dawn:

That Capilene thermal weight is nice.  I have one and use it a lot.  It’s not nearly as warm as a fleece but it’s usually enough for me, especially in March on the AT.

My take on an alky stove is different that Bruce’s.  I’ve used an alcohol stove a lot on the AT in winter and shoulder seasons and have found it to work just fine.  I am going out later this month and will use an alky stove with no reservations.  My experience has been that it is usually easier to source alky than a canister.  If you are used to using an alky stove, I would definitely use it on your AT trip.

River crossings on the AT are very rare.  Most crossings of any depth are bridged.

Dawn,

I would keep the camp shoes. I use a pair of crock knockoffs from the dollar store that I cut up and have their weight down to 10 oz. The streams do have footbridges in the south, but once you get up north, say Massachusetts and above, you will be fording streams regularly. And its nice to have something else on your feet when in town to give your shoes a chance to de-funk a little.

Also that fleece looks heavy, not sure you need that and a coat. I always have 2 pairs of socks for hiking and 1 dedicated pair for sleeping. Also some wool line gloves and waterproof mittens are nice to have. If you don’t want to drop the $$ for MLD mittens or Zpacks you can easily make some from scrap tyvek. You will also definitely want some rain gear. I like a poncho that will covers me and my pack, others prefer something like frog toggs.

I get cold really often, I’m pretty sure I’ll need fleece plus coat, and probably a long sleeve of some sort in the mix there somehow (thermal?  Light/loose for summer?  Both?  I don’t know, everything is in my pack now since I’m backpacking abroad.)  I regularly have to sleep in all my clothes, even in 50s F at night.  I just get really cold.  I think I’ll have an easier time sleeping on the thru because I’ll be tired, but still cold makes it hard for me to fall and stay asleep without tossing/turning all night.  Plus I’m instantly cold when stopping.

Speaking of which, if that thermal weight Patagonia isn’t as warm as a fleece, I’m uncertain if it would work?  How do you use yours?  What’s your metabolism like?

I forgot, I have liner gloves in my pack, they are ok but now amazing.  Yeah, I should figure something out there for when it rains….

I use the Capilene Thermal as a warm base layer usually.  Sometimes I will wear it over something.  I use a wind shirt over it if cool because it is very breathable.  It’s not as warm as a regular 100 fleece.

Ben C.

You said your alky is easier and better. I’m going to thru hike too. Maybe its the type that both Dawn and I could use? Can you tell me which one you use? Believe me, I like the weight savings. I also like Pasta sides but haven’t found a way to simmer in the alky stove. Something I’m doing wrong?

Thanks,

BK

Bruce:

I do think an alky is easier to source than canisters.  “Better” is a matter of preference, certainly.  I really don’t think the temperatures on the AT for dawn’s trip should rule out alky though.

I have used several different alky stoves.  I currently use a Toaks pot with a sidewinder Trail Designs cone.  The stove inside is a Zelph Starlyte.  This set up has served me well for a lot of reasons.

You can simmer by covering part of the burner but I never do this.  I find it easier to bring my meal to a boil, snuff the flame, put the pot in my insulating sleeve, and wait 10-15 minutes.  By then, it’s usually cooked plenty and cooled off just enough to be able to eat without burning my mouth.  If it’s not fully cooked by cooking in the sleeve (or if it cools too much), I can add a splash of alky to my stove and heat it up again for more cooking.

Some people really like to be able to simmer for more complex meals.  But for simple meals like pasta sides, I have found a simple boil and insulate for 10-15 minutes works fine.

Yeah, I’m really not worried at all about using alky on AT, sorry other poster who likes it :)  I used canister on my current rtw trip, that was fine, but it was bc alky was impossible to find in a lot of places, plus some stuff was at cold/high altitude (cooking at between 3000-4200m).  Basically I’m looking at heating water for one, sometimes 2 meals a day (haven’t decided on breakfast plan yet).  Speaking of that I forgot to put cozy and windscreen a la Skurka in there (please someone else find that funny besides me).

I’ll rethink the alky stove. I’ve got a trip coming up and I’ll give it a try again. Truth be known, I hate canisters. They always freeze when I need them.

Bruce, there is a good thread here on BPL about running a copper conductor from the flame to your canister to keep it from freezing up in winter.  I haven’t used it but it looks very worthwhile if you are trying to use an upright canister in cold weather.  Otherwise, you can look at an inverted canister for winter use.  For winters in the southern Appalachia, alky is always fine.

The tent is heavy and complex. Think about setting it up and taking it down all those days. A Gatewood Cape would take care of that and your rain gear. I would add a light bivy for bugs, shelter use and fair weather cowboy camping.

I wonder about the durabity of the air pad. I would consider a Tyvek footprint for it.

A 100w  fleece top is another option to consider. The Eddie Bauer Cloud Layer tops are on sale. The Patagonia tops ARE nice. Power Stretch tops are nice too.

In support of Dale’s idea for a simpler shelter, remember, there are shelters all along the AT.  Some people spend most nights in the shelter, but it might be a little crowded near the start.

For me I like the privacy of my own tent.  Also don’t have to worry about mousies waking me up in the shelter.  Snorers for that matter!  Also I probably will be in the thick of the bubble with a end of March start, I’m guessing.  My feeling is that in general there may be more people next year too with recent movies and hiking culture in general seeming to be more popular.

I thought about something like Gatewood too, but it’s just so easy for me to set up the Big Agnes.  I also have experience of knowing that it definitely stands up to rain/wind.  The confidence in how it performs really is big for me.  Plus, I already have it!  I think if I try something like PCT in the future something more lightweight/tarp like is the way to go.

If anyone has ideas on mods though for the BA, I’m all ears.  When I last weighed the tent I hadn’t cut stuff off yet, but I find I never use the gear loft/loops inside plus one of the guy lines on the front left.  Been experimenting with line locking the two middle lines on each side together for better tension, since I’ve gotten to just using one stake there anyway.  I feel the vestibule has a bit much fabric there as well (I keep pack inside since my current pad is a shortie), the only thing I’ve kept under the vestibule is my sneakers.