First Backpacking Trip – Proper Attire

You’re already taking enough clothes.  We take a base layer (used primarily for sleeping, but available if it does get really cold) a hiking shirt, a puffy, and a rainshell.

Since this is the backpacking light form, I would just say that the place most people over pack and carry extra weight is by taking g more clothes than they need.

Okay, thank you. I was planning to purchase a synthetic jacket as opposed to a down puffy. From what I’ve read, the Micro Puff mimics down puffy’s well. Do you have experience with the Micro Puff or any of the alternatives I’ve listed?

here are some very good articles and videos on clothing

. HIKING CLOTHING GUIDE: AN OVERVIEW OF ULTRALIGHT LAYERING SYSTEMS .

.Long time BPL contributor, writer and NOL’s instructor Mike Clelland’s videos are very good and he has one on clothing(all are worth watching) video tutorials .

Andrew Skurka is another great source Core 13 Backpacking Clothing .

. Ultimate Hiking Gear & Skills Clinic video .

Dave Chenault’s take on Andrew’s Skurka’s Core 13 .

Alan Dixon’s Top Mistakes Using the Layering System – How to Stay Warmer and Drier .

Richard Nisley’s THE BEST CLOTHING COMBINATIONS FOR BACKPACKING OR HIKING? .

. A NEW PARADIGM FOR UNDERSTANDING GARMENT WARMTH .

This is a general list I link for newbies on lightening your load with lots info including doing it cheaply

GENERAL NEWBIE INFO LINK .

and Welcome to BPL

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Don’t forget your sequin skirt. I saw a lady in Sierra City on the PCT who obviously had hiked through the Sierras in a sequin mini circle-skirt. The thing looked like it weighed a ton and it was noisy.

Personally for spring/summer/fall hiking in the Sierras or So Cal I’ve rarely needed to wear a puffy of any kind while on a trip where I hike all day, eat dinner in my tent and go straight to bed. And therefore I don’t bring one. I just bring a rain jacket and a pair of fleece sleeves I cut off of a fleece sweater.

If it’s a trip where I will sit around in camp, then any kind of thin puffy will usually be enough with my other layers. I personally have a patagonia down sweater but any similar thing would be fine.

My other layers consist of some kind of short or sleeveless shirt and a button-down long sleeved shirt. I usually don’t wear any kind of “base layer” and I sleep in my clothes.

Robert – I can’t speak to the Arc-teryx, but as for Patagonia products, I’ve owned many and have never had any durability issues.  Their down sweater accompanied me on the PCT for 2700 miles and is still going strong.  My houdini jacket has probably 2500 hiking miles on it, plus countless running miles, and no issues.  I also have the nano vest which does has a sticky zipper, but other than that, no signs of any wear and tear after two years.

As for August temps, I find a light, quality down jacket (Montbell Plasma 1000) under my houdini windbreaker are sufficient to keep my plenty warm.  Don’t forget, you also have a really big down jacket already with you (called the sleeping bag) which you can use if temps really surprise you.  I also will wear my hiking clothes over my sleepwear (until I go to sleep) if I’m still not comfortable.  It’s yet another layer that also gets a chance to dry out from my body heat.  So, my advice is Multi-task!  Also, remember that a toasty hat and gloves are a critical component to staying warm.

My patagonia down jackets (I have two) have had zipper failures. Most of the time it is due to my parrot. I have found that I can easily purchase a 24″ zipper and just sew it on as a replacement. I have done this many times. What has harmed my down sweater the most is wearing it while riding my motorcycle. The flapping of the sleeves seems to have eliminated some of the feathers somehow, or pushed them to the back or something. There’s almost no down left in the lower portion of the sleeves on the one I wear on my motorcycle the most. I think this would happen with any down jacket, though, and I’ve been wearing this one since 2008.

Thanks for the insight, Matt.

You should post a gear list for your trip.

I plan to document my trip, along with my gear load out with a brief description of each item and how I came to the decision of purchasing it. Fair warning: I’m likely packing very heavy compared to most subscribers, which I’m okay with for the time being.

Robert – I am very interested in the psychology behind gear choices.  If you care to share, I’d be interested to know why you’re ok with heavier gear choices for the time being?  No judgment, it’s just a interesting comment that I suspect is very insightful and may help us understand how to better introduce others into lightweight backpacking.  It would certainly be helpful to me.  If you’d rather keep your personal reasons, personal … no worries!  I certainly understand.  Cheers.

i have/had all three—probably overkill for summer tetons. the synchilla should be fine by itself, and with another shirt under and/or the shell on top…plenty. my hiking/biking in those conditions is always light base, med base, fleece, shell. (sometimes i sneak in another wind or abrasion resistant shell for climbing).

if you are set on getting something, look for all year versatility and comfort. Nano-Air is likely your best bet. Not as light/compressible as the Nano Puff, not as durable as the Proton LT, but more breathable than both, super comfortable, 4 pockets, plenty durable for most stuff (i wear mine bouldering), and fairly compressible. Also cheaper than the Proton when Patag has their big sales (a few times a year, including now). My Nano-Air is my go to jacket most of the year, but rarely for active stuff, so still a lot of value. Only hesitation is that you live in So Fla, so no idea how often you will actually wear it. maybe think about if you would wear it at home or just on your trips, in which case maybe pass for now; i never wear/wore any of the three hiking in those conditions.

I bought the micro puff when I was planning on doing more backpacking. I have always thought puffy jackets were the ugliest thing to plague San Francisco, I bought it for function, yet still wear it every day instead of a cheap hoodie cuz it’s just so nice to wear. Primarily because it cuts wind and has an internal zippered pocket.

I only bought it maybe 4 or 5 months ago, but is holding up to daily wear pretty well. A couple threads are coming loose at the wrists, nothing bad and nothing I would even notice on a normally priced item of clothing. It’s about as warm as a thick cotton hoodie I’d say.

I wore a midweight baselayer + the micro puff on a bike camping trip on new years eve, nighttime low in the low 40s. I had to wrap my Rumpl around me and sit by the fire til midnight. A midweight fleece underneath would have been ideal. I would go camping in the 30s with a fleece and micro puff. Lower than that and I’d ask for some advice on what to buy.