Ideas on my Gearlist. Doing AT Thru Hike in 2018.

[Michael S]

Hello.  I’m new to BPL.  I’m planning to do the AT Thru hike in 2018.  Unless I can’t find a job then I may just do a SOBO starting in end of June of this year.  Anyway, here is my current list of items I’m thinking of bringing.  Yes, I’m taking a pocket shower that is a must in my book along with a air pump for my sleeping pad.  I’m open to other ideas on getting my pack weight down wo spending much more in money.  Like how else is there ways to charge items and if using the storage banks how often will I come to a place to recharge those?  Do I need a bear can, ursack, or just a dry bag for food?  The local REI guy has done the AT a few times and he said all he uses is a dry bag and he just sleeps with his food.  I’m not concerned with black bears since going up in PA. Below is the list.

[Michael S]

Bold is  possible pending items to be changed to a lighter option.

Granite Gear Crown 2-60, Size: Small Torso                 2lb 5oz

Anti Gravity Rain Jacket & Pants                            9.5 oz

Z Packs Dry Bag Pillow (See Below for Contents)   1.7 oz

XL Black Diamond Down Jacket                              15.1 oz

1/4 Cut Farm to Feet Socks                                 2 oz

Turtle Fur Fleece Headband                                .6 oz

Sea to Summit Pocket Shower                              3.5 oz

 

First Aid Bag & Misc                                 5.1 oz

Sea to Summit Mesquito Net

3M Repair Tape, Repair Kits

Sewing Kit

Lightload Towel

Elastic Headband

Various Bandages, Moleskin, Ointments

Meds (Advil, Hydrocod)

 

Z Packs Backpack Cover                                     1.3 oz

Toilet Paper & Q Tips                                      1 oz

Toiletry Bag (Outer Bag is a Z Packs Dry Bag)        10.8 oz

Body Glide (Her .35oz Stick)

Dried Coleman Bio Wipes (30 Count)

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash 1.3 oz

Medicated Chap Stick

Dove Deodorant

Repel 100 Insect Repellent

 

Sawyer Mini Filter w/Cleaning Kit & 16 oz bag          3.6 oz

Thermarest Neo Air Pump in Z Packs Stuff Sack (W/Batteries)2.7 oz

Thermarest X Lite Regular Sleeping Pad                    12.8 oz

Black Diamond Icon (With Batteries)                    9.2 oz

Stove Setup in a Z Pack Stuff Sack                       5.7 oz

550ml Toaks Light Titanium Pot w/Lid

Vargo Aluminum Windscreen

Vargo Titanium Triad Multi Fuel Stove

Vargo Titanium Flint Lighter

Toaks Titanium UL Spork Normal Length

 

Suunto MC-2G Compass                                   2.5 oz

Big Agnes Fly Creek HV2 Platinum Tent              2 lb 7.9 oz

North Face Superlight 800 Fill, Long Length, 35 Deg    1 lb 7.7 oz

 

Total Weight (Used a luggage scale, I’m not adding) 10 lb 4 oz

 

Not INCLUDED IS

Custom Bearikade                                      2 lb 4.1 oz

Food (6 Days)                                             9 lbs est.

Water w/Bottles                                        3lbs 4.4 oz3

Fuel w/Bottle                                                8.1oz

[Shane S.]

That’s a heavy headlamp!

[JCH]

Might consider replacing the mummy liner with a silkweight top and bottom. No likely weight reduction, but dual purpose.

[Michael S]

JCH if I do a silk weight top & bottom would I eliminate the Columbia base layers then?  I was thinking if I had a liner I won’t have to worry about washing a down sleeping bag, and that if it is hot in the summer time, no sense in using the sleeping bag when I could just use the liner instead.  Makes sense though maybe just to eliminate the liner and use base layers though if I end up using the base layers that means I will want to wash them before getting in a bag.

[JCH]

Was thinking sleeping in the silkweight.  Same function as the liner but could also be worn if the conditions dictate.

not familiar with the Omni Heat BLs…thought they were insulation layers.

[jimmyjam]

You only need a simple compass like a button compass on the AT. Air dry your bio wipes and then add water to them when you use them. UR sak or bear can not needed.Keep your phone/camera electronics in QT freezer bags. Are you hiking in those long pants or carrying them?Toiletry bag is heavy, mine loaded is 5.4 oz. There are lighter shelter and pack options out there. You’ll want a light pair of wool liner gloves (like smartwool) and some waterproof overmittens (like MLDs or zpacks or breadbags)  to wear over them. Think of hiking the AT as a series of connected 3 to 5 day hikes.

 

[Michael S]

Thanks for the info Jim.  Yeah most my weight in the toiletry bag is from the coleman wipes.  So Drying them out is an excellent idea I’ll use.  I’m thinking of ditching the sunscreen altogether.  Once I burn I’ll be good from then on out.  I’m not going with any gloves or anything like that.  When I was in the service I spent lots of time in the rain with no rain gear and it didn’t bother me.  Good chance my rain gear may never get used because if it rains that means a shower and washing clothes. As for the compass that is a must in my book due to I will venture off trail if I know there is something nearby or if I see something in the distance I want to see closer.  All it takes for me, is someone to say yeah there is a lake at the top of so and so hill then I will venture off in search for it.  Reminds me of being in Alaska.  A simple 1 mile hike ended up turning into a 16hr hike when I decided to go to the top of a mountain.  I was in no way prepared for that split second decision.  I went with 20 pounds of camera equipment, no nav, no food, no water.  Least Alaska is easy to find water.

I didn’t list what I’m wearing.  Everything in the above list is being carried.  Well compass I should take off the list bc that is around the neck

So what do you keep your food in, a Dry bag also?  Where do you put it? In the tent with you?

 

[Michael S]

Here is the toiletry bag jim.  I’ll do your recommendation of drying the wipes and even ditching the bag they came in and put them in a Ziploc which has to be lighter than the bag they came in.  So tempted not to even take insect repellent either.  So thoughts on that would be app. too.

[JCH]

It’ll cost you money, but I wear Insect Shield treated clothing only…no bug repellant needed.

In saying that, I have probably just re-opened the Insect Shield vs. DIY Permrthrin debate…but even the DIYers admit it only lasts 2-3 washes.  Whats the diff beteween washing it and wearing it in the rain? Or sweating in it?  Might as well just soak your skin in it. IS treated clothing retains 94-97% of it’s effectiveness after 70 washings.  That treatment is not washing out.

IS FTW!

[Michael S]

Thanks for reminding me about that.  I did see where others have said about IS.  The prices aren’t too bad either if getting multiple items done.

Still need information on what people carry for their food bag and where they keep it.

[Michael S]

I have Removed the Goal Zero Solar Panel (-1 lb 4.9 oz), Zpack Stuff Sack (-.2 oz), Columbia Base Layer (-14.3 oz) I will wear Prana Convertible Pants and if cold up top I got my Black Diamond down or rain jacket. Extra Boxer Briefs (-3.2oz). Duct Tape and made changes in the First aid/ Misc Kit (-?? Didn’t Weigh Yet). Mummy Liner (-8.2 oz) I will use the coleman bio wipes each night to keep bag clean).

After weighing all the changes in the bag it’s at 10 lbs 3 oz.  I ordered the Zpacks bear kit which is 3 oz, I need to add 2 AAA batteries for the thermarest pump, and finally the Dried coleman wipes for my total base weight.  Not sure about a camera or not yet.

So if anyone else has any ideas let me know.  I can’t afford to buy any other type of shelter since I have been laid off for 6 months and unemployment is about up.

[jimmyjam]

Take the small bottle of DEET orange with black top- I forget the name but its only about 1.5 ozs I think. In a couple of weeks on the AT you’ll learn not to over carry water and food- two of the heaviest things. Looks like you’re ready.

[Michael S]

I’m going to send in my clothes to Insect shield then I won’t have to carry anything.  It isn’t much at all if I’m only getting 2 articles of clothing done.  The most amount of water I’m carrying is 48oz.  Last thing to do is find the right type of footwear.  I have a pair of North Face that I could walk all day in but I know they won’t make the long haul and they no longer make them.  So working on finding a different set of footwear.  Been through about 8 pairs but no success yet.  I’m hoping the La Sportiva Nucleo High GTX Hiking Boots from REI or the Altra Lone Peak 3 or 3.5 Trail Runners work (3.5s are on preorder and should get them in the next 30 days)

[David Thomas]

It’s a pretty good set up – much better than most AT hikers start with.  It’s not quite UL and you know it, but it could be a bit closer.

You could save a pound each on the pack and the tent, but at $300-ish each, probably not within your budget.  Likewise going to a 35F quilt that weighs under a pound would save 8-10 ounces.

I bring a shower on trips others don’t, especially on a group trip, but for a thru-hike, where you’ll carry every damn ounce for 2,000 miles?  How about adapting an extra cap for a water bottle into a shower head?

I’d skip the sleeping bag liner unless you need it for warmth in the north.  Dedicated, thin camp clothes like polypro tops and bottoms would save the bag exposure to your dirty bod at a similar weight, but also give you some warmth around camp, be easier to wash, and can be used in an emergency for day-time clothes.

That’s a lot of compass.  It doubles as a shaving mirror and checking yourself for injury, sunburn, and appearance (before hitching to town), but I’d go with a much smaller, non-base-plate compass. I hear you that you like to go off trail, but (1) if you went west of the trail, it can be found again by going east and (2) I assume you’re not bringing USGS quads for the whole trail, so triangulating off of known peaks, etc, is of less value.  I’d find paper and pencil and the most minimal compass more versatile in more weather, “5 minutes downhill at 280 degrees to creek bottom, 10 minutes uphill at 220 degrees to ridge line, etc” would really help in retracing your steps.

That’s a whole lot of light.  It’s summer, the days are long, and you’ll mostly be on a trail.  And while you DO want the light on your head in camp, you can clip smaller lights to a hat.  You DO NOT want the light on your head when hiking at night – that washes out all the shadows of holes and bumps in the trail.  You want the light clipped to your waist so the shadows show you the height of your next foot fall.

Learn to repackage the deodorant and use it that way at home for a while.  Half the deodorant weight is plastic container.  You’ll need to repeat on the trail.

Growing up CA and now living in AK, I don’t worry about black bears, either.  But read up on what people do for rodents.

[Michael S]

Hi Dave,

Yes your right on a couple things that aren’t in my budget right not.  It’s tough to find a 2 person tent that is lightweight.  I didn’t do much research on 1 person tents or tarps since I like a bit more space.  It also makes the field smaller even still since I’m not using trekking poles.  I didn’t know anything about quilts till after I bought my NF one.  I was thinking they were ones grandma crochet up lmao.  Even now I’m still green on them and how they are used.

I like the idea about the cap having holes in it for a shower.  Brought me back to military days when I was in the desert and I used 2 20oz waters to take a shower with since we didn’t have shower bladders installed yet on the base.  So thanks for pointing that out.  I will test it out and see how it is.  Also great idea on the deodorant casing.  I’m going to leave the dove one alone since it has a powerful scent and I had to Ziploc and dry bag it just so it didn’t smell it throughout the pack, also the case on it is actually light which is the only reason I bought that brand.  Heck it may be women’s too, idk, but I’ll use it.  I will try it out on the bodyglide one since it is a heavy case.  Hope it doesn’t melt or anything lol.  I will leave it outside in the case, in full sun for the day and see what happens before removing it.  I know if I took my old spice deodorant, it can’t stand the heat.

As far as the light on the head I’m fine with it. Before my last job I was a coal miner so a light on top of a hard hat for 12 hours a day has me well versed in it.

Thanks for some great ideas.

 

[David Thomas]

If you pursue the bottle cap with holes, you’ll find it works A LOT better with a bit of vinyl tubing running through a hole in the cap up to the bottom of the bottle (on top as it hangs upside down) as a vacuum break.  Also, a little dental floss or braided fishing line secured in a barrel hitch or with duct tape to the bottle can give you a convenient loop at the bottom of the bottle to hang it from.

Deodorant is one of things that people get hung up on brands and genders even though it is all the same stuff.  On the hike, just grab whatever unscented stuff Walmart has when you do your shopping runs.

[Michael S]

Yeah Dave some people do get hung up on gender things.  Heck I got sick of looking for a pair of convertible pants in men’s to have the shorts above the knee.  I bought women’s and it’s perfect. No interference with my knees and they are even lighter.

 

Can someone help me out with a headlamp light that will be good and lightweight.  My current one is at 9.2 oz including the 4 AA Batteries.  I need one that will last a long time on a set of batteries because I’m not taking a charger of any sort.

I’m not bringing a camera since I don’t use them much anymore when my kids aren’t with me.  I’m also leaving the phone at home too.  I like the idea of using a phone card like another person mentioned and I even found an old Prepaid card from the military from 14 years ago with a few thousand minutes still on it lol.  So I’ll sharpie the info onto an item and have access to it.

I’ve also decided I’m taking my Custom Bearikade can with me and not using the Ursack or Zpacks Bear Bag kit.  I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but for me it is more good than bad.  Yes it comes in at 2 lbs 4 ozs. It’s weight and that’s the bad part.  The goods for me is easy access to food, no worries at all about rodents or critters, no hassle for finding and hanging anything, plus I can use it as a chair which is a nice plus.  Once I get my food items more finely tuned and figure it all out, I may end up buying another Bearikade of a smaller size to.

As of now I’ve been training with a 33 pound pack (Will be adjusting to 28).  So far my pack weight is 10 lbs 4 oz.,  Bearikade is 2 lbs 4 oz., Food is 9 lbs (Carrying a 6 day supply with me between restocks), Water in bottles is 3 lbs 4.4ozs.  Alcohol in bottle 8.1 oz.  Total weight is 25 lbs 4.5 oz.  (There will be other changes soon, example, possible removal of shower to go with bottle shower idea. Compass change, even the tops that have the pop lid on smartwater bottles to a standard lid. Different headlamp.  My goal is to get my pack under 25 lbs.

[David Thomas]

I like my Zebralight.  The current model would be Z53.  It’s a right-angle, single AA LED light with a super low (read, look inside your pack), medium (walk down a trail) and high (route finding) settings.  For the trail, I clip it on my waist band or hip belt and the shadows help me discern dips and bumps better than a headlight.  For setting up a tent or cooking in the dark, a headlamp is nicer (it comes with a nice, wide, stretchy hand band and holder), but leave the headband at home and clip it on shirt collar or a hat instead.

[Bob Moulder]

Don’t need the bear can for the AT.

It is required only for one small stretch in the Smokies and everyone just hikes through that part. Learn how to do a good bear hang and that is a big chunk of weight savings.

I’d venture a prediction that you will be using trekking poles by the time you stand atop Katahdin. ;^)

 

[JCH]

 

A couple more thoughts…

re: Headlamp.  You might consider the newest version of the Petzl e+lite.  The low light setting is plenty of light for camp and the High setting will work fine for some light duty night hiking if necessary (as Dave said, hold or clip at your waist for best results).  Replacement batteries are so light (CR2032, 3g ea.) you can carry several sets of replacements if you choose.

re: Bear can.  I have to agree with Bob on this one…not needed.  Yes, it seems like a can would be more secure, but if you get the ZPacks kit with the green bag and grey cord that thing is quite stealthy hanging in the trees.  I am partial to the “PCT method”.  Very easy to use once you’ve practiced a bit and proven effective.

I need to add 2 AAA batteries for the thermarest pump

Consider getting an Exped Schnozzel to replace the the pump.  You can use it as a pack liner and ditch both the pack cover and pump.  I’ve used one for the past 3 years this way…still looks like new.  Inflates a Large TAR xLight in ~ 3 pumps

[Michael S]

I’ll check out the headlamps.  Thanks.  Also thanks for the other inputs but I’m set on the bear can and pump going along with me at first.  I can always change if I need too later.  My parents will be in charge of my shipments to me while I’m out and I do have an ursack (thanks to this site) and the Zpacks bear bag.  Long as I reach an average of 13 to 15 miles a day I’ll be happy.

[Michael S]

Question JCH.  Will the Schnozzel Pumpbag UL work with the Thermarest X Lite sleeping pad?  Everywhere I look I can find nothing of compatibility.

[JCH]

Michael, There’s quite a bit of talk on the forums about using the Schnozzle with TAR pads, most can be found (albeit often frustratingly) with the search function.

The particular method I use was presented by Gary Kinnier here. Works great, but I didn’t find the chamfering of the tubing to be necessary…just stuck the tubing on and ran with it. That entire thread is worth a read.

Prior to Gary’s mod, I just warmed up the schnozzle’s connector in my mouth to soften it a little then jammed it onto the TAR’s valve.  Not elegant, but it worked just fine.

[Link .]

. HERE are some great videos on how to get your weight down especially the little things like your first aid and misc. but all the videos are good, what’s in his pack for 3 season, what his clothing system is for 3 season ect. Mike Clelland who created this video series is a NOL’s instructor and long time author and long time BPL contributor including a number of articles. THIS is a link to more links on numerous articles and videos that I have put together on how to lower your weight, a number of them are on how to do it cheaply but here is one more that was not on my list Cheap Lightweight Backpacking Gear and it doesn’t have to be expensive a lot of it  is leaving out stuff you don’t need. I know you are  adamant about deodorant and pocket shower but it will probably be the first things you drop once you start hiking I have seen it numerous times.

[Author]

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