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Hello, it’s been several years since I’ve gone on a trip and I’m looking to get back into the swing of things with a three day section hike on the Foothills Trail in South Carolina. Expected highs are 50-53F and expected lows are 30-33F. I would really appreciate any feedback – both general and regarding whether my kit is warm enough. Thanks in advance!
Looks pretty solid. You might be a bit cool with the sleeping bag but you know it and you better than me. The Nanopuff might not be enough around camp warmth but again you would know.
The Foothills Trail can get surprisingly cold. There’s always potentially a lot of mountain air and moisture mixing. The sleeping bag would concern my sleeping sensibilities. I’m older, balding, and thin(ish?). Ugggh. But we all sleep differently.
Now I must go and practice my Stuart Smalley daily affirmations.
I was on a section of that trail just a few weeks ago, on the 19th of last month. The weather was 50’s/30’s, but the wind coming from the higher peaks to the north was, indeed, surprisingly cool; there were several gusts that came over the ridges and which were downright cold. There were also several cooler-than-normal valleys, and yes, lots of moisture in the air. Based on that limited experience, I will go a bit heavier on my garb when next I’m in that area.
Thank you all for the feedback. It seems like the consensus is that I may need to add some warmth. A few easy changes come to mind based on the other gear I already have (prefer not to make any purchases for this trip):
- I’ll add a Gossamer Gear Thinlight 1/4″ pad (~4oz) to my existing sleep setup. My sleeping pad tends to slide less on that anyways which is an added plus.
- I’ll swap out my Nanopuff with a heavier jacket (Mountain Hardwear synthetic – adds 8oz over the Nanopuff but it’s a furnace, not sure which model it is). It’s a pretty big jump but sounds prudent.
- I’ll add some thicker/warmer sleep socks. I think they’re Smartwool Expedition weight (4.1oz). I tend to sleep warm besides my toes.
Again, I appreciate the help. I’d rather go conservative and then dial back on future trips as I get back into the swing of things.
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