JMT Gear List & Itinerary (2016)

[Tyler S]

Gear List & Itinerary

I will be doing the JMT Aug. 29th – Sept. 17th. I have included on a separate tab my itinerary, feel free to browse/comment.

Any criticism or advice would be much appreciated on my gear choices. I do not have enough funds currently to get the Pack and Quilt I really want for this trip (I have listed the examples in the spreadsheet). I will be using a BV500 for food storage.

Thanks!

 

[Ken Thompson]

Look pretty good. I would take two bandannas instead of one pack towel. And some rudimentary first aid.

Edit: FAK missed it the first time somehow.

[Matthew / BPL]

Personal taste but I used my BD Storm headlamp for exactly zero minutes on the JMT last summer. Instead I used my Nightcore Lightube LED keychain headlamp. It’s rechargeable off of your battery via USB. A single AAA lamp with a clip can go on the visor of a hat if you need more light (will you hike at night?). That saves 1/4#.

Prana Zions are my favorite pants. I’m wearing them today, however I find them uncomfortably hot to hike in above 70°. I did the JMT last June and was happy I invested in some lighter pants.

Will you track with your InReach? I did and found it needed to be recharged every 5th or 6th day. That plus phone (I see you are bringing headphones… How much music?) and I wonder if you will run out of juice in your external battery. Also, where are you going to recharge your battery and how long does it take? It might be worth sending a pre charged battery to MTR if you are resupplying there?

The Burrow is a great quilt. I’m 100% happy with mine (sewn footbox) and I’ve got ~50 nights in it.

Have fun, it’s a great trip. Going late in the year sounds fun. Are RM/VVR/MTR  still open that late?

[David Thomas]

1.5 pounds of food can be 3000 calories if you minimize packaging.  But that’s a weight loss plan.  Which is okay for some people.  Bring 1,000-1,500 calories too little and figure you burn 1/4-1/2 pound a day.  Start 10-15 pounds overweight and it’ll could be good for your waistline.  I was just hiking with Manfred last weekend and  that works for him in truly remote settings for a month at a time.  I’ve tried it and, yeah, the math/energy works, but I find it a drag to be hungry all the time.  Gorging when you’re in town works better on the AT than on the PCT/JMT.  By August you could be picking some berries and rose hips but that slows you down.

[Tyler S]

RE: K T

The two bandannas could be a viable replacement. As for first aid, I have that included in the list weighing close to 3oz. However, I try not to worry about my first aid weight but of course try to keep it within reason, it has everything that I need.

RE: Matt

How about this little guy? Fenix LD02 EDC Flashlight could clip to my visor for my only night hike up Whitney for sunrise. At only 1oz with batteries (single AAA) and a spare that’s significant weight savings. I do agree that I rarely use my headlamp unless I plan on night hiking.

I completely agree with you that the Prana Zion pants are too hot. The zip off version has too long of an inseam as well. What about Rail Riders? Any other recommendations?

Power consumption was a bit of a concern but I find that I am becoming more efficient with my electronics and only using them what I absolutely have to (music for a tough sections or checking Gaia GPS app which I wont need to on the JMT and of course taking pictures!). MTR has 24 hour power 120 volts AC MTR site. This means that I would need to bring an adapter but at a mere 0.8oz.

I will not be using the inReach for tracking. Instead I will be sending messages every other day to family back home and immediately turning it off. I believe this could last most if not the entire trip.

Thanks for the tips and I am glad to hear you like the Burrow as I am very seriously considering purchasing one once I can afford. Yes, MTR and RM will be open upon my arrival.

RE: David

Indeed I will be losing some weight, however while only averaging 12 miles per day I don’t think my caloric deficit will cause me to “bonk”. As long as I am providing my body with consistent energy every 2 hours and getting enough protein at the end of the day my body should hold up. This is my first medium distance hike so I suppose my body will tell me as I go. I did the High Sierra Trail last year with 1.5lbs ~3,000cal. and lost a few pounds. However, due to poor food choices I didn’t even eat everything (pro bars yuck!). I can say I have learned my lesson.

Good idea on the Gooseberries! I would love to add some of those to my morning muesli.Thank you for the input!

[Mike Whitesell]

Maybe I’ll see you on the trail. I leave from HI August 28. Doing 20 miles a day.

[Ken Thompson]

@ Matthew Jorgen did his trip in Oct and the VVR was just starting to close up for the season. Though the webpage says closed in Sept. Must vary.

[Matthew / BPL]

Tyler,

I have been using a Maratac AAA flashlight with a clip although I believe the Olight i3 is the same light at half the price. It’s fine for night hiking. I did lose a clip which is a bummer and bought a replacement from Maratac. I suppose I could tape it to a hat if I lost another clip. I’m not familiar with the Fenix light.

I wore Railrider Ecomesh pants which are great for hiking. The fit is ridiculously generous. Call them and inquire about the real waist size which is several inches larger than the nominal size. Literally 3-4″ larger than marked. Very weird.

It sounds like you will be fine with the InReach. I carried a tiny Sandisk MP3 player with a single ear headphone for music while climbing difficult passes and podcasts on a sleepless night. I liked separating that function out of my phone which I used for Gaia, Guthook and photos. The Sandisk player and a single ear headphone with a short 12″ cord was maybe $35. I player has a nice little clip that works great on a sternum strap. The UI sucks compared to my iPhone but the battery life is great and the whole setup couldn’t weigh much more than an ounce. I can weigh it and look up product names if you want.

Charging at MTR is doable… I did it for 90 minutes while I resupplied but I didn’t stay there. If you aren’t spending the night the bummer is that your battery will take half a day to recharge. I’m sure you know this already and it sounds like you are planning on spending the night.

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