Another AT list, 2017 NOBO, early to mid march

[Shrewd]

Howdy all, yet another gear list from an aspiring thru hiker, and also a new hanger.
I'm not a gram counter, in fact I don't even have a scale. So there are as yet no weights.
Still, I'd love to hear what you fine folks think!



Pack:
Dueter act zero/atmos ag50/ULA circuit
Unsure - I own the first two...fit ok, little heavy
Plastic liner

Clothing:
Patagonia thermal hoodie - mid layer
Patagonia thermal legs - camp
Exofficio boxers x2
Patagonia hiking shorts
Running leggings for cold hiking???
Beanie
Darn tough socks x2
Warm sleep socks
Patagonia lightweight shirt
Patagonia mid weight camp top
Patagonia puffy
Rain jacket - OR helium 2
Rain pants - cold only
Stuff sack 12L
Stormr water gloves with liner
Hammockforums buff
Dirty girl gaiters

Sleep system:
Warbonnet BB XLC W straps and Dutch clips
Hammockgear cuben tarp with bling in snakeskin (alas no doors)
mid-Atlantic mountain works Marcy 20 top quilt (waiting on this)
Loco libre 20 underquilt (still waiting on this)
7 stakes with 12 or so feet of zing it
Sit pad for foot box
Mah down pillow
Dry sack for the quilts

Food and water:
Pocket rocket
Gsi soloist
Titanium spoon
Bic Lighter
Small sack for the cook kit
12l dry sack for hanging
Hand sanitizer
Sawyer squeeze
2L platy for dirty water
1 smart water bottle or Gatorade
Cordage for hanging
Backup aqua mira
Small camp towel
Small nalgene for olive oil/sriracha

Hygiene: in non waterproof cuben sack
TP in separate ziploc
Dr bronners
Tiny toothbrush
Toothpaste
Small first aid
ibuprofen and meds
Bug spray
Sunscreen?
Chub rub?


Electronics all in one ziploc:
Petzl tikka
Charger (unsure of model,cheap)
iPhone cables


Misc:
Ziplocs
Extra bic
Duct tape? Around trekking poles?
Cuben fiber repair patches
Two 25 foot sections of lash-it cord
Pack cover
Couple of light biners


I have a blog over at TheTrek.co (formally AppalachianTrials.com) if you care to follow my little quest!

https://thetrek.co/author/rhys-hora/

[johnspenn]

Just some random thoughts perusing your list:
You mentioned phone cables but not the phone...
You mentioned Patagonia cold thermals, running leggings, and rain pants, all for camp/cold only- could you cut three items to two or one here?

You don't have your quilts yet, so obviously they are untested. You will want to make sure they are thoroughly tested before you leave, to make sure they will keep YOU warm in the conditions you are likely to face on your hike, regardless of their temp rating.

Under food and water you have "cordage for hanging" and under misc you have two 25 foot sections of lash-it. Do you anticipate needing ALL that cordage?

Along those lines 12' stake lines are really long. Even for porch mode, you can typically get away with much less (8-10') and you will only need them that long on both sides. If I were to attempt a thru I'd forget porch mode and just go with 6' all the way around, which is still plenty (HYOH and all of course)

How will you hang your tarp? CRL or Split RL?

Your fuel canister isn't included. Will you carry one? two?

Are you only carrying one container for clean water?

Didn't see a trowel in your list.

Just a few thoughts. When are you leaving? Best of luck!

[Shrewd]

Good call, I suppose my pain pants cover my needs for cold weather hiking. Yay, less money spent!

Ah, an iPhone
I'll probably just take one backup 25 footer. It's a roll of zing-it that weighs hardly anything and doesn't take up space.

I'll have somemisobutane fuel for the stove
My guy lines are probably around 8 to 10 now that I'm thinking about it. I can always trim them on the trail but the weight savings is pretty minimal.
My tarp has a Dutch stinger one either end attached to some lash/zing it sets up real fast.

I don't currently have a trowel, though I may have a sponsor lined up for some sweet titanium goods, trowel included. For now my plan is to use a stake.

I'll probably have 2 clean water bottles, though many tell me the only needed one. I'll probably start with two and pre down as necessary.

I'm planning to leave early March, no set date. I'm leaving work at the end of feb, driving home to the family's, then enjoying being jobless for a few days. Then I'll probably catch a train south

[dakotaross]

...Along those lines 12' stake lines are really long. Even for porch mode, you can typically get away with much less (8-10') and you will only need them that long on both sides. If I were to attempt a thru I'd forget porch mode and just go with 6' all the way around, which is still plenty (HYOH and all of course)

Are you only carrying one container for clean water?...

Forget porch mode??!!?!?!? BLASPHEMY

@OP - I agree about the line length, but that's easily something you can figure out in the first few weeks and isn't costing you much to have.

So, I kinda see the same things as someone else who posted their list... you know, an unwritten general rule is to get quilts rated for 10 degrees below where you expect to need them. Now, I agree that a 20 degree quilt set is the most optimal for having the entire trip, but the truth is that you might very well encounter temps below 20, especially at higher elevation in NC. Not to mention the winds there that will rob you of some of the efficiency needed to get the full rating out of your quilts. You've got more clothing that the other person did, but using that clothing is tricky - the down of your quilts relies on getting your body heat efficiently and its harder to do that if you have lots of clothing hogging it up.

Personally, I think a wind sock is probably the best addition you might think about. UQP is lighter and less expensive and is something reasonably worth taking for the entire trip, but it won't add much for warmth. I also think a "hard" water bottle would be useful. Look, you're not ultralight, right? I completely understand the Gatorade bottle, but you're going to want something you can put boiling hot water into so that you can use it in your hammock at night. I would not get the large nalgene, but rather the smaller version that will hold just enough water for what you need in the a.m., can hold snacks and smelly toiletries (tums?) that you might want nearby and don't want to hang (or have to go unhang and hang again to get them) and still keep them from critters, and it can be useful a drinking or dipping cup - the latter is sometimes important as it can be easier to scoop water with a wider mouth, but still smaller bottle. (narrow mouth bottles like the platty are sometimes hard to fill up when there's not a whole lot of flow at the spring)

Otherwise, the only thing that was obvious to me was bug spray. You certainly won't need that at the start, and it will be a while before you get to a point where it might be worthwhile. I would not take any and then rely on folks you see along the way that know better about the conditions ahead. (I don't know much beyond NC).

Sunscreen, definitely. The rub is probably a good idea as well.

p.s. are you posting on Whiteblaze.net, too?

[gunner76]

Bug Spray will not be needed when it cold unless you run into those dreaded ice skeeters on the trail

[Spiguyver]

I don't think this looks like a bad list at all, nothing glaringly missing from it. I would rather carry too much clothing at the start and then end up sending it home at a post office stop a few weeks later than to get out on the trail and realize you need it. I find that a good winter sock can extend your quilts rating by about 10 degrees, so that may be something worth looking into if your testing finds you with any chilly spots at night.

I'll be sure to follow your adventure!

[OneClick]

The glove thing would worry me. In a cold rain, I would expect those to soak thru. Or at least get water logged and make your hands colder than with no gloves at all.

I would suggest a pair of rain mitts which can be useful 365 days/year. With a glove liner under them you're bulletproof!

Borah Gear eVent mitts are great and only cost $28.99. 28.99!!! http://borahgear.com/eventmitts.html

[Shrewd]

I'll definitely look into a winter sock, thanks for that.
Is 2qzq the best name in town for that sort of thing?

What worries you about my gloves? They're actually probably too heavy for an UL ninja, but they're neoprene and made to keep your hands dry. I wear them on my bike, and have a jacket made by the same company. No wind or water is getting through those suckers (...unless they fall apart, of course)

And roger that on the big spray.
If I find later on that i want to enjoy some porch mode, I can swap the Dutch fleas from my tie outs to my stakes and live the good life

And yes sir, I posted this on whiteblaze as well. I figured I'd get some more hammock specific info here, though

[Monkeyboy42]

I second (or third, or whatever) the sock. In early march you can still get really cold in the mountains. I've hit the low twenties on the AT in Virginia in mid to late march before. 20 degree quilts may not cut it for the beginning.

Then again last march I went to Shenandoah for a few nights and the lows were just below 40. You won't know for certain until you get out there.

Have a gr at trip. I am jealous.

2qzq is well respected. Warbonnet makes a sock, as does Dutch. I'm sure there are others out there also.

[gbolt]

I am a Warbonnet owner too, but don't overlook Dream Hammock for a Sock. Also, besides the buff that may form into a balaclava, you may need another Hat besides the beanie you hike in. I use a Black Rock Down Cap. Some may say overkill, but a quilt cuts out the mummy portion of a bag. Therefore, that Down Cap is more of my sleep system than clothing, but serves double purpose in camp. I find the beanie is to damp after hiking, to serve as sleepware. That is just as important as the Sleep Socks you show. This is a great list imho. Mine is very similar so nice to compare.