Taking a cue from McBride's post on Whiteblaze, I thought I would write up the list of gear I took along on my WV->ME '09 hike and juxtapose it with things I'm carrying on my GA->WV '10 hike.
Which starts in three weeks, by the way.
So here goes:
Pack
- Gregory Baltoro 70. Comfortable, user friendly pack. BUT: It leaned to the side on my back, had too much room, and then the mainstay broke away from the pack in New Hampshire. I finished the trail [Gorham, NH to Katahdin] with a loaner Gregory Palisade 80. After the hike I returned the Baltoro to REI and swapped it for the pack that I'll be using this spring, the Osprey Atmos 65. The Atmos 65 seemed to be the pack of choice among thru-hikers.
- No pack cover, used my shell jacket as a cover after I realized my pack was water permeable and then bought a L Osprey pack cover in Port Clinton. Not having a pack cover is not an option.
- Wal-Mart tarp. I didn't feel comfortable sleeping in it during a buggy buggy summer [or in rain], so I hiker-boxed it in Port Clinton and bought a proper tent, the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2, along with the footprint. Big Agnes vied with MSR as the tent brand of choice on the trail, and I saw many Seedhouses. The outfitter in Port Clinton arranged for the tent to be waiting for me in Delaware Water Gap. The tent arrived just in time: Before the mosquito alley that is New Jersey through Massachusetts. The tent is bulky and still a bit heavy [around 3 pounds] but the independence of being able to sleep wherever you can clear a 5'x10' space and escape snorers, bugs etc. makes having the tent more than worth it.
- Kelty Light Year +20, three-season down bag with 650 fill goose down., 2 lbs. 6 ounces. Waay too hot in the summer - I used it as a mattress during June/July - but comfortable enough later in the trip. The down is spread a bit thin in places.
- Sleeping bag liner. I picked up a Sea to Summit silk sleeping bag liner at Cabela's in Hamburg and it was a lifesaver in coping with the summer heat. I would sleep in this on top of my sleeping bag on top of my sleeping pad.
- Thermarest Ridge Rest sleeping pad, size R-Men's. I found this comfortable enough from the get-go. It's very light, indestructible and fits well in the loops at the bottom of any pack.
- Set of aluminum camp pans from unknown brand [gift]. Having more than one pan proved redundant since, in the woods, people eat out of whatever pots they cook with; sent all but one home. The remaining one's handle broke down in Vermont. I replaced it with a GSI Pinnacle Soloist pot in Manchester Center, VT. The new pot made me feel much better, more professional maybe, about cooking in the woods.
- Plastic camp cup. Got rid of it when I switched to the GSI pot, which came with its own cup/bowl that included a layer of insulation.
- Spork. Broke on some peanut butter in Maine. Replaced it with a metal spoon that Pine Ellis gave to me. I'll be getting a new Spork.
- Stove. I used the Primus Classic Trail Stove the whole trip. It's not the fastest-cooking stove out there but it was stable and failproof. Eight ounces and pocket-sized.
- Fuel. By the end of the trail I was using big 8 ounce canisters of butane+propane and replacing them before they ran completely out. The 4 ounce canisters, because the canisters serve as the base for the stove and pot, make the setup too unstable, and they run out too abruptly.
- I packed a bandana or a tiny pack towel to wipe the pot after each use. I used a slip of newspaper to line the bottom of the teflon pot for when I packed the canister in there with the bowl.
- Lighter. I replaced this once I think.
- Garmin eTrex Legend HCx handheld GPS device. I found myself spending too much time stopping on the trail to study the map on this. Although it helped in gauging the distance/time/ETA to the next destination point, it proved redundant because of the Thru-Hiker Companion's level of detail. After a while, I learned to gauge my time and distance quite accurately just from timing myself over and over again. I also frankly felt uncomfortable with an expensive gadget in my pack. I sent it home in Pennsylvania or earlier.
- Wristwatch. I started with one from Target, not sure which brand. A spring shot out of the band somewhere around Massachusetts and after that the watch dangled awkwardly. But having a watch that told me what day and date it was, had an alarm and an indiglo night light was crucial. I picked up a slightly better watch, a Timex Expedition, from Target for this spring.
- Phone. Started with a three-year-old Samsung basic phone+camera. It got rain-damaged in Vermont and never worked again. Lost contacts, pictures, etc. Ashley sent her old phone, which happened to be the exact same model, to me in New Hampshire. Unfortunately the battery was much weaker and I generally had to hike with the phone off and keep calls quite short. This past weekend I bought an HTC Eris Droid smartphone, with 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi, 8GB of memory for music etc., and I just ordered a battery that more than doubles its battery life to go with it. I'm stoked about hiking with this thing. Verizon seems to be the way to go with service on the trail.
- Tunes. I started with none and regretted it all the time. I bought a Sony Walkman radio with a belt clip in Bennington Vermont. Having it was very good, although I listened to more than a fair amount of Glenn Beck, country music, Taylor Swift and ESPN football talk because that's all there was in some spots. Also, I ran through several sets of earbuds because they kept falling out. I'll be using some Sony active style earbuds with loop hangers this time. I'll also have music on my phone, and I'm debating whether to also bring my 8GB iPod Nano.
- Camera. I started with the Canon Powershot digital Elph, 7.1 Megapixels. It held the 2,000 or so shots I took on the trip. After rain damage in Vermont, however, it never regained its ability to take auto-focus pictures, flash or show a display on its viewing screen - it was all manual, no flash photography. This spring I'm taking my new camera [Christmas gift], a Canon Powershot SD1200 IS Digitatl Elph 10 Megapixels. It has an 8 GB memory card that holds 4,000 photos or 1 hour of video. So that's a big upgrade. I'll be protecting it with plastic bags better this time.
- Chargers. I pulled my camera and phone chargers out of my bounce box in Boiling Springs and kept them with me the rest of the trip. Having chargers on hand is a MUST.
- USB. Ditto camera charger.
- Flashlight. I started with a $1 Wal-Mart flashlight, thinking I could skimp on light, but found out quickly why thru-hikers buy headlamps - night hiking and using both hands while cooking or reading at night. I bought a Black Diamond Gizmo in Boiling Springs, Pa. and used it daily after that.
- Batteries. I'll be keeping probably 5 or 6 spare AAA or AA batteries as backups for my radio and headlamp.
- Pants. I started with two pairs, REI Sahara convertibles and NorthFace convertibles. I immediately sent home the REI pants and subsequently returned them for cash. The NorthFace pants I used as camp/town pants and only hiked in them during storms because, due to a lack of roominess in the seat, they caused chafing more often than not. I have given them away and now I'm looking for a new pair of pants for the trip. I'm looking more for weather resistance than convertibility this time.
- Shirts. Started with three synthetic shirts: North Face T, T from Sports Authority and a long-sleeved New Balance shirt. Immediately sent home the New Balance shirt and alternated between the other two before soon sending home the North Face shirt. My parents mailed me a long-sleeve wicking baselayer from Rocky which I alternated with the other shirt until I lost the Rocky. Bought a Patagonia Capilene 1 longsleeve baselayer in Manchester Center and used only that from then on. I'm looking for a new Cap 1 longsleeve baselayer now.
- Midlayer. I used a Patagonia fleece [discontinued model, got it on discount] the whole trip and will use it again. It was my second skin at camp and in town and very often my pillow.
- Midlalyer 2. I had my Capilene 3 top and tights sent to me in Maine. They make for very warm sleeping and were good around cold shelters. I'll be starting with them in March.
- Shell. Marmot Mica jacket. I didn't need it very often, but when I did it was a lifesaver [see Baldpate, Tropical Storm Danny]. Seven ounces of pure wind and waterproof armor.
- Shorts. I started with one pair of Kappa soccer shorts, thinking I'd be in my pants more often. I soon started wearing the shorts daily. Almost all thru-hikers use soccer shorts; some use kilts/skirts. The Kappa shorts wore completely out and I got a new pair of Adidas shorts by mail as a gift, which I finished the trail in but which are now worn out. I'm now looking for a new pair of soccer shorts for the trail.
- Socks. I started with four pairs of wool hiking socks and immediately sent home one pair. I generally hiked with three pairs, but dropped down to two pairs by New Hampshire. I went through three pairs, I think. My favorite socks were my Smartwools and my REI hiking socks. The huge, puffy Rocky socks felt good at the end of the trail. This time I'll go with three: One puffy pair, one Smartwool and one low-cut REI pair.
- Sockliners. I started with two pairs and used them daily with little exception for the entire trip, with nary a blister after Maryland. I'll be taking two pairs with me this spring.
- Underwear. I started with three pairs and sent one home. I used two pairs of Under Armour Heatgear synthetic boxers and they were perfect. For much of the trail I also packed a pair of cotton boxers for something to wear in towns and hostels while my laundry was on. I'm probably going to go with the 2X synthetic 1X cotton this spring.
- Winter gear. I got a cheap Carhardt boggon in Maine and wore it sometimes in the 100 Mile Wilderness. I'm debating whether to take it and gloves to Georgia, or whether I should get a light fleece boggon from Mountain Hardware or REI.
- I started with a 2-and-a-half-year-old pair of Vasque Breeze boots, size 8.5. These proved too small. The Gore-Tex was good in walking through puddles, though, and they had good traction. I replaced them with Solomon XT Hawk trailrunners, size 9.5, in Manchester Center, Vermont. I'll be starting with the Solomons in Georgia while keeping a pair of New Balance running shoes at the ready should the Solomons wear out.
- Camp shoes. I started with none and immediately regretted it. I pulled my sandals out of my bounce box and kept them with me for the rest of the trip. My sandals were also my footwear of choice in towns and at hostels. They're completely worn out, however, so I'll have to replace them before Georgia.
- Gaiters. I bought a pair of Outdoor Research ankle gaiters when I bought my trailrunners. I used them daily until the 100-Mile Wilderness, where the trail was dry and not-so rocky. They were a bit frustrating because the strap kept loosening and making the gaiters hitch up past the top of the shoe. Definitely bringing them with me.
- Leki Makulu Summit. These suspension poles made a lot of clanging noise. They also took a great deal of abuse and stopped sliding midway through the trail. After a 30-minute repair session at the Frederick outfitter, the Trail House, these poles will be making the trip to Georgia.
- I used an 8L Sea to Summit bag as my main food bag. It was too small. I'm going to get a 15-20L bag this time. Truth be told, I very rarely hung a bear bag on the northern half of the trail. The bears are more unafraid down south, though.
- Cord. I used some nylon cord from Wal-Mart. I cut it up to use it as a laundry line and bear bag at the same time in Massachusetts. I'm going to get a new 60ft line.
- MSR Hyperflow Microfilter. The best filter ever. Until Massachusetts. After that, it was the worst gear purchase I made. It never again worked as advertised and the company seemed unable to fix the problem. Hiker forums and product review comments are filled with complaints on this Backpacker 2009 gear of the year award-winning product. After returning from the trail I took it back to REI and got cash back.
- Aquamira. Holmes gave me an Aqua Mira set in Maine and I really liked it. I'll be using just Aquamira to start off with in Georgia. The difference between it and a filter is that you have to wait 30 mins while Aquamira treats the water before drinking it.
- Bucket. This is a priority purchase for me before starting the trail in Georgia after spending too much time making multiple trips to the water source at camps. Having a foldable, synthetic bucket means that, when you get to camp, you go to the water source only once, quickly fill it and hang it somewhere. You have water for cooking, cleaning, teethbrushing and drinking until the next day. I'm getting a 10L Sea to Summit bucket.
- Bottles. I started with two Nalgenes, 2L each, that I had dangling from caribiners from my pack. They either broke or were too heavy. I'm taking two used Powerade bottles [20 ounces each] this time.
- Bladder. I started with none and got exasperated with having to de-pack everytime I needed a drink on the trail. I bought a Deuter 2L bladder in Port Clinton and used it daily for the rest of the trip. It was a bit difficult to refill while on the trail, since I had to take a bunch of stuff out of my pack to get to it. I resolved that issue by also carrying empty Gatorade bottles and just filling those after my bladder water ran out.
- Books. I carried the 2009 ALDHA Thru-Hiker's Companion, ripping out whichever pages I didn't need. I also ripped up a novel with the intention of having subsequent chapters mailed or bounced ahead to me but never read beyond the chapters I started with. Along the way I picked up some paperbacks at hostels; some were better than others [I read Jack London's "The Sea Wolf" but not the half of an airplane novel I split with Col. Mustard after Glencliff, NH]. This time I'll be starting the trail with two thin paperbacks: Hemingway short stories and T.S. Eliot. I'm debating whether to rip up my 2010 ALDHA Thru-Hiker's Companion or not. Probably not.
- Magazines. I started having New Yorker issues sent to me. I fondly remember becoming entirely engrossed in Ian Frazier's travelogue, Travels in Siberia, and not leaving a shelter until after noon. No plans for magazines this time.
- Games. I carried some Sudoku puzzles after Connecticut, which I ripped out of a book I bought. I lacked the attention span to finish many puzzles. Maybe not even one. I won't be starting with any games.
- Journals. I started with and completed a composition notebook, sent it home, and picked up a thicker, book-like journal. I'll be starting with this journal because there's still room left as well as two really thin Moleskin journals to follow.
- Maps. Started with none. Used some hiker box maps in Vermont, I think it was, and loved them. In Maine I picked up the complete map set and really enjoyed having the day's elevation profile at a glance, as well as seeing the locations of water sources relative to shelters, etc. I'll be using maps at least through the Smokies, but I haven't got them yet.
- Toothbrush. I didn't saw the handle off as the ultralight hikers do. I'm packing a little plastic cap to enclose the bristles.
- Floss. A little waxed floss dispenser is crucial.
- TP. A full roll at a time, without the cardboard roll in the center, packed in plastic in easy reach suffices. It's best to err on the side of having too much - it's no fun asking other people for spare or resorting to leaves.
- Hand sanitizer. A small, 2-ounce bottle makes for healthy living.
- Razor. Originally, I had my Gillette Mach 3 Turbo razor in a bounce box, but I soon kept the razor with me for trimming purposes. It's great to have a beard but uncouth to let it roam your face as it will.
- Emory board, clippers. I pulled these out of the bounce box, too, because it's good to be able to groom spontaneously.
- Dr. Bronner's. This stuff was awesome when it was possible to take stream baths in the summer. When that ended, the utility of Dr. Bronner's did, too. So hiker box.
- Anti-chafing. I cycled through zinc powder, zinc ointment, Gold Bond, Easy Glide and Vaseline [I couldn't settle on one solution and sent stuff home]. I'll probably go with just Vaseline this time, in tube form.
- Sunscreen. Unnecessary. Abandoned on Day 2.
- Wallet. Kept in my pack.
- Knife. Simple Buck pocket knife. Used sparingly, typically to cut cheese or pepperoni.
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