[at-l] Gear list II - lots of questions!

[kellyswhitman at hotmail.com (Kelly Whitman)]

YEA!!  Such good feedback!  Thanks, everyone.  :)  Here's my feedback to the 
feedback, I hope no one minds that I'm just responding to everyone at the 
same time.

>Ditch the tarp if you're going to carry the Hennessey.  The Hennessey has a 
>passable silnylon rain fly.

I want a larger tarp than the one the Hennessy comes with.  I'm tall so I'm 
going to be hanging the hammock a little higher for it to be comfortable for 
me to stand up in the slit, and I want a fly that comes down closer to the 
ground for added privacy and protection from gusty rain.  Does that sound 
reasonable, Hennessy users?

>DI'd recommend carrying a sleeping pad - best is a 3/4 thermarest.  You can 
>then sleep comfortably in a shelter instead of pitching the hammock when 
>it's cold.

I haven't worked out the weight of the taco yet, but wouldn't it be lighter 
than a 3/4 Thermarest?  I can't use shelters, and I can't sleep on the 
ground, thus the Hennessy + taco.

>Make this a very light nylon twine cause you're only going to use it to 
>occasionally hang your food bag.

I heard the Triptease damages tree bark, does anyone know about this?  If 
so, what is a good, tree-friendly, lightweight substitute?

>Get the EverNew 0.9 liter Titanium Pot if you can afford it.

I was going to get the AntiGravityGear 3 Cup Aluminum Non-stick Cook Pot. 
It's the lightest one I've found so far, 3.8 oz.  Is there something 
lighter?

>Get a Lexan spoon

What is a Lexan spoon?

>>coffee filters
>
>For what?  you plan on drinking coffee a lot?

They're for filtering murky water (I don't like coffee).

>>silk bag liner
>
>Don't carry this.  Everything is going to get dirty.  Just be prepared to 
>wash your sleeping bag once or twice during your hike.

It's actually for added warmth, not to keep the bag clean, although 
considering how difficult it is to clean a down sleeping bag, and the 
possibility of ruining a $450 bag, helping keep it clean is just an added 
bonus.

>Just buy a fleece jacket.  REI sells a tall male fleece jacket which worked 
>great for me.  I'm 6'7" and it fit me great.  Might be too long for you.

I'm 6' so that might work.  Are there any ultralight fleece jackets or outer 
layers, especially ones that come in tall sizes?

>Nah, carry a cheap plastic lighter.

Am I the only person who gets burned thumbs from lighters?

>>extra virgin olive oil
>Umm, is this food or part of your medical kit?

Neither.  I have dry skin/hair problems, it's the solution.

>>unbreakable signal mirror
>
>What for?  you don't get lost on the trail.  Unless you want a mirror for 
>putting on makeup ditch this.

Makeup on the AT?!  I hope you were kidding, lol.  I am SO looking forward 
to six months of no makeup, no heels, no hose!  I will miss the trademark 
necklace I always wear, though.  I don't want to take a chance on losing it 
so I'll be leaving it at home.

I might not get lost but I have bum ankles so I could take a long, bad fall. 
  Mainly the mirror is for checking for ticks.  Maybe it can go with my 
warm-weather gear.  When will I need to start checking for ticks?

>Get a Petzel Zipka or Tikka.  Some folks get by with a key chain light but 
>I llike a head lamp for night hiking.

Yeah, I haven't decided about this, yet.  I was thinking of one of those 
keychain ones because they're strong and ultralightweight, but they might 
not be strong enough for night hiking, and given my (lack of) sleep pattern, 
I may end up doing some night hiking.  What is the lightest weight available 
in a head lamp?

>>camp multitool (Swiss Army)
>
>Too much.  I just carried a very small pen knife which mainly got used to 
>cut open the occasional food package.  I also carried a pair of nail 
>clippers.  If I had to choose I'd just take the nail clippers and ditch the 
>pen knife.

What about tweezers for tick removal?  (I really don't like the idea of 
ticks, can you tell?  lol)  I was going to get that Swiss army card knife 
kit that's the size of a credit card.  Has anyone hiked with this?   Likes, 
dislikes?

http://tinyurl.com/ulqa

>>4 fly stakes
>
>You can get away with fewer, with practice.  Me, I carry four because
trying to find shrubbery in just the right place frustrates me, and sticks
of the right size have often been used for firewood around campsites.

I waver between two and four.  I'd prefer two.  Any Hennessy users have a 
preference either way?

>>shorts + light top for camp/sleeping clothes
>
>I've given up on camp/sleeping clothes.  After a few days all my stuff
smells bad anyway, so carrying "clean" clothes is pointless for me.

I didn't want to carry camp clothes.  I just recently added them to the list 
because I'm concerned about having to sleep in rain-drenched clothes, 
especially in cold weather.  Bike shorts are pretty light.  Amy suggested a 
silk shirt, that's a good idea since they're so lightweight.  I can sew, so 
maybe I'll just make myself a top and shorts out of silk to sleep in.

Will that be warm enough in a 0 degree bag in the snow, though?  Shane, how 
do you stay warm enough sleeping nude (alone, I mean!)?

>>helmet drape
>
>What's that?

It's a thing I am never without here in the desert (this place is like 
living on Tattooine, I swear).  I need it in snow, too.  It keeps the sun 
off of my face and neck.  I burn when most people would never burn, even in 
shade.  I know it's "the green tunnel," but I'm a prime candidate for skin 
cancer so I'll happily carry the extra 1.5 ounces in order to be careful.

http://tinyurl.com/ullx

>>boiled wool mittens (still looking for these)
>Why boiled wool mittens?

Extremely warm, light, and durable.  If there's something better, I'm 
definitely open to suggestions.  There seems to be a mitten vs. glove debate 
and I'm not really sure which side I come down on.

>>alcohol wipes
>
>I think the wipes are extra weight and trash.  Why no just carry purel?

Um... well, they're better for cleaning certain areas.  Purel seems to just 
spread stuff around while wiping gets it off, plus they can be used on 
boo-boos, and used ones can help start a cooking fire.

>Get one of the lightweight rigid cases.  If your glasses are riding in your 
>pack,
there is a very good chance they'll get mangled.

I was going to stuff them in a sock and put them in my cooking pot.

>>travelmate
>>exerband
>
>What are the above two?  I find it difficult to believe you'll want 
>additional exercise on
the trail.  :)

A Travelmate is used by women to urinate standing up.  Here's the product:

http://tinyurl.com/uloc

Here's the review at Backpackgeartest.org:

http://tinyurl.com/ulnv

It's just under an ounce.  Well worth the weight to avoid poison ivy, 
mosquitos, etc.

>You might like to carry a small carabiner or two, which is convenient for 
>hanging
food and other items.

What is a carabiner?

>Balaclava, man.  What good's a warm head when you have a cold
neck?

Do you need things like that if you have a bag that closes all around your 
head until just your face is showing?  I'm not crazy about sleeping with 
something over my mouth and nose.  Maybe that's an asthma thing.

>Do you live anywhere you could test this stuff out for a really cold
night? Be sure to spend a night in your hammock before you chose it as
your final shelter system. It's a great sleep, but you'll need alot of
insulation of the outside in March and April.

That's a good suggestion and that's what I'm planning to do.  We get 
snowfall here on the desert floor (although it doesn't stick) (okay, so 
maybe this place isn't like Tattooine in that regard) and there are also 
8000' mountains right next to us that I figure will be an excellent testing 
ground for my cold weather gear and clothing, once I have it.

Kelly Whitman
INTP
-----------
"There ARE no other women like me."  -- 7 of 9

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