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[at-l] Gear List

Bob -
I won't tell you what to take or not take - but I'll ask some questions and
tell
you a little about what I did - and still do.

Walk softly,
Jim


TNF Cascade Backpack Large

SAS Shelter Tarp
5 Aluminum Pegs
75 feet of 550 Cord (shelter & food bag)  **** My first thought was that
this was overkill, but if you're using it for the tarp it's probably about
right.
I carry 35-40 ft, but we use a tent.

OR Dryloft Bag Cover / Bivy
Thermarest Staytec Long
SD Lite 'N Up Long (20*)  **** I put mine inside a small plastic garbage bag.

Pur Scout Water Filter
2 Nalgene 1000ml Bottles
1 Sm. Plastic Squirt Bottle  **** If you want the squirt bottle that's cool,
but I'd dump one one of the Nalgene bottles and substitute a 2.5 gal water
bag (wt = 4 oz).  In fact I take the water bag, regardless.

MSR Whisperlite Intl. 600  **** I keep it inside a 1 qt ziploc.  That way I
can store it inside the pot along with my spoon, a pot scrubber (also inside
it's own ziploc) and a butane lighter.  I also carry a spare lighter.

650ml Fuel bottle  **** I wrap the windscreen for the stove around the fuel
bottle and secure it with a rubber band.

MSR 2 Litre Pot  **** Does this include the lid?  I carried the lid for a
while,
then dumped it cause it weighed too much.  A piece of aluminum foil does
a good job of keeping stray leaves, etc out of the pot and you won't be at
an altitude that'll require a lid for cooking.

Pot Holder  **** Carried one for a while then sent it home and started using
my bandanna as a pot holder (among other things).

Lexan Cup
Lexan Spoon

Poncho  **** Why both a poncho and the Hydraline?  If you want a pack
cover, Camp Trails makes a lightweight pack cover that weighs less than
a poncho (See the Campmor catalog).

Compass  **** Why?  A compass on the AT is nothing but an exercise in
frustration - as well as being unnecessary.  If you're out there to walk
the Trail,
then walk the Trail and don't worry about which way it's taking you.

Map Case  **** I used a 1 qt ziploc.

Current Map & Guide Book
AT Data Book
Pages From Thru-Hikers Companion
Reading Book  **** In the South, the days are short.  If you're gonna read
it'll most likely be by flashlite or candle lite.  Or is that what the
Cyalume sticks
are for?  In any case, personal opinion is that it's extra weight.  I did start
carrying a book and reading when the days got longer.

Writing Paper & Pen  **** I used plain typing paper folded in half and stuffed
into a 1 qt ziploc.  If you're a serious writer, take an extra pen - or at
least have
extras in your send-ahead box.

Thermometer  **** I carried one for the first week - then decided it was just
extra weight.  Didn't matter what the temp was - I was still gonna walk.

Mini-Mag Light w/ Head Strap
Kodak Advantix 4100 Camera & Film

1st Aid Kit & Personal Hygeine Supplies
2 Bandanas  **** I used a triangular bandage as a bandanna - and only carried
one.  It was my pot holder, towel, bandanna, triangular bandage, dish towel,
anything else item.

Buck Knife  **** How big?  I used a single 2" blade pocket knife and a p38
can opener.  There were times when I could have used a bottle opener, but it
always seemed to work out.

2 EpiPens
2 Loperamide HCL (anti-diarrheal)  **** I used PeptoBismol tablets.  A
secondary effect here is that the bismuth in the Pepto Bismol kills Giardia.

Band-Aids  **** Any more than 2 is overkill.  But put some in your mail drops.
Floss & Needle
Aspirin  **** Watch out for aspirin - taking too much can cause real stomach
problems.

Supple Lips
Calohist
DEET  **** Why?  You're starting in Georgia in March.  Regardless of what
the weather is in Atlanta, it's still winter in the mountains.  But you
just might
need some sun lotion.  Read Pooombah's journal on Wingfoot's page.  I carried
DEET all the way - and used it once in 6 months.  Won't do that again.

Bonner's Soap  **** there are better things to take if you want liquid soap.
Dr Bronners smells (and tastes) like crap, doesn't clean very well and isn't
nearly as biodegradable as advertised.  Also, don't use soap to clean your pot.
That's a good way to end up needing your anti-diarrheal.

Tooth Brush  **** Toothpaste maybe?
T-Bags
Cyalume Light Sticks  ****  Huh??  Why?
Razor  **** I put disposables in my maildrops.  Only used one of them - then I
let the beard grow.  But I also hiked with people who shaved every day.  It's a
personal choice.

Nail Clipper  **** This went in the send-ahead box.

Corcoran II Boots
Reebok Amazon Sandals  **** Some people consider this a necessity - I didn't
and still don't.

4 pair Rohner Wool Socks  **** I never carried more than 3 pair of socks.
Ginny uses liner socks, but I don't (they give me blisters).

Capilene Mid Wt. Bottoms  **** I used mid wt bottoms and tops for camp and
light weight bottoms and tops and nylon shorts for hiking.  If it's cold, windy
or wet, then I'd add the Hydraline.

Thermax Hvy Wt. Top  **** see above

Fleece Jacket  **** YES, I carried a fleece pullover all the way - and used it
consistently.  The Shenandoahs can get down in the 40s in June.

2 50/50 T-Shirts  **** I'd put one of them in a mail drop (somewhere around
Hot Springs maybe) and add a set of thermals.  See the comments about winter.

Reebok Stretch Shorts  **** I used 2 pr of shorts - one for hiking and
one for camp and town.

TNF Hydrenaline Jacket & Pants
Jungle Fatigue Pants  **** I started with something like this - then put
them in
my send-ahead box and used them as town clothes after the first week.

Lt. Wt. Balaclava
Boonie Hat  **** Yeah - I like these too.  They cover your ears.  Sunburned
ears are no fun.

Bug Net  **** See the comments on DEET.
Walking Stick (wood)

Valpolicella (1 Litre)  **** Huh?

**** You might want to add TP (in a ziploc).  I used my hiking stick (a ski
pole)
 to dig holes when necessary.

**** I'd add gloves of some sort.  I carry polypro glove liners, but my hands
don't usually get cold.  In the South, Ginny carried a pair of wool gloves for
hiking and a pair of mittens for camp.  For winter camping, I've been known
to carry a pair of fleece mittens.  I also carry a wool/poly Ecoragg hat in
addition to the lt wt balaclava.

**** You might want to add a small container (I use a 1 or 2 oz Nalgene bottle)
of an aftersun moisturizer.  It's good for sunburn, but more importantly, it's
also good for chafing and other skin ailments (like hot spots on your hips
from the pack belt)

**** You just might not have listed it, but moleskin or Second Skin or
Compeed would be a good idea.  For Moleskin, you'd also need a small pair
of folding scissors.  Knives don't work well on Moleskin.

**** You didn't mention a wallet although I think you'd have one.  Mine is
a small ziploc and contains money, travelers checks, credit/ATM card,
drivers license, medical card, phone card and a (very) small phone book.

**** BTW - In Jan (for the Harpers Ferry weekend) I got curious and loaded
my pack with what I'd take if I were starting that weekend.  With 3 days food
(but no water) my pack weighed in at 32.5 pounds.  3 days would get me to
Neels Gap.  3 days food also includes an extra (4th day) dinner and breakfast.
You never know when you might need that extra food - it took me 2 extra days
to get a sick partner off the Trail at Erwin.   And when we left Fontana, we
were carrying 10 days food (plus some reserve) and had nothing - zip - zero
 - nada - left when we got to Mountain Mama's.  Hiker hunger struck in the
Smokies - again - and we ate 10+ days food in 6 days.



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