Pack and Gear
Kelty Big Bend 5000 Pack - It's a bit heavy, way bigger than I need, and it doesn't fit quite right... but it's what I have, and it's worked for me on excursions in the past. In an ideal world, I'd go in for a fitting and buy a brand new, slightly smaller and lighter pack. But this isn't a perfect world, and I'm on a pretty tight budget!
Mountain Hardware 30* Sleeping Bag - As with the pack, I'd probably go buy a new sleeping bag if I could spare the money. But the one I've got is light, it's warm, and it's served me well for the last 10 years. With the right clothes, it'll keep you warm even on a cold spring night a 6000 ft, but it's light and comfortable enough to use even during a hot Texas summer.
Walmart Foam Pad - for insulation against the cold, wet ground. Now, they sell high end, self-inflating sleeping pads that apparently feel like feather beds beneath your head. However, my research has led me to believe that the $10 blue foam pad will not only get the job done, but also reduce total pack weight and be easily replaceable.
Sawyer PointOne Squeeze - A lightweight filtration system perfect for eliminating the need to carry pounds of heavy water. The AT runs through some of the wettest regions in the world in terms of annual rainfall, and there are plenty of sources from which to draw water. The Sawyer Squeeze water filter makes groundwater safe to drink by removing 99.99999 percent bacteria and 99.9999 percent Protozoa/Cysts, and it only weight in at 3oz.
Eureka! Solitaire 1 man tent - I've used the Eureka! Apex 2T on many trips in the past. It's a great tent, but a little heavy for long distance hiking. Since I don't really need the extra space afforded by a two man tent, I've order the Solitaire as a lighter weight replacement. While I haven't tested the tent out yet, I expect to be just as satisfied with it as I have been with other Eureka! products in the past. I'll be using a simple $9 Walmart "Backpacker's Tarp" in place of the traditional footprint, which will add extra insulation and cushioning.
Sawyer PointOne Squeeze - A lightweight filtration system perfect for eliminating the need to carry pounds of heavy water. The AT runs through some of the wettest regions in the world in terms of annual rainfall, and there are plenty of sources from which to draw water. The Sawyer Squeeze water filter makes groundwater safe to drink by removing 99.99999 percent bacteria and 99.9999 percent Protozoa/Cysts, and it only weight in at 3oz.
Eureka! Solitaire 1 man tent - I've used the Eureka! Apex 2T on many trips in the past. It's a great tent, but a little heavy for long distance hiking. Since I don't really need the extra space afforded by a two man tent, I've order the Solitaire as a lighter weight replacement. While I haven't tested the tent out yet, I expect to be just as satisfied with it as I have been with other Eureka! products in the past. I'll be using a simple $9 Walmart "Backpacker's Tarp" in place of the traditional footprint, which will add extra insulation and cushioning.
Clothing
Day to Day Hiking Clothes - 1 "Underarmor" like workout tee which I got for free during my misguided attempt at playing college footbal, 1 wool tee, 1 wool long sleeve, fleece, zip-off synthetic hiking pants, compression shorts, wool hiking socks (extra socks for gloves), ballcap, and (undecided) a pair of gaiters to keep those nasty ticks off.
Frogg Toggs Rain Gear - Frogg makes a full body, lightweight rain suit that retails at under $30. It worked great for me during a recent overnight in Dinosaur Valley State Park, I expect the same on the trail. As stated above, the AT gets a LOT of rain, and hiking through the rain is one of the things that you just have to get used to.
Cooking
Pepsi Can Alcohol Stove - After shopping around for various high end backpacking stoves, I stumbled on the great advice at http://zenstoves.net/. While I didn't find my design on zenstoves, I was determined that homemade alcohol stoves were the way to go! They're cheap, ultra light, efficient, run on denatured alcohol (which is also cheap and efficient, although not as light as other fuels), easily replaceable, and super fun to make! I don't expect to be doing any gourmet cooking, but it'll definitely get the job done.
SuperCat Alcohol Stove - I'll also be packing a homemade SuperCat stove as an emergency backup/ water heater. The SuperCat burns less efficiently than the pressurized jets on the Pepsi Can Stove, but it'll be a great way to heat up a cup of tea or cocoa while my primary stove is busy cooking supper.
Homemade Windscreen and Pot Stand - I'm in the process of finding a design I like, but I'm shooting for lightweight and portable (duh!).
Coleman nesting Cookware - I've had a set of nesting pots from Coleman for the last five of so years. They work really well and aren't too heavy.
Guide
I've looked through both AWOL's NOBO guide for 2014 and the ALDHA's 2014 guide. They both seem to be great choices, but I like the format for the ALDHA guide a bit better, so it'll probably be the one to go in the pack.MISC.
MedKit - A basic MedKit for any wilderness excursion can be assembled from supplies found at any pharmacy. It should include anti-inflammatory painkillers, antibiotic ointment, sterile needle and thread, sterile gauze, athletic tape, ACE bandage, personal medications, body powder, Purell, latex gloves, and emergency water purification. I'm sure I'll play around with this as my departure date gets closer.
I'm still working out kinks for the rest of my pack, including personal items, electronics, footwear, drysacks, and winter gear, but I feel like I'm making good progess.
I'm still working out kinks for the rest of my pack, including personal items, electronics, footwear, drysacks, and winter gear, but I feel like I'm making good progess.
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