Date: 2004-01-21
To: Details on Gear
Miles today: 0.0

I haven't done much with my journal since finishing my thru-hike on August 21st. I thought you may find my choice of gear helpful. At least you'll know what worked (and didn't work) for me.Cooking GearI¢m not a backpacking equipment expert. I am not one to tinker with my equipment once I¢ve researched and found something that works for me. I try to find the simplest, lightest, and cheapest thing that works. If I need to spend a lot of money to get something that works, I feel it is worth every penny. So I¢m not a equipment freak that is always trying something new or wanting the latest and greatest. For example, I bought and used Lexan spoons on my AT thru-hike. They worked pretty well, but eventually they broke. I¢ll go back to my stainless steel (heavier) spoon on my next hike. It will add 0.65 ounces to my total weight. In Georgia at the beginning of my hike, I gave a spoon to ¢Loser¢ who was trying to eat his noodles with his fingers after he lost his spoon. At the Gull Pond Lodge in Rangeley, ME I got a replacement cheap plastic spoon for the Lexan one which broke while I was eating ice cream. The Lexan spoon lasted 1953 miles, but it could have broken at milepost 10 just as easily. I did carry 2, but gave one away in the beginning of my hike. I¢ve had my stainless steel spoon for 35 years.I made my own combination (wood, Esbit tablet, alcohol) stove using a small tuna can and a Dinty Moore Beef Stew can for a pot holder/wind screen. The small can fits into the larger can which fits into my Walmart ¢Grease Pot¢ which was used to boil water and cook and eat from for all of my hot meals. I had one plastic cup and a plastic ¢Cool Whip¢ bowl when I started, but soon got rid of the bowl and simply ate from the cooking pot. After a dozen or so meals I kept a few Esbit tablets for emergencies and used alcohol for the rest of my hike. It was available everywhere, was cleaner burning, and didn¢t smell as bad as the Esbit. I did make one meal in Georgia using a small wood fire.Sleeping GearI used a Therm-a-rest Ultralite 34 length one inch thick sleeping pad. It was used not only to sleep on, but to substitute for a frame and give shape to my home-made backpack. It is a combination foam and air pad. Since it weighs about a pound, it is heavier than a close-celled foam pad, but is a bit more comfortable. Mine developed a pooched area which grew to 6-8 inches in diameter. At Harper¢s Ferry I exchanged it in for a new one (Therm-a-rest has a good warranty) which worked perfectly despite many falls which could have punctured it or made it de-laminate again and pooch it out. The pad kept all the contents of my pack unbroken after several severe falls. I also carried a repair kit which I never used. The pad was also great to sleep on the hard boards in shelters.The Western Mountaineering Ultralite sleeping bag was an excellent bag. I will search no further for a better bag. It cost $275, weighed only 28 oz. with stuff sack and silk liner, and was worth every penny. One night near Neel¢s Gap I slept in a half inch of water and the bag did not get wet. I crawled into it on numerous occasions soaking wet with my hiking clothes on and by morning both my bag and clothes were dry. It was a little too warm for me most of the time. Several others I met on the trail also used the Ultralite and were extremely glad they chose it. Mountain Dew, Sticks, and Journey all used the Ultralite. Journey said she got cold in hers several nights, but was pretty happy with it most of the time. I have a high metabolism and sleep pretty warm. I think I could have gone the entire thru-hike with a Highlite bag which only weighs 16 oz. complete, especially if I used the silk liner which did increase the rating of the bag about 10 degrees for me. The Highlite has a 3/4 length zipper to save weight so you can¢t unzip the foot of the bag to cool off your feet. And on very cold nights, I was glad I had the Ultralite. I was never cold, even the night I was hypothermic (shivering and soaking wet) at the Sarver Hollow Shelter on May 18. I ate dinner soaking wet in my sleeping bag and woke up dry and toasty warm the next morning. On several occasions in shelters I had other people snuggle up to me trying to get warm. Some were actually shivering all night long in their bags. That makes for a long hike the next day. Don¢t scrimp on your sleeping bag! A good night¢s rest and healthy feet are two of the most important considerations of any hike.