Date: 2023-01-01
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Happy 2023! I have relocated my journal to the 2023 forum as I hope to finish the 2nd half of my thru this year. For those of you just tuning in now - I am in the middle of a flip flop, having done HF to GA in the Fall of 2022, and planning to do HF to ME in the Spring/Summer of 2023. I am only half-way done with this through-hike, so I am a bit reluctant to speak with authority on gear choices. However, given that a lot of hikers are polishing up their kit for Feb-April starts, I thought I would chip in a couple of reflections, some of which were not obvious to me when I started. While gear is not the first, second, or third most important factor in a successful thruhike, it is one of the few things you can tweak before you start. Carrying system - I am using a Gossamer Gear Gorilla, with a 50 liter carrying capacity, supplemented by a Justin¢s UL water bottle carrier (Etsy), a Red Paw fanny pack, and an Osprey pack liner.  Love the Gorilla, which is a little sister to the more popular Mariposa. 50 liters is a perfect size for a lightweight pack out (my base weight is approx 13 lb); I had tested the 60 liter Mariposa and found it too big. Besides the obvious (large stretchy back pocket, side pockets that actually hold on to your gear), it has 3 additional features which are critical for me:Multiple hip belt sizes. Many UL packs have sewn in hip belts designed for lean guys. GG offers a larger hip belt that can be easily swapped for the default size, which lets me wear the hip belt pockets further forward (which makes opening them a one-handed operation). These hip belt pockets are large, which lets me keep moving rather than stop to grab gloves, headphones, snacks, etc.Removable exterior back pad. I¢ve replaced the default back pad with a folded GG ¢¢ thinlite pad. It is easy to pull in and out, and I use the thinlite for a seat pad, protective barrier for my sleeping pad, and general mat (eg if relaxing at a shelter after lunch).The hip belt, frame, and back pad are removable, so the pack strips down to 1 pound if I want to use it for a day pack - eg if slackpacking, resupplying, etc.Shoulder pouch for water bottle - Justin (Etsy) offers a feather light shoulder pouch that I use to carry my water bottle. Shoulder vs pack carry of water supply is a bit of a debate, but I like having my water visible.Red Paw fanny pack - In the spirit of ¢packing my fears¢, I use the fanny pack to carry items that I want with me at all times, whether I am carrying my backpack or not. Phone, lighter, knife, hand sanitizer, Aqua Mira, credit/health/ID cards, maps, pen and paper, whistle, emergency matches, emergency fire starter. My Garmin Inreach is attached to the fanny pack, so always attached to me even if I am answering nature¢s call. It is made from DCF, so is also waterproof (to protect the items above).  Osprey pack liner - I started off with a Nylofume liner at 26g. This worked great when treated gently. But when I overstuffed it, one of the seams developed a small tear¢¦.which I discovered when unpacking my wet sleeping bag one night after a downpour. I switched (at a 2 oz penalty) to the Osprey liner, which is far more robust. It has one important side benefit¢¦I can leave gear in just the liner when I am in town or slackpacking - because it is opaque I feel slightly more confident that it will all be there on my return.  Sleep system - I alternate between 20 degree and 50 degree Enlightened Equipment quilts, depending on the season. After some testing, I settled on the Nemo Tensor inflatable sleeping pad (6 oz penalty to the Thermarest Neolite) due to the comfort, and I use a ¢¢ thick Gossamer Gear Thinlight pad underneath it to minimize puncture risk. However, the most important thing I¢ve learned about my sleep system is that it includes all my clothing as well. With the combination of my puffy and fleece (and, when cold enough, hood and gloves) I can finetune the temperature rating to a wide range.  Tent - I was able to snag one of the first Durston Xmid 2 Pro¢s, a single wall, 2 person trekking pole DCF tent. I adore it. Goes up very quickly, is light as a feather, and a palace inside. 100% recommend. After shakedown, I swapped out the stakes for mini groundhogs, which can really take a pounding when hammered in with a rock. The only watchout is that, as a two person tent, the footprint is larger than average, but I did not have much of an issue finding a tentsite in the South.  Water system - My water system is a bit unusual, but I will offer it up in passing because it works for me. Unlike the other 99% of the thruhiker population, I do not use a Sawyer squeeze and 1 liter Smartwater bottles. I don¢t like to squeeze 2 liters when I get to camp (slightly arthritic hands), 1 liter containers are a bit unwieldy for me, they are hard to fill in shallow water pools,and I like to mix in electrolytes in my water (more difficult with the narrow Smartwater bottle neck). I also wanted some sort of backup. So my water system has 4 components:0.75 liter widemouth Gatorade bottle - my main water container when I am hiking0.6 oz BeFree filter for quick clean water access when I am hiking and come across a spring or stream. Very fast flow, the water bladder is quite functional as a secondary water carry device (it also fits in my shoulder water pouch), and folds up small when empty.2 liter CNOC bladder for filling up in the evening for camp needs and for long water carries. This bladder works quite well in shallow water situations, which are quite common. Aqua Mira dropsI will typically start the day with the Gatorade bottle filled, then top up as I am hiking with the Befree. Once I am at camp, I¢ll fill the CNOC 2 liter and use the Aqua Mira drops (and wait 30 minutes) to get clean water in bulk for cooking, laundry, and water for the next morning. I like the built in redundancy for water purification, as the Befree has a reputation for being slightly temperamental.  Clothing - Clothing is very individual. The only five tips that I think are worthy to share are:MOST IMPORTANT - the start of the trail is a terrible place to learn that your shoes are not a good match for your feet. I tinkered with shoes/insoles/socks well before I began hiking; my initial set had more than 150 miles on them before I began. No regrets.Try to have at least one piece of outer clothing (wind jacket, rain coat, fleece) that is blaze orange if you plan to hike in the fall. I ran into hunters in at least 4 states. If it was too warm to wear it, I strapped it to the back of my pack.I ended up cutting my buff into two pieces. Same weight, twice the functionality (eg, headband AND sweat rag, pot holder AND neck gaiter, kneepads for both knees when scrambling). I didn¢t need the full tube for any of these individually.I ordered a rain/wind jacket large enough to go over my fleece or puffy to maximize layering potential. This gave me more combinations to work with when it was cold and a more breathable jacket when it was warm. I wish I had brought a lightweight belt or had an elastic waist on my shorts/pants. Like almost all thruhikers, I lost weight while hiking; the most immediate effect was that my pants wouldn¢t stay up!      I am sure my thinking will continue to evolve as I hike North in April, and I will update this summary if I gain any new insights. Also, obviously, YMMV. Best of luck to those starting out in GA over the coming weeks - I look forward to reading about your journeys (and hopefully meeting you in person).