My Backpacking Gear

[WiseOwl]

Going Backpacking this weekend, finally. I get to leave the wife, the kids, the stressful job that I hate, the race traffic and the insanity of everyday life and head to where I find peace.

If any of you happen to be in the Cohutta this weekend, near Jacks River falls, and see a tall guy with a camo boonie on, stop by and say hi.


Here is a list and some pics of my pack and what type of gear I take for a weekend trip. This is only for a 15 miler and I have added a couple of comfort items since we will post up at the same site all weekend.
First off my pack is only 28lbs with everything loaded. Its only missing my half pint of moonshine, granola bars and my empty 1 gallon water jug (take one empty to cut down on weight and use for camp water container)

Attached are a couple of pics


Backpacking Gear List 2012

Columbus Denali 65 backpack
Suisse Sport Compact Sleeping Bag
MSR Whisperlite Stove
Optimus Terra Backpacking Pot
----Inside pot---
Coffee packs
Sugar
Gatorade Powder mix for 20oz
French Vanilla Creamer (say something!)
Stirrers
Extra Matches
8 ft of Alum Foil
Coffee Cup
-----------------
Duct Tape
Sleeping Pad which is the $1 pool float (doubles as river lounger)
Various mountain house meals
Ramen Noodles
SOG Jungle Primitive gorilla killa
Alum Bowl/Plate
Backpacking First Aid kit (conglomerate)
Repel 1 billion percent Deet spray
Bandana for gangsta sweating
Cool Pack Bandana
16oz Nalgene Bottle
Magnesium Striker
3 bic lighters
Hot Hands
Flask of Jose Quervo
MSR Fuel Cannister
Roll of Scott 1000 compressed
Baby Wipes
Cooking bag with fork, spoon, lighter, camp soap and sponge
2 Wool Socks
2 pairs underoos
Shorts and shirt for sleepy time
1 extra shirt with a pocket on the T for tacticool storage
Katadyn Hiker Pro Life saving water filter
300 feet 550 paracord
Byer of Maine Mosquito Hammock
Small fold up pad for comfy ground rest
10x12 camo tactical tarp
Energizer Headlamp 4 cycle with super tacticool red light for sexiness
My fold up chain saw blade that actually cuts
Bath bag with travel toothpaste toothbrush deodorant hand sanitizer, visine, pain relief
Local Newspaper for fire starter and to use to dry out my boots after river crossings
Small Wind up charger for
My iPod and small iPod docking station so we can jam out by tha rivah to Tool and Pearl Jam
Very small backpacking umbrella.
In bottom hidden pocket---pack cover, 4 trash bags, 3 small bags for bear bag and coleman poncho
Sharpie Marker
Map of Cohutta Wilderness
iPhone with GB's of goodies and apps



For a longer trip I would add a couple of more items. Still not set on taking the MSR stove and canister because I have a small grill grade for camp fire cooking. Depends on how wet all of the woods is from the rains...
I could shed about another 4-5lbs off of this but I can handle it and those extra items are comfort items


Thoughts, suggestions???

WiseOwl

[qrprat77]

I'd add something that works HF and appropriate antenna system. It would be nice to hike out somewhere where there's less noise, and listen to some CW. Forget that Tool carp, it will rot your brain (This from a guy who can pretty much replay Aenima in his head start to finish), get practicing the comms. Even if all you have is FRS junk, get high as you can (elevation, not yuck nasty herbal stuff) and scan, see what's out there. Bet you surprise yerself!
Be safe!
Legal to carry on that trail?

[WiseOwl]

Carry like a forklift pulling a 53 ft trailer

The only good thing Obarry did was allow carrying in Nat'l Parks and Lands.

Buddy coming up from florida and doesnt have a CCW but his will still be in his pack. Figure I can hold off whatever til he gets his out... lol



And Lateralus and 10,000 days get lots of playtime as well.......



This same pack setup minus a couple of items will do the first section ( Amicallola sp? to Blood Mtn Store) of the AT in October.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Have fun and enjoy the time as it doesnt happen enough!

[Irish-Tech]

Have fun! You gonna have a walking stick to poke at snakes?

[BearArms]

I was up in Amicalola SP last week. Took three days to get away from wife, work and 19 yo son. Came back refreshed and re-energized. Hiked all the trails in the park and 8.8 Appalachian Approach Trail to Springer Mountain. Official kickoff to a bucket list item: hike as much of AT as possible over next ten years (turned 51 last Thursday.)

To those hauling iPods and such on trail, a word of advice. Get yourself a Tekkeon battery charging pack. It brought my iPhone back to life when the battery faded when out and about. Great device!

Also towards the comment about walking stick and snakes: get one. While hiking on AT Approach, encountered a belligerent moccasin. Sure wish I could have moved the bushes and stuff before making a wide berth around.

Oh yeah ... First post, long time looker.

BearArms

[Matt In Oklahoma]

hike as much of AT as possible over next ten years (turned 51 last Thursday.)

I cant tell you how cool that is and how refreshing that is to hear

[BearArms]

Thanks Matt! I'd love to take 4-5 months and do the through hike. Not in the cards though. Gonna tackle in chunks.

Grew up in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia. Spent a lot of time along Skyline Drive portion of Blue Ridge Parkway. Always head to the hills when I'm able to get time off work (previous to last week, it had been since December that I had any time away.)

My other bucket list item at this moment: complete the full 87 mile distance of the A2A road skate. I've completed the 38 and 52 mile distances. Gotta complete the trifecta. Check out www.a2a.net

[Matt In Oklahoma]

WO I dont see any immediate eating food like energy bars, packets of tuna, snickers err i mean hardcore err stuff. Not sure how you are but i'm big on having enough start up food/water so i'm not having to stop and cook
and powder for leg chaffing, feet rot n chaffing of pits or where said pack rubs

[WiseOwl]

MIO,

Got 2 travel sizes of Gold Bond AND baby Powder.....gotta keep the plums ripe for market...]

all the while.


And I will be scooping some granolas up on the way. Actually going to grab a couple of those small circle packaged steaks to cook for lunch once they thaw. And some trail mix.
And I we will be hitting cracker barrel or waffle house for breakfast and then a gas station before the woods for disposal....lol


BearArms, I am going to do that same approach and the rest of the trail up to the Blood Mtn "general store" in October.....wife permitting..lol

[WiseOwl]

Have fun! You gonna have a walking stick to poke at snakes?

I do. Check the hiking/ walking stick thread for a pic.

And I shoot snakes on site. No stop, observe, pic take..nope. I shoot em, move em off the trail and move on.

[BearArms]

WO,

I'm pulling out the AT maps purchased last week to see distance and elevation variance to your planned route. While scanning them last weekend, I noticed the section just over the NC/GA border - something like a 3500 elevation change over 4-5 miles. That's gotta be a "jewel" breaker.

My M.O. with my wife is to have her ask me to go hiking. After 25 years of marriage, I know just the right buttons to push w/o going too far. :)

[WiseOwl]

Go check out http://www.thedustycamel.org/ for a first hand of hiking the AT and the PCT.

A friend of mines nephew is Ian.

I have always heard the first hundred and the last hundred miles of the AT are enough to make you quit, hence why 80% of people do.

[Grand58742]

Going Backpacking this weekend, finally. I get to leave the wife, the kids, the stressful job that I hate, the race traffic and the insanity of everyday life and head to where I find peace.

If any of you happen to be in the Cohutta this weekend, near Jacks River falls, and see a tall guy with a camo boonie on, stop by and say hi.


Here is a list and some pics of my pack and what type of gear I take for a weekend trip. This is only for a 15 miler and I have added a couple of comfort items since we will post up at the same site all weekend.
First off my pack is only 28lbs with everything loaded. Its only missing my half pint of moonshine, granola bars and my empty 1 gallon water jug (take one empty to cut down on weight and use for camp water container)

Attached are a couple of pics


Backpacking Gear List 2012

Columbus Denali 65 backpack
Suisse Sport Compact Sleeping Bag
MSR Whisperlite Stove
Optimus Terra Backpacking Pot
----Inside pot---
Coffee packs
Sugar
Gatorade Powder mix for 20oz
French Vanilla Creamer (say something!)
Stirrers
Extra Matches
8 ft of Alum Foil
Coffee Cup
-----------------
Duct Tape
Sleeping Pad which is the $1 pool float (doubles as river lounger)
Various mountain house meals
Ramen Noodles
SOG Jungle Primitive gorilla killa
Alum Bowl/Plate
Backpacking First Aid kit (conglomerate)
Repel 1 billion percent Deet spray
Bandana for gangsta sweating
Cool Pack Bandana
16oz Nalgene Bottle Just a suggestion to upgrade to the 1 quart variety
Magnesium Striker
3 bic lighters probably get by with two, one large and one small
Hot Hands
Flask of Jose Quervo
MSR Fuel Cannister I know you didn't take your stove, but what size?
Roll of Scott 1000 compressed
Baby Wipes
Cooking bag with fork, spoon, lighter, camp soap and sponge Nothing on the planet that can't be eaten with a spoon
2 Wool Socks might look at some polypro liners as well
2 pairs underoos
Shorts and shirt for sleepy time
1 extra shirt with a pocket on the T for tacticool storage
Katadyn Hiker Pro Life saving water filter
300 feet 550 paracord Thinking 300 feet is a LOT of cordage. Might get by with just 50 or 100. 100 in 50 and two 25 foot lengths
Byer of Maine Mosquito Hammock
Small fold up pad for comfy ground rest
10x12 camo tactical tarp Might consider the syl nylon. Protus does something like this. Can't find the thread where he talks about it though
Energizer Headlamp 4 cycle with super tacticool red light for sexiness
My fold up chain saw blade that actually cuts might consider a Fiskars 6 inch pruning saw. Light as a feather and sharp as a knife...which is kind of the purpose lol. I thought I had a review posted, but I guess it was one of those from the other site I never transferred over. Will clean it up and post it
Bath bag with travel toothpaste toothbrush deodorant hand sanitizer, visine, pain relief
Local Newspaper for fire starter and to use to dry out my boots after river crossings Now that you've crossed the river both figuratively and literally, I'd suggest a microfiber towel like the McNett or even a shemagh if you want to go all tacticool (yes, I use one, so endorsed by Grand lol)
Small Wind up charger for
My iPod and small iPod docking station so we can jam out by tha rivah to Tool and Pearl Jam
Very small backpacking umbrella. honestly, get a decent waterproof rain jacket and maybe even a pair of gaiters. Call it a day
In bottom hidden pocket---pack cover, 4 trash bags, 3 small bags for bear bag and coleman poncho
Sharpie Marker
Map of Cohutta Wilderness
iPhone with GB's of goodies and apps



For a longer trip I would add a couple of more items. Still not set on taking the MSR stove and canister because I have a small grill grade for camp fire cooking. Depends on how wet all of the woods is from the rains...
I could shed about another 4-5lbs off of this but I can handle it and those extra items are comfort items


Thoughts, suggestions???

WiseOwl

I know this is late rather than beforehand lol. But just some thoughts in red.