[at-l] clothes for AT thru hike?

[Raphael Bustin]

At 10:15 PM 8/30/2006 -0500, Tom wrote:

>I was wondering if someone who has hiked the AT or any other long trail
>could assist me with a question I am  trying to decide concerning the
>weight of various clothes on the AT.
>
>This has to do mainly with winter hiking.  I am starting on March 10th.
>I was wondering if it is better to purtchased lightweight clothes and
>wear more layers that to say use midweight?  I have for example notice
>that 2 lightweight under garments some time weight a few Oz less that
>one midweight.  I have read in a couple of Hiking books that using
>lighter weight clothes and using say 4 leyers instead of 3 is lighter
>yet just as warm because of the cusion of air between layers.
>
>Has anyone had any experience with this?  I would appreciate any
>pointers that anyone can provide.  Since I shall be 71 years old when I
>start I need to keep the old body as comforable as possible but with the
>lightest weight that I use.


Layers.  Lots of thin layers.  It's the trapped
air that keeps you warm.

Pound for pound, the best thing for warmth is
full-length synthetic (e.g. polypro) underwear.

Fleece hat and gloves are a must.  And one
of those Goretex "Seattle Sombreros" for rain
-- I think the original was made by Outdoor
Research.

No cotton, except for a t-shirt.  On warm days,
it's next to the skin, else it's over the polypro top.

A loose-fitting long-sleeve wool or acrylic flannel
shirt is useful, in camp also.

So there are my layers:  polypro, cotton tee
and/or flannel, and a lightweight nylon or
Goretex windbreaker over that.  The polypro
is the only layer that's snug to the skin.  The
others are oversized and loose.

Don't forget the gators.


rafe b
aka terrapin


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