[pct-l] My Gear List - Need Some Experienced Thoughts

[Jason Moores]

John,

My pack weight this year will likely be around the 7 pound mark. I still
have a few gear decisions to make before I can nail down the number. Last
year I hiked with an 8 pound weight, which was down 4 pounds from '09. If it
was up to me I'd:

Leave the seal skin socks, the potty trowel, switch out your pad, leave the
extra boxers = 18.75oz

If money was not an obstacle I'd:

Return the Go-lite quilt and pick up a Western Mountaineering Hi-lite (35
deg. 16oz-17 for long) or Summerlite (32 deg. 19oz)
Switch out your down jacket for the Western Mountaineering Flash Jacket
(9oz) it only saves 2oz. but is much warmer.
Pick up a Mountain Laurel Designs CF Mini Solo Tarp (3.8 oz) and add a bug
net when you reach Kennedy Meadows (6-9 oz. depending on style)
Weight benefit = 26.9oz (32.9 oz until KM)

Total weight benefit = 45.65 (51.65 KM)

Consider hitting the trail stove-less, you can always make or ship yourself
a stove if it's not for you. If you only plan on cooking dinner...what's one
more cold meal. I'm done eating and resting in my bag before other hikers
have their water boiling. But then, I'm lazy about cookin and hate doin the
dishes.

Much depends on your comfort level and hiking speed. If you can maintain
25-30 miles a day, a frame-less pack could work for you. The big obstacle is
food and water weight. Slower progress increases your weight and can easily
push the limits of a frame-less pack. Water's heavy, and even with several
resupplies in the Seirra, your food and canister weight will be
uncomfortable. That's likely to be the case even with a 24 oz pack. At least
that was the case for me with a 21oz GG pack.

I hesitate to make suggestions on reaching sub 5 pounds especially if your
dropping from +18 pounds. I believe that it takes a good deal of experience
and a willingness to suffer to get down to the 5 pound range. You really
have to be willing to do without and may find yourself having to get into
your sleeping bag more often than you like. Speaking of which, depending on
your start date you may find a 32 deg. bag insufficient in So.Cal. and the
Sierra. The coldest nights that I've spent on the trail have been those in
the first week from the border, but I started mid April both years. It all
depends on the year and when you start.

Jackass

p.s.-bring the camera




On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 6:29 AM, John Abela
<pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hey Everybody,
>
> I wanted to bump my post from back on January 10th that I posted because I
> have put a lot of work and thought and such into getting my gear listed
> updated and was hoping I could get some further feedback from the PCT
> alumni
> out there.
>
> When I first posted I was at 18 pounds.
>
> I have worked my gear down to 8.9 pounds right now.
>
> I am really considering switching a few things up that would take me down
> to
> 7.1 pounds (though I would have to spend $650 in order to do it - which I
> could nearly make up after selling existing gear)
>
>
> https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0As-hvbUBJ_X_dHJXU3ZDb2VlOElUczlWS3JaUmNtNGc&hl=en&authkey=CLCE2LAO
>
> I would just really like to get the thoughts of those of you out there who
> have done the PCT before and let me know your thoughts on my "present
> setup"
> and how you think it would work out.
>
> And if you would like to share your thoughts on the "potential setup" I
> would love to know your thoughts on that too of course!
>
> Obviously not 'everything' is in my list... a few little things still not
> in
> there... but I think I have just about everything vital is.
>
>
> Again, thank you to all the people out there who have helped me over the
> last three months!!!
>
> John Abela
> Redwood Guy
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