“You should post pictures of your gear, people love that” -Eric Bastoul (paraphrased)
This is both not my full set of gear and also more than I will actually be carrying. This does not include first aid, clothes, food or toiletries. This (plus the aforementioned missing items) will also be split up with my mom, who has the same pack, different color. I won’t be able to specify my base weight until we actually divide everything up and pack the packs.
- Pack
Osprey Aura 65 with rain cover
Pictured to the left are my pack, overfilled, and my mom’s. Hers is the same pack just a different color and it shows the fit of the rain cover. This was part of a deal that REI was having at the time so the cover was free, I’m not sure what the pricing is like now. The pack is very comfortable with “anti-gravity” technology (which is not a real thing but it’s well ventilated). Big pro is that if you take the brain off it fits in an overhead bin so it can be a carry-on. Big con is that you can’t reach the side pockets for your water bottle without taking it off. I will be correcting this problem with my new water system (#5)
4 lb 4 oz
2. Tent
I actually can’t find the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3 online so I’ve linked the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 3 which appears to be the updated version of my tent. Even though I’ve never gone backpacking with 3 people, the 3 person is a great size. It gives my mom and I ample space, and is the smallest tent available that a 6’4’’ person can actually fit in.
Stakes: 5.4 oz Footprint: 7 oz Tent and Rainfly: 2 lb 4 oz Poles: 15 oz
Total: 4 lb
3. Sleeping
Kelty Cosmic Down 32, Therm-a-Rest ProLite
This is what I’m going with for now, I’ll also bring my 45⁰ bag up to Vermont and then If I want to switch halfway I can. The second half of the trail doesn’t overlap with the AT at all so there should never be any issues getting space in a shelter and the sleeping bag that I used in a tent in Alaska at the same time of year may be overkill. The short sleeping pad works well for because my entire torso fits on it, and usually I actually sleep in the fetal position so I curl up and fit completely on it. To store the sleeping bag I use the 11L compression bag from REI, conveniently a matching color.
Sleeping Pad: 14.7 oz Sleeping Bag: 2 lb 11.4 oz
4. Cooking
I have serious misgivings about JetBoil stoves. I like to have the flexibility of properly cooking if I want to, and the whisperlite is so light and easy to clean. Every time I’ve asked someone with a JetBoil how they like it the response has inevitably been “I mean it breaks a lot but I like it” which isn’t the ringing endorsement I was looking for. The one downside is unless you have someone meeting you for resupplies it’s really hard to resupply your fuel on long trips without waste. Fortunately the WhisperLite Universal just came out so I’ll probably wait until it’s not a hot new commodity or until there’s a sale and upgrade for maybe a little lass cashmoney. For my actual dish I’ll use tupperware, but I haven’t gotten takeout in a while. When I do I’ll save it for the trail.
Stove System: 1 lb Pot: 5.2 oz Empty Fuel Bottle: 5.7 oz Mug/Spork: 2.2 oz
5. Water
Sawyer Mini, Camelback tube, Camelback nozzle, SmartWater bottle
I tested this out in Zion over spring break (here) and I like the inline filtration, I can get enough water. It’s probably actually good for me to have a system that slows my water intake a little bit because I seem to drink at least 200% more water than my mother does on a daily basis. This system should make it easier to refill my water than when I had an MSR bladder in the main body of my pack, and easier than Nalgenes where I had to to take off my pack to get to the actual water. Easy refill, easy drinking. We’ll also bring Aquamira as a backup.
Water System: 4.6 oz Aquamira: 1 oz
6. Map
Waterproof, green Mountain Club Vermont Long Trail Map. I may scan this and print it out page by page so I can bring a bit at a time and also write on it.
3.2 oz
7. Trekking Poles
Bought cheap at the REI Garage sale, which is why one handle is blue. I had to make a new one out of webbing.
10.6 oz
8. Compass
Just in case. 2.4 oz
9. Paracord
My mom has the bear hang system, this paracord is really for emergencies and for tying the solar panel to the top of my pack. 1.4 oz
10.Headlamp 3.3 oz 11. Sunglasses 1.3 oz
12. Solar Panel
This has a USB port and in full sun charges at about the same speed as an outlet. 5.2 oz
13. Pocket Knife
Mostly for blocks of cheese honestly, not cool things like whittling or fighting off very tiny bears. 1.8 oz
14. Hand Sanitizer
For after the business. 2.3 oz
15. Trowel
For the business. This is a placeholder trowel, my mom has the “Deuce of Spades” which is what we’ll be using on the trail. 3 oz
16. Spare Batteries
For the headlamp, it’s lighter to carry a few spare batteries than a charger for AAA’s that I can hook up to the solar panel. 1.8 oz
onehappycamper 