I will welcome comments on my gear list for my section hike this summer through the Smokies.Everything on the list is needed for me to be comfortable on the trail but I welcome suggestions for lighter alternatives.This is as light as I have gotten it just under 18 lbs but still need to add navigation items of SPOT,map, guide pages and cell phone + my book to read and Advil etc pills

Gear List

Big 3 – total wt. = 6lbs 5 oz

Golite quest 46oz
N. Face Beeline down bag 22.6 oz
TT Contrail/7 pegs/tyvek footprint/bag 30.5 oz
Sleep – total wt = 1 lb 1.2 oz
Sm. Zrest pad 10 oz
Sm Thermarest pillow 7.2 oz

Kitchen – total wt. = 1 lbs 8 oz

Snowpeak Giga power stove /case 3.9 oz
8 oz msr fuel 12.6 oz
Lighter .6 oz
Cozy 1.4 oz
Spork .4 oz
2 plastic cups 1.4 oz
Bowl .6 oz
Campsuds/sm scrubbie 1.6oz
Small plastic placemat 1 oz

Hydration – total wt.=9.6 oz

2 liter platypus and hose 2.8oz
1.5 liter collapsible nalgene widemouth 2.2 oz
Steripen/case/batteries 4.4oz
3”x4” piece of pack towel for drying pen .2 oz


Misc – total wt = 1lb 14.6 oz

7x9 sil tarp/peg/bag 18 oz
Bear line/rock bag 4.4
Sea to summit collapsible bucket 4.0 oz
Knife 1.5 oz
Sm. Microfiber towel 1.2 oz
Petzel headlamp 2.7 oz
Pack cover 3.8oz

Personal care – total wt = 1 lb 6 oz

First aid kit 2.7 oz
Sunscreen 1.9 oz
Toothbrush/paste 1.3 oz
Brush 1 oz
Hydropel .9oz
Moisturizer 1.1oz
Body wash sheets .5 oz
Repel 1.0oz
Toilet paper/12 panty liners 2.5oz
Wet wipes 3.2oz
Stuff sack .3 oz
2 Zip lock bags .4

Clothing – total wt. = 4 lb 7 oz

1 pr shorts 6.2 oz
1 quick dry shirt 5.2 oz
1 pr undies 1.3 oz
1 sports bra 2.9oz
3 pr sock liners 3.3oz
3 pr smartwool socks 9.0oz
Base layer shirt 6.1 oz
Pull over insulating layer 7 oz
Packlite gortex rain shell 9.9oz
Gortex pants 7.0oz
Buff 1.3 oz
1 pr Tevas 5.1 oz
Sleep clothes 6 oz
Storage bag 1.2 oz

“just in case” – total wt= 6.7 oz
Repair kit – 6 zip ties, 3 strap clips
Emergency silver blanket
Extra ziplock bags
AquaMir tables

Thanks in advance

Edited by rrouyer on 05/12/2010 22:28:07 MDT.

- Do you need a 3LB, 72L pack? There are smaller and lighter packs out there.

-Nix the pillow. Put your clothes in an empty stuff sack at night. Save 7.2oz

-Look into an alcohol stove and save 2.9oz
-Use a mini-bic lighter and save 0.2oz
-Do you need two cups and one bowl? Look at nixing one.
-I don't see a cooking pot, what are you planning to boil water in etc?
-Repackage the Campsuds and save .5oz

-Nix the scrubbie, pack towel and microfiber towel and pick up a bandana and save 1.5oz.

-Nix the placemat. Save 1oz.

-You have 13.5L of water capacity. Nix the bucket and the platypus. Just use the widemouth Nalgene with a Gatorade bottle and save 6oz.

-Why do you have a 7x9 tarp? Nix this or the Contrail. No need for both. Save 18oz+

-Bear line and rock bag at 4.4oz seems like a lot. What are you using?

-Knife, use a razor blade and save 1oz.

-Nix the pack cover and use a Hefty Trash Compactor bag as a pack liner and save 1oz.
-There are lighter headlamps. Save 1.7oz

-You could probably knock an ounce out of your FAK.
-Repackage sunscreen and save 0.9oz.
-Body wash sheets and wet wipes? Nix one.

-Nix the 3 sock liners-- really needed for the summer. Save 3.3oz

-Nix two pair of smart wool. Save 6oz.

-Do you need a dry shirt and a baselayer top? Nix one.
-Nix the storage bag, just stuff them directly into the liner.

-Do you hike in the Teva's or are they camp shoes?
-Nix the silver blanket.

My Big 3 are 6.5 lbs so i'll keep the pack. There are others out there but I tried some out and didn't like the lack of padding in the shoulder straps.Also trying not to spend anymore money than I have to.

Can repackage the sunscreen the campsuds are already in a small medicine bottle.

OOps...forgot to list the pot, a snow peak ti pot

Yeah I could do with out one cup but I like one for measuring out water but I could mark the pot...
Need the bowl and 1 cup ....like to drink my tea with my soup in the evenings.

Right...wet wipe and body wash sheets are overkill.Toss the wash sheets and keep the wipes. Or toss them both and use the camp suds.

Already thought about leaving the pack cover and using a pack liner since I already have some.

The teva are camp shoes the lightest I have. Even lighter than my 2.00 walmart flip flops.

As for the tarp...Not giving it up :) Don't like cooking or hanging out in the rain in camp and won't prepare or eat in my tent. Also like the idea of having shelter for us on the trail in case of a really heavy rain storm like last year. Call it my luxury item.

As for the water...what does a quart size gatorade bottle weigh?
Do they still sell single edge razors???

Could possible leave one of the insulation layers at home. I do have the gortex jacket. Last summer I got cold with only a silk baselayer when my non gortex jacket was wet.

Will think about the socks. Liners will dry out quickly so I can do with one to wear one to pack. I do want to be sure I can put dry socks on each morning so I may keep the 3 smartwool socks but I could drop down to one to wear, one to pack and one to dry.

Good suggestions. Thanks.

Drop the Contrail – You MUST stay in the shelters in the Smokies on the AT.

Drop the pillow – use stuff sack with raingear/clothes

Use 4oz canister or alcohol instead of the 8oz canister – should be more than enough for the smokies

Drop the plastic cups and bowl, just eat, drink out of your cookpot.

Drop the placemat

Drop the 1.5l nalgene- 2 liters of water in the Smokies is more than enough

Drop the tarp – 1. you must stay in shelters, 2. you already have a contrail why would you take both anyways?

Drop the bear line – all the shelters have bear cables

Drop the bucket – not worth ¼ of a pound

Drop the pack towel – you are already carrying a 3”x4” piece

Drop the sunscreen – they don’t call it the long green tunnel for nothing. You shouldn’t need sunscreen as it is all under dense tree cover and often rain/clouds/fog as well.

You don’t need all those extra shirts you have 3. I would wear one and take a dry one to sleep in, that’s it.

Drop the Tevas

Drop the silver blanket and cut down on the repair kit, ziplock bags and aquamira tablets.

I took some of ya'lls suggestion and I have lighted my load by 2 more lbs. down to 16. I am expecting to be at 25 with 6 days of food and carrying 1.5L of water at a time. I am going to check the weather forcast for the first night out as that will not be in the smokies and if it is fair then I will not bring the tent and just use the tarp.Thanks for the input.

With these figures it works out that you are only carrying 1LB of food per day-- this appears to be a little on the light side.

You are right! I did some sample pack of food and they average more like 1.8 to 1.5 lb per bag x6. Just have to eat my way to lightweight!