Packing for the Appalachian Trail is an exercise in minimalism. I’ve found in my research, that there is no set answer for everyone — each person has to figure it out for themselves.
There are several styles on the trail. Many hikers like to hike from trail shelter to trail shelter, only doing about 8-10 miles a day and spending a lot of time hanging out and camping. These hikers often like to plan for every eventuality, and bring a lot of “comfort” items along. Things you might see at a sport outfitter’s designed to make your camping experience more comfortable.
At the other extreme, there is the “ultralight” camp. These hikers are hoping to complete the hike as quickly as possible, and spend all the time and effort they can figuring out how to shed a few more ounces of weight and eliminate anything not absolutely necessary. Of course, if you follow this style, you’ll have to be a bit more experienced and have to deal with a few inconveniences.
Most hikers fall in between these two extremes, and that’s where I find myself. As not the biggest or strongest of girls, I’m leaning towards the ultralight camp. How can I carry as light gear as possible without sacrificing safety and quality?
The first step to decreasing your pack weight is obviously to decrease the number of items you are carrying. Choose wisely. Decreasing the weight of individual items comes later.
Here is my own preliminary gear list:
Clothing:
• Short sleeve, synthetic, breathable shirt. Synthetic is important for its “wicking” properties — cotton is a bad idea on long distance hikes. Think something along the lines of athletic wear.
• Nylon shorts. Again, I’m looking for lightweight and good for summer weather.
• Rain jacket. Summer is rainy season on the trail, and we’ll be getting plenty wet!
• Maybe rain pants. Haven’t decided yet if these are necessary.
• Socks, at least 3 wool pairs. Again, here, something other than cotton is a must — Life is too short to wear cotton socks on the trail. Choose a good wool or wool-blend sock for optimal comfort.
• Ankle-high trail boots.
• A long sleeve, synthetic shirt for camp-wear and sleeping.
• Camp shorts.
• Camp shoes — something lightweight. Many hikers swear by Crocs, but I can’t abide by them. Light flip-flops or sandals, maybe.
Sleeping and Shelter:
• 2 person tent or tarp/tent. Something that’s lightweight but will still keeps the bugs and rain out.
• A 40-degree F rated sleeping bag, with stuff-sack. It’ll be summer, so I can afford to get a lighter sleeping bag than in colder weather.
• Lightweight sleeping pad, three-quarter-length (luckily, I’m a short girl).
Cooking and Water System:
• Lightweight stove. More on this soon.
• Lightweight cooking pot. Hopefully the budget lets us afford titanium!
• Lightweight fork.
• Lighter
• Stuff-sack to be used as a food bag
• 50′ cord to hang food up when bears are around
• At least 4 1-liter bottles, or a more high-tech method like a hydration bladder.
• Chlorine dioxide drops, for water purification.
First aid and Random:
• Antibiotic lotion
• Blister treatment
• Bandages
• Painkillers!
• Pocket knife
• 2 bandanas or 1 bandana, 1 pack-towel
• 1 partial roll toilet paper
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Appalachian Trail Guide
• Flashlight
• Small roll of duct tape — it fixes everything!
• Emergency fire-starter pack
• Pack liner – Trash compactor bag. Cheap and lightweight!
• Another stuff-sack. These are great for organization and keeping your stuff compact and easy to pack.
Well, that’s it. Other than food, that’s the bare necessities of what we’ll be living off for 3-months, other than when we venture into town to restock. Anything else is optional. The one thing not on the list that I’m sure we’ll be bringing is a camera.
Of course, now there’s the problem of choosing individual gear. The issues include weight, price, and quality, among other things…but more on that later. Stay tuned!
