The Gear Issue

So, one of the first things that everyone wants to know when they realize you're serious about thru-hiking the AT (after "Are you taking a gun?" and "How long is that going to take?") is what gear you're taking.  Other back-packers want to compare notes, either to find possible improvements for their own set-ups, or to sneer derisively because their pack/sleeping bag/jacket weights three ounces less than yours or their cooking system is incrementally more efficient.  The sneers are quite friendly, more of a "Oh?  You got Brand A?  I went with Brand B after comparing.  With the weight I saved I can carry three more peanuts.  Only cost me $340 more!" kind of thing.  If you're not interested in what I carry, then feel free to skim/skip the rest of this post.

Before I really get started I want to give a shout out to Bill Bentley over at www.pinemtoutfitters.com, a recent addition to the local businesses in my hometown of Whitesburg.  I've spent several hours in there discussing with him both gear and hiking in general, and he's proven himself both knowledgeable and competent (and reasonably priced!).  So if you're ever in east Kentucky, hiking the Pine Mountain Trail or canoeing the Kentucky River, stop by there and he'll hook you up.

So, in my opinion, the most important item is the actual pack you're carrying.  I went with the Granite Gear Blaze AC 60.  I have no idea what AC means, but I assumed the 60 means liters.  I was issued a Granite Gear pack for my last two trips to Afghanistan, and I promised myself I would buy myself one when my playing Army days were through.  Loving it.  I mean, I'm sure there are tons of packs out there that are awesome, but I'm forming a bond with this one that should last longer than most of my previous relationships (before meeting my beautiful wife, of course!).  I got the optional pack lid for it, but you can leave it off if you really want to watch the weight.  I like having it for things like the guidebook, my journal, and my headlamp.  That sort of thing.

The sleeping bag.  This is what will cause the most controversy, I think.  I'm going with my 10+ years old North Face Cat's Meow.  I know, right?  The thing is, once I joined the Army, I only used the issued bags and stored this in it's mesh storage sack, so this thing is more or less brand new (with ten year old technology, granted) and it saved me several hundred bucks.  Sure, there's lighter bags and more compressible bags, but this thing fits and I tried it out the other night in sub 20 degree temperature and I got too hot, so I'm rolling with it.  Scoff if you will.  Sidenote: If you scoff at a scarf, you're scorfing.

The shelter.  I'd say tent, but that's not necessarily a given nowadays.  It is in this case.  Henry Shire's Tarptent.  You can find them over at www.tarptent.com.  I became aware of this guy and his impressive products through some internet research, and he's developing quite a following.  I went with the Double Rainbow, because I'd never seen anything so beautiful.  Actually I went with it because of a couple who were so nuts about it that they dedicated a blog page to it (trektogether.blogspot.com, worth a visit, pretty inspiring people).  I've only tried it out a couple of times, but it's light and easy, both of which appeal to my inherent laziness.

The bed.  Big Agnes Insulated Air Core.  I'm not really fond of inflatable pads (see inherent laziness above), but there's a daggone polar vortex going on, so I figure I better be prepared to keep my tush off the ground.  I've slept on it, it's narrower than I prefer, but it kept me warm and I didn't have challenges falling asleep.  Also, it's light and pretty small, and Big Agnes has a reputation for standing by it's products.

Cooking system.  Jetboil.  Again, inherent laziness.  I have always thought these things were so cool, but this is the first time I've had an actual excuse to buy one.  This is easier to cook with than my stove at my house.  And faster than everything, and more compact than almost anything on the market.  I'd been worried about finding fuel canisters on the trail, but reading a lot of blogs and forums convinced me that they have become common and easy to find in recent years.  I'm using a spoon as my utensil, by the way, which has caused some controversy in my household as my wife bought me a spork for Valentine's day.  Extremely thoughtful gift, actually, but she was pretty upset (i.e. "pissed") when I told her I was gonna exchange it for a spoon.  She'll have several months to get over it.