[pct-l] a few questions

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Jan 26, 2009, at 8:04 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> My friends and I got together to plan our thruhike and I had
> a few questions for the thruhikers out there:
>
> What would you say was the average weight of your pack during your  
> thruhike? (Total, not base weight)
30lbs-40lbs. Lots of water to carry. And food.
>
> One of my friends is planning on taking a pistol on the thruhike,  
> thoughts?
Don't.
Seriously, if your friend is planning to take it, he probably does  
not have the mental qualities to make it past Warner Springs. I don't  
mean intelligence, I mean the psychology that it takes to do this  
kind of hike. It's not a you-against-nature thing. It's a quiet walk  
in the forest and a mental exercise with yourself. If anything, he'll  
shoot himself because the biggest enemy you have out there is you.
>
> Gaiters and bug head net, recommended? Did you use them in any  
> particular section?
Use Dirty girl gaiters if you use them at all. I tried to use the  
snow kind the day I attempted to walk through fresh snow. The only  
place I got wet was inside the gaiters.
>
> What was your first aid items that you consider essential and why?
Essential, as in actually used and actually worked:
- gauze and athletic tape instead of moleskin and bandaids
- needle and thread for blister popping and fixing things. Fixing my  
shoes was essential.
- neosporin
- ibuprofen
- anti-monkeybutt powder
I carried more than this, but this is what I actually used
>
> Water.. what is your water carrying method? platypus? camelback?  
> bottles?
I used a camelback and carried an extra 2 quart bottle (cranberry  
juice bottle from the store). I also carried a smaller bottle so I  
could make some crystal light hydration lemonade.