[pct-l] Gear review after 100 miles and 14 days on JMT

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

I am interested in why you chose all this Stephenson Vapor barrier stuff to
keep warm yet opted for heavy synthetic bags that were inadaquate based on
your account. A Stephenson 3RS is a very warm tent. I have had no trouble
keeping warm in it with a 20 degree down bag. 

However, if you try to stuff 4 people into a 3RS you will have trouble with
people/water/gear management while it is raining or when you are packing to
go in the morning. With only three people it is relatively easy to isolate
dirty/wet gear/boots/etc at one end and keep dry gear at the other.
[However, my experience is that wet gear is mostly caused by dew. See
below.]

I am also wondering how your bag got wet. Was it a stream crossing? Most
people use down without difficulty in the Sierra. 

Did you calculate your base weight and food weight? It appears that your
load was well beyond the design criteria of the golite packs. 

You hiked the JMT relatively early. Typically, in the July-September
timeframe it rains only in the late afternoon and only when clouds appear in
the sky by 11AM. If you hike very early and camp before 2PM when rain is
possible you will have your camp setup before 3PM and you won't need any
real rain protection because you store all gear in the 3RS. I have only
hiked in the rain a couple of times in the last 15 years using this approach
[On the trail by 7AM-off the trail by 2PM]. Even when you catch a storm it
only seems to last a day or two.

We also find that it is worth it to carry camp and stream crossing shoes.
Currently we use racing flats for this purpose. This keeps our regular
shoes/boots dry. True, it is a pain in early season to cjange shoes every
stream crossing but we have found that blisters are a bigger pain. In fact,
compared to lower elevation trails and wetter years, you should have had
only a couple of serious crossings, in Evolution Valley for example, this
year. [I remember 1998]

-----Original Message-----
From: Hamilton D. Moore [mailto:moore.hd@lvcm.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 10:54 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Cc: Mary Ann Heathfield; Susan Heathfield; Jordan Heathfield; William
Hamilton
Subject: [pct-l] Gear review after 100 miles and 14 days on JMT




Gear review for 4 people for 14 days on the JMT.

Well, nearly 14 days, we spent three days at the wonderful Vermillion Resort
waiting for replacement contacts.

We hiked 100 miles from Red's Meadow to Taboose Pass.  We were lightly or
moderately rained or hailed on for most of three days.

Sleeping and Shelter

Sleep Bags= 4 lb polar guard synthetic.  Too heavy but provided warmth even
when wet.
Tyvek,= wonderful stuff, used some for tarp, could have used more.  Shed
rain when held above head.
Tent= Stephanson warmlite 3 person tent with windows.  Sleeps 4 in pinch
with all gear.  For light rain, would be better off with tarp to place
things under while packing, cooking etc.  for 4 people, should have taken
tarp or more tyvek to be used for tarp.

Clothing

OR hat- floppy, nylon Great lightweight sheds water
OR windstopper fleece balaclavas  nice for sleeping above 10 k

Various long underwear from silk, not so good to synthetic rei and Patagonia
mid to heavy weight.  Nice for cold nights, mid weight good for wearing
under raingear while hiking

Stephanson VB shirts.  Great for sleeping, keeps moisture from getting into
tent and bags.  Exremely warm for weight.  Waterproof, used to replace lost
raincoat as well.

White cotton (shock you doesn't it) long sleeve desert shirts.  Great for
warm weather hiking.  Soaks up sweat, keeps you cool keeps you from getting
sunburned, keeps your "breathable wicking" things from getting soaked with
sweat while you hike.  Wash out each night to keep from stinking.

Marmot Shell.  Excellent

Frog Toggs, light weight keep rain and wind out.  Breathable as goretex,
which is to say, not really.  Worn over VB shirt, patagonis midweight long
undies, nothing, vb shirt and over everything when cold.  Bib bottoms
comfortable, modearately durable, one ripped.  They keep the wind and the
rain out Great, when combined with OR hat  or integral hood.

Stephanson VB socks.  Nice to slip on in bed at night, dry weigh nothing,
keep feet warm while letting air in.  Wear next to skin while wading streams
for warming water quickly, keeps feet in warm water stew.  Wear outside
socks when cool for fording sreams and keeping socks dry.

People wore heavy wool socks except for 14 year old who wore thin white
socks which wore out in heel.

Shoes.  Only person free of blisters had Lowa tempest lows.  Did not dry
well and wet socks after stream crossings.  Heavy, relatively, but worth it
for no blisters.
Two pairs of  Aasics light weight GelNand III Duo Max waterproof from REI
resulted in toe and ball blisters on two overweight hikers, but they were
light, dried fast.  Waterproof portion is only in part of upper and it works
well to keep shoe from getting wet at all.

New Balance 805's did not dry well but resulted in only light blisters on
foot of incredibly fit, football star 14 year old.

Cooking

3 qt titanium non'stick pot.  Non stick coating probably results in delayed
boiling, did not prevent sticking.  Pot is light but bottom does not
distribute heat.  Pot worked better over cookfire than stove.

Stove  msr dragonfly, performed flawlessly, using about 44 oz fuel cooking
for 4 for 7 days sometimes two meals a day.

Campmor mugs= a little too small but they do keep stuff hot.

Cook what you can in Bags, it is so much easier.

Tiny cigarette lighters==In the 30 years since I regularly used strike
anywhere matches they seem to have gotten where they hardly strike.
Moisture in air seemed to keep them from going.  Lighters worked better on
wet days.

Lighting

http://www.ledlite.com/pocketbright.html  Two of 4 pocket brights failed by
developing switch problems, poor record.  One could not be used the other
could be used if housing squeezed constantly.  Not good.  But the things are
so handy, hanging from lanyard around neck, and so light, I say buy two,
just in case.  Hiked 8 miles down steep taboose pass trail, under completely
overcast sky, in intermittent rain and complete dark, sometimes under brush
and tree canopy, and found them wonderful to use.  Also used one 4 led
headlamp.  Lithium batteries are very light making this wonderful tool.
Careful with on-off, could use more positive mechanism.  Batteries lasted
for entire trip and no doubt will be good for three more such trips.

Packs.

4 go lite two with waist belts two without.  Were too small and too
overloaded with our not so lite load.  People without waist belts complained
of no waist belt, 14 yo complained of inadequate waist belt padding, and fat
man found, as with all waist belts, waist belt was useless.  Packs were
durable.  Outside netting on smaller packs not big enough to put much in.

Hydration

4 SafewaterAnyWHere suck on filters.  Must be good sucker and prepared to
endure endless dripping and tongue sore from sucking.  Silt filter requires
cleaning every two to three days.  Basically, require installation of
aftermarket in line valve to end dripping but, very convenient and fast.
Will fill litre jar with dripping, if the sucking tip is removed, in about
20 minutes to provide necessary relief from aggrevation of sucking.

MSR Dromedary Bag==expedited cooking and cleanup, made possible efficient
cooking away from water source.

Gaitor Aid bottles for a real drink of water and one Nalgene for measuring.
Campmor cups also had measures as did three litre pot.

Maps

JMT map pack http://www.tomharrisonmaps.com/order.html without doubt best
choice.  Does not include location of bear boxes or other useful info on
back of maps but has mileage between points usually 3-9 miles apart
including intersections and passes.  80' contour interval, and, well tested,
water proof.

Watch Sunnoto with Altimiter.  With this and the maps and some understanding
of how to use them, nothing else is needed for navigation.

Camera==Olympus C-3040 digital Zoom
http://www.olympusamerica.com/product.asp?product=661 This product works
well even when it gets wet.  Its shape makes it a little difficult to find a
bag for and learning how to change resolution of photos taken on fly takes
some time, but it produces beautiful pictures which can be made to poster
size.

I thank all of you for your discussion which aided us invaluably.

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