[pct-l] Exhaustive Gear List & Opinions

[paul at qtm.net (Paul Schilke)]

Nocona, For some reason I'm commenting on your gear list.


>Rain jacket - get a good one; best to get single-layer Gortex; expect to
spend $200; seems unimportant until it is all that stands behind you and 4
days of hiking in cold rain; they DO >work to an extent (rain pants are
useless; don't bother)

After 2 weeks of hiking in scattered thundershows in the U.P. (Upper
Peninsual MI), I believe that rain pants work, to an extent.  Must be used
with shorts the same way I've never been real succesful with anything more
than a tee-shirt with the rain coat. (my internal jury still has one thing
left to test) I like the Red Ledge stuff, high value at $50 a piece for coat
and pants.

Red Ledge also has convertible rain pants.  The zippers on the legs does
leak but it's like a pack cover... it keeps most of the rain off you.

>Camp shoes* - I use the lightest Tevas available. Some hikers take Walmart
flip flops (cheap and light), but you'll need them for fording rivers in the
High Sierra; may opt out of them completely in the desert, but they are good
to have as a backup to your main shoes and to let >your feet air out in
camp.

I totally agree, had tevas on the AT and loved em, tried going w/o without
them on the NCT through the U.P. (400 + miles in September).  Tried to
achieve lighter weoght.  What tevas are the lightest weight?

>Sleeping pad - full-length Z-Rest, REI/Campmor, $30

did your last the whole way? w/o falling apart.

>BETTER) options are a homemade alcohol stove or a fail-proof Esbit stove
from Campmor >(have to order the fuel tabs and put them in bump box; need
one tab per meal).

Brasslite alcohol stove, check backpackgeartest.org for review.

>Pocket knife - get the Swiss Army Ambassador through REI or Campmor - tiny,
cheap, all you ever need (you have to have those itty bitty scissors to cut
moleskin and trim nails)

There are many times I wished for a can opener on this past NCT hike

>Duct tape - wrap about 3 feet of it around one hiking pole in contained
band to be used as needed on the hike (or fold it up neatly into a small
square wrapped upon itself in your first aid kit); you will use this for
EVERYTHING from blister protection to rips in your tent to broken >pack
straps

I've found that unwrapping and rewrapping reduces tackiness, I believe but
haven't fully proven that Johnsen and Johnsen Waterproof medical tape is
good small sized replacement for duct tape.  Also I've seen mini rolls of
duct tape for sale at hiking shops.

>Compass - I have a small key ring sized one by Suunto with a tiny
thermometer $8 REI; every once in awhile, this little guy will save you from
getting "lost" on a side trail that's >headed off the wrong direction at an
unmarked junction

you really got by with a key chain compas on the PCT, that's cool.  I
carried the whistle compass from campmor on the AT and was disapointed with
a couple of times, how did the thermometer work for you?

Well hope my comments were not offensive.

Thanks,

Paul Schilke 
www.geocities.com/dsmith49111

Much like life, solitaire is easiest to play when the cards are taken one at
a time.