[pct-l] Suggestion for a "to bring" list

[bmclaughlin at bigplanet.com (Brian McLaughlin)]

First, good luck and I envy you.

Next, each and every item in your your "to bring list" will represent a
trade-off between
weight, functionality and cost. (In the best of all possible worlds, cost
will not be a factor and
you can afford the best of everything - but we all know that isn't the way
the world usually works.)

For example, you will need a light source. Undoubtedly it will be an LED of
some sort. But
exactly how powerful it is, what the battery life is, what kind of batteries
it takes, and what you
can afford after you've bought other items of gear are all up for grabs. A
similar set of trade-offs
will need to be considered for every item on your list - and probably
considered over and over
again.

So, I guess my advice is simple enough: never take anyone's list for gospel.
Never believe you
MUST eat corn pasta, or wear sandals, or take trekking poles, or whatever it
is that another
hiker decided was the only true and righteous gear decision. It can't be
stressed often enough
to HYOH (hike your own hike). There are thousands of ways to get from here
to there. Choose
yours.

As for going lightweight - yes. As an over-arching rule, take the lightest
set of gear you can
get away with and still be safe. When you need to hike 25 miles a day,
you'll resent every
last ounce of deadweight and you'll ruthlessly strip it out of your pack.
But remember that
you can only do your best to begin with and you can make some mid-course
corrections.
Experience is a great teacher.

If you can spare the time, read trail journals, not just gear lists, as
these will add to your
store of wisdom about what conditions you might meet and ways others used to
cope
with them - including how they improvised their gear to fit the emergent
need. Or vice versa
- how 'for want of a nail' the thru-hike was lost.

Again, good luck!

----- Original Message -----

> Does anyone know where to find a "to bring" list?  I am figuring out what
stuff I'll need for next year
> (to do a thru-hike) and I am looking for suggestions of stuff to bring
(ie: no underwear vs. two paris,
> down vs. synthetic bag, etc)  I heard traveling light is the way to go
(and i've read that this too is open
>  for debate) but what kinds of stuff should I start looking for?  Where
can I find a good list of these
> items?  Any personal recomendations or lists that you use?