Warm Enough?

[Nest]

Will you have temps down to the low teens where you live before your hike? Living in MA you are pretty lucky in being able to test this stuff out. We didn't have many cold days, so I had to guess. Starting late March you can still get into the low teens a couple of times like Coffee said.

Plus he's right about the body fat thing, and it sucks. I'm 6 ft and weighed 155 when I started, and was down to 140 when I finished. At one point I was wearing all of my clothes and shivering in 60 degrees sitting in a shelter. Luckily with a NOBO hike you won't see the lows up north that you see in the south. So if you can get into the low teens for the south, you will feel the same amount of coldness when it gets down to 30 degrees near the end of your hike.

[BillyBob58]

Plus he's right about the body fat thing, and it sucks. I'm 6 ft and weighed 155 when I started, and was down to 140 when I finished. At one point I was wearing all of my clothes and shivering in 60 degrees sitting in a shelter..

Wow, that change would be hard to plan for. Basically, you would just have to take far more insulation than your testing had indicated was adequate. On a 30 day NOLS course 23 years ago, I lost 22 lbs. in the 30 days. Started at 194 and came out at 172. Oddly, I don't remember suffering more with the cold at the end than I did at the beginning. Maybe I still had enough body fat because I had a lot to start with. But we also more or less force fed fat. I remember we would add butter to our hot chocolate. And we ate a ton of cheese and nuts. That may have helped. Or, it may be I just can't remember suffering more with the cold at the end of the course, even though I did.

[Nest]

Wow, that change would be hard to plan for. Basically, you would just have to take far more insulation than your testing had indicated was adequate. On a 30 day NOLS course 23 years ago, I lost 22 lbs. in the 30 days. Started at 194 and came out at 172. Oddly, I don't remember suffering more with the cold at the end than I did at the beginning. Maybe I still had enough body fat because I had a lot to start with. But we also more or less force fed fat. I remember we would add butter to our hot chocolate. And we ate a ton of cheese and nuts. That may have helped. Or, it may be I just can't remember suffering more with the cold at the end of the course, even though I did.

It actually balances out for a NOBO. Coffee had it hard because he started in warmer weather and hiked into the winter. We started in the winter and hiked into the northern fall. So the gear that got me down to 0 degrees in the south with what body fat I had was just enough to keep me warm in the north without my body fat. So you just need all of your winter gear you started with to finish the trail. I didn't need all of it because I started March 1st, and saw well below the teens. If you are equiped to get down to the teens then that gear will be just perfect for the fall up north.

Another reason the cold was harder on us than you remember with your course is we weren't aclimated to the cold yet. We went from 90 degree days in the mid-atlantic states to low 40's and high 30's up north. As the weather got colder with the coming fall we were hiking north and speeding up the temperature drop process.

[bear bag hanger]

Regarding loss of fat reserves on the AT during a thru hike. My experience was apparently a little different. I started out at about 180 and finished at about 150. I was cold during March & April. I sent back my winter stuff arount the end of May and used my summer setup the rest of the way to Sept 11th, when I summitted. While the temperatures got down into the 20s some nights in Maine, I never felt that cold. I assumed it was because I was more use to the cold, having gotten to it more grandually than I had at the beginning of the hike.

[toddkmiller]

Wow. Thru hiking the AT would be like a dream come true but I'll have to wait for retirement and the kids to leave. (Check out the AT article in this month's Backpacker Magazine)

I have posted this in other forums and I think it is met with some skepticism but I assure you it's true and accurate.

Last February, myself and 2 other scout leaders spent a cozy night in -25 C (-13 F) weather with the following:
- HH Expedition Asym
- Hennessey SS with additional space blanket
- Double Down Bags (Cdn Military model)
- Polypro tops and bottoms with wool socks

We had no Over Cover and all 3 of us were toasty trhoughout the night.

[Coffee]

It actually balances out for a NOBO. Coffee had it hard because he started in warmer weather and hiked into the winter. We started in the winter and hiked into the northern fall. So the gear that got me down to 0 degrees in the south with what body fat I had was just enough to keep me warm in the north without my body fat. So you just need all of your winter gear you started with to finish the trail. I didn't need all of it because I started March 1st, and saw well below the teens. If you are equiped to get down to the teens then that gear will be just perfect for the fall up north.

Another reason the cold was harder on us than you remember with your course is we weren't aclimated to the cold yet. We went from 90 degree days in the mid-atlantic states to low 40's and high 30's up north. As the weather got colder with the coming fall we were hiking north and speeding up the temperature drop process.

Yeah I remember some cold nights in the shelters. Sleeping in my 20 degree bag with my 0 deg quilt inside it overtop me. A few other times where if I wasn't walking or in my sleeping bag I was cold.

I lucked out with some warm weather late in the year last year. Definitly not the norm.

The best advice is just to go with it. You can always add more later. Don't be afraid to hit up department stores, thift shops, or anything to add warm layers when needed. Well worth the weight. Another reason I prefer a pack that is bigger than what I need. Leaves more options later.

[whitefoot_hp]

Another reason I prefer a pack that is bigger than what I need. Leaves more options later.

yep, there is always room for more food, more clothes, etc. not leaving you all limited and committed.

these were the final factors that led me to choose my nimbus ozone pack over my ULA conduit for my upcoming thru. i may switch to the conduit if need be.

[Nest]

yep, there is always room for more food, more clothes, etc. not leaving you all limited and committed.

these were the final factors that led me to choose my nimbus ozone pack over my ULA conduit for my upcoming thru. i may switch to the conduit if need be.

Switch to the smaller pack when you lighten your load and lose a lot of gear from sending winter stuff home. That's what I did. Carried a 3900 ci external frame with my hammock, underquilt, and tarp attached to the outside. Then in the summer I went with a nimbus ozone. The external allowed me to carry any food I wanted. Including coconuts, entire birthday cakes, and even a whole watermelon.