going on a thru on the A.T any help with my packing list would be great

[bear bag hanger]

Too many clothes. Five tee shirts and several pairs of wind pants? Wear a tee shirt and maybe have one long sleeve tee shirt. Wear the zip off pants (I assume that's your plan) and pick either rain pants or wind pants, no more than that. You don't need extra underwear, carry a pair of swim shorts for when you're doing laundry. If you could add a head hole to one of your diy quilts, like JacksRBetter no-sniveller quilts, that would handle those cold mornings early in the hike.

[balloonatic]

Too many clothes. Five tee shirts and several pairs of wind pants? Wear a tee shirt and maybe have one long sleeve tee shirt. Wear the zip off pants (I assume that's your plan) and pick either rain pants or wind pants, no more than that. You don't need extra underwear, carry a pair of swim shorts for when you're doing laundry. If you could add a head hole to one of your diy quilts, like JacksRBetter no-sniveller quilts, that would handle those cold mornings early in the hike.

thanks for all the comments so far i have narrowed down the shirts and some other things. i think how i made the list was a little confusing for example the wind/rain pants are one iteam sorry for the confusion. I did for get to put on mydiy top quilt that i did have a velcro hole so i could wear it in the morring and night time.
thanks agian balloonatic

[vesteroid]

I strongly second dumping the 3 litre camelback...way to heavy but more than that it limits you in use.

I havent hiked the at so I dont know the water, but do you really need to carry 4 liters at a time?

I have found a 2 litre platty and a 1 litre bottle work well for me and is under the weight of you camelback by itself.

As someone said earlier bottles like gatoraid or just regular water bottles are the lightest, but I found I drink more often if I have a bladder.

I woudl also ditch the rain wind pants and get a ula rain skirt or a zpack rain skirt...depending on what pants you have you can save 10 oz there.

As many other have said you have way to many shirts...I use one silk weight, one long sleeve shirt (railriders eco mesh) and one puffy with a combo wind rain jacket as my entire top system. I can sleep to hike in any temp down to 25 or so.

I would also just take the one pair of hiking pants and I dont use zip off but do take a extremely light weight pair of running shorts.

also look for some ex officio underware...best thing I have found..two pairs max, or just wash them out and wear your running shorts...they dry in a few minutes if its warm and about 15 if its cold.

agree with the bandana vs camp towel, and I would leave the trowel at home, use a stick. or a tent stake...no need for a 3-5 oz trowel.

[ShadowAlpha]

+1 no need for trowel and for some no need for underwear

[Cannibal]

i have not been able to try them outside yet one it is too cold for my gear but also i have no trees in my yard to hang from.

This is telling and should be of concern to you. You will have cold nights...trust me! You need to know how to adjust for it. Clothing is a common indulgence on the Trail, especially for early March starters. Good to see you've scaled it back. I do have a comment about using your JRB quilt as a poncho; great around camp, not so much for breaks. You will be taking some time to catch your breath, eat a snack, pray for an ice cream truck, etc. During those stops (early on) you'll be covered with a sheen of sweat and the breeze will chill you quickly when you stop moving. Digging your quilt out of the pack and putting it on for 15-20 will be a PITA. I had the same thoughts, but threw in a fleece pullover (was my pillow at night) at the last minute; smartest thing I did pre-hike besides the hammock. Even into May, you'll be in places that are at least 'cool'. Best to be able to deal with it quickly and easily, even if it costs you a few ounces. Take the earlier suggestion of replacing the 'dew rag' and camp towel with a bandanna. Not as cool, but very effective and light. Affreeman nailed it with the cold weather gear; never before June 1st.

Don't sweat this stuff too much right now. You will, very quickly, realize what you do and don't need. I left Springer with about 42lbs (total). By the time I hit Franklin, I had already dropped about 7 pounds. Post-hike, my pack is rarely over 24lbs (total) on hikes. Keep warm, healthy, and injury free. Everything else is just bragging rights.

Speaking of bragging rights; balloons are your thing, huh? I imagine you'll be leaving some fun stuff in the shelters. Good on you. Fun is the most important thing about an AT Thru. Your sense of humor will pull you up the worst mountains. Heck, it might even allow you to enter NC without cursing the birth of the Trail Maintainers that don't believe in switchbacks.

and for some no need for underwear

I dunno. One case of Monkey Butt is all it took to convince me that undies (good wicking ones) are a necessity in my pack on a LDH.

[affreeman]

I strongly second dumping the 3 litre camelback...way to heavy but more than that it limits you in use.

I havent hiked the at so I dont know the water, but do you really need to carry 4 liters at a time?

I have found a 2 litre platty and a 1 litre bottle work well for me and is under the weight of you camelback by itself.

As someone said earlier bottles like gatoraid or just regular water bottles are the lightest, but I found I drink more often if I have a bladder.

I woudl also ditch the rain wind pants and get a ula rain skirt or a zpack rain skirt...depending on what pants you have you can save 10 oz there.

As many other have said you have way to many shirts...I use one silk weight, one long sleeve shirt (railriders eco mesh) and one puffy with a combo wind rain jacket as my entire top system. I can sleep to hike in any temp down to 25 or so.

I would also just take the one pair of hiking pants and I dont use zip off but do take a extremely light weight pair of running shorts.

also look for some ex officio underware...best thing I have found..two pairs max, or just wash them out and wear your running shorts...they dry in a few minutes if its warm and about 15 if its cold.

agree with the bandana vs camp towel, and I would leave the trowel at home, use a stick. or a tent stake...no need for a 3-5 oz trowel.

I thru'ed the AT in '09. For water I had a 1 liter platy soft-sided canteen with a hoser attachment. I put that in one side pocket with the hose run up along the shoulder strap so I could drink while walking. In the other side pocket I kept a 32 oz Gatorade bottle. These bottles are surprisingly tough. I probably replaced it 3 or 4 times for the whole 6 month hike. I also had a 2 liter (actually 2.5) platy soft canteen which I carried empty and rolled up while hiking, but filled once in camp for the evening so I wouldn't have t make multiple trips to the water source. By filling al 4.5 liters when I got to camp, I usually had enough water for dinner and breakfast, and to start off in the morning with close to 2 full liters.

As for rain gear, I gave up on rain pants years ago, finding them insufferably hot to hike in. By the time it is cool enough to wear them, it isn't rain anymore, it's snow and you don't need rain pants. I used a silnylon rain wrap, which is wonderfully light and compact, and kept me dry to below the knees.

I used a pair of zip-off pants so I could hike in shorts all day and zip the legs on in the evening for warmth. I hiked in the same synthetic T-shirt everyday. I had long sleeve polypro (or whatever) long johns for camp and sleeping. Once summer hit I used a pair of running shorts to hike in, and slept in a very lightweight set of silk long johns.

I washed out my clothes pretty much every evening, alternating shorts one day and shirt the next. Put a dab of Dr Bronner's in a one gallon zip-loc bag, add some water and the clothing item, zip closed, and agitate. Change the water once to rinse. The clothes never dried completely overnight, but they dry very quickly from body heat once you put them on in the morning, and it helps avoid "hiker funk."

I carried 3 pair of socks. One pair is just for sleeping in, so don't wear them while hiking and they'll stay clean. The other 2 pair alternated, so I could wash one pair each night and allow them to dry hanging on my pack the next day, assuming the weather cooperated.

I carried 3 bandannas, which is probably more than most. One for wiping my dishes, one for washing my body, and one carried as a general sweat and snot wiper while hiking. I also had a small corner of a pack-towel for drying myself after washing in the evening. I sleep a lot better if I can go to bed without a film of sticky dried sweat on my body.

[brushybill]

so are you hiking in keens? or are these camp shoes?

[Trout]

The first things I noticed were the sandals and the heavy water container. You might want to bring something small to entertain yourself or take notes on. Plus, you don't have listed a map or the hiker trail info broken down into sections.

[Owl]

I want to preface this reply with this...I've never hiked the AT. Most of my dirt time has been military, or pleasure camping/hiking for short distances (<10 miles).

With that said, one of the things I didn't see was any kind of "ooops" gear.

When I'm in the woods, I normally carry several ways to start a fire. A lighter in my bag, one on my person, and a tinder kit with petroleum jelly covered cotton balls in both as well.

A decent working blade in my pack, and another on my belt/neck. Usually, I have a multitool as well.

I normally have a mylar blanket and a trash bag or two in my cargo pocket, along with a decent bit of extra cordage and some duct tape.

And a compass in my bag as well as on my person.

I know it probably sounds like overkill. And I'm clearly spelling myself out as a 'newb who carries too much'...and again, all of my long-distance stuff was done in the military where we normally carried rucks that were 3x the weight that anyone wants to carry.

This all seems like redundant extra weight...til you find yourself in dire need of it for whatever reason.

[sr1355]

Hey Ballon, I see your carrying the EVO... Great for video... so so pic quality... What are you doing to provide power for this battery hog... Are you carrying the larger battery, solar charger...Are you going to be running GPS, even more battery power needed....