SGT Rock's Hiking H.Q. - Standard Packing List

Packing List

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Last Updated: 20-Sep-2010

In case you are interested in my current packing list. I've added in some weight since my thru-hike attempt in 2008. Mostly for luxury items, but a few items have been added to fix some minor issues I was unhappy with during the hike.

Item:

Weight:

Number:

Total:

Summer Clothing (50°F and up) - these clothes are always in my pack. They add a little comfort when the occasional summer cool spot hits or as dry replacements for part of my base I wear (listed below).

MontBell UL wind pants. Small, light, easy to put on breathable nylon pants for times you need something on your legs but are moving and fleece would be a bad idea.

2.44

Marmot Ion wind shirt. Small, light, easy to put on when I need a wind block. I finally saw the light and got a wind shirt.

5.23

Wal-Mart ankle high running socks. They are light weight with some padding for comfort, and they dry pretty fast.

1.48

Total

9.15

Rain Gear - I always carry these articles because in a surprise cool snap in summer it gives me something to wear in camp. I've seen high 30's in the Appalachian Mountains in July before.

Packa rain jacket/pack cover. One of my favorite pieces of equipment. It is waterproof, but the design breathes like a poncho while having the protection and for fitting of a rain jacket. You can also take this off or put it on easily without stopping and taking off your pack when the weather is on the boderline.

10.28

Mountain Laurel Rain Chaps. The Packa covers down far enough that I don't need real pants in the rain. This option gives me better protection and ventilation when I do need rain protection for my legs than real rain pants would.

2.40

Rocky Socks. I add these only when the weather is cold and wet, otherwise I hike in just my socks - these things can be too warm at times. Sometimes I wear these around camp as slippers.

3.32

Mountain Laurel eVent rain mittens. Add over wool gloves when hiking in the wet cold.

1.13

Total

17.14

Spring/Fall Clothing (30 to 50 degrees) - When the forecast for my hike looks like it can get into the 30's I add this layer to my pack. It is my insulation base layer.

REI PowerStretch Top. Good, light base layer for my top.

9.19

Arc'Teryx Rho Pants. Good, light base layer for my legs.

8.06

Army surplus wool gloves. I've tried many polypro gloves and liners, but I keep coming back to these.

2.16

Wigwam Wool Socks. I rarely ever walk in these. They are my warm socks I put on when reaching camp.

2.54

Granite Gear Stuff Sack. When I start hiking spring, fall, and winter I need an extra bag to carry the clothing in.

0.99

A really light fleece hat with a wind blocking shell outside. This makes for a very warm and light hat.

1.45

Total

24.38

Winter Clothing (0 to 30 degrees) - If the forecast for my hike is going to be below the 30F level, I add my puffy layer to stay warm in camp. I rarely ever hike in this stuff.

Western Mountaineering Down Jacket. I like the loft vs. weight, but I'm still not convinced I like this better than my good old field jacket liner.

12.61

12.40

Army Field Pants liners Tough rip-stop nylon shell is quilted with polyester fiber batting interior for warmth. Same thing as the Army Field Jacket Liner. I don't need the pants as often as I need the jacket.

7.99

Polartec P300 Mittens. Lightweight warm mittens for wearing in camp when it is really cold.

1.80

Wigwam heavy wool socks to use in cold weather. At this level, I only wear the socks in camp. When I walk my feet stay warm enough.

2.61

Polypropylene head gaiter a fabric tube that can be made into a hat, balaclava, neck warmer, etc. Combine this with my wool camp to form a balaclava when I need it in really cold weather.

1.98

Total

26.78

Kitchen - these items make up my kitchen. I love to eat hot food and have been known to cook three hot meals a day, especially in winter.

Plastic Spoon. The only utensil a hiker really needs.

0.39

Evernew 0.9L titanium pot. The perfect size for me. Cook everything in the pot and eat out of it most of the time. It is also one of the lightest pots around at this size. I took the rubber off the handles so it is a little lighter. I kept burning them anyway

3.85

Homemade food bag. I wore out one food bag on my trip. It is about twice the size of one of those Kevlar bear bags.

0.99

Modified Ion Stove with titanium stand. Made from large tea light candles.

0.46

Plumbers cloth Pot Cozy/Windscreen. Combine two parts into one. Mine is a little chewed up after mice got to it in the Smokies.

0.92

Scripto lighter. I like scripto because they don't weigh much and hey have an adjustable flame unlike some Bic lighters these days.

0.64

2+ Liter Platypus. I usually only use this in camp, but there have been days I need to carry extra water.

1.24

10.1 ounce fuel bottle. This 330ml bottle came out of a vending machine for can soda. It fits perfectly inside my pot and leaves room for my stove, stand, windscreen, lighter, and priming tray.

0.71

Priming plate. It's only really needed in winter. But I seem to always carry it.

0.14

Bowl Bag. Made from a food grade plastic pouch.

0.39

Skidsteer's Ultralight coffee mug. Made with a Styrofoam cup and one of those 'Go Pack Snack containers.

0.74

32 oz water bottle - Gatorade bottle with carabineer. The clip allows me to hang it off my pack or hammock line when I need to. If it gets too nasty I can always buy a new bottle - and it comes with Gatorade inside.

1.98

12oz bottle for olive oil.

0.95

Plastic bottle for Tabasco. Because you need the heat.

0.32

Zip Lock bags (1 Qt). Milk powder, coffee & tea, and potatoes.

0.46

2.30

Zip Lock bags (1 gallon). Breakfast, lunch, dinner, condiments, and trash.

0.21

0.64

Polar pure iodine water treatment

3.18

Total

19.86

Miscellaneous Gear - those odds and ends you need.

First Aid and Repair Kit with spare batteries. Just what you need to fix yourself or your gear up to get into the next town.

5.51

Zip lock bags (1 quart). One for my camera and one for my cell phone.

0.21

0.42

Stick pic. Turns a hiking pole into an instant camera mount.

0.39

Stuff Sack. A small sack for keeping the knick-nacks in.

0.39

Thermometer. Tied outside my pack to let me know if I should snivel or not.

0.25

Total

6.95

Electronics - Technology is a bane to my hiking weight. Here is over 1/2 of a pound of stuff just so I can have a phone. I started carrying this when pay phones started disappearing.

Spare Smartphone batteries. That way I have a back up if the primary dies in the woods.

0.82

1.63

Headphone adapter. Adapts normal headphones into a phone.

0.35

110 Charger. Charges from wall AC to USB.

1.98

Kodak Easyshare C160. Runs off AA Li batteries so I don't have to worry about trying to re-charge it when I get into town like I do with my cell.

5.51

Motorola Q 9c Smartphone. Internet, email, camera, and it even works as a phone. It eats batteries if you leave it on. I tried using it as my camera on my thru but the quality wasn't good and charging was an issue.

4.66

Total

14.13

Hygiene - keep clean and healthy.

1 oz bottle for soap. Just the bottle weight is list here. I use mint soap because mint grows wild in the Appalachian mountains and I've never seen where a bear has been eating mint. That leads me to believe (despite what some web pages tell you) that bears don't associate the smell of mint with food.

0.28

Ultralight pack towel. Actually, only 1/2 of the original towel. You don't need much of one of these. If you want a big towel for showers, then bounce it. Many places will rent you a towel if they have a shower. A small camp towel dries quickly and is all you need.

0.60

My dentist has me using one of these to prevent teeth grinding at night.

0.35

Pill bottle - old snuff can. I found this is easier to get my pills out of since I put all pills in the same container. With a normal pill bottle I had to pour them all out and sort through them.

0.35

1/2 kids tooth brush and travel tooth paste (tube weight only listed here).. Make sure you leave it long enough to reach your back teeth.

0.42

Zip lock bag (1/2 gallon). For carrying toilet paper in.

0.21

Total

2.23

Navigation and lights - to make your way down the trail without getting lost.

1 Quart zip lock. For keeping my journal, maps, pencil, Sudoku, and guide book in inside my pack.

0.21

Black Diamond Spot with Li batteries. I took the strap off and replaced it with some elastic and a cord lock.

2.23

Trail journal pages. Steno sized sheets of paper.

0.03

0.62

Pencil. Can't run out of ink in the woods. I put a plastic cap from an ink pen over the tip so it doesn't poke holes in anything.

0.25

Map - average wt. I don't always need a map or maps in my pack, but when I do, I rarely carry more than 2. One is in the pack, and the other is out and handy for use.

1.59

Guide book. Depends on what trail I'm on as to weight. For the AT I like the AT Guide. The BMT Guide shown only weighs 2.1 ounces.

2.86

Total

7.76

Sleeping Bag/Ruck/Shelter - the big 3 or big 4 depending on how you look at it. Sleeping bag, shelter, pack, and pad.

ULA Circut. I used my Gearskin during my thru. I loved it, but I missed having the ability to pack as I broke up camp. With the Gearskin I pretty much had to totally break camp before I could pack it. I also have fallen in love with the hip belt pockets.

35.09

Sil Nylon pack liner. Another barrier to protect clothing and down from getting wet in my pack.

1.73

JRB No Sniveler Quilt. I love this quilt. I carry it in four seasons because it makes a good, light quilt in warm weather, and serves as my underquilt in cold weather. Plus you can wear it in camp when you need an extra layer in cold weather.

21.02

Warbonnet Edge in Spinn UL sil-nylon. The lines are from Arrowhead Equipment.

8.69

Granite Gear stuff sack. This bag carries my JRB quilt and clothing in summer, and serves as my quilt bag in the other three seasons.

0.99

Warbonnet stuff sack for the Edge tarp.

0.32

Home made aluminum toggles from Easton Scout arrows. These are the link pin between the tree huggers and the Whoopie slings on my Ghost Hammock.

0.035

0.07

Pocket Pad. I carried a double layer of Evazote on my thru. But because I wasn't careful with how I packed it I pretty much killed it. I made a new one and left some space between the layers so they can be stuffed with handy extra insulation when it is needed.

10.95

Home made Ghost Hammock. Made using 1.1oz ripstop nylon from www.thru-hiker.com using headchange4u's plan for a Hennessy Hammock copy over at www.hammockforums.net.

7.00

Home made UCRs made out of Dynaglide for support lines on the Ghost Hammock.

0.175

0.35

Removable bug net "sock" for my Ghost Hammock. Made from veil material and treated with pymetherin.

2.44

Ridgeline for my hammock. Used to hold the bug net up.

0.18

Rock/Stake bag I added my 50' of line as the pull cord for this bag - 50' for a little bag? Voila! I now have a combination stake bag and throw bag/cord for my food bag.

1.66

Home made Tree Straps. Used to protect trees from rope damage when hanging a hammock.

0.74

1.48

Home made stakes from Easton arrows and hardwood golf tees.

0.16

0.57

Total

93.29

Spring/Fall Hammock - when I expect weather between 30F-50F I change my hammock and tarp and add this stuff to stay comfortable.

Nuntatak Backcountry Blanket. I used a Hungry Howie quilt on my thru. Since I got off, I've been working out and my shoulders got too wide for the HH Quilt. So I switched back to my good old BCB. Since the BCB has a DWR shell I stopped using the top part of the JRB Weathershield.

26.82

26.18

Remove the ridge line.

0.18

-1

-0.18

Remove the Bug-net.

2.44

-1

-2.44

JRB Shock cords. Cords used to hold the underquilt in place. I've modified mine to make them shorter and more efficient for my hammock.

0.39

0.78

Total

21.24

Winter Hammock - when I expect weather below the 30's I add this stuff to stay comforatable.

Edge Tarp door kit.

1.66

6.64

Hammock Winter "sock". Made from breathable 0.9oz rip stop nylon.

6.04

Aluminum stay. I made mine from some scrap aluminum. The jury is still out on the need for it.

1.73

Piss bottle. I added a 24 ounce Gatorade bottle last year when it was VERY cold. I didn't want to leave my warm hammock to go. The wide mouth helps make this a little easier. It takes some practice though. This means you also have a warm water bottle to help thaw out your feet without burning any extra fuel.

1.48

Ridgeline for my hammock. Used to hold the winter sock up.

0.18

Total

16.08

Luxury Items - items that make camping a pleasure.

Flask. Just an old soda bottle for carrying bourbon in.

0.92

1 Quart zip lock. For keeping my cigars in.

0.21

Book. Normally a Sudoku or crossword puzzle book.

1.15

Total

2.69

Clothing (Worn) -This stuff serves as my base clothing for all hikes - even in winter. Those surprise warm snaps hit even in January down here.

Wal-Mart ankle high running socks. They are light weight with some padding for comfort, and they dry pretty fast.

1.48

Patagonia T-Shirt. Light weigh wicking shirt. That means warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

5.16

Addidas Trail runners. New pair of kicks for my feet. The jury is still out on these.

27.67

Ankle braces with liners. I have injured my ankles multiple times - the worst ones have been in high boots. An ankle injury forced me off the trail in 2008, so I take care not to repeat that again.

3.47

6.93

Nylon dress socks to prevent chaffing of my shins on the ankle braces.

1.10

ID, money, credit cards, and keys. Zip lock style hiker wallet. Keep the cards to a minimum: ID, ATM, insurance, emergency contacts. When I hike a short stretch I also have the car key with me.

2.47

Leki Gear Trekking poles. Working good so far. The take some of the strain off my knees and help when climbing.

9.33

18.66

Duct tape - on trekking poles. Duct tape can repair almost anything and it is good for blisters. You don't need to carry a whole roll though.

2.97

Patagonia nylon shorts. Loose for comfort. They dry well and don't weigh much.

5.19

Wal-Mart microfiber underwear. Dry well and prevent thigh chafe. Going commando has never worked for me.

2.05

Scripto lighter. I like scripto because they don't weigh much and hey have an adjustable flame unlike some Bic lighters these days.

0.64

Lip balm. Cool little lip balm pack for when you get wind burn on your face.

0.21

Leatherman Micra. I've tried smaller and I've tried larger. This is what I always go back to.

1.77

Dog tags. I've had this set for years. They are my good luck charms.

0.99

Ti wedding ring. To keep the hiker babes off me.

0.14

Zip lock bags (1 quart).For my MP3 player.

0.25

Map - average wt. I don't always need a map or maps in my pack, but when I do, I rarely carry more than 2. One is in the pack, and the other is out and handy for use.

1.59

Guide book Section. The page of the guide I am currently hiking on.

0.07

Mesh Hat. A brim to keep the sun out of your eyes or to keep the rain off your glasses in wet weather.

2.30

Glasses with case. Transition glasses so they serve as sunglasses. The case is a microfiber bag so it also serves as a cleaner for the glasses.

0.88

Headphones. Serve as my headphones for my MP3 player and for my cell phone when used with the pigtail adapter. (See above).

0.42

1 Gallon zip lock. One for keeping the map I am using in handy and protected.

0.46

0.92

MP3 player/FM radio with Li battery. Stores 2 Gigs of music and runs off Li AAA so I can share batteries with my headlamp if I need to.

1.31

Casio Pathfinder watch. Compass, altimeter, barometer, and it charges off solar energy. You just have to calibrate the altitude whenever you get to a point with a known elevation so it stays as accurate as possible.

2.72

Total

87.39

Consumables - those supplies you use up as you hike so the weight goes down.

Days

Oz per day

Total

Olive Oil

1.50

5.80

Milk Powder

0.78

3.12

Dr Bronners Mint Soap

0.09

0.71

Toilet paper

0.16

1.26

Meds

0.01

0.04

Cigars

0.57

2.28

Toothpaste

0.03

0.75

Potato powder

1.50

6.00

Food

33.40

133.60

Water @ 1.04 ounces per fluid ounce

33.28

Drinking alcohol

3.30

18.40

Alcohol @ .82 ounces per fluid ounce

7.3

1.5

8.70

Total

213.9

	Oz	Pounds
1. CLOTHING	9.2	0.57
2. RAIN GEAR	17.1	1.07
3. SPRING/FALL CLOTHING	24.4	1.52
4. WINTER CLOTHING	26.8	1.67
5. KITCHEN	19.9	1.24
6. MISC	7.0	0.43
7. ELECTRONICS	14.1	0.88
8. HYGIENE	2.2	0.14
9. NAVIGATION/LIGHT	7.8	0.48
10. SLEEPING BAG/RUCK	93.3	5.83
11. SPRING/FALL HAMMOCK	21.2	1.33
12. WINTER HAMMOCK	16.1	1.00
10. LUXURY	2.7	0.17
11. FOOD	213.9	13.37
TOTAL (summer)	387.1	24.20
TOTAL (spring/fall)	432.8	27.05
TOTAL (winter)	475.6	29.73

TOTAL (- food & water)	173.2	10.82
TOTAL (spring/fall - food & water)	218.8	13.68
TOTAL (winter - food & water)	261.7	16.35

12. CLOTHING (WORN)	87.4	5.46
GRAND TOTAL (summer)	474.5	29.66
GRAND TOTAL (spring/fall)	520.1	32.51
GRAND TOTAL (winter)	563.0	35.19