And You Put the Burden on Me: Addison’s AT Equipment List

I’m exactly one week away from starting the AT! It’s crazy to think about and I’m trying not to get too nervous. I finally managed to solidify my team as well, so it’s time to publish the promised team post! On my gear list, I’ve tried to note when I received things as gifts, since the cost of all this gear is expensive. My parents have given me backpacking gear for several Christmases and birthdays, which is a way to save some money if your family gives gifts for those occasions and you’re building a kit over time.

I’ve been a pretty minimalist hiker since I started backpacking (I used to sleep in reflectix!), so for this hike I’m aiming to go ultralight. In high school I didn’t like spending a lot of money on backpacking gear if I didn’t have to, and that has changed. I still try to get things on sale, but I’m willing to pay for quality gear. So I splurged on some of this equipment.

Anyway, on to the list!

three big

Pack

ExoticPax Crispy 33L: This is what I consider my biggest splurge and biggest risk purchase! I read about ExoticPax here on The Trek and really wanted to get one. But they are expensive, returns are almost impossible because they are custom made and I have never used a frameless backpack before. I was also worried that a 33 liter would be too small for me – the backpack I’ve used since high school was 65 liters! But first I bought all the rest of my gear, my base weight was just under 10 pounds and I did the recommended box test and was pretty sure everything would fit. (Note on the box test: It was hard for me to get a good idea since I found it difficult to compress my sleeping quilt into a cardboard box like I would in a package, so I took the volume of the box as an estimate.) My package arrived this week and I love it! The yellow and red I chose are very pretty, they fit all my equipment and the straps are very comfortable. I also love all the strap pockets, which hold much more food and trail supplies than the small hipbelt pocket on my previous pack. I’ll update you all on how it works for me down the road, but so far I’m glad I did it. For added waterproofing on rainy ATs, I have a trash compactor bag as a liner.

Shelter

Gauze gear the one: I wanted a very lightweight tent that didn’t cost a million dollars (figuratively speaking). I finally decided on this store and lo and behold, they were sold out. Luckily, I found one on eBay for about the list price, so I didn’t feel like I was paying a lot of money to get something that isn’t widely available. I tried this on my Natchez Trace hike and loved it. It is very light and easy to set up. I carry six mini stakes (one for each corner and the two side lines).

My tent was set up the first night of my Natchez Trace hike!

sleep system

Enlightened Team Revelation 30: I opted for 30 degrees to be more flexible with warm temperatures, since my hiking is exclusively in summer, but I will combine it with a liner to withstand colder temperatures in the mountains.

Cocoon Mummy Silk Lining: The aforementioned liner. I hope it will keep me warmer inside my quilt on cold nights and that I can sleep with just the liner on on hot nights. And since it’s all natural fiber, my girlfriend was able to dye it this fun purple color!

Sea to Summit XR Sleeping Pad: This is perhaps the biggest change from my previous backpacking style. In high school I didn’t like inflatable mats because I felt like they took a long time to deflate in the morning and I was the last one out of camp. (I think the fact that my mat was self-inflating contributed to this difficulty.) I was also very minimalist. So I started sleeping with Reflectix and never stopped, except for a brief period in a hammock. (Hammocks are comfortable, but I’m cold and don’t want the weight of the hammock + quilt + quilt + rain fly). Then at Natchez Trace, I was just a little Too cold to be comfortable, especially considering the temperature was well above 30 and I had my duvet and liner. So I went looking for a pad with a higher R rating, thinking it would be worth spending more time in the morning to sleep warmer (and softer) each night.

Outdoor Vitals Inflatable Pillow: My father is a big fan of Outdoor Vitals, so I have become one of them too because they have given me a lot of OV equipment. (Foreshadowing for later in this post…) I believe they ship this pillow for free with a large enough order, and it is a quality pillow. Easy to inflate, easy to deflate and comfortable. There are little tabs on the sides to attach it to something so it doesn’t slide around, but I’ve never figured out what to attach it to.

sleep system

Kitchen

MSR pocket rocket: I’ve had this stove for at least 5 years, and before that my brother had one that he used when backpacking. It is small, light and reliable.

MSR Pocket Rocket Pot: The pot that came with the stove. I think it’s about the same size and weight as a Toaks, but I haven’t looked because I already have this one.

Sea to Summit Titanium Spoon: I’ve had this since 2012 and it has never let me down. Sometimes in everyday life I carry it in my fanny pack in case I ever have an emergency with utensils. (Not pictured; I forgot to put it in the package liner with the rest of my kitchen)

Sawyer Mini + 2 smart water bottles: I bought this a few years ago when I started backpacking on my own and could no longer use my hiking buddies’ filters and it worked well for me. I have one water bottle designated as “dirty water” and another that only has filtered water. Before I go I should probably tag them, but for now I just remember: “Yesthe port cover is Yesdrinking water.” However, I think I might swap out my 1 liter bottle for two smaller ones and see if I can put one in one of the larger strap pockets on my new backpack so I don’t have to twist my arm to get water while hiking.

Bic lighter: The standard. I carry two, one in my backpack and one in my pocket, just in case.

Kitchen setup

First Aid/Hygiene

DIY First Aid Kit: I made a DIY first aid kit based on this Trek article. Mine has band aids, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, decongestant, Benadryl, loperamide, bacitracin, tweezers, a dial key, and moleskin/Leukotape. I will also be carrying my daily Zyrtec for seasonal allergies and KT tape for my incredibly hypermobile knees.

Hygiene kit: This is in the same ziploc as my first aid kit, but it takes care of the hygienic aspect. Contains a foldable toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss.

Toilet supplies: They all live in my pack separately, but they all have to do with urinating or defecating in the forest. I have a kula cloth as a pee rag, a #2 dirt paddle, and a clean rear bidet adapter for a water bottle. I also have a small bottle of Dr. Bronner’s to wash my hands and pot with.

First aid/hygiene supplies.

Clothes

Hiking equipment: Smartwool t-shirt, some retro swim shorts I bought at a vintage store last Christmas (they’re durable and quick-drying, and have pockets with rainbow accents!), MeUndies Breathe sports bra, Darn Tough AT pattern socks, and an Apes of the State baseball cap. (Apes of the State is one of my current favorite bands; check them out if you like folk punk!) I also bring my glasses and some prescription sunglasses; Unfortunately, I ordered the sunglasses too late to get them before my hike starts, so I’m sending them to my grandfather in North Carolina who can bring them to me a week later. And lastly, an extra pair of walking shorts just in case.

Shoes: I live barefoot Primus Lite. I’ve been walking and running in barefoot shoes for a couple of years now and I love them. I switched to this brand last Christmas hoping to find something a little more durable than my previous pair and I haven’t been disappointed. I think I’ll have to replace them at some point in my trip and may opt for one of their models with a thicker sole, but I’ve walked and run on trails in these and had no problems.

Camping clothing: Smartwool merino leggings and hand knit merino socks. I love to knit and I knit my camp socks myself! It’s fun to have equipment that I made with me. I also carry gloves that I knit for cold mornings.

Middle layer: Outdoor Vitals Ventus Hoodie. This was a Christmas gift from my dad a few years ago and it is one of my most beloved pieces of clothing. It somehow manages to be incredibly warm when you need it and also not trap heat when you don’t need it. I wore it as an outer layer on a trail run in single-digit weather, and I also wore it as a hoodie indoors when the temperature is a little colder than I’d prefer. I can’t recommend this hoodie enough.

Rain gear: Outdoor Vitals raincoat. Another Christmas gift from my parents! It works well as a raincoat and is lightweight. I won’t opt ​​for waterproof pants because my shorts dry very quickly. We’ll see if I change my mind.

Clothes

Miscellaneous/Luxury

Black Diamond trekking poles: I don’t remember the model, but they have cork handles. These are technically not mine, they were my brother’s but he no longer uses them. My dad was using them but lent them to me for this trip since he can’t take them on the plane to his hiking destinations this summer. I’m glad about that, since I bought my trekking poles at Walmart for ~$15 in 2012. They’re still holding up! But these are better.

Black Diamond Spot Headlight: Another item I’ve had since 2012. Being old, it uses AAA batteries, which I’m glad because it’s one less thing I’ll have to use my power bank for.

Garmin InReach Mini 2: My GPS and satellite communicator. My parents gave me this for my birthday a couple years ago, but the first time I wore it was at Natchez Trace. It worked very well, as expected.

Adotec Ultralight Bear Locker: A birthday gift from my dad. He has one of this brand and also an Ursack and he likes this brand better (I think it could be lighter but I don’t remember). I went back and forth (and back and forth) on whether to use a bear canister or a bear bag and the weight savings were too much for me to want to carry a bear canister when I don’t have to. Anyway, I know I don’t want the PCT hanging a bear bag on a regular basis. Let me tie my bag to a tree and not have to play David and Goliath with a tree every night.

Anker 10k power bank: Enough to charge my phone between cities. I’m hoping to try not to use my phone much, except for photography or blog writing, so I’m hoping 10k is enough of a charge.

USB-C Wired Headphones: For when I want to use my phone to listen to music/podcasts.

Slingshot and Pen Pocket Organizer: My luxury item, to record mileage and interesting things every day. I use the slingshot organizer in my daily life and enjoy the radical history included in all the dates.

Luxury and miscellaneous items!