How to mark my team

It’s what you’ve all been waiting for. The most common question I’ve been asked is what I’m wearing for this hike. Let’s dive in!

The big 3

It’s not LeBron, Dwade and Bosh; instead, it is a shelter, a sleeping bag, and a backpack. Read more: arFS8K. I’m assuming it’s the big 4 because I include my sleeping pad.

Shelter

My original plan was to bring the Skyscape Trekker from Six Moon Designs. This is a single person trekking pole tent that is easy to set up. You have a double wall separation between you and the outside on all walls except one. I love this tent because it only uses five stakes and is simple. However, on my recent trip to Alabama, a lot of rain came in under the rain fly and through the single wall as condensation. While it’s not the end of the world, I figured I’d get something a little more storm-worthy for the rainy Appalachian Trail. Enter the Yama Mountain Gear Swiftline One-Person Tent. It weighs about the same weight as the other tent, but is double-walled and can tilt lower during heavy storms. It’s a little more complicated to set up and requires eight bets, but I think it will be worth it. Plus, it’s my favorite color, blue!

storm mode

Breeze/stargazing mode

Sleeping bag

Or I guess I should say quilt. Gone are the days of trying to find the perfect amount to zip up my sleeping bag and still waking up covered in sweat. The quilt is a dream for hot sleepers. When it’s warm, I can open it completely to use as a blanket. When it’s cold, I can zip it up and zip it up so it’s almost as effective as a sleeping bag. I bring the El Coyote Alphalite 20 Degree Quilt. It’s cozy and purple! I’m also using the Nemo Fillo pillow. It beats sleeping on a bag of clothes any day.

Backpack

The bag I carry around the country is the ULA OHM 2.0. I’m sure I’ll have a few words to describe it despite its meditative name. Honestly, it’s an incredibly comfortable backpack. I’ve used it for many backpacking trips and it’s strong, holds a lot of stuff, and is pretty lightweight.

Sleeping pad

I remember when I first started backpacking, I slept on a glorified yoga mat. Now sleeping pads are almost as comfortable as the bed at home! Maybe a little exaggerated. I will be spending the next 4-6 months with the Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT. Quite a mouthful, but it’s comfortable.

Clothes

We prioritize lightweight, quick-drying hiking clothing and warm, cozy sleepwear. They’re going to smell bad, they’re going to be wet, embrace the blowjob!

• Jolly Gear long sleeve with buttons
• Quick-drying shorts
• Injinji Toe Sock Liners
• Smartwool Running Socks
• Exoficio boxer briefs
• Polish
• baseball cap
• Sambob Alpha Fleece
• Smartwool long underpants
• Thicker Smartwool Socks
• Swollen Arcteryx
• wool hat
• thin gloves
• Frogg Toggs Waterproof Jacket
• Altra Timp 5 Shoes
• trekking poles

Cooking

My kitchen equipment is quite simple and light. It’s not like I’ll be cooking Michelin-quality meals here. Unless you consider ram-bombs (a glorious ramen meal solidified with instant mashed potatoes) gourmet.

• Toaks Titanium Jar 750mL
• MSR pocket rocket
• Sea to Summit Spoon
• Lighter
• Big Sky insulated bag (take a look)
• Bag of food on top of a hill
• Opsak Smell Proof Ziploc

Electronics

It’s strange to have an electronics section when I’m hiking for 4-6 months. I often keep my phone on airplane mode while I’m in the field. I will check in periodically. Don’t worry mom 🙂

• Black Diamond Rechargeable Headlamp
• Garmin Messenger (SOS)
• Phone chargers and headlamps
• Phone

Miscellaneous

Here’s the rest of my stuff…

• Nylofume package liner (think turkey bag)
• Sitting pad
• Very thin 50 foot rope (for hanging food)
• Bag of stones (to throw rope over a branch in a very athletic way)
• carabiner
• Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
• CNOC 2L water bag
• Plastic water bottles (2)
• PackTowl small towel
• Toiletries
• Glasses and sunglasses
• first aid kit
• The Deuce Palette #2
• Bidet Water Bottle Cap (Trust)

So that’s all I’ll take with me, not counting food, water and other consumables. If you are interested in numbers and graphs, check out my Package Wizard. Thanks for reading. See you soon on the road!

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