Flop's 2008 Pacific Crest Trail Adventure!
What I Will Carry
The big three (total weight 7 pounds, 5.2 ounces):
- My pack is a P-2 made by
ULA Equipment.
It weighs 50.4 ounces. This pack is relatively heavy by today's ultra-lite standards, but it is
very comfortable and it handles 30 pounds very easily. It has the capability to handle 45 to 50
pounds comfortablely, although my goal is to keep my pack weight below 30 pounds.
- My tent is a Lunar Solo made by
Six-Moons Design.
This tent weighs in at 33.7 ounces including stakes, lines, and ground-cloth. This tent is now 3
years old and I hope that it lasts the summer.
- My sleeping bag is a Sub Kilo rated at 20 degrees, and made by
REI.
This bag weighs in at 33.1 ounces. I am somewhat reluctant to carry a down bag, but I will be
keeping it in a waterproof container (a plastic trash bag or trash compactor bag).
Miscellanious items I'll be carrying in my pack (total weight 4 pounds, 11.5 ounces):
- Miscellanious items to be carried in my pack,
including my first aid "kit", stockimg cap, gloves, 8 x 12 inch towel, bandana, pack
cover, 50 feet of cord, TP, clorine, and headlamp. All this weighs 24.7 ounces.
- My cooking gear consists of a titanium pot,
alcohol stove, cigarette ligher, plastic cup, spoon, and carry sack, and it weighs
13.5 ounces.
- I carry an aluminum fuel bottle that is 1/2 liter in size. It
weighs 13.0 ounces when half full of alcohol.
- Miscellanious items I will carry in the
pockets of my pack's waist belt. These will weigh 12.2 ounces and consist of my reading glasses,
sun glasses, compass, knife-sparker-photon light, bandana, sunscreen, and bug dope.
- I will carry various water containers all made by Platypus.
Combined these weigh 9.7 ounces empty and consist of 1 three liter container, 2 two liter
containers, and 2 one liter containers giving me a total water capacity of 9 liters.
- My sleeping pad is a Z-Rite made by Therm-a-Rest, and it
weighs 8.5 ounces.
- Maps, permits, and miscellanious reading material
weighing 7.4 ounces.
Clothing I'll be carrying in my pack (total weight 3 pounds, 3 ounces):
- Extra clothing consisting of socks, liners, tee-shirt,
underware, 1 pair of shorts, and stuff-sack. This weighs a total of 20.4 ounces. This stuff-sack
will serve as my pillow when stuffed with my rain jacket.
- Sleeping ware consisting of medium-weight long underware and
socks. I plan to wear this while sleeping, but it be available to wear if the weather gets
very cold. This weighs 16.1 ounces.
- One PreCip Rain Jacket made by Marmot. This weighs 14.5
ounces, and it can be worn while hiking (it has zippered vents under the arms). I will not be
carrying rain pants until I reach Oregon.
Completely unnecessary items that I will carry in my pack (total weight 2 pounds, 3.8 ounces):
- An Everun UMPC made by Raon, which weighs in at
35.8 ounces. This includes an extra battery, Bluetooth keyboard, Sprint wireless adapter, a SD
Media to USB adapter, and a zip drive.
Total pack weight without food and water is 17 pounds, 7.5
ounces.
I get a kick out of these numbers as the actual weight will be so much more. Leaving Campo, I'll
be carrying 6 liters of water and 5 days of food which will more than double my pack weight of 17.5
pounds. So much for keeping my pack weight under 30 pounds.
Other items that I will be carrying, but not in my pack:
- Clothing consisting of a wide-brim hat, long-sleeve nylon
shirt, tee-shirt, nylon convertable pants, underware, sock liners, socks, and shoes (New Balance
810's).
- Hiking poles weighing 18.8 ounces.
- A camera case that I will wear around my neck that
contains my Pentax camera, extra battery for camera, current maps, pen, and cell phone. All this
weighs 16.5 ounces.
Items I will carry in the Sierras and/or where needed:
- Bear Vault bear canister weighing 38.2 ounces.
- Katoola crampons weighing 18.8 ounces. I haven't decided
for certain that I will carry these.
- Ice Axe weighing 15.4 ounces.
Items that I have decided to leave at home:
- A fishing rod, reel and fishing tackle
weighing 12.9 ounces. Originally I was planning to carry this gear, but after completing my
training hikes I have decided to spend my free time working on my journals and relaxing
instead of fishing.
- One DriClime Windshirt made by Marmot. This weighs 11.3
ounces and provides excellent warmth - in fact its too hot to wear while hiking.
I think my PreCip Rain Jacket will be enough. If I get cold I will put on my sleeping gear.
- A solar battery charger made by Solio. The device and
it's adapters weighed 9.0 ounces. This device seemed very cool, but since this does not support
my Everun UMPC I will leave it at home. It will actually be easier to "bounce" the battery
chargers for my UMPC, cell phone, and camera to various resupply points than to try to keep them
going with solar energy, and it gives me a reason to check-in to motels/resorts on a regular basis
(not that I need an excuse).
- A cut-back 2.5 gallon water container. This weighs 3.2
ounces and would be used for gathering water and washing my clothes. I have found this to be a
valuable aid during my short backpacks, but I am still debating whether I should bring it on this
trip.
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