I hope you all have a very happy Independence Day Weekend!
We head to Maine tomorrow after work. I returned from Chicago late Saturday and we spent the day after church on Sunday getting our backpacks packed. Mine comes in at 35.5 pounds total. If you subtract the food weight and the weight of 3L of water, my base weight is about 19 pounds. Not too bad. 6 or 7 pounds lighter than the Osprey I took on the 5 1/2 day, 50 mile trek from Dickey Gap to Damascus. AND, I am carrying 10 days worth of food as opposed to 5 1/2! I love my new LiteAF pack.
Marty’s pack weight with water and food is 41 pounds. Which is also much lighter than his Osprey pack.
What I’m carrying other than food and the clothes I am wearing day 1 on the trail:
✔️Grayl Geopress (water filter that filters out bacteria and viruses).
✔️Bug net and homemade bug spray.
✔️Headlamp.
✔️Toilet kit (trowel, p style, etc).
✔️Stove, pot, gas, spork, cup.
✔️Big Agnes Fly Creek 50 degree sleeping quilt.
✔️Nemo switchback sleeping pad.
✔️Batteries to charge phone/watch/headlamp/glasses.
✔️First aid kit.
✔️North Face Puffy jacket.
✔️North Face Rain jacket.
✔️PVA Birks.
✔️REI Flexlite Air Chair.
✔️Hairbrush.
✔️Toothbrush and fluoride-free tooth paste tabs.
✔️Extra pair of socks and underwear (Sockwell,Smartwool).
✔️Sleep shorts and tank (Smartwool).
✔️Long sleeve sun hoodie (Smartwool).
✔️Towel and wash cloth.
✔️Lightweight Smartwool leggings in case it’s buggy.
✔️Benchmade knife.
✔️Trekking poles that will be carried 99% of the time.
I’ll be wearing mostly all wool- Smartwool, Sockwell and Wool&.
My Adventure kilt is synthetic and will be worn over the shorts (Wool&) or leggings (Smartwool). The kilt is literally the only synthetic clothing other than my shoes. My shoes are Altra Lone Peaks. My backpack is a custom made in the USA — LiteAF.
Marty carries the tent. I carry the kitchen stove and first aid kit. It’s nice being able to split up the gear.
We hope to get on trail early Sunday morning.
My Little Red Bike 