Gear Details

One of the things novice thru-hikers quickly realise is that they are carrying too much weight. The few hikers who are overweight in themselves generally don't last more than a few weeks as they just cannot cope with the enormous strain of hiking between 10-20 miles daily over mountains carrying an additional 35-55lbs on their back.

About day four out from Springer hikers reach Neels Gap Georgia. This is the first opportunity to send excess gear home. At Neels Gap there is a strategically placed hiker store that has "experts" advising novice thru-hikers on how to reduce their pack weight. On my 2000 hike I separated some 5lb of gear from my pack at Neels Gap and shipped it home; however during the rest of the hike I came to realise that I was still carrying too much weight.

There are many theories about what to wear and carry and not what to. There are a number of hikers preaching "ultra-light" although this approach is often at the cost of comfort and possibly reduced safety. Whatever theory one follows one thing is certain; and it's that the less you have to carry the less prone to injury you will be and the easier your hike will be.

After reviewing my gear list I have managed to reduce my pack weight by some 3.5lb (from what I finished with at Damascus in 2000). The list below shows my selected equipment having a starting pack weight of around 25lb. I expect to reduce this further before starting out as I continue to revise my list.

Add to this some 12lbs for food, water and stove fuel and a total starting pack weight of 37 lbs. is achieved. A typical five day supply of food carried by Downunda might be:

- 5 packs Carnation Instant Breakfast
- 2 packets of Bagels
- Packet of cheese slices
- 5 Energy bars
- 5 soft packs of Tuna
- 3 Snickers bars
- 2 packets of jelly snakes
- 5 assorted Liptons dinners
- Jar of Vegemite or Peanut Butter
- Pepper and garlic dispensers
- Peppermint tea bags


	Description	Weight
		Ounces	Grams	Pounds
	Backpack - Macpac Kakapo	70.4	2000	4.40
	Sleeping Bag - Mountain Designs Travelite 800	38.4	1091	2.40
	Tent - Sierra Designs Light Year CD	53.4	1516	3.34
	Tent footprint (plastic groundsheet)	5.8	164	0.36
	Sleeping Pad - Closed cell foam	10.4	295	0.65
	Thru-Hiker's Handbook	8.2	233	0.51
	Suunto A-10 Compass (northern hemisphere)	0.9	26	0.06
	Sandals (Kmart cheapies)	12.8	364	0.80
	Cat hole digger	2.0	57	0.13
	Photon led torch with leash (2 of)	0.6	16	0.04
	Glasses Case	1.7	47	0.10
	Sign - Kangaroos next 14km	0.5	14	0.03
	Camera - disposable	2.5	71	0.16
	Duct tape	0.7	20	0.04
	Platypus Cascade 4L water carrier	2.7	76	0.17
	Platypus Hydration pack (30oz?)	3.3	95	0.21
	Nalgene 48oz water canteen	2.3	64	0.14
	Water filter - Sweetwater	12.7	360	0.79
	Knife & spoon (Lexan)	1.0	27	0.06
	Mug (Titanium)	1.9	55	0.12
	Stove - Hike "n" Light alcohol	4.0	115	0.25
	Titanium cookpot & lid - 1.3ltr	6.0	170	0.37
	Fuel bottle (11oz)	2.8	80	0.18
	Pot scrubber	0.5	40	0.03
	Personal hygene kit	6.8	194	0.43
	Sanitising Gel - Dermasoft	3.4	98	0.22
	First aid kit	6.3	180	0.40
	Needle and thread	0.1	2	0.00
	Stuff sack	0.8	24	0.05
	Cord (Bear bag)	2.2	63	0.14
	Garbage Bags (2)	3.9	110	0.24
	Zip Lock bags (4)	0.2	5	0.01
	Pack Towel (sea to summit)	3.4	96	0.21
	Toilet Paper	3.5	99	0.22
	Bronners liquid soap - 4oz	4.0	115	0.25
	Pen and notebook	1.8	50	0.11
	Safety Pins	0.2	6	0.01
	Polatec 200 Jacket	18.9	538	1.18
	Rain Jacket - Marmot Precip	13.7	389	0.86
	Rain Pants - Marmot Precip	8.0	227	0.50
	Hiking Socks (2pr)	9.0	256	0.56
	Sock liners (2pr)	1.8	50	0.11
	Hiking Shorts	7.0	200	0.44
	Tee shirt	6.1	172	0.38
	Jocks (2pr)	3.8	109	0.24
	Polypropylene top	5.0	143	0.31
	Long Pants (polypro)	0.0	0	0.00
	Hat with sun shield	2.5	71	0.16
	Handkerchief	0.4	11	0.02

	TOTAL WEIGHT (plus carrying weight below and also food, fuel & water as described above)	359.4	100209	22.46

	CARRYING OR WEARING
	Hiking Boots - Hitec Mount Aspiring	45.7	1298	2.86
	Gaiters - Torre Mountain Craft	1.1	32	0.07
	Spenco inserts	3.0	85	0.19
	Hiking socks	4.5	128	0.28
	Sock liners	0.9	25	0.06
	Hiking shorts	7.0	200	0.44
	Tee shirt	6.1	172	0.38
	Jocks	1.9	55	0.12
Handkerchief	0.4	11	0.02
Watch - Timex Reefgear	1.7	47	0.10
Leatherman Micra	1.7	49	0.11
Wallet	2.9	81	0.18
Glasses	1.3	36	0.08
Hiking Poles - REI Haute Route	22.5	640	1.41

CARRYING OR WEARING WEIGHT	100.6	2859	6.29

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