Critique my pack list please.

[serevince]

I'm leaving Sunday for 8 days of hiking/ climbing in the Italian Dolomites. Basically a variation of Alta Via 1. 6 full days on the trail + half days at each end. All but 1 night we are in rifugios (hiking made AWESOME!). So a light breakfast, dinner and a bed are taken care of. Plus maybe the occasional beer . Lunches are on the move, unless we happen by a rifugio at the right time. One night we are bivouacing ("camping " is not allowed), since there was no room at the inn. That drove the need for the shelter.

Last year my pack with full water started at 29lbs. This year I think I'll be near the same with the addition of my shelter. I was going to go a little hard core this year but my poncho from Moutain Laurel Designs will not arrive in time. That plus a small ground cloth was going to be shelter/ rain gear/ pack cover. C'est la vie, I've been meaning to give my hammock a try anyway.

So here's my list. I just went through and typed out everything in my pack. Instead of the reverse, which would have been smarter. The clothing list includes the items I'll be wearing.

Pack: Osprey Exos 45

Sleeping System:
Big Agnes Yampa 40° Bag
Thermarest Neo Air
Granite Gear Air Compressor compression bag (S)

Clothing:
Columbia Ti collared shirt
Mountain Gear Merino wool Tshirt
UA Tshirt
OR Tshirt
Arm warmers
Smartwool long sleeve shirt (lounge wear/ thermal layer)
Underarmor boxer briefs x 3
Icebreaker Hike socks x 2
Smartwool PhD socks x 2
Zip off pants x 2
Running shorts (sleep/ lounge wear)
REI down vest (pillow/lounge wear/ thermal layer)
Arcteryx Beanie
OR Sun Runner hat
Granite Gear Air Compressor (XS)
Asolo FSN 95 GTX boots

Rain gear:
OR Helium Jacket
MLD gaiters
Sea to Summit silnylon pack cover (S)

Shelter:
Hennessey Hammocks Ultra light Asym

Cooking:
Venom alcohol stove (from Zelph on bplite)
Snowpeak Trek 700 cup
Ti spoon (Snowpeak)
Windscreen
4oz squeeze bottle of alcohol.
Medicine cup measure
Stuff sack

Misc.
Trekking poles Leki Makalu
Chapstick
Peztl Taktikka headlamp (primary)
Tech40 Trail Leader watch
Sunglasses
Cell phone
camera
CAI membership card
Cash
ID
CC
notebook/ pen?

Climbing gear:
Black Diamond Easy Rider via ferrata kit
Black Diamond Couloir harness
Mammut 30cm sling
Salewa wire gate carabineer
Wiley X gloves
Petzl Elios Helmet (w/ headlamp mount)
Stuff sack

Safety Gear:*
McMurdo Fasfind 210 PLB
Ultimate Survival Starflash Ultra Mirror
Tool Logic knife/ whistle/ fire steel
Lifeboat matches
Ultimate Survival Wetfire tinder x 2
Petzel E-lite + spare batteries
Small compass
Leatherman Squirt P4
Earplugs

Repair kit:*
Duct tape
Kevlar thread
Safety wire
Neo air patch

Med kit:*
Mole skin 4” sq
Misc band aids
Antibiotic ointment 1 small foilpac
Loratadine 10mg 8 tabs
Benadryl 25mg 10 tabs
Ibuprofen 800mg 20 tabs
Acetaminophen ??mg 20 tabs

*Items:
Items divided by category in 4x4 zip close bags, then placed in Granite Gear Air Pocket (S).

Toiletries:
MSR Ultralite pack towel (XL)
Travel toothpaste
Travel toothbrush
Travel deodorant/ body glide
Doc Bonners soap 2oz
Toilet paper (Charmin travel roll)
Cotton swabs
Mesh bag


Fluids:
Camelbak 100oz bladder
Klean Kanteen 1ltr bottle
Chlorine hydroxide tablets x 20
Nuun electrolyte tabs (3 tubes)
Starbucks VIA coffee (Columbia) x 4

Food:
Mountain House Pro-pak Lasagna w/ meat sauce (bivouac night dinner)
Vac packed porridge (Swedish Mil issue)
Honey Stinger energy chews x 6
Bonk Breaker bar x 4 (PB&J/ PB&B)
Larabar x 2 (Banana bread/ PB&J)
Honey Stinger protein bar (chocolate/PB)
Honey Stinger 20g protein bar (Chocolate/ almond)
Trail mix (wasabi wow + teddy grahams) divided into snack size bags.

Daily food plan:
Breakfast at rifugio*
1 Energy chew
1 Bar
1 snack bag of trail mix
Dinner at Rifugio*

*1 dinner and breafast on trail.

What did I forget?

Thanks

Vince

[ConnieD]

I think that is an excellent list.

In the Dolomites, do you anticipate the nighttime temperatures will not be lower than 40 F ? If so, good.

Have you been watching the weather pattern for a week to 10 days, in advance? For example, are there sudden rain storms?

I have my main meal at mid-day or early afternoon, so of course, I think you need more than energy bars and electrolyte drinks in addition to breakfast and a supper in the evening. Do the rifugios have sausage, cheese, crackers for you to carry each day? or a sandwich?

Keep the NeoAir off the direct contact with the ground, either that, or pick up sharp small stones and sharp debris that may damage it. Do you have a groundcloth? Many lightweight backpacking enthusiasts, over here, use "kite tyvek" or even some construction tyvek for a groundcloth.

I would have a bivy bag, but that is just me. It also serves, if the rifugios are simply bunk beds or sleeping on the floor. I always have my Outdoor Research double bug bivy, because I put my gear in there with me, usually at the foot of the bivy bag. Almost anything can be carried for a lightweight a bivy bag.

Do you have a warm "beanie" type hat to wear under your climbing helmet, if it turns cold, or windy, or for wearing at night? It adds considerable warmth.

Gloves? Sunscreen? Sunglasses?

Here is my working gear list: two pages: http://www.ultralightbackpackingonline. ... list1.html

I do not have all of my pictures pages up, but you may find ideas there.

[serevince]

Connie, very informative site. I'd never heard of the iTouch GPS add on, very interesting.

To answer your questions:

Temps- it's the mountains, you just never know . I'm a warm sleeper and with the vest and beanie I could "survive" a sub freezing night.

I was going to go tarp/ ground sheet, but ended up going hammock. It should be interesting. I've never slept out in one! The ground in the area we plan to bivy is rough and wet with a abundance of trees. You can find ground sites, but it's a challenge. At least it'll keep the Neo air off the ground . If we get up there and the weather is terrible we'll reroute to a rifugio.

PS: I can't believe you carry the exped mat, that thing is a boat anchor I am jealous of the depth of your options!

On the food side: We generally do not stop for lunch. We move fast, but stop often for pics, exploring and general shenanigans. If we hit a rifugio just right, we'll stop and some of the rifugios do offer small sandwichs. We'll graze all day on the move or when we take a breather.

It's probably not enough calories, and there were times last year when I ate all the bread waiting for dinner. On our climbing day I had my first ever major "bonk". I had food, i just didn't stop to eat it.

Overall we're running a calorie deficit, but not a huge one. Dinners are generally multi course and ample. Augmented with the occasional desert and beer. Besides I'm carrying too much "stored energry" as it is.

Oh and I'm skipping sunscreen! My sun hat cover my head and neck, and I'm dark complected. I always forget to apply it anyway. Last year it was mostly sunny and we crossed a bunch of long snow fields and I was fine. Plus one of my buddies is a red head, he always bring a jug of SPF gazillion. I'll just mooch.

Cheers

Vince

[Q_x]

sorry, blanked

[serevince]

Lows in the mid 50's. The Neoair is billed as having a thermal reflective layer. I should be fine. You'll have the answer in about 2 weeks!

[DarenN]

i have the HH Hyper-lite.
hammocks are cold at night, but if you can get that Neoair to stay put under you, you should be fine down to 50F.

[serevince]

Thanks for the feedback on the HH. My sleeping bag (BA Yampa) fully contains the sleeping pad, it's virtually impossible for it to come out from underneath you.


EDIT*

Just weighed my pack. It weighed in at 23lbs dry. The only thing thing other than water missing is my trail mix, which I haven't made yet. I'll probably have a total weight sometime tonight or tomorrow.

Overall I'm pretty happy. I'll be at or under my weight from last year, despite adding a shelter, gaitors and a PLB.

My main weight savings from last year off the top of my head.
BA Insulated Air core matress vs Neoair
Cannister stove and fuel (boat anchor!) vs Venom super stove and alcohol
I also shaved some weight in my climbing gear, mainly swapping my sport harness, for a moutaineering style barebones harness.
All stuff sacks and compression bags were replaced with UL versions

I am super happy with my Osprey Exos over my Granite Gear Vapor, really no comparison in comfort or features.

The only major weight concession I am making is my boots. Last year I did the trip in La Sportiva Wildcat lightweight trail runners. I LOVED them 88.3% of the time. I conceded there is no perfect trail/ boot shoe. This year it's boots all the way, I'll probably love them a different 88.3%

[Ridgerunner]

You look to be well packed for your trip. Have a great hike!

[realityguy]

Have a good one!

I'll only use hammocks in the summer time when I don't need an underquilt or need to worry about the cold,even though I add pad pockets to mine for a thermarest or closed cell foam pad to keep the weight down and wider.I can add one of the silver foam pieces under/over the pad for super lightweight insulation if I feel I need it..but like I said..only use them in good weather.I've only been cold and uncomfortable in one once..and used a tent the second trip to the same place...wind blowing off the ocean....

[serevince]

Thanks for all of the feedback! Especially on the hammocks, this will be my first trip using one and it's really the only untested piece of the puzzle.

You guys are making me worry a little bit about being cold. I'm swaying back and forth between my BA Insulated Air Core mat and my Neo Air. My BA is snowcave proven warm. I'm still leaning towards Neo Air, since it's only one night. I also like the color, it makes a good emergency visual signal.

The good news is the night time lows are mid 50's rising to low 60's later in the trip. The bad news is it looks like it's going to be a very wet trip

We start picking folks up at the airports tomorrow, so wish me luck!

Thanks

Vince