Some gear questions for prospective thru hiker?

imported
#1

I’m definitely going to thru the PCT next year. Finished my AT hike about a month ago and can’t wait to go on another long walk, so PCT it is.

I have a few questions about gear:

  1. Since I hike fairly quickly, I won’t be leaving Campo until mid May and I understand there will probably be less water than if I left around the kickoff. I know everyones different, but just in the ballpark, what’s a realistic water carrying capacity? I was planning on using my 3 liter Camelback bladder, two 1 liter soda bottles, and a 2+ liter Platypus for longer stretches. (7 liters)

  2. What are the coldest air temperatures I should be prepared for in the High Sierra? I have a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 bag which is very sexy and light (1 lb 5 oz.), but cost a bundle and I’m hoping to be able to use it on the PCT and not have to buy a warmer bag. My primary insulation layer is a GoLite Cumulus down sweater which I plan on using as part of my sleep system. My pad is a Gossamer Gear Nightlite torso length. For the Sierra I’m adding in a 1/8" thick full length piece of Evazote foam (Gossamer ThinLight) to boost insulation. I’ve used this system down to about 13 degrees fahrenheit and was not uncomfortable. Sound adequate enough?

  3. What kind of temperature range can I expect previous to reaching the High Sierra? I’m trying to figure out how much insulation to bring beforehand and what to add in.

  4. I’m using my Frogg Toggs jacket, but I’m worried about the pants getting torn to bits in general and was thinking of getting a more substantial pair of rain pants. How much do hikers actually use these? I know there’ll be very little rain for most of the hike, but Should I bother?

-BLEACH-

#2
  1. sounds plenty. we never exceeded 4.5L each.
  2. in 05 (lots of snow), early june, we used an almost identical system and were fine. temps bottomed at out 10-15F at 12,000FT (our highest camps)
  3. could be almost as cold. we had heavy snowstorms on fuller ridge and freezing temps.
  4. we wore rain pants <5 times in 153 days.

dave

#3

  1. That water setup will work. However, if you’d like to not carry so many water containers, consider a 6liter MSR Dromedary with the Hydration Tube. I use one and only fill it full in the desert. Then I carry a 1 Liter bottle. It also serves as a great bag for dispensing water in camp as it comes with a spigot. It’s also inexpensive and as it’s MSR it’s made by Cascade Designs who also make the Platapus bags.

  2. That setup sounds perfect.

  3. Like Dave said, prep for some pretty low temps, especially at night.

  4. I like to use rain pants whenever the ground is realy soggy, but I cut mine to be chaps instead of pants and they’re just 20 denier silnylon.

Osprey