New Hiker Looking For Tips and Partner(s )

“Hi, my name is Kirk. I'm a 36 year old who has never backpacked in my life, who has a herniated disk and nerve damage in my back, but who is determined to hike the AT!-LOL. I was wondering if anyone out there could give me a few pointers, or might share their wisdom with me on backpacking? I have just purchased a Dana Design K-2 Longbed Pack, a Trek Dry-Dome Tent, a Nebo Moose Sleeping Bag and a Coleman Feather 442 Dual Fuel Stove. Does anyone have a working opinion of these products? I am also looking to perhaps hike with a few others. If anyone knows where I can contact others who are going to hike the AT, please feel free to contact me at 1-888-322-9996. Thanks, Kirk.”

“kirk, never used any of those personally. please ignore the people who will soon be calling you a troll, it happens to all newbies and is harmless.


welcome to TT.”

“Welcome. You care to debate some politics?

:)”

“yeah!

do you prefer a hoe or a spade?”

“A hoe or spade??!! I have noooo idea-lol. I told you I was new to this-lol. And I don't speak of political things, I would rather speak in words that actually make sense!!!-lol.”

“hey...he's smarter than most newbies...”

“Well thank ya! Thank ya very much!!!”

“By the way, the hoe or spade, what gives?-lol.”

“long story....started out with a political thread about roe V wade and morphed into a much lighter satiracal thread dubbed hoe V spade...stick around, you catch on.


you can brouse the arcives for past threads.”

“Welcome. The one bit of advice I would give to a guy with a bad back is to get used to doing without things in the back country. You can buy very light gear, but the more you carry, the less you're going to enjoy the woods.

Again, welcome!”

“ya phaed, like someone once said on here...i got 95 lbs of ultrtalight gear...


might wanna ease into it taz. don't tackle the AT right off the bat. do dsome day hikes...work into some weekend trips....build up your stamina and skills”

“ok taz heres a few chunks from ed vice giver....

1. start with a few overnighters first before you blow a wad of cash on gear and so on, while we think this is fun it might not be your nalgene of water, besides it is hard to understand and appreciate your real needs untill your 3 miles from the trail head with the runs and no tp.

2. bad back.. look heavily at the ultra light threads and start looking to dump some weight. You definatly cant afford to be hualin a heavy pack around. a lot of techniques do trade a small bit of comfort away in order to lighten things up but only you can decide how much luxury your willing to live without.

3. quick gear list for comparisons sake

hammock, hennessy 28 oz tent 64 oz
blanket,down 30 oz sleeping bag 48 oz
stove alcohol 2 oz stove,white gas 18 oz
pack, average 112 oz gearskin 20 oz

if this chart came out you should be able to see that there is a large differance in the weight of many items but that differance does come with a few trade offs. alcohol isnt as hot as white gas so you can only work with small amounts of water at a time. down blankets tend to be drafty in very cold weather, hammocks need trees to work well and can be cold ,lighter packs may not be as durable as the bomb proof normal ones. No peice of gear is perfect in all situations so the best gear is what works for you.

If you want a board specific to the AT try whiteblaze.net. our conversations here are a bit free spirited but there is a lot knowledge around too. Just ask specific questions if ya want exact answers and we do have a few thru hikers around as well. there are not many trails we as a group havent hiked.




Knowledge weighs nothing, No wonder we go off topic so much..... :}”

“As a fellow nerve-damage sufferer, I advise you to try one of the backpacking hammocks. No pressure points, you'll sleep much easier. I like my Hennessy Ultra-lite Backpacker A-Sym.”

“As the uncleanseniorcitizen noted, hammocks can be a might drafty in cold weather. I'm still trying to work that one out.”

“Hey Father G...I was thinking the other day, if you added a little skirt to the bottom of the hammock that you staked to the ground, that might take away the problem with the breeze blowing under the hammock, sorta like underpinning on a trailer.

Boy, can you tell I'm from the south?”

“Bitpusher "skirts" the issue....”

“You tryin' to blow hot air up my skirt, boy??? ;-)

Not a bad idea, actually. Perhaps a sheet of silnylon??? Hmmmmmmmm...”

“Oh, and hi Taz44. Whereabout are you from? There are TT'ers from all over who will be glad to help you.

I have some back problems as well, mostly of the muscular variety. I had to go light, but one problem I've noticed with the ultralight packs (at least the GVP G4) is that the lack of a substantial hipbelt doesn't give me the back support I need. I ended up going with the Osprey Aether 60, which gives me plenty of support and is pretty light for a regular backpack. I also always carry a backbrace with me for camp chores, and for just in case.

Welcome to TT!”

“I think Nebo bags might be heavier.... also, is that Coleman heavier?”

“My knowledge is ultra-lightweight.

Some of my gear is rather weighty.”

“I've had one for years.It only failed me once, when it was about 5 degrees out.Pretty good stove, but only use Coleman fuel in it.You can use gas in an emergency, but one of the service techs at Campmor told me they tend to clog if you use fuels other than coleman.Welcome to Backpacking!!
i used to BP all the time as a younger man, and I've been getting back into it for the last year or so.Happy Trails!!!”

“The Coleman gas stoves are good, if a little heavy.

DO use the Coleman fuel.

I have two SVEA stoves that were used on road trips.
They are both clogged from using auto unleaded gas.
One of these days I must clean them out......but until then, I'll procrastiate.”

“taz, I have 2 degenerated discs, but it is my knees that give me the most problems. I tore ligaments in both of them as a youth and they start to haunt me on long, steep downhills. The best remedy is poles ... good sturdy poles. I also have the K2, but mine is the shortbed, essentially the same pack. I just got it for xmas, so haven't used it backpacking yet. I did take it on a 7 mile dayhike with 25+ lbs in it, and it felt great. It is a heavy pack but the suspension system is amazing. If you plan to go ultralight the K2 will be like carrying a rose petal in a lead vase, but if you are like those of us who carry 30+ lbs or are the family sherpa, the pack is perfect.”

“welcome taz...i use the K2 shortbed, had mine for 5 years now...love the suspension system, it's cooler than an internal frame because it doesn't sit right on your back, cuts down on slimy stinky back issues 8) it is a lot harder to manuever with though as opposed to an internal frame though so can be a little harder to scoot around when you need to, but i won't trade it in, i regularly carry 35+ pounds and find this is the most comfortable way to do it...plus the thing is completely bombproof, i tend to beat the hell out of my stuff and it's still powerin' on after many miles...where are you, there's people here form everywhere...welcome, walk softly and smile often 8)”

“How high up is the herniated disc? Instead of finding super light gear, i'd look into a pack with a super rigid frame. My mountaineering pack has a polycarbonate frame that has no verticle flex. None what so ever. This means all weight can go straight to the hips. I've had it past 75 pounds with no weight on the shoulders. The only drawback is that it was a little pricey, so I'd deffinatly make sure you're committed. Not sure if that Dana pack is internal or external, but if it's external it might give you the same effect. I'd just load it up starting with say 25 pounds and see how much weight you can keep on the hips and if it hurts your back or not, keep going until you either fell it's the limit or you run out of stuff.”

“taz, when i first got mine, i filled it up and wore it everywhere! honestly around, my apartment, walking around town, to the store, everywhere...you get lots of funny looks, but yu meet some interesting people 8)depending on where you got it, they may let you take it for a "test drive" with the option of returning it if it doesn't work for you...seriously, i agree with deathmarch, lighter may not be the way for you to go, the external frame is good because you carry the weight in a different place.”

“There are stoves on the market that weigh in at far less than the Coleman stove you mentioned. The Pepsi can alcohol stove already mentioned is one. MSR makes both liquid gas and iso-propane- butane stoves that would provide substantial weight savings.

Find a tent that weighs in somewhere around three pounds, or better yet, since you will probably be using trail shelters most of the way, a lighter Siltarp to rig a tarp shelter for those nights when shelters are not available.”

“FG...yah some silnylon or something light like that. It would give you a nice little area under the tarp that'd be out of the elements as well, like a vestibule. Keep your boots dry in a storm...”

“The most important piece of advice is to not take any dogs into the backcountry with you, because dogs do not belong in the backcountry.

LNT = LDH.”

“Hi there Micah, did ya see the pretty picture i took just for you???”

“from what little i read i suggest you do ALOT of gear skrutinizationizing before you purchase ANY gear

also do some hikes to get the feel for backpacking”

“Taz44, all your items are relatively low cost and as such suffer weight trade offs, they are heavier.

Sort of sorry that you asked her AFTER buying stuff.

do get a groundpad. I would recommend the 3/4 ridgerest and use the pack under your lower legs.
Costs under $15.

The tent weighs 5LB if the manufacturers data is accurate. Frequently they list just tent weight and the bag, pegs etc are extra. For a bad back this tent also has a low center height.
Same with the stove, good stove but you can get a much lighter stove that functions as well or better.

I will second the suggestion to get trekking poles.”

“this ain't no swingers bar...here's a "tip" for ya...bugger off mate!

hahahaha...crak myself up!!!!!”

“i dont know anything about the other gear, but i do have a peak one/coleman featherlite 400 stove, which is pretty much the same thing, just single fuel, its white gas only. ive been using it for near ten years now, never had it apart or even serviced it yet, its been a great stove. it is a little heavier than some though- im gonna build a few pepsi can stoves, thought, and see how i like them.

and yea- i wouldnt start with the AT, do short hikes first, dayhiking, then overnighters, then week long trips- pretty much work your way up to it, ive been backpacking for about ten years now, and i dont think im ready for a AT thru-hike, but hope to do it eventualy. might want to read "a walk in the woods" by bill bryson before you go off half-cocked to do a thru-hike

as for the back, my dad has a pinched disc (i forget the medical term) but he bought one of those weightlifters belts (one of the cloth ones, reinforced with plastic, and velcro connections, and he says it helps

later,
-nate”

“Bitpusher, I'm from Akron, Ohio. Thanks everyone for your input. I need all the help I can get-lol. Deathmarch99, my disk is in the lower lumbar region. I am about to have surgery on it, and am a little nervous!!-lol. I just pray that I am able to hike again soon!! I am looking to do a hike in WV to start things off. If anyone knows of a hiking group in my area, pease let me know. Thanks a bunch!!!”

“Taz, it's not too late to sign up for my backpacking class. It's in Cleveland (west side, on Mondays from 7-9 (5 more weeks). Email me if you have any questions.

Jay”

“Thanks Jay, I will email you soon. I don't know when my surgey is, so I will have to let you know. Thanks.”

“Those d@*n lumbar-sacral disks get you every time. I know the feeling Taz, take one crazy hiker, add 15 years of major compression from humpin' a bag too heavy, a beer gut up front, and a pinch of extreme body torsion and {squish} --- sloppy disks. Things must be pretty bad if you're heading in for surgery, was that your last option? Good luck and keep medicated : )”

“Capn, that has been the only opinion-lol. Surgery or suffer, that is what everyone is saying. I just get a lttle nervous when someone is messing with my spinal cord!!-lol.”

“Hey Taz, why not check out a second opinion? I guess it depends on the severity of your problem, but a second opinion can't hurt?”

“I have the Dana Designs K2 Shortbed. Heavy, heavy pack! Then again, most external frames are. It rarely gets used anymore, I opt to use my Mountainsmith internal frame instead (though it dosen't hold as much).

Good luck.”

“Capn, I am going for a second opinion. I see the doc on the 20th of this month. Artex, I picked the Dana Longbed because it is the most comfortable to me. I am 6'3" and 270lbs. I can, back willing-lol, carry a decent load. I find that the weight being carried on my hips is much better than on my back. Well, at least the majority of the weight anyway. I do need to pick out a lighter sleeping bag though. My Nebo Moose is just too heavy for backpacking. If anyone has a sugestion, please let me know. Kirk.”

“I'd suggest an epideral steroid injection or two. I was faced with the same prospect (surgery) a couple of years ago. The doc talked me into the injections and i've been good ever since. It only works in ~10% of people though. At $1300 a pop, it was well worth it, having not have to go through surgery and rehabilitation.”

“Thanks for the heads up Chief. I need surgery because of the nerve. It is being pressed against and "displaced" by the disk. I won't be able to make any March/April hikes, but hope to be up and around by May!! I have been walking around the house with my Dana Longbed on, and dreaming!!-lol.”

“You should look into the new Mountainsmith down bags. I have the vision (15* temp rating), and in a size long is weighs 34.5 ozs. It has about a 64 inch girth, so it should fit you well. It is very true to its temp rating.”

“Thanks Great White. I think I will need a bag that is a little more "water proof" than down is. I am looking at a Kelty right now. Campmor has a few on sale. I also am going to need a lighter tent, but that comes after the bag.”

“oh my gosh?.. GWS?.. heh.. he lives!!”

“you should talk TownDawg”