Questions & Answers

I am wondering which Quilt Kit insulation package you used. And would you use a different one if you had started in February? I know there are a lot of factors involved. I am just curious as to the choices made. Thanks so much, Sincerely, Isham

I started the hike in Georgia, on April 1, with a Woodland Ray-Way Quilt. There were many sub-freezing nights, and I stayed warm with this quilt. I prefer to sleep cool at night, rather than hot.

In the middle of May I switched to a Single-Layer Alpine Quilt, which was plenty warm all summer.

In Hanover, NH, I swapped back to the Woodland Quilt and used it the rest of the way to Katahdin. In retrospect, the weather remained nice through August and I could have kept the single-layer quilt.

A February start in Georgia? I would use an Alpine, and supplement that with the warm clothing, if needed.

How much does your tarp plus Spitfire weigh?

I used a One-Person Tarp: 13 oz, and the Spitfire: 12 oz. Total weight 1 lb, 9 oz

Why don't you use trekking poles?

I am just used to hiking without trekking poles. All the thru-hikes that Ray and I did together, in fact, way back to the 1960's when I would go on week-long backpacking trips with my family, I did not use poles, so it is just what I am used to. I feel my balance is still good enough that I do not need trekking poles, although I will admit there were a couple times when a pole or a stick would have saved me from slipping in the mud. For the more critical creek crossings, I found a stout stick to help me cross safely.

How did you carry your umbrella and was it worth the extra weight?

In the rain, I carried the umbrella in my hand. I did not have any special umbrella attachments on my pack. When not raining, the umbrella, which was not the collapsible type, rode outside my pack, vertically, in a protective sleeve that I had sewn. It was just a long tube-like stowbag with a drawcord. The handle end of the umbrella went inside the side pocket of my pack, and the upper end was lashed near the top of my pack with a simple loop of elastic and a small toggle.

Yes, I think the extra weight was worth it. So many times, while hiking in the rain, I felt that with the umbrella overhead, I could just keep on hiking without getting discouraged. The rain rarely bothered me.

The only thing I would do different is have a collapsible type umbrella for a smaller profile when not in use. Because my pack was small, the umbrella I carried (when not raining) stuck up above the top of my pack; now and then it would catch on a low branch or an overhanging rock.

I really like that green vest you are wearing. Would you mind telling me where you got that or did you make it yourself?

Thanks! The vest was very versatile. I did not sew it myself because I ran out of time just before my hike. I found it on ebay, and I modified it by removing most of the inside liner so it would be very breathable and lightweight.

I had no color choice. I would have preferred something more subdued. But as it turned out, that bright green was close in color to the vegetation along the AT. In fact, there were many times when I would be taking a rest, sitting on a rock or log maybe 5 or 6 feet off the trail, and I would see another hiker coming along. If I sat still and quiet, that hiker would truck right on by without seeing me.

By the end of the hike, though, I was pretty tired of that color!