rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 13, 2015 16:17:43 GMT -8
Also, I'm am not above buying used items at thrift stores, garage sales, etc. Some of my best gear and least expensive gear has come from those sources. It's amazing what you can find if you're patient and look around. You have to live in the right place (or at least shop there) for this to work. I could grow old and die waiting for any piece of real gear to show up in the thrift store in my neighborhood, though I may yet score the down jacket I want, since people are wearing them for a fashion statement. I'll do better to go down the Peninsula to the wealthier cities, though, where there will be higher-quality clothes, and maybe even some gear? Naw, they're all out skiing.
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RumiDude
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Marmota olympus
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Post by RumiDude on Dec 13, 2015 18:45:19 GMT -8
I truly have no idea what the cost is of the gear I currently have. But I do have an idea of the cost of the gear I want to buy for a PCT thruhike. It would be in the range of about $1500 to $2000 dollars, depending on what I finally settle on. The tent alone would be more than $500. I keep an eye on gear for sale threads on backpacking forums and such, but in my experience some items are just not good choices getting used.
For a PCT thruhike, I am not looking for just a tent, stove, or sleeping bag, but rather I am looking for THE particular tent, bag, etc. I could do a thruhike with the gear I have and it would not be too bad. If I severely trimmed my gear taken,I could get down fairly light. It's just that getting particular pieces of gear would put me into the 10-12lb base weight range and thus make the trek so much easier, well at least carrying weight wise. I could stand to lose 25lbs of body weight as well. *bigsmallerportionsizegrins*
Rumi
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 13, 2015 21:23:18 GMT -8
Don't worry, Rumi. If you thru-hike the PCT, you'll lose those 25 lbs. Maybe not so bad to start off with them. After reading a lot of books about hiking the PCT, and some people's inability to handle the weight loss, I have wondered if my spouse could do it, or if he'd just vanish.
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RumiDude
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Marmota olympus
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Post by RumiDude on Dec 13, 2015 21:49:12 GMT -8
Well, I need to lose the 25lbs regardless if I do the PCT. Reducing one's extra weight is one of the best ways to improve long term health outcomes. I want to still be hiking when I turn 90. Thus I would like to avoid the health issues many in my family tree suffer from. That and I am trying to regain my schoolboy figure. *bigiwishihadathirtyinchwaistagaingrins*
Much of the issue with long distance hiking and weight loss have to do with getting sufficient calories in a balanced diet. People react differently to hiking and some lose their appetite. It takes me almost a week to get my hiker appetite and then I am usually OK.
Rumi
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 13, 2015 22:08:18 GMT -8
Rumi--totally agree about the weight control and the desire to hike until I'm 90. Or 95.
No appetite loss on the trail for the spouse, but when we were in Peru, hiking every day (even without full loads), the spouse lost 10 lbs in 5 weeks, on a guy who carries very little extra body fat (though I'll admit up until a couple of years ago it was NO extra fat). That despite the packers feeding us 5x/day! I lost quite a bit, too. Sadly, we both rebounded to higher weights, and have been struggling every since. So maybe a more controlled weight loss before the hike is better, but keeping up the calorie count for long-distance hiking seems to be about impossible.
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tarol
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Redding, CA
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Post by tarol on Dec 14, 2015 7:39:55 GMT -8
$1000? You don't have to go crazy. My tent, Eureka Spitfire, was $75, and it has served me very well. Pad about the same. Pack and bag bought on sale for about $180/each. Save some money and spend it on the gas to get you to the trailhead. Or in the case of my last trip to the Channel Islands, the boat ride
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Dec 14, 2015 7:50:15 GMT -8
How much you spend depends a lot on how light you are trying to go. Or, with things like packs and boots, sometimes its just a matter of spending whatever it takes to get a comfortable fit. Though my pack wasn't cheap (wasn't that pricey, either), I've used it for 11 years, so that's paid off well. The tent, maybe not so much. Heavier tents usually last longer.
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Westy
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Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
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Post by Westy on Dec 14, 2015 8:01:05 GMT -8
cost of the gear I want to buy for a PCT thruhike. It would be in the range of about $1500 to $2000 dollars
We refreshed our gear for our trial long-distance thru-hike of the CT this past summer. Your numbers are pretty close for the gear. We bought new sleeping bags, sleeping pads, 2-person tent, lightweight backpacks, best in class outer shells, hiking shoes, lightweight down jackets, ultra-light socks etc. Pretty much equal to the quality gear you mentioned. We did buy our backpacks, shoes and stoves at least twice. Preliminary pre-thru-hike treks resulted in gear changes. We've got our long-distance gear and it's been tested in the field.
The good news.....gear is an asset with a long product life span. The bad news, the real cost of long-distance hiking are expenses such as trail food, in-town food, transportation, re-supply shipping and lodging.
We went Cadillac style on trail food, as we deemed the cost of variety and preparation simplicity was more mission critical than dietary cost savings and a hum-drum menu.
Current project is in Stage One-Feasibility for a thru-hike the CDT in 2018. Initial rough-cut cost estimate is in the sticker shock zone. Good Luck with your plans!
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RedDoug
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Trail active, stand back.....
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 14, 2015 12:34:03 GMT -8
Same tent I generally use. I have seen them on eBay for around $100. Not a bad price. I did pick up a new MtHardware tent his fall on eBay. Weighs almost the same as the Spitefire but its a 2 person tent. I got it for $100 below list- only $360. My wife knows about that, too.
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Post by wondermonkey on Dec 14, 2015 12:37:28 GMT -8
Well when I go camping my wife finds herself shopping. So what is the real cost here?
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greno
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Post by greno on Dec 14, 2015 17:19:55 GMT -8
my wife and I laughed about this last weekend when we were camping. We need a new king mattress for the bed, but we are too cheap to buy it. We laughed that between the tent, sleeping bags, and pads we could have a new mattress easy. I really want a tent lighter than 5 pounds, but I really am too cheap to buy one.
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RedDoug
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 14, 2015 22:54:33 GMT -8
Under 5 lbs? That is easy to find. Look at the Z-pack website- here is perhaps the best solo tent on the market. I have owned two- I used them in NM and sold them when I was done. You can't find a better, or lighter solo tent: www.zpacks.com/shelter/hexamid_plus.shtml
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Post by JRinGeorgia on Dec 15, 2015 3:41:23 GMT -8
I'm not concerned much with the cost of gear, because the hobby itself offsets the cost quickly. How else to take a vacation and not pay for hotels, restaurants, admission/activity fees, drinks at a bar, souvenirs, etc? One week backpacking vs. one week in an Orlando theme park or exploring New York or San Francisco and the gear has more than paid for itself.
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RedDoug
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Trail active, stand back.....
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 15, 2015 5:57:11 GMT -8
One week backpacking vs. one week in an Orlando theme park or exploring New York or San Francisco and the gear has more than paid for itself. That is what I tell me wife.
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sarbar
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After being here since 2001...I couldn't say goodbye yet!
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Post by sarbar on Dec 15, 2015 7:41:44 GMT -8
This year has been pricey after a long break on spending. I bought the middle kid his backpacking pack, and the youngest needs one next. They also got sleeping bags and other items, like new coats. Just instead of one growing, it is 2 growing....
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