The umbrella is a necessary. Go with what know!

17lb plus the fanny pack at 3 is total 20lb carried base-everything on your body is something your body is carrying. Food, water, fuel will add around 8-9lb putting you just under 30, which is doable. Better than some of the 40-50+ packs we see at the start in GA! You will probably refine this as you go. I think you probably won't need the rain pants along with the coat and the umbrella but you'll figure it out. I might dry out those wet wipes to reduce water weight, then squirt some water on as you need to rehydrate. Consider a pot-shaped coozy for your cooked food to sit in as it rehydrates so that you conserve fuel. (DIY with silver bubblewrap) Take a backup water purification system like a very small bottle of potable aqua tabs. Filters get clogged with silt over time and just stop working, but they do the best job. Remember to keep it near your body while hiking in cold (not just sleeping) or it will break. I hope you have a great hike! See you at Amicalola for check in and tag registration!

The problem with the Umbrella is not the functionality of the Umbrella but to keep it in a useful place while having it open and while hiking. The AT has tons of low hanging branches plus trees next to trail especially in the south. As Madame Roadrunner (the hiking dancer) said, the Umbrella is nice for having a break underneath but otherwise it is unfortunately also windy on the AT. For whatever reasons the AT often is on top of a ridge. Even the pack acts like a sail there. I guess you will have fun with the poncho. Just be prepared to get a rain jacket. At least last year I had problems with the short Easton stakes that Tarptent provides. Once I got my longer CNOC stakes (7 inch), putting up my tent was way easier. The reason is that the soil is often loose, because a ton of hikers sleep in those places around shelters. Sometimes people claim to just stealth camp somewhere but that is easier said than done. For February the 0 F quilt is a good choice. In the Smokies that is what you want. Even in the shelters you will have a lot of drafts. Therefore I would ditch the pillow and get a sleeping hood like the "Crestone Hood" from Katabatic. This allows for way more comfort than sleeping with a hat and a buff over your face. Such hoods do only make sense if you can synch the face opening otherwise your forehead gets cold or you will need a hat anyways. You can easily use your clothes pod as a pillow. In summer you can just put a buff around.

Do you and let them wish they had one when it pours all day .... Oh wait they'll zero those days .. Can't wait to see the vids , Good Luck and God Bless !!!

You got some good gear! That’s a great winter base weight. Best of luck on your AT journey. Can’t wait to follow along!

Nice gear list. That should serve you well. Nice channel. Best of luck on the trail. New follower here. Crow

I am always impressed how you thought about function and weight on even the smallest items.

well thought out gear list. keep the vids coming

Great video. Bought the same straw/hose drinking system. I swapped out the bite valve and hose with an osprey hose and valve with a magnetic clip and it works well. You can see it in my announcement video. Happy hiking 🥾

Great gear list. I will follow you along on your adventure. Safe and happy trails from the Netherlands.

Good luck on your hike. I look foreword to following you through the green tunnel.

umberlla???? a hundred percent!! bring it

Thanks for sharing your gear. I bought an umbrella this fall and used it on the Allegheny Trail and just loved it. Yes, there will be times you can't use it, but there will be many times you can. With mine strapped to my pack straps even in strong ridge top wind, I was able to hold one edge with one hand to keep the wind from jerking it around and still have it up. It was annoying, but doable. And the umbrella was definitely nice in 4-5 hours of hiking in the rain to keep the water out of my face. I'm looking foward to following your hike.

Don't you need a USB micro for the Explorer plus. I have not seen one with a USB C

Muh-jell-in :) Great set up! Lmfao! Thank you, btw, for cocooning like a caterpillar upright in that quilt :D

Hoka's last much, much longer, so you are just as well off that your feet don't like them. I love Altra's and wear them often, but I think they skimp too much on durability; it's really a shame. I also hate being cold at night, so I always go overboard on the bag/quilt! Good Luck!

Lots of stuff 😄 Have fun out there. Once I'm done with the other trails, the AT will be on my list!

Great video and like your style & voice. Plenty of other AT KZfaqrs but something about yours and your voice/delivery makes it very enjoyable and easy to watch. Some great gear you have there, coming from the UK I know there’s some brands I won’t find, but it’s given me some ideas that I hadn’t thought of for a thru hike. AT is on my list for the future and I really look forward top catching up with your videos and following you on the AT! I wish you strong legs and strong mind 🙏👍 btw, I LOVE the umbrella idea just for that “self bubble” you can create & like having a tent over you when you have a break but without the hassle & if it’s good enough for Dixie….. who’s to argue ❤

Great load out. I love my OV 0 degree top quilt....but with these last few cold weeks, I would rate it closer to 15-20 degrees for comfort. My toes started getting a little uncomfortable at about 15 degrees....not unsafely uncomfortable, but not what I was hoping for a "zero degree" quilt....closer to my 20 degree quilts I have used in the same setups.

Great kit and well thought out. Love the sleep pad inflator and poncho rain gear. Thanks for sharing. - Jiffy Pop

Cool pack! Happy Trails! -Matador

Good luck and happy trails!

Great gear loadout. Good luck on the AT (new sub)

Just subscribed; wow, your videos are super high energy. Moreso than any other AT hikers I've seen. Good luck on your trip! On a different, gear-related note, I think you'll end up ditching the tick key like I did even though I was concerned abou the risk of Lyme disease. You already have the tweezers in your Swiss Army knife which work just as well or maybe even better for removing ticks and will save you a little bit of weight.

Excellent base weight. Can't wait to follow along. Good luck and have fun.

Thank you for sharing this information! Wishing you a great and fullfilling thru-hike of the AT.

Red pack is good for safety. Some places have hunting seasons. Red and orange make great protection.

You're all set to go on your journey. Keep trekking. 😀

Nice loadout. Those Easton stakes are awesome! 🤓

That’s a great spoon. I’ve been using it on my trips this summer.

you may want longer charging cords

That paka rain poncho looks amazing!

I'm curious to see how you like the pack. I have been saving for the Six Moon Designs Swift V because I think I will like the roll top closure better. I think the V only weighs 1 oz more. My interest in these is the same as yours - the running vest style harness. Thanks for sharing your video!

I actually love that REI fanny pack. Unfortunately it is not waterproof. Easy fix- put everything in ziplock bags.

I rucked Maryland section of AT in August with the same fanny pack and after day one I found it too hot so think about how you’ll feel during the heat

Love your video. You are really hilarious. I gave 2 questions. What software’s will you be using to upload from your camera. Could you list your gear with links to buy them. You put in lot of thought into it. Thanks.

How has the Freedom Industry Radiase fleece hoodie working? And how is the warmth? I looked on their web site and the hoodies are pretty inexpensive and light weight.

Bring knee braces