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#99210 - 07/07/08 06:32 PM I want to clothe properly.
VirginiaSunrise Offline
newbie

Registered: 07/07/08
Posts: 3
Loc: VIRGINIA, USA
well hello, i am quite new to the backpacking world, however, i have applied to be a crew member on an Appalachian Trail Summer Work Crew at the end of July. This should surely be a great experience. I am unsure of what to pack for this week long outdoor work scenario. They provide shelter, food, and tools. I'm not sure, however, if a hiker packs different outfits for each day or if you only pack maybe 3 sets of clothes and then wash the clothes in a river or stream during the trip?? it seems that seperate outfits for about 7 days would be quite heavy in your pack. And also, if no showers are provided, how do you wash?? in a creek or pond or one of those "packable showers"?? Thank you and any feedback will be much appreciated.
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#99211 - 07/07/08 07:18 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada

Click my name to see what I take - I have a gear list linked.

Basically I take one set of convertible pants, long underwear, poly T shirt, wool shirts and a fleece, along with two sets of socks. I typically take the pants off and change socks to sleep, then change back to hike. I certainly don't carry a set of clothing for each day.

I will take a dip if the opportunity presents itself to clean off, or a "sponge bath" with
camp suds in a 3 cup pot with a liner sock as a washcloth every 2 or 3 days if I don't
have any other opportunity to wash myself - While my wife objects to my smell when I
get home it's not that bad if I keep myself reasonably clean.

OTOH you will be on a work crew - which *may* have different requirements than for hiking, so you should probably ask if you need anything specialized - the last time I saw a trail crew here they were required to have safety (steel toe) boots and chainsaw chaps, but I'm a long
way from the AT - You may want to ask them beforehand to see if they have particular requirements/reccomendations for what you should bring.
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#99212 - 07/07/08 10:49 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: phat]
johndavid Offline
member

Registered: 04/23/08
Posts: 260
Loc: jersey city NJ
Potentially the climate as you probably know, could be hot and humid and generally disgusting.

Minimal very light, exclusively synthetic clothing is in order for your basic outfit.. The stuff can be rinsed in a brook every couple of days and will perhaps dry in an hour or two. This will make it nice enough, though maybe not THAT nice.

Personally, I always go for long pants in an extremely light nylon fabric.

In warmer weather, I roll them up to knees. Most people in your situation would prefer shorts or zip-offs. Maybe I would too if I were you. But you'll also want to have some form of long pants available.

(My preferred brand is very lightest of the generally overpriced "Railriders" line, which I use winter and summer, with or without various forms of long and short underwear and overpants. I also wear these pants to the office, though this is probably among my many critical errors.)

Personally, I wouldn't bother with soap for a week's outing, but this could be another error. You could mix it with the rinse water with clothes if you like.

While clothes dry, you'll need to wear something. So therefore, bring ONE change of under clothes including maybe socks, or whatever your definition of minimal clothing is.

I've got this idea, which may be wrong, that Patagonia has some treatment it advertises, that effectively retards odor. Possibly other manufacturers offer this fabric treatment.

I've got one Patagonia garment, at some horrible price, which is an ultra-thin long-sleeved shirt. I can definitely say that it dries very fast and is wearable in temperatures to 80 degrees (or probably 70 is much better). Whether it doesn't stink, I think it doesn't, but people have told me that I stink when I think I smell like a rose.

Also, this stuff might be important: it might get as cold as 55 degrees??? Or whatever.

.....So you'd want some extremely light woolies, or wool substitutes. A very light windshirt is always good also. Some of this stuff might be worn while your basic clothing set dries after washing.

A very light knitted hat, certainly. Very light knitted gloves might not even be total overkill, depending on whether you will be in Maine or Georgia, although probably they would be overkill regardless. But trivial weight and bulk. Possibly a need for work gloves, given your project, will make glove question redundant.

Very light long underwear? Maybe or maybe not. Perhaps if your sleeping bag is super thin....whatever...the weight and bulk is pretty minimal.....

You won't wear any of this warmer stuff much, if at all, so washing isn't an issue.

The most pleasant hiking I've done in the "east" during the heat of summer, involved frequent dunking of self into brooks or ponds at every opportunity.

On the other hand, it might not be so terribly hot. So far this season as you probably know, the northeast weather pattern has been a bit wet, quite humid, with middling warm-to-hot temperatures. Haven't seen much super-hot stuff so far, and as you know, fairly wide variations are the norm.

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#99213 - 07/08/08 06:50 AM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: johndavid]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
VS, sounds like you need to find out more from the people you are working for. You might need some pants that can take a beating, or, as phat mentioned, chainsaw chaps and steel toe boots. If you need tough pants, then look for the Dickies or Carhart brands. They are 100% cotton, but tough as nails. Or, you can go with the ripstop poly-cotton military pants you find at a surplus store. They are really comfortable, tough, and have extra patches of material in high wear areas. Take one pair of tough,heavy pants, and one pair of light nylon pants. Wear the heavy pants for working and the light ones for the rest of the time. A week isn't that long to need to wash them, even if you get them really dirty. Also, if you are lucky, look at a Sportsmans Wearhouse for steel toe boots, if you need them. They have some that aren't too heavy, and are made more for hiking.
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#99214 - 07/08/08 09:31 AM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
midnightsun03 Offline
member

Registered: 08/06/03
Posts: 2936
Loc: Alaska
VS...

Baby wipes are a great way to feel fresher at the end of the day.

Loose clothing usually doesn't need washing (but it sounds like you may have to wrap your mind around that idea). You may only need 1 or 2 pairs of long pants to work in, and probably shorts to hike in. I like to hike in running/exercise tights.

Next-to-body layers, especially in hot weather, do need rinsing if you get sweaty. There are tee-shirts with odor-inhibitors built in, though they can be a bit spendy. Smartwool makes thin short sleeved shirts that naturally minimize stink.

Believe me, none of you are going to be smelling fresh as a daisy when you finish your week, but that's ok because you won't notice it (your nose will 'adapt' to the smell). Just steer clear of 'clean' people until you've gotten a good bath <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> When I finished a 3 week trip once I thought I had a great tan... until I took a shower and my 'tan' went down the drain! LOLOL.

Enjoy your adventure!

MNS
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#99215 - 07/08/08 11:50 AM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
GrumpyGord Online   content
member

Registered: 01/05/02
Posts: 945
Loc: Michigan
You say that the group will provide shelter. Does that mean that you will sleep in tents or will you be in a bunkhouse? Clothing would vary a lot if you are coming back to a bunkhouse. If you have to lug all of your clothes along with you for miles on your back you will be sorry that you took so much. You should get more specifics from the group before you leave. All of the groups that I have been with have provide very detailed information on what you need.

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#99216 - 07/08/08 02:06 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
wandering_daisy Offline
member

Registered: 01/11/06
Posts: 2865
Loc: California
Ask them for a clothing list. I do not know if you are a guy or gal - I suspect from your forum name that you are female. If not, the following suggestions still apply, but I did target them to a female.

Trail work is very dirty and rough on clothes. You will want at least two changes of clothing - one to wear while the other is drying from being washed. I used to work in a coal mine- safety regulations require that you have arms and legs covered. A long sleeve shirt with sleeves that roll up is good. This will save you from numerous scratches and sunburn. Same with shorts. May be better to have long pants. Do not try to be stylish -- have plenty of room for bending. Somewhat loose, but not so loose that you will get clothing caught on branches and brush. Also, forget the low-riders - bend down and expose flesh and you will get eaten by bugs and dirtier than ever. I would not go for the super-light weight backpack variety of clothes -- get something that is a little more tough that still dry quickly. I think Columbia makes some reasonable priced tough clothing.

Bring something to keep your hair out of your face when wearing a hard hat. A handkercheif that is large enough to wrap around your head works and you can also wet it when it gets hot. It looks dorky, but feels a lot better than hair hanging out.

A good pair of work gloves that fit properly will make a huge difference. They will probably have gloves, but my experience is that they seldom will fit. It is worth it to buy your own. The cotton work gloves with little grippy dots work well.

Bring a little repair kit - needle and thread, a few exta buttons.

Even if rinsing clothes in cold water does not get them clean, it will get out the sweat and dust and they will feel a LOT better.

If they require steel toed shoes, I find that low-cut shoes are a lot more comfortable than boots. They even make steel toed tennis shoes!

Take at least 2 kercheifs - it is nice to have something to wipe your hands on. A kercheif can easily be dipped in a stream and put around your neck - sort of natural air condioning.

Take all opportunities to dip in the stream. If you are not in a social situation that approves of skinny dipping, bring a light weight swimsuit or bikini. No matter how cold the water is, it will feel wonderful when you get out! Ask if your base camp will provide solar showers. If not, you may think of bringing your own small solar shower collapsable bag.

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#99217 - 07/08/08 02:10 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
VirginiaSunrise Offline
newbie

Registered: 07/07/08
Posts: 3
Loc: VIRGINIA, USA
Thank you all very much!
This is all helpful information!
Closer to the week the Appalachian Conservancy will send out more specific information, but I had just never ventured out for more than one night and wasn't sure what the accepted actions were for clothing and cleaning. So thank you for the replies and help!!
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#99218 - 07/08/08 02:19 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: johndavid]
VirginiaSunrise Offline
newbie

Registered: 07/07/08
Posts: 3
Loc: VIRGINIA, USA
oh wait i didnt see deodorant listed. haha
umm is that just an assumed item to be packed??
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#99219 - 07/08/08 02:24 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
midnightsun03 Offline
member

Registered: 08/06/03
Posts: 2936
Loc: Alaska
It is a personal preference thing. Some people choose to pack a travel-size deodorant or a "deodorant stone" from a natural food store. Most of us don't care since we know we'll be generally stinky all over.

There is some value in doing a quick washdown before bed, not only because it helps you feel better, but it also helps prolong the life of your sleeping bag.

MNS
_________________________
YMMV. Viewer discretion is advised.

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#99220 - 07/08/08 04:03 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: VirginiaSunrise]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada

I don't - it's extra weight, and typically if I'm exerting myself it's better to wash all over than
worry about making myself smell like the manly smell of "Glacier" "Ocean Breeze" "Action" or just
plain old "Old Spice", as opposed to "Funky hiker man" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

You wanna practice what'll work anywhere? take 3 cups of lukewarm water in a bowl and a very tiny tiny tiny bit of soap or campsuds with a polyester liner sock - step into your bathtub and give yourself a sponge bath with the sock. Do the same in the boonies, with dry clothing to hop into
when you are done. You'll be amazed how much cleaner you can be/feel with only about 3 cups of water - which can be warmed up by a camping stove. Trick is to use very little soap. Seek privacy if that's your preference or to save others from poking out their mind's eye from seeing you. (I'm a 275 lb big hairy dude, so I know what category I fit in!)
_________________________
Any fool can be uncomfortable...
My 3 season gear list
Winter list.
Browse my pictures


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#99221 - 07/27/08 07:02 PM Re: I want to clothe properly. [Re: phat]
just_another_Joe Offline
member

Registered: 11/30/06
Posts: 117
Flowery deodorant may attract bugs. Eau de bug repellant may be the best scent to wear, dual use. There was one that had sun screen in it too, but you don't want oils in your sleeping bag.

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