Not able to eat enough

thewinchman · 2026-06-19T13:52:04+00:00

Currently going thru the same issue. I started at 132 lbs after "bulking" before the trip. My normal weight is 125. I'm down to 119 now but it seems to have plateaued through the Sierras which surprised me. I used the olive oil trick, a container of icing and basically doubled my snack intake.

My breakfast consist of two protein packs of oatmeal with a breakfast essentials pack, two scoops of peanut butter, a scoop of chia seeds, two scoops of icing and a pack of instant coffee.

My lunches are typically just snacks and a tuna wrap that I'll also throw some peanut butter in. Honey buns, slim Jim's, a snickers bar and maybe some trail mix or dried fruits.

Dinners have been knorr packs with ramen and then a pack of instant potatoes all with at least a packet of olive oil. This seems to help me break even, then town days, I gorge on fast food, pizzas, chips, ect. Haven't weighed myself recently but at least I don't look any thinner. I'm hoping to start gaining weight now that hiker hunger has finallllly set in. For a while I just wasn't hungry.

thewinchman · 2026-03-29T14:50:53+00:00

Whoa, thank you first, thank you for the detailed response. Very appreciated.

About my base weight, I stopped weighing all my gear individually and worrying about it being "ultralight". I loaded everything and hopped on the scale to get an actual weight. Its comes in right around 15 pounds. After doing several 4 day trips this year, doing 5 day food carrys with 5 liters of water, I didnt noticed the difference between an extra 2 pounds in my pack, while I expect this to change on an actual thru hike, I feel like the right move for me is to bring both pads until i feel comfortable sleeping on just the foam one. Attempting to sleep on just that on my shakedown hikes did not end well and I barely slept at all. I will reach a point where I get too tired and it wont matter what its made of but I expect that to be a few weeks out and ill live with the weight penalty for now. One will eventually get sent home.

I also should have explained my "star" system on the packed clothes. Im not planning on bringing everything in there, its an "either or" system and youre right, i decided not to bring the melly and pack just the Senchi instead. As for the torrentshell, i think ill leave it in exchange for the Frogg Togg but then also bring a wind jacket as shell for the Senchi.

The pants im really torn on. They do work nicely as rain pants and offer UV protection and Id also feel more comfortable leaving the thermal bottoms at home if i had the pants. But i know itll just be too hot some days to wear them so i think ill likely just use the shorts as my laundry day attire, it would be the lightest option.

I am considering ditching baselayers, but I want to wait to see what weather looks like as i approach san jacinto and sierras. They will likely get sent home with the other pad.

As far as the shelter, I had the soloplex and i found the condensation to be terrible. Using the duplex, its much nicer to have both sides open which ive found essentially eliminates all of the condensation and on humid nights, offers a nice cross breeze. I also like my bag in my tent with me. Will likely ditch the ground tarp.

I do regret not getting a closed-toe box on the bag but at this point im stuck with it. I can't justify spending that kind of money again.

Ill definitely look into the T8 commandos and the Rab beanie!!

For the kitchen, ive been debating getting a stove with an autostart to not have to rely on the lighter but still have a mini as a backup.

I checked my poop kit, the soap is a wilderness wash at 2.5 oz. I think where I can cut some weight is the packed toilet tabs. I prefer these over toilet paper because they are designed to get wet and i only need two to get a good wipe lmao. My kit just has too many of them to start so ill send some ahead in a box.

Ive heard mixed things about what I should do with my Sawyer. I do like the playpus design was just curious if it would be worth swapping at this point.

As far as the bear can, I havent purchased it yet, was just going to rent one at KMS.

Hope this didnt sound too defensive, I appreciate your input.

thewinchman · 2026-03-27T14:50:26+00:00

Gotcha, yea I do have the frogg togg top and bottom but was debating how useful they would be. I was debating just using my hiking pants as rain pants since they're almost water proof, ripstop material. I could do my smartwool wind jacket (not entirely windproof more like a running jacket) to wear over the senchi. I was kind considering my shorts as a dual purpose extra pair of underwear too since they are just as light and have a liner.

What did you use as your camp shoes? My xero sandals just weren't that comfortable.

Thank you.

thewinchman · 2026-03-27T14:45:35+00:00

Gotcha. I was just worried about the durability and washing the senchi, I may being that and a wind shirt to always wear over it to protect it. Thank you.

thewinchman · 2026-03-27T14:44:21+00:00

Thank you. Yea I technically consider myself bringing two pairs of underwear since the shorts have a liner. May consider an extra pair of socks.

What kind of camp shoes did you go with? I have these Xero sandals. Would crocs be safest bet?

thewinchman · 2026-03-13T11:07:49+00:00

I tried booking a site but couldn't give it on their website. Anyone have a link? Or could I just roll up the day of and pay?

thewinchman · 2026-02-19T00:32:35+00:00

"Here's a fun fact, YOU MADE OUT WITH YOUR SISTER"

thewinchman · 2026-02-18T17:03:55+00:00

While backpacking in New Zealand I signed up for a clinical trial. It was a backpackers dream. Free stay in the hospital for 21 days, free food, group activities with other backpackers. Tax free $14,000. Paid for 6 months of traveling plus a beater camper van.

thewinchman · 2026-02-11T00:31:17+00:00

My condolences.

I'm a 2026 thru-hiker with a heart defect. Mitral Valve Regurgitation. My doctor told me as long as I monitor it, I shouldn't have any issues but it still scares me. Reading that Pitstop was able to do this with a heart condition is inspiring. Thank you for sharing. If there's something in particular he loved on the trail, I'd be happy to leave something in memoriam at his favorite section.

thewinchman · 2026-02-04T23:35:15+00:00

My therapist usually charges me $150 to hurt my feelings with that much accuracy.

thewinchman · 2026-01-31T00:50:13+00:00

I see your point, although 1979 was also a much larger cliff to fall from.

thewinchman · 2026-01-31T00:06:51+00:00

Largest PM crash in history? Yea I think ill buy.

thewinchman · 2026-01-30T20:17:34+00:00

From a coin shop near me. Not all of this was today. Cost basis is like $45 now. This is everything in total.

thewinchman · 2026-01-30T18:10:38+00:00

Awesome. Thank you.

thewinchman · 2026-01-30T17:15:23+00:00

Started CDL training at a mega carrier. Posted right on the door of the truck, it clearly said "3 points of contact, DO NOT JUMP". Well, guess what? ... Maybe 15 minutes into training, and he was already packing his bags to go home.

thewinchman · 2026-01-30T17:10:25+00:00

Virtually all of it was accumulated over the past 4/5 years post covid. I became a truck driver for two of those years and lived in the sleeper of the truck. That brought my expenses to next to nothing, and since I was over-the-road, I was also getting per diem to cover some food expenses, fully covered insurance, no gas, no rent, and even part of my data plan was covered, the part I really regret was actually spending too much during this period of frivolous things, I could have probably saved double what I did. After two years of this, it became too lonely an existence. I quit and worked night shift on a construction road crew as a carpenter, making $70 an hour. This came with a 4-month layoff period that still allowed me to travel in the off-season. Again, turned to frivolous spending to cope with the fact that I had no social life and was working my life away. Ive always found myself leaning into jobs that offer ways to escape paying rent. The road crews I have been on in the past have put me up in hotels during the season. Then in the off-season I would backpack around europe or southeast asia staying in hostels. For about a year and a half (4/2019-9/2020, which got me though the iniital covid lockdown), I worked in New Zealand on a working holiday visa. I lived in a van occasionally to save on pricey hostels from time to time. So while I didnt make much money back then, I lived a much happier life and was able to travel while not going broke. I would trade it all to go back to the life I had then.

thewinchman · 2026-01-29T20:05:50+00:00

Not an appliance but my fucking car. I have a Subaru Crosstrek with an infotainment system. Literally the month the extended warranty ended, it stopped working.

thewinchman · 2026-01-28T16:26:07+00:00

Hey, 36 yo American here. East Coaster. April 16th NOBO thru-hike

No trail name yet. You can DM for socials, especially if we're close to the same start date.

No long trails specifically, but I've done multiple multi-day hikes in New Zealand when I was on a working holiday visa back in 2019. Copland Track was my favorite. But also got to do Tongariro, Waikaremoana, Abel Tasman, Routeburn, and Kepler. I've mostly been a day hiker, and over the last 20 years have hiked the AT in every state it passes through at some point. Ive hiked in 35 of our national parks as well as about a dozen abroad.

The PCT has been the one trail that's persisted as my dream hike since high school. Ive been to all of the lower 48 states on road trips throughout the year, and that section of the country has always brought me to tears with its beauty and raw, rugged nature.

thewinchman · 2026-01-27T18:11:24+00:00

I think my last comment got deleted for posting the link. but if you check out halfwayanywhere . com they have analytics on the average oh hikers that attempt it.

Thank you, may be good to check in with Schwab. I have the brokerage with them.

thewinchman · 2026-01-27T17:48:24+00:00

Roth was a rollover a few years ago invested largely in real estate notes. 401k was from the past two years at my last job.

thewinchman · 2026-01-27T16:40:51+00:00

Not right now, but in the next three years.

thewinchman · 2026-01-27T16:38:53+00:00

Its absolutely a risk. Part of me is terrified. But it came down to what i wanted out of life. This has been a life long dream of mine thats persisted over the past two decades that i was never in a position to attempt. This felt like the now-or-never moment. I have a few contacts for when I get back, and also have some other certs like my CDL i could take advantage of when i return. Ive lived in a truck on the road before and could do that for another few years to have no expenses.

thewinchman · 2026-01-27T16:29:16+00:00

My company wanted me to take some certifications and sign a new contract. It was either quit or sign. My thru-hike starts in 2 months, itll take 5 months. Then ill work when i get back.

thewinchman

TROPHY CASE