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Suffer Better Initiative

Iron Forge
Pack List

Art Loeb Trail · Pisgah · 4–6 March 2027

Iron Forge is a three-day backcountry hike with Suffer Better Initiative. Fathers, sons, mentors, and the young men they walk beside carry weight over hard miles, together. This list isn't about buying more stuff. It's about being prepared.

Nice to have your own gear, especially if you plan to do this again. But don't feel pressure to spend money you don't have.

Suffer Better was built to cover gaps. If you're missing something, say something. That's how the body of Christ works.

Let us know what you need. We've got you.

A full Iron Forge kit laid out: pack, trekking poles, sleeping system, stove, food, water, navigation and safety gear
A Leader's Kit This is my loadout, dialed in over years of these hikes. It is more than a first-timer needs, and that's the point: don't measure your pile against mine. Use it as a reference for what dialed-in looks like. Build from the list below, bring what is marked Required, and don't sweat the gaps. If gear is what stands between you and this trail, tell us.

Trail

Art LoebPisgah National Forest

Days

Thu–Sat3 on the trail

Conditions

ColdMarch nights, 20–30°F

Required — on the trail, no exceptions Team-carried — split across the group Optional Provided — from the SBI locker for first-timers

You don't buy your way onto this trail. For a first-timer, the big gear is already handled — pack, sleeping bag and pad, tent, stove, filter, headlamp, the safety kit. It comes out of the SBI gear locker, yours to use for the trip. What you bring from home is the personal stuff: your layers, broken-in shoes, socks, toiletries.

If you've got your own gear, bring it. If you don't, say the word and it's covered. We have men on standby who've asked for nothing more than the chance to put a young man on this mountain. Let them. That's not charity. That's the body of Christ doing what it was built to do.

01

Backpack

  • Pack, 55L — internal or external frame is a must. Big enough for essentials, with a rain cover. Required Provided
Field Note

Osprey is my brand of choice on cost to value. I'm an REI fan, but you can find these used at good prices all over FB Marketplace.

02

Sleep System

  • Sleeping bag — rated 20–30°F. March nights get cold. Required Provided
  • Sleeping pad — lightweight, insulated. The ground steals your heat. Required Provided
  • Shelter — 2-person tent (shared, spread the weight), or a hammock with rainfly. Team Provided
Field Note

Tents spread across the group. Not everyone carries one. A 2-dude tent is the sweet spot. Look for 3 to 4 season.

The hammock gets cold. I tried it. It's uncomfortable in March. I like to be warm, so I won't experiment this time of year.

03

Clothing

Mar/Apr · Pisgah

Wear while hiking

  • Base layer — moisture-wicking shirt and pants, synthetic or merino. No cotton — it holds water and chills you. Required
  • Mid layer — fleece or light insulated jacket. Required
  • Outer layer — waterproof, windproof shell. Jacket at minimum. Required

Pack for camp

  • Extra base layer — shirt and pants for sleeping.
  • Extra socks & underwear — wool or synthetic. Dry feet matter in the cold. Required
  • Warm hat — beanie for nighttime. Required
  • Lightweight gloves — insulated but packable. Required
  • Trail shoes or boots — comfortable, waterproof, broken in. Do not bring new boots. Required
Field Note

Don't overthink it. You probably have some of this. What you don't have, find among the other dudes or grab cheap at Walmart. Winter sales are on right now.

Shoes: comfort, comfort, comfort. We walk a lot. I run lightweight trail runners over boots, well broken in.

04

Food & Water

  • Meals — 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners. Plan 2,000–4,000 calories a day. Pack a real sandwich for Friday lunch (meat and carbs) — it saves time and lifts morale. You will burn everything you bring. Required Provided
  • Snacks — energy bars, nuts, jerky, dried fruit, GUs. Fuel on the move. Required
  • Cook system — stove, fuel canister, pot (1 per 3). Personal spork. Team Provided
  • Water, 2–3L capacity — a reservoir (bladder with a drinking hose) to sip on the move, plus bottles. Required Provided
  • Water filter — Sawyer Squeeze or similar. We refill from the streams near Butter Gap. Required Provided
  • Electrolytes — at least 6 packets. LMNT is what I run. Critical Provided
Field Note

Water is the top priority, and the largest part of your weight. 1L is 2.2 lbs. I carry a 3L bladder, two 1L bottles, and a Sawyer filter that weighs 3 oz and beats hauling water.

Dehydrated food saves weight. Mountain House is solid, under 6 oz a pouch. Pack a protein-and-carb sandwich for Friday lunch. Saves time, and it's a huge morale booster.

05

Navigation & Safety

  • Headlamp — with spare batteries. Sunsets come early this time of year. Required Provided
  • Trail map — Art Loeb and connecting trails. We'll carry a few paper maps across the team. Team Provided
  • Compass / GPS — your phone with the trail app works. Bring a power bank; GPS drains a battery fast, and there's no charging out here.
  • First aid kit — spread across the group, blister care included. Team Provided
  • Emergency blanket — reflective, body-sized, a few dollars at Walmart. Super light. Required Provided
  • Knife or multitool — a basic one for camp tasks. Nothing fancy needed.
  • Whistle — for group safety. Optional
Field Note

We move as one group, so don't stress the navigation. Everyone gets a digital link to the trail, and we carry maps, first aid, and emergency blankets across the team. Your job is to show up ready and look out for the man next to you.

06

Personal & Camp

  • Toiletries — small toothbrush, toothpaste, TP or wipes (pack it out). Trowel optional.
  • Trash bag — pack out everything.
  • Bear bag or canister — required in Pisgah. Spread a few across the group. Team Provided
  • Trekking poles — helpful on climbs and descents. Optional Provided
  • Stuff sacks / dry bags — or garbage and ziplock bags. Light, cheap. Bring extra, they rip. Optional
  • Phone / camera — photos and AllTrails. Optional

Base pack weight

25–30 lbs

With food & water

40–60 lbs

Don't pray for the weight to come off. Pray for stronger legs and shoulders.

Carry. Suffer. Together.

If you're missing something, say something. We've got you.

Soli Deo Gloria

Romans 5:3–5

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17