2019 App Trail Thru Hike: All About The Gear

"Gearing up" for my early April Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike departure

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Backpacking gear, especially for thru hiking, is a bit of a paradox: on the one hand you know you won't have access to conventional amenities for extended periods so you want to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios, but on the other hand the weight of the gear really starts to add up and makes carrying it difficult to impossible over long distances.

The lighter the load you can carry, while staying warm, dry, and rested...the better the chances you have of avoiding the biggest thru hike killers...mental fatigue and injury.

It's all about the weight these days when it comes to thru hiking gear. The days of heavy ankle protecting hiking boots and bulky external frame backpacks are over. Most people are now thru hiking in lightweight running shoes or even sandals like me. Some backpacks and tents weigh only a pound or so. Ounces matter.

In the classic 1983 trail journal, Then The Hail Came, George talks about carrying a 50 pound pack (much respect for anyone out there hiking long distances, but especially for people in the past that did it without all the new fangled lightweight gear).  Contrast that with Wired's base pack weight (not including food and water) of 13 or so pounds.

Having a light base weight makes carrying the necessary food and water easier. Each liter of water weighs 2 pounds. On the Appalachian Trail water is usually not too hard to come by so people only carry a liter or so at a time and filter as they go. On the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail water can be scarce in places and people have to carry 6-8 liters at times. On the Appalachian Trail food resupply is usually available at least every few days. Each day of food usually weighs 1-2 pounds.

My base pack weight is about 22 pounds right now and I usually carry about 4 pounds of food and 2 pounds of water for a total of 28 pounds. Not too good by today's standards. 

I've been over and over my gear. I swapped out my backpack for a lighter one, bought new lighter weight clothing (I was really trying to be the last person to own a puffy jacket...oh well...they really are lightweight), and minimized and re-minimized what I'm bringing. I've analyzed and re-packed a hundred times. I'm probably going to start with what I have, but I have at least identified some options that would allow me to shed another 7 or so pounds:

• Wire Mesh Bag (2 lbs): I bought a large wire mesh bag and some lightweight luggage locking cable and locks to secure my gear. Altogether it weighs almost 2 pounds. That's low hanging fruit, but I really want to bring it. Hiking gear is expensive and it does get stolen sometimes. The bag should also deter rodents and other animals that like to chew through backpacks and might even deter an only-mildly determined bear. Hikers rarely make any effort to secure their gear from theft and most would be unwilling to carry the extra weight. I've practiced securing my gear with the bag many times and can do it pretty quickly (if it's not easy I know I won't use it). I'm sure other hikers will make fun of it. 
• Tent (2.5 lbs): I have a relatively roomy Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 (3.5 lbs) that Helen and I use. It's a popular tent on the trail, but I could get a lightweight tarp or something like the ZPacks Plexamid (14.8 oz).
• Backpack (1.5 lbs): I originally bought an Osprey Atmos 65 AG backpack (4 lb 6 oz), but swapped that out for a ULA Circuit (3 lb 5oz). I could get a ZPacks Arc Blast (21 oz).
• Sleeping Pad (.5 lbs): I have an REI Flash (20 oz). I could get a NeoAir XLite (12 oz) or Thermarest ZLite (10 oz).

It can be misleading to go by what gear is popular on the trail since most people (4 out of 5) don't finish their intended thru hikes. The gear might be popular because it's comfortable or readily available at big box retailers, but not practical for completing a thru hike:

The Trek AT Gear Surveys: Surveys of what gear people used on the AT
HalfwayAnywhere: Surveys of what gear people used on the Pacific Crest Trail

2019 App Trail Thru Hike: Going To School

Getting a "shakedown" at Mountain Crossings as I prepare for my early April Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike departure

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While I've been interested in hiking and backpacking for a while, my exposure has been more the storytelling variety. I really don't "know" anything and haven't really "done" anything, so I've been busy trying to get up to speed in order to give myself a decent chance.

Where to start? Google, of course (this list is just an overview of all that's out there):

Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC): Organization managing the Appalachian Trail
National Park Service: The ATC works in partnership with the NPS and the Forest Service

The Trek: Non-intimidating user friendly information
REI: Big box retailer, but still has some trail cred
Clever Hiker: Non-intimidating user friendly information
Darwin: Fun hipster guy with some charismatic youtube videos
Homemade Wanderlust: Dixie dishes with a fun chick attitude
Evan's Backpacking Videos: Love this guy. I really relate to him age-wise and to his analytical style. It was so informative going back and watching his older youtube videos to see how his 2018 AT thru hike preparations evolved over a couple years. He lists books and resources in his youtube video notes. The comments from these sites are also informative.
Handstand: Neat girl Evan hiked with during his thru hike
Early Riser: Good ole boy, ex-military, vlogged his 2017 thru hike with good advice and heartfelt struggles to overcome ego and become more mindful
Walking With Wired: One of my favorite interviews from Sounds of the Trail podcast
White Blaze Stories From The Trail: One of many youtube documentaries on hiking the AT

The Trek AT Gear Surveys: Surveys of what gear people used on the AT
HalfwayAnywhere: Surveys of what gear people used on the Pacific Crest Trail

The Hiking Life: Good list of more advanced backpacking sites

White Blaze: Long time home of the AT trail community
Trail Journals: People writing about their journeys is a tradition and great place to learn
Then The Hail Came: Classic trail journal from 1983
Post Holer: Non-AT specific trail community

AT (AWOL) Guide: Guidebook of choice for hiking the AT
GutHook App: Mobile app of choice for hiking the AT

2019 App Trail Thru Hike: Genesis

Obsession\planning continues for my early April Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike departure

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How did I get here?

I used to be more of a runner than a walker, but age happens and that's ok. The progression feels natural and brings new perspectives. While I'm no spring chicken, I'm grateful my body still works well enough to even attempt the thru hike.

I'm 53 now and well aware that the wheels are going to start falling off the bus at an ever increasing pace. When they do then Helen and I will settle down in a quaint cottage with a garden and a dog. Until then....

When we took the boys on all our big family trips, we would see these big beautiful national parks and only get to experience a small fraction of what they had to offer. You had to be able to strap on a backpack and walk long distances to really experience them. We did some small hikes, but barely scratched the surface.

As time passed, I really started gravitating towards longer walks, the sights and sounds of the natural world, and minimalism. The framework of what our empty nest life might look like started to form. I wanted to be "gone"...out there experiencing the natural world...with minimal possessions to weigh me down. I became interested in slow travel and backpacking.

A few years ago I started listening to "The Sounds of the Trail" podcast. Two of my favorite episodes are "This Is Why We Do It (Giving Yourself Permission)" and "Before and After (No Going Back)". I started to throw around the idea of a thru hike when we retired and Helen didn't dismiss it out of hand. In 2017, I came across an article called "10 Stunning Viewpoints Along The Appalachian Trail" and got Helen and Adam to go along to check some of the places out. We had a great time.

I also decided to quit my job at the end of 2017. While I had been discussing the idea of quitting with Helen for some time and she said I could...it turned out...she didn't think I actually would. 2018 was a transition...for all of us. Derek had gone off to Georgia Tech, Adam went on a summer trip to Europe and was moving to a new school for his junior year in high school, I was embracing "intentionality" and "minimalism", and Helen was working.

In early 2018, I threw around the idea of hiking the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail during the summer and Helen and Adam said they were interested. However, when the time neared and the reality of what would be involved became clear...they backed out.

As 2018 drew to a close, the idea of the 2019 thru hike started to form. With Helen's blessing, I decided this would be a good time to go for it. We had fun gearing up and learning a bunch of things about hiking over the holidays. Helen and Adam even got in on the action and got some of their own gear to do some limited overnight backpacking with me.

And that's how it all started.

At Max Patch in 2017