AWOL Guide vs Thru-Hiker's Campanion

[Terry7]

AWOL A.T. Guide

[Chaco Taco]

I like both books. We have been field editors for the AT Guide and Companion and are now just working exclusively with Sly. I am not a big profile guy. I like the element of surprise and feel like the AT Guide just has way too much info, but that is just me. The AT Guide is a big book in my opinion. Alot of the info in The Companion is actually the same as the info in The AT Guide, maps. I like the simplicity of the Companion. We get both each year to support both publications because they are both great. The thing to rememeber about guidebooks is just that, they are GUIDEbooks. Every year its always the same. People complain that info is wrong or innaccurate. My favorite is "the profile did not indicate how steep it really is". Its a line. If I carry anything, I typically rip out pages of the Companion because I feel like up here in New Hampshire its just as accurate. Not much really changes up here in terms of the trail and services. AWOL does a remarkable job each and every year and deserves a tremendous amount of credit for his work. Sly also spends a great deal of time and energy trying to coordinate with all Field Editors to make sure accurate info is gathered. Both do an excellent job of offering updates when they occur during the hiking season. Both books are great and choosing either will be a good choice.

[Papa D]

Well - I'm obviously in the minority on this one but I like ripping out companion pages and have enjoyed my versions of The Thru-Hiker's Companion - - I got along fine with the '08 version until sometime in 2011 I have an AWOL 2012 NOBO and it's chocked with info - maybe a little too complex for me - I don't really need the elevation profiles if I have the numbers.

If you just need something very basic that will tell you how far the next ______ is and whether the road is paved or not and what town it goes to, The Data Book is really the most simple thing to use FWIW

[Bumpa]

Still not sure if you got your question answered correctly, it means Absent WithOut Leave. It's a Military term for when a soldier deserts. David Miller left his job without his bosses blessing, and was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to get his job back, so he considered himself "AWOL", and so went his trail name. :-)

Thanks Treesloth....yes it has been answered...I was familiar with the military version of the term but the original discussion seemed to be about a book called "awol" which confused me......on target now

[Chaco Taco]

Well - I'm obviously in the minority on this one but I like ripping out companion pages and have enjoyed my versions of The Thru-Hiker's Companion - - I got along fine with the '08 version until sometime in 2011 I have an AWOL 2012 NOBO and it's chocked with info - maybe a little too complex for me - I don't really need the elevation profiles if I have the numbers.

If you just need something very basic that will tell you how far the next ______ is and whether the road is paved or not and what town it goes to, The Data Book is really the most simple thing to use FWIW

+1 on the Data Book

[Airman]

Is the AT companion the same as the AT Guide from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy?

[Chaco Taco]

Is the AT companion the same as the AT Guide from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy?

The guidebook for sale on the ATC website is the Companion. The AT Guide is a different book

[Chaco Taco]

http://www.theatguide.com/
http://www.aldha.org/comp_pdf.htm