Thoughts on gear for long-distance hikers

[German Tourist]

After thousands of miles hiking, cycling and paddling on three continents in very different climate zones and seasons I realised that my gear requirements are very different than most other hikers'. Most hikers stay within one climate zone and/or season and can customize their gear towards this specific requirement. As a result they can lighten their load much more because the range of application is very narrow.

As a long distance hiker I have to meet the much broader requirements of different climate zones, saisons and cultures. My trips usually last for several months and sometimes even longer than one year. I thought I share my gear specific long distance hiking experiences and my thoughts on gear with you.

When reading this post please keep in mind that all my thoughts are geared towards hikers going over such a long distance that they traverse different climate zones and/or seasons. But even if you are not planning on doing such a long hike, these ideas might be interesting. They can help you to buy the most versatile gear you can use on very different trips.

I am looking forward to your feedback and your experiences in similar situations. I will also use this article on my blog, so please let me know if there are other types of gear you want me to discuss.

You will find this article and more information on the kind of hiking, cycling and paddling I have done here on my blog .

On long-distance hikes you will usually have to meet different gear requirements for changing climates and seasons. You can solve this problem with two different approaches:

• You can carry only specific, i.e. the lightest gear possible and change your gear when you enter a different climate or season. Although this will keep your pack weight down you pay a high logistical price. Your exchange gear has to be stored, shipped and picked up. All this involves time, money, the help of other people and the risk of gear getting lost, being late or misplaced. I used this approach on my thruhikes of the PCT and CDT. All worked out well but I realised the amount of effort I had to put into it. Also this logistical approach is relatively easy on the American long distance trails because you stay within one country and one postal system and there is a great network of trail angels that can help you in shipping and accepting packages for you. But when I started doing multi-national trips and trails in areas with no trail angels and no friends this approach became too difficult or almost impossible. I had to adapt to the new situation and started using a different approach:

• You carry more versatile gear - and accept the weight penalty in order to avoid logistical hassle. Or in other words: You have to find a good balance between being as light as possible but also having the adequate gear for very different situations.

In reality my hiking style has become a mix of the two approaches. Although I try to cover as many situations as possible with my gear, I still buy new equipment along the way or even have it shipped to me occasionally.

But still my gear thoughts are geared towards long distance hikers long traversing different climate zones and/or seasons who do not want (completely) to rely on the logistical approach.

So what sort of gear do I use now? I will try to describe the kind of gear I use and give brand examples for it. That does not mean that the specific brand I use is the very best or only one available - it is just meant to be an example.

Tent: My tent is my home for months on end and my only refuge in foul weather. I have come to the conclusion that I am willing to accept a slight weight penalty in order to have a hassle free, reliable and comfortable shelter. Any compromise on these topics has a psychological impact on the enjoyment of a long hike. I want to be sure that - no matter what - in the evening I will be in a nice and safe environment where I can relax and don't have to worry about bugs, wind and rain. Therefore I have stopped using tarps. Although they are great for certain environments my long hikes will almost certainly get me to areas where a tarp is not the optimal solution. I do not want to deal with extra bug nets in mosquito country - I want a fully enclosed tent. Stealth camping in heavily populated areas like Europe I want a tent that has a camouflage color like green or brown and that provides protection from curious views. Whoever spots my tent should not be able to see from outside who is sleeping inside. Hiking the PCT and CDT I was very happy with a non-freestanding tent. I was almost always camping in wooded areas with forest as wind protection and good ground to stake the tent down. This type of tent showed its limitations when I hiked the Florida Trail and the Arizona Trail. The swampy ground in Florida was too soft to hold stakes in heavy rain and my tent collapsed regularly on me. In Arizona I had the opposite problem: The desert ground was often too hard to get the stakes in far enough and the strong winds pulled them out. Hiking in Europe I encountered a new challenge: Very often I came across open shelters that I wanted to use for wind and rain protection. But in order to avoid sleeping on dirty ground or being bitten by mosquitoes I wanted to set up my tent inside the shelter. Unfortunately this is very difficult or almost impossible with a non-freestanding tent. All those reasons made me change to a freestanding tent. Still, despite all these requirements I want a light weight tent and this can be achieved with a single wall tent that uses trekking poles. Oh, and this being my home for months it has to be comfortable, i.e roomy enough so that I can sit out a day of bad weather in it without getting crazy. To sum it up: My shelter must be fully enclosed, freestanding, windstable, in a camouflage color, roomy, single wall and lightweight, preferably using trekking poles. A tent that fulfills all these requirements and works very well for me is a Tarptent Rainbow.

Sleeping bag: Like almost all my fellow thruhikers I started my hiking career on the PCT with a Western mountaineering down sleeping bag which worked very well in the Western USA. Over the years I expanded and bought more and more WM bags for warmer and colder conditions still believing in the UL mantra that down is always better because it is lighter than synthetic. But once I started hiking outside the relatively dry Western US I quickly learned about the disadvantages of down. In damp conditions down clumps and loses its warming abilities. Long term use adds to the problem as body oils also make the feathers clump. Despite washing the bags with down soap the problem persisted. I found down to become very unreliable. Any foggy night or wet tent wall would deteriorate its warming abilities and I never knew when I would be able to dry the bag again. It took me a long time but after several years of frustration with down I started using synthetic. The big downside of synthetic is its higher weight. But I could compensate it by changing from a full sleeping bag to a quilt. This was a big step and I was very nervous how my new setup would work out. I first tried it on a hike across the UK where the climate is so damp that I knew I would almost certainly encounter problems with down. The new synthetic quilt worked out so well that I have never used a down bag again. Synthetic is so much more reliable than down. No matter how much you abuse it, it will still keep you warm. Touching wet tent walls, condensating breath and foggy nights were not a problem any more. Even if I could not air the quilt for several days or even a couple of weeks, it still kept me warm. I also could not see that the synthetic insulation was deteriorating from being compressed every day. And now I honestly wonder why synthetic is not more popular. A synthetic quilt has definitely become my default sleeping system. I use a BPL 240 quilt for 3 seaons and an Enlightened Equipment Prodigy 20F quilt for fall and winter use.

Sleeping pad: Whereas I have found the perfect tent and quilt for me I have not found the perfect sleeping pad but only the best compromise available. Close cell foam pads are great because they are cheap, reliable and relatively lightweight. But they have two downsides: They are not very comfortable. This does not really matter very much on short trips, but sleeping on it for months on end I want a bit more comfort. Even more important, cell foam pads are too bulky. I find it hard to fit a foam pad into my pack and always have to strap it onto it. Not very practical, especially when you have to bushwhack or crawl under obstacles. The pad is always in the way. So I moved one step up towards being more comfortable and started using Thermarest Prolite pads. A short one for 3 season use and a regular length Prolite Plus for fall and winter. So far I have not found a better solution although the TAR Prolite series (or any other similar inflatable pad) comes with one built in defect: After about 6 months of constant use it will start delaminating. Luckily this is covered under TAR's life time warranty and this is also the only reason why I stick with TAR. The delaminted pads are usually exchanged without much hassle and there are TAR dealers worldwide. Despite the fact that I don't even use a groundsheet underneath my tent I have never had a puncture in a TAR Prolite in all my hiking career. Several years after the NeoAir series had come out I was finally lured into buying one myself, a NeoAir All Season. This turned out to be one of the biggest mispurchases in my whole hiking career. After only a couple of weeks of use I got my first puncture which was very difficult to detect and repair in winter conditions. This frustrating experience confirmed my belief that the NeoAir series is still too delicate for real long term use. The conclusion for me is that a robust inflatable pad like a TAR Prolite is, although far from being perfect, the best compromise between weight, bulk, comfort, price and durability.

Backpack: In order to be able to cope with long stretches without resupply possibilities I want a backpack with a rather large volume and the ability to carry food for over a week. The Golite Gust was ideal for that. It was huge, the Dyneema material very robust and the pack had a hipbelt. But unfortunately it has been discontinued sending my out to search for a new pack with a volume of at least 65 litres or 4,000 cuin. The Gossamer Gear G4 met this requirement and also features mesh pockets which turned out to be invaluable. Stuff in these mesh pockets is easily accesible which is very useful for snacks or maps. You can use the mesh pockets for drying wet or damp clothes. And you can use them to stow your water bladders. This way you can balance the heavy water load much better, you have easy access to your water containers and you won't get your clothes or other gear wet if one of your water containers leaks. Backpacks made out of Silnylon or any other lightweight material only have a limited life expectancy due to the fragility of the fabric. I usually get at least one year of constant use out of them but still price becomes important for an item that is almost a consumable. I therefore would not buy a very high end backpack like the German Laufbursche or HMG cuben packs. I am looking for backpacks that have a volume of at least 4,000 cuin or 65 litres, feature mesh pockets and a hip belt and are priced under 200$ like the Gossamer Gear G4.

Cooking system: I started out with an alcohol stove but quickly realised that this is not for me. The longer I hike the more I want a quick and reliable stove. Handling an alcohol/Heet stove turned out to be too complicated and fiddly in windy and cold conditions. I wanted an easier and foolproof solution and turned to a lightweight gas canister stove. I have to admit that alcohol/Heet is more widely available than gas canisters but I have always been able to find them in Western countries. I studied charts comparing the efficiency of different fuel types and that confirmed my assumption that gas canisters win over alcohol for longer stretches without resupply. As I am normally cooking lunch and dinner this is an important factor for me.Still, it very much depends on your personal preference what kind of stove you use on a very long hike and I can see that alcohol stoves might work for other people. My personal preference is a lightweight gas canister stove with a piezo igniter like the Snowpeak Titanium Gigapower. I have used a MSR Pocket Rocket before but was very much disappointed with it because the thread wore out after about half a year. I use a 1 litre pot which has to serve various purposes. I want a flat pot rather than a high cup because I can use it for washing stuff and small items of clothes in it. I can even use it to wash myself. And I can fit a medium size gas canister in it. I find it easier to have a pot with handles than a seperate pot gripper. Titianium has turned out to be the ideal, albeit expensive material - but it has been worth it. I have been continuously using my titanium pot for 5 years. If I had to replace it would buy another 1 litre flat titanium pot with handles.

Rain gear: I have been experimenting with different types of rain gear like umbrellas, ponchos and rain jackets and pants. Although umbrellas and ponchos are ideal for certain conditions they are no allrounders. For my purposes a rain jacket and pants are the most versatile combination. Umbrellas and ponchos have disadvantages in certain conditions: You don't have your hands free using an umbrella. Your backpack is difficult to access under a poncho - and you can trip over it. Both are very difficult to use in windy conditions. Rain jackets and pants can also be used as a wind breaker. I have used all types of fabric from Goretex Paclite and Event to Tyvek. In my experience they are not very different on the long run. No fabric will keep you completely dry in extended periods of heavy rain. An expensive eVent jacket won't perform much better than a cheap Tyvek rain suit. Both have their issues and will break rather quickly after long term use. Therefore I just go for the cheapest solution: a Tyvek/Propore type rain suit like Frogg Toggs and O2 rain shield. Although these materials are the most delicate at least they are cheap. I don't mind replacing a cheap Tyvek/Propore rain jacket every year or even every 6 months, but I don't want to buy a new expensive Goretex Paclite or eVent jacket every year.

Water purification: Trying to be as light as possible rules out a water filter - too heavy and too bulky. A Steripen relies on batteries which can easily fail and run out. Too risky for long trips. A Sawyer Squeeze is only good if you can be sure you won't encounter freezing as the filter system will be destroyed by frost. Boiling water uses too much fuel. That leaves only chemical treatment like Aquamira. It is lightweight, compact, reliable and "freeze-thaw" stable. Another option are chlorine tablets like Micropur that have the same advantages but leave a stronger aftertaste. Aquamira bottles can leak when the container gets crushed. For that (unlikely) event I carry some Micropur tablets as a backup for Aquamira.

[English Stu]

Thanks for the great information. I have carried four cup hooks for setting up my shelter on the rare occasion I had to use a tent platform or near logs, not live trees.

[10-K]

Nice, many thoughts arose while reading your article but mainly just differences in tastes and preference which is to be expected.

One tip: After purchasing a lot of "disposable" rain gear (DriDucks, Frogg Toggs, etc) and having them get torn, ripped, or the zipper break I finally learned to replace the zipper pull with a zip tie and to always leave it partially zipped up and put it on like a pullover shirt - and to bring enough duct tape to repair holes.

[Old Hiker]

Guten Tag, German Tourist! Spent 3.5 years at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen - many miles away from the "typical" American bases and couldn't have had a better, more hospitable time thanks to the Germans in my village!

Thanks for the info - it's re-started my thinking about my equipment for my 2016 AT attempt. Hope yo don't start getting a lot of snarky comments from people who think they know better.

I love my SoLong 6, but a free-standing tent IS an advantage. **English Stu - cup holders are a GREAT idea. I'll have to add those.

I use a Thermarest Ridgerest closed cell pad, as I'm comfortable with it, but I'll start looking at the Prolite, I think. I was always worried about leaks. I just like being able to take it off my pack, unroll it and sit on it when resting or cooking/eating lunch.

I've had the same problem with my first Pocket Rocket - they never got back to me as to whether or not it was covered by warranty. Still, I bought another and have had no problems to date.

[trovar]

Thanks for your observations; really interesting stuff

[Dogwood]

Hallo, guten tag, GT. So glad you chose to come to WB. Willkommen. Although I'm a mutt, not 100 % German I mostly am. My family came from Frankfurt and Hambourg.

Your varied well earned experiences are showing in the ways in which you've considered options or approaches to long distance hiking given the factors you mention especially since I know you opt for a UL/light wt hiking philosophy. I've met you several times trail side. We thrued the CDT the same yr and either the PCT or AT. You have such a great attitude on trail and I suspect off trail. You always seem to be smiling or willing to do so at the drop of a hat. Sehr schönes Lächeln. You aren't pushy or conceded but bring a wealth of wisdom to the table. I'm so looking forward to sharing with you. Ich mag dich. Always have. I have a 1000 questions for you and so desire to share what I know with you. I don't know if you remember this or remember me but we had at least two different discussions about some of the exact topics you have brought up on this thread. One was in Montana on the CDT specifically regarding mailing stuff from Germany to the U.S. when on a long distance hike and, on that same occasion, regarding the two different UL/light wt approaches/ideas you mention again here. One reason I wanted to discuss the first issue of mailing from outside the U.S. is because I too want to do more long distance hiking outside my home country of the U.S. My situation is a bit different though as I recall you noting back in MT. If I recall correctly I thought you had most of the logistics worked out when mailing stuff from Germany to the U.S. through those two different postal systems. I can only guess it hasn't worked out as easily when mailing stuff from Germany to some other countries though.

I'm still carefully reading through your post so want to have a full understanding of what conclusions you've come to since I last talked to you a couple of yrs ago. I will mention again, as I did in MT, that I too would basically take a hybrid approach to gear given a high priority to the wt of the gear. In other words, add in versatility and opting for the lightest wt gear(FOR SOME PIECES) or as you stated mixing those two approaches. You have lots more experience with this than me but I would assume one has to also factor in the logistics of doing this in some countries like by having an understanding how national and regional postal systems run. This is so on topic for me right now as I'm in the planning phases for a Te Araroa thru.

Can't give all the time and consideration needed to your post right now. Got to be up early. Ich werde hinter nach einigen momenten sein. I'LL BE BACK(in a few moments). Is that right?

[SCRUB HIKER]

Thanks for your post; I like how you've essentially looked at (and tried) all your options with an eye toward weight, cost, and versatile functionality, and determined how much it is worth caring about each of those factors in each respective choice. I'm about to set off for the PCT and I'm worried that, after two years of gear research following the AT, I've been drawn into a line of thinking that focuses too much on weight and not enough on everything else. As you say, for spring/summer hiking in the American West, I can probably get away with focusing narrowly on weight, because the climate is so accommodating. But in other conditions, the ounces gained by more conservative gear decisions are worth their weight in gold. I like that you've spent your life thinking about how to optimize your gear choices, and you have not been afraid to keep adapting.

Ich möchte ein Maß Weißbier und ein Brezel mit Senf, bitte. Wo ist der WC? Diese Getränkeshop ist fantastisch! (these are the only phrases I remember from the week I spent in München)

[garlic08]

Hello, GT! Nice to see you here. Your last visit to see us in the U.S. inspired me to cycle across the US last summer. (Have you heard Pickle got married?!!)

Andrew Skurka has also talked about similar gear issues in conditions beyond what US long distance hikers face. I like his saying that it's not really an adventure if Yogi has written a guidebook for it.

Thanks for your thoughts, as always.

Garlic

[Dogwood]

Scrub Hiker, I see you seem to be sensibly evolving with your UL hiking. This statement is golden "I've been drawn into a line of thinking that focuses too much on weight and not enough on everything else." As someone also heavily factoring in the wt of gear and being drawn into the same line of thinking that examines our choices in this area by MAKING THE MISTAKE of ALWAYS prioritizing wt over everything else like functionality, durability, cost, kit integration, knowledge base, where, when, and how one hikes, etc we can set ourselves up for rude awakenings. I'm now aware of making this mistake through my own trail experiences. Andrew isn't the first to note this but I do appreciate how this is communicated at his site and seeing his willingness to share not only in his many accomplishments but also his more questionable choices. He's also not the first to come up with an alchy Fancy Feast stove either. Even though I don't do the exact type of thing as GT(Christina) or Andrew, I so very much appreciate what they bring to the table with their varied extensive hiking experiences, especially outside the U.S. which is what I also am planning for. Their knowledge is priceless IMO. I've learned so much from them as well as so many others.

[German Tourist]

@Dogwood
As long as you stay within one postal system and one country shipping gear is no problem. It gets worse when you ship to another country using two postal system but within one trade zone like the European Community. But the very worst is between two countries that charge customs duties. Then the whole thing gets out of control: Expect endless delays, trips to custom offices and unexpected charges. I have never shipped gear from Germany to the US onto the trail. The only way would be to fly to the country, take all your gear with you and then have it shipped inside the country.

[10-K]

Regarding always choosing the lightest option - I am somewhat guilty of that. After reading this thread and reflecting on my own experience with down here in the south I ordered a synthetic 3 season quilt today. It weighs more than my down bag but it also insulates when wet.

Likewise I've been using a cuben fiber Lightheart Solo tent for the past few years. Last night I went on an overnighter on the AT and decided to take my TT Rainbow. I actually like that tent more both in terms of usable space, the fact that it can be pitched freestanding, and also because it is more stable in high winds and storms.

So, even though I am always shooting for a low pack weight I'm re-evaluating the tradeoffs that I make and will likely take some heavier gear even if there are lighter options on my next long hike.

Thanks for the post GT, it got me thinking. Though my Neoair is still going strong..

[Dogwood]

@Dogwood
As long as you stay within one postal system and one country shipping gear is no problem. It gets worse when you ship to another country using two postal system but within one trade zone like the European Community. But the very worst is between two countries that charge customs duties. Then the whole thing gets out of control: Expect endless delays, trips to custom offices and unexpected charges. I have never shipped gear from Germany to the US onto the trail. The only way would be to fly to the country, take all your gear with you and then have it shipped inside the country.

Thanks for the heads up GT. Knew some of this but you brought some additional details to my attention. Here is what another German thru-hiker was doing, perhaps Germinator?, when thruing in the U.S.. I was considering something similar for hikes outside the U.S when mailing from the states while hiking in countries where this might work. He shipped all that he thought he might need to an acquaintance in the U.S. Then, as he needed different gear or tough to find items in the U.S. he had the acquaintance mail him what he needed to where he was thruing. This eliminated delays when in the midst of a long hike and mailing directly from Germany directly to where he thought he might need these things in the U.S. while in the midst of hiking. I know people who live in many of the countries where I wish to hike. Got that covered. I've lined that up. What I'm not familiar with is how all the different postal systems work in the places where I will hike. I think this will work for the Te Arora in New Zealand. Have you ever hiked in NZ(I know you SIMPLY(LOL) cycled there for 2800 km) and mailed stuff there or have some experience with the postal system there? Since I know you did the Bibbulmun Trail, uhh twice, in Austrailia do you have any familiarity with that postal system? Thanks GT for any info you can provide from your experiences in these places or if you've investigated doing something similar as this shipping system. BTW, this German hiker did mention some of the costs involved which DEFINITELY started becoming significant with this shipping system

[Dogwood]

In regards to some of your trail shelter and sleeping bag choices I shouldn't have to say this with your vast hiking experiences under different trail conditions but be careful you don't back yourself into a corner. What I mean by that is sometimes we need to think outside the box even our own self imposed boxes. Sometimes, we can make the mistake of thinking it's either this way or that way when it's possible there may be more options than we are taking into account.

For example, when opting for a shelter I take into account all sorts of things only one of which is the wt of the shelter. On the AT I would go with my lightest wt UL hammock and one of my smallest volume packs which are also lighter in wt. The AT has abundant resupply pts and does't require as wide a variety of gear such as the PCT or possibly the CDT. When I hike across Costa Rica it will probably be a hammock, a heavier duty Hennesey UL Asym hammock with after market larger than stock cuben rain fly. On drier trails like the PCT and Arizona where I'm intending to go fast, far(high MPD), and UL I'm tarping with a minimalist sized tarp. For the CDT I mixed it up with a cuben tarp(6.5 oz) and/or water resistant UL(7oz) bivy. Sometimes opting for just one of these and at other times carrying both of these. When I thru-hike the Pennine Way in Great britain I'm tenting with an UL but more robust wt cuben tent but probably greater volume UL hybrid cuben pack. If doing the Florida Trail in the rainy season I'm opting for the lightest wt fully enclosed with plenty of mesh WP tent. When thru-hiking the El Camino de Santiago from Paris through Spain to the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of Europe even though many refugios exist, I'm taking some northern Spain mountainous alternates where refugios are less common and want to sometimes avoid refugios, I need to consider that in what shelter I will bring.

Be careful with your sleeping bag comparisons too. It's not just a simple down verse synthetic proposition! First, although I know it's common in some UL circles that the least wt gear is always the best, but those who have espoused this are probably not as experienced with such a wide range of trail conditions as someone like you. They are thinking in a very narrow way by ALWAYS prioritizing wt, in this case sleeping bag wt, over everything else. Obviously, we all need to be careful what beliefs we buy into. For example, several things can positively and negatively affect down loft. One of the things that negatively affects down loft is moisture. No great secret there. But how the loft can be preserved or the loss of loft minimized is really the bigger picture for me since I want to opt for down as much as possible for the benefits of the warmth to wt ratios and compactability. This can POSSIBLY be addressed with sleeping bag shell fabrics, DWRs, using some of the newly available water resistant micro polymer applied downs, hiking style, if trail shelters are readily available, if a overbag/bivy is added, if one is staying on trail for longer durations, etc. Of course, if thruing a trail like the AT where one has consistent nearby access to laundromats, etc down can possibly be less problematic even if the down does get wet or you lose loft in a sleeping bag. For really wet trails, like in Scotland, areas of Australia, South and Central American rain forests, areas of Hawaii, perhaps the Malaysian hiking you did, etc or doing really long winter hikes probably a synthetic bag is best. Even with synthetic bags though there are some wt discrepancies between different insulations. It really depends on how deep you want to consider things or if at all and at what place you find the balance right for you at the time.

Now, perhaps, it can be simpler and certainly less expensive with having just one POSSIBLY do it all shelter and by sticking to just one type of sleeping bag insulation but if one is seeking the greatest versatility and thereby being able to possibly go to lighter wt options I currently can't see anyway else to do it other than having different gear, different kits, or the ability to tweak the kit for different conditions, different trails, different hiking times, etc. WHILE ALSO addressing things like function, durability, kit integration, knowledge base, etc. Being able to do these things is not for everyone but than again not everyone has hiked, biked, and paddled all those 1000's of miles in all those different places under all those different conditions as you, others, and myself have, or plan for.

You might want to take a long hard honest look at yourself in the mirror. Look at your resume. What you do is no longer a past time or hobby. You are no longer a casual adventurer. I suspect you, like myself, have really taken on a lifestyle. It's a calling deep in our souls that drives us to hike, cycle, paddle, jump out of airplanes, push ourselves up mountains, walk across countries, travel, being comfortable for long periods alone in our quest to satisfy this addiction. It's something I've seen in the eyes of those like Skurka, Mags, you, myself, born in the wild recently caged leopards or tigers, so many others I can't name here that have drank from the same cup, and all those summiting Mt Katahdin at the completions of their Appalachian Trail thru-hikes, who don't want something we've experienced we've connected to to end.

[German Tourist]

@Dogwood
No, I have never shipped gear to myself in Australia or New Zealand, simply because there is no need to. The trails there are so short there that you can cope with one set of gear. When I was doing several trails in different climate zones I deposited the rest of my gear at a hostel or with a friend while I was hiking and then picked it up again and took it with me when I moved on to the next trail by bus or plane.
I have not yet hiked Te Araroa so I don't know if you have to do any gear changes during the trail.

[Colter]

Good stuff, German Tourist. You should post here more often. Gear is important, and your observations and opinions come across as very sensible and rational. If I were planning to select gear to use across a spectrum of conditions I'd be very comfortable using your choices.

And to respond to the above (non-German Tourist) quote: it's not really an adventure if Yogi has written a guidebook for it. That might be funny in the same way as a thru-hiker saying to a section hiker "you're not not really hiking" is funny.

[Dogwood]

I'm talking to the right person if you consider a 600+ trail(Bibbulmun) a short trail. I get your pt though. eyes a lernin.

Since I have several friends nagging me to paddle the Northwest Passage and currently considering another paddle in a far away location possibly requiring different types of kayaks(say touring verse river running the Colorado River) what did you do with paddling say the Mississippi, Yukon, which are quite different types of paddling than say paddling the back country waters of the Everglades? Do you simply rent different types of kayaks in different places for different paddles?

Thanks for taking the time to provide all the advice you can.

[German Tourist]

On my trips in the BWCA and the Everglades we paddled in my paddling partner's canoe. For the Yukon we bought a canoe in Canada and sold it in Alaska. Now I have bought myself a foldable kayak, a Feathercraft K1. This boat is so versatile that I could paddle anything from the Mississippi to sea kayaking in it. I find this the best solution as renting out boats for long trips is economically not feasible. A hardshell is too difficult or impossible to travel with. A foldable canoe would not be seaworthy. That leaves a foldable expedition kayak as the allround solution.

[rockymountainhigh]

Thanks for the informative and thorough post!

[Dogwood]

All good stuff GT. I hear you with some of the pts about your stove choices but how do you facilitate having enough compressed gas fuel for longer thru-hikes where, I assume, this type of fuel isn't readily available, seems like you aren't mailing many resupply boxes that COULD contain fuel, and especially since you are cooking for both lunch and dinner? Carrying more than one can at a time? Carrying two smaller cans? Address this from multiple approaches? I guess it all depends?

[Dogwood]

Any opinions on the Folbots foldable kayks?