Slackpacking

[10-K]

I've talked to a couple of people who are almost downright hostile when it comes to slackpacking and I don't get it.

Man I love catching a ride 20-25 miles up the trail and hiking back to the hostel or wherever with a daypack full of snacks. I can move quick, my back doesn't hurt and not carrying a pack I'm about 1000 more times to take a blue blaze and check out a view or sight.

Also that's a section you don't have to hike wearing a pack and you can start hiking further up the trail too - that's like an added bonus.

Why do some hikers look down on slackpacking? Are they just stupid or are they jealous?

[rocketsocks]

I guess there purists, makes not a tinkers dam to me, I'll always do what I feel I need to do, despite the ridicule. In fact for many older hikers who have some degenerative disc (eh hm) It's a great way to go. Again, who cares?.....only someone who doesn't matter anyway, not to be rude about it, but if there gonna put the stuff on me for doing it, I'd just rather not deal with em. just my 6 sense. happy hiking

[Cookerhiker]

...Why do some hikers look down on slackpacking? Are they just stupid or are they jealous?

Or perhaps arrogance, condescension, snobbery - a superiority complex. As Mags would say HMHDI!

[10-K]

Yeah.. but I just don't get the whole purist thing..

What's so much purer about carrying 10-40 lbs on your back when you don't have to?

[coheterojo]

I've never hiked an inch of the trail in a slack pack fashion. I really don't care what other people do. I have noticed that many slackpackers seem to be somewhat apologetic when I meet them going the other way. Why is that?
As I said I have no issues with other people slackpacking. I just don't see the need. I love backpacking. It almost seems like playing hookey from school or something. Why would I want to take a break from something I love doing?

Plus I wouldn't want to tarnish the directional integrity of my thruhike.

[4shot]

this is another example of a "hiking" topic that is only discussed on the interwebs. Who cares which direction one goes/how many miles per day/the trails one walks on/or whether or not one is walking with or without a pack? These things are rarely if ever discussed by hikers who are actually using the trail as best as I remember.

[Double Wide]

I imagine that the people that get hostile about slackpacking have the same type of killjoy mentality as the wet-blankets who have to expound on why trail magic and hiker feeds are such a blight on the trail community. My guess is that it's a healthy dose of insecurity disguised as a smug sense of superiority.

Who gives a flying f about how other people are hiking? At least they're out there instead of inside on the couch playing video games. AmIright?

[hikerboy57]

I wonder what myron avery would say
..i havr a feeling he would scold the purists.!

[Pedaling Fool]

I've talked to a couple of people who are almost downright hostile when it comes to slackpacking and I don't get it.

Man I love catching a ride 20-25 miles up the trail and hiking back to the hostel or wherever with a daypack full of snacks. I can move quick, my back doesn't hurt and not carrying a pack I'm about 1000 more times to take a blue blaze and check out a view or sight.

Also that's a section you don't have to hike wearing a pack and you can start hiking further up the trail too - that's like an added bonus.

Why do some hikers look down on slackpacking? Are they just stupid or are they jealous?

Just for clarification of my many posts about slackpackers. I'm one of those people that give slackpackers a lot of shlt, but not for the same reason as the majority. I don't care anything about purity of a hike; I don't even care if someone slackpacks. I just found it funny when I was out there that many of the hikers were young and idealistic and you would hear the same ol' garbage coming from them about the evils of the U.S. and big oil and global warming and all the harm we were doing to the planet, blah, blah, blah. Yet those guys were bigtime slackpackers, I mean big time! And once they started it was like a drug, they just kept doing it, they were always talking of their plans for the next slackpack.

I just always got a chuckle out of that But in the big picture, I don't care one little bit if someone slackpacks.

[Supreme Being]

Just for clarification of my many posts about slackpackers. I'm one of those people that give slackpackers a lot of shlt, but not for the same reason as the majority. I don't care anything about purity of a hike; I don't even care if someone slackpacks. I just found it funny when I was out there that many of the hikers were young and idealistic and you would hear the same ol' garbage coming from them about the evils of the U.S. and big oil and global warming and all the harm we were doing to the planet, blah, blah, blah. Yet those guys were bigtime slackpackers, I mean big time! And once they started it was like a drug, they just kept doing it, they were always talking of their plans for the next slackpack.

I just always got a chuckle out of that But in the big picture, I don't care one little bit if someone slackpacks.

And there you have it folks! A hiker who equates slack packing to global warning and drug addiction! When I hear opinions such as this, I am reminded more than ever to HYOH and by myself.

[Pedaling Fool]

And there you have it folks! A hiker who equates slack packing to global warning and drug addiction! When I hear opinions such as this, I am reminded more than ever to HYOH and by myself.

You need to slow down and read my post again, you're completely off the mark.

[4shot]

Is that you God? If so, what are Your thoughts on which type of stove is best for a thru hike? Kthx.

[WingedMonkey]

Slackpacking is the gateway drug to yellow blazing.

[10-K]

Slackpacking is the gateway drug to yellow blazing.

You might be right... When we were hiking the MST trail this week I kept thinking about just hiking on the BRP instead of the trail because that's where the views were. The MST was pretty much viewless for long stretches (miles) - the parkway is awesome...

[10-K]

Just for clarification of my many posts about slackpackers. I'm one of those people that give slackpackers a lot of shlt, but not for the same reason as the majority. I don't care anything about purity of a hike; I don't even care if someone slackpacks. I just found it funny when I was out there that many of the hikers were young and idealistic and you would hear the same ol' garbage coming from them about the evils of the U.S. and big oil and global warming and all the harm we were doing to the planet, blah, blah, blah. Yet those guys were bigtime slackpackers, I mean big time! And once they started it was like a drug, they just kept doing it, they were always talking of their plans for the next slackpack.
I just always got a chuckle out of that But in the big picture, I don't care one little bit if someone slackpacks.

John, I'm not sure I'm making the connection. Are you talking about the fuel it takes to deliver a slackpacker to their starting point for them to hike back? Sorry.. I must not have my comprehension hat on tonight.....

[10-K]

Is that you God? If so, what are Your thoughts on which type of stove is best for a thru hike? Kthx.

That would be a Sawyer In-Line Water Filter (SILWF)

[Pedaling Fool]

John, I'm not sure I'm making the connection. Are you talking about the fuel it takes to deliver a slackpacker to their starting point for them to hike back? Sorry.. I must not have my comprehension hat on tonight.....

The slackpacking I saw a lot of required a driver to drive them out to a point north and they'd hike back south to the hostel/outfitter/town and then would have to be driven out to that same point the next day so they could continue their normal nobo hike. It adds up after a while. I remember seeing guys trying to pool money and hikers (to reduce costs) and "shopping aroud" for the cheapest shuttle in just about every town. It did seem to be addicting, so remember children, Just say no

[Cookerhiker]

John, I'm not sure I'm making the connection. Are you talking about the fuel it takes to deliver a slackpacker to their starting point for them to hike back? Sorry.. I must not have my comprehension hat on tonight.....

Ever since WB decided to ban political discussions, Mr. "Gault" looks for every opening he can seize to promulgate his climate-change-is-a-hoax and those-who-are-concerned-are-ill-informed-and-wimpy-ninnies agenda.

It's unfortunate because he often has pertinent and useful insights & experiences on WB's sanctioned subjects i.e. hiking. But he can't resist...

[Pedaling Fool]

Ever since WB decided to ban political discussions, Mr. "Gault" looks for every opening he can seize to promulgate his climate-change-is-a-hoax and those-who-are-concerned-are-ill-informed-and-wimpy-ninnies agenda.

It's unfortunate because he often has pertinent and useful insights & experiences on WB's sanctioned subjects i.e. hiking. But he can't resist...

Well, I wouldn't say wimpy-ninnies



.

[hikerboy57]

That would be a Sawyer In-Line Water Filter (SILWF)

and of course sea salt.
can't believe you beat me to it.