Things you wish you would/wouldn't have brought while hiking...

[coffeearmageddon]

Trying to learn from others mistakes

[JAK]

Forgot me lighter once. Just a day hike, but still. Miserable that was.

[SGT Rock]

Camp shoes. Found them useless. Funny thing was I already knew that, but lots of people told me how they had to have them at hostels and such. I never found that to be true.

Yaktrak. Never used them either.

Sunglasses. Even though I started in winter without leaves on the trees, I still spent more time trying not to lose them than I did wearing them.

[Bronk]

Have done both extremes of weight and amount of food. I prefer to have food than to starve. Canned chicken, canned ham, canned roast beef, blocks of cheese, loaf of bread tied to outside of pack. I go heavy when it comes to food.

[JAK]

One of my first epic winter explorations the weather closed in and I took a wrong turn and trudged an extra day or two with what amounted to way too much nylon, and way not enough food. Clothing insulation was about right. Now I carry alot less nylon. Less tent. Less jacket. Less backpack. Also had the wrong stove at the time. Esbits are great for making tea and oatmeal, but now for drying socks and boots. Kelly Kettle or hobo stove for me now. What else now? I had my map yes. I knew where I was yes. I didn't know where I could go and where I couldn't. Need to plan exit strategies in advance. Maps don't always show things like what roads are open in winter for someone to come and get you. What else? Common sense? Never had much of that. Always had to make do in that respect. lol

[leaftye]

My hockey puck ball. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I took a break and kicked my feet up on a rock and started massaging my feet on it. It's also great for massaging muscles deeper than I can manage with my bare hands.

I keep wishing I'd stop bringing thick socks. I never seem to need them.

[Jim Adams]

sunglasses...carried them up the entire trail and only used them twice.

...no, I don't learn easily...did it again on my second thru!

geek

[Egads]

Originally Posted by JAK

Common sense? Never had much of that. lol

Well, that confirms the rumors

[John B]

A couple of small safety pins. Very useful for hanging yesterday's socks from your pack so they'll dry while hiking.

[Tipi Walter]

One time I did the Shenandoah AT and carried a B-flat soprano clarinet wrapped in my down vest which I never played once. Good thing as it would've verged on air pollution had I whipped it out.

[stumpknocker]

Originally Posted by Jim Adams

sunglasses...carried them up the entire trail and only used them twice.

...no, I don't learn easily...did it again on my second thru!

geek

Well Geek, before you come to a firm decision about your sunglasses, maybe you should give them just one more try on another thru.

My answer to Coffeearmageddon is; I don't carry lots of stuff I see other walkers carrying because it doesn't work for me. I bring some stuff I don't think other walkers carry because it does work for me. Make your mistakes and adjust.

[Toolshed]

Sunglasses - I see others with them, but I've tried them on dayhikes. Sweat just pours down the lenses and they are a pain to deal with, not scratch, not forget.

The flip side is that now I have to bring reading glasses....

[Trailbender]

I hiked the first 200 miles of the AT last summer, and I used sunglasses constantly. They are definitely coming with me this time.

[smak]

a hat with brim - i can skip the sunglasses (my face sweats too much, anyway) - but when it's raining, i absolutely CANNOT handle squinting through the drops all day. gives me a headache. so i bring along my sexy black semi-trucker hat and wear it for sun and for rain. found it left behind at a shelter in the smokies - now i won't head for the trail without it.

[Tinker]

Originally Posted by coffeearmageddon

Trying to learn from others mistakes

Are you looking for answers from thruhikers only?

[SGT Rock]

Originally Posted by Tipi Walter

One time I did the Shenandoah AT and carried a B-flat soprano clarinet wrapped in my down vest which I never played once. Good thing as it would've verged on air pollution had I whipped it out.

I tried a harmonica for a while, I'm not good at it, and I rarely used it. One day as I was walking down the trail whistling a tune, I realized I always had an instrument I could play with me.

[Tipi Walter]

When I was going thru my Superfeet insole testing craze, I'm sure glad I brought my boot's regular insoles just in case, and boy I used 'em too as the Superfeet starting crimping up my toes(the boots were frozen most of the trip), and were beginning to ruin my trip.

Probably the biggest "things" I should NOT HAVE BROUGHT over the years on backpacking trips were a series of reluctant, whining, eyes-glazed-over girlfriends who had Five Year Plans which included birthing children and setting up house but did not include living outdoors. All you can do is brew up some Celestial Seasonings tea on your old Svea 123 and sit back by your tent and watch them eagerly return to the world of cash, cars, kids and towns.

[Johnny Thunder]

I brought a wiffle ball to Springer. Gave it away in Damascus. It caught up to me every time I got to a suitable field. Friends are for carrying your silly gear.

[SGT Rock]

Originally Posted by Tipi Walter

When I was going thru my Superfeet insole testing craze, I'm sure glad I brought my boot's regular insoles just in case, and boy I used 'em too as the Superfeet starting crimping up my toes(the boots were frozen most of the trip), and were beginning to ruin my trip.

Probably the biggest "things" I should NOT HAVE BROUGHT over the years on backpacking trips were a series of reluctant, whining, eyes-glazed-over girlfriends who had Five Year Plans which included birthing children and setting up house but did not include living outdoors. All you can do is brew up some Celestial Seasonings tea on your old Svea 123 and sit back by your tent and watch them eagerly return to the world of cash, cars, kids and towns.

That is probably the most weight I ever heard of someone cutting off their pack LOL.

[Doctari]

I wish I carried: more tea. More variety's & just more of it. More food in general, just like the tea - variety & volume.

I wish I hadn't carried: Binoculars; carried them on at least 10 trips, thought of them ONE time, never actually used them. Heavy stove & cook pot. Too much clothing for ME for the weather conditions expected.

Still trying to justify / sort out: Camp shoes; I'm on pair #8, still not sure if I should or should not carry em. Entertainment; I carry a flute, but used it 2 of 20 nights, about 20 minutes each time, last trip. Sunglasses, like a few of the others, carried for hundreds of miles, worn rarely. Cell phone, rarely use it ON TRAIL, but at the rate pay phones are vanishing, , , , ,

Glad I carry / use: Kilt! Hiking poles! Hammock! OES tarp! Alcohol stove & beer can pot! ULA pack! Ball cap with ear flaps. WATERPROOF, Digital Camera.