View Full Version : A little too much obsessing?
This is something I've been guilty of in the past, and I still feel the urge to let my mind go down this path occasionally but I've found life is a lot easier when I summon the will to stomp it into submission.
Lots of threads on here are started by hikers asking questions like "this rain jacket vs. that rain jacket" or "this sleeping bag vs. that sleeping bag" or "best pair of boots" or "boots vs. trail runners". I think if you're really into hiking you have the urge to equip yourself with the best gear possible, and that drive leads us to going on outdoor supplies websites and comparing the sleeping bag with a 4.6/5 star rating with 567 reviews to the one with a 4.7/5 star rating with 334 reviews, and inevitably asking 2,000 other people which one they'd choose.
Before I get to my main point, there's no substitute for buying stuff in person. You get to look at it, not a picture of it. You get to touch it, feel how heavy it really is, and explore every inch of it. Not everyone lives near a Cabela's or EMS or Dick's, but if you're planning on something like a thru hike I honestly wouldn't see an issue with making something like a 3 hour drive to a store like that. That being said, there's only 2 items I think you really NEED to buy in person, shoes and a pack. You need to put both on your body to see how they feel. You could probably chance it with a pack that absolutely everyone screams and raves about (and those exist), but unless you've already found a brand/model of hiking shoe that you know works for you, you have to go to the shoe department and walk around in the things for a few minutes.
But I digress. Let's say for example you're torn between 3 different rain jackets. All have great ratings and reviews from plenty of people, all are comparatively priced. :eek::eek:OHMIGOSH which one do I get??? Honestly dudes and dudetts, it really doesn't matter. They're all rain jackets that have been tested and reviewed from here to the other side of the world. They're all made by reputable companies. They're all gonna keep you dry. Choose the one that's $10 less then the other two and buy the damn thing :o
You can say the same thing for any other piece of gear. The best rated sleeping bags are all gonna keep you warm, I promise you. Watch the youtube videos for setting up the tents you're stuck between, choose which one looks easiest to you and go for it. If it's a good tent (which you can tell by reviews and ratings) you don't have a good chance of picking one that's mysteriously hard to use by you in person even though it looked awesome on the web.
Just my $0.02
Spirit Walker
04-26-2014, 15:00
A lot of new hikers are under the illusion that having the perfect gear will make for a perfect hike. It doesn't work that way. Good gear will make for a more comfortable hike, perhaps, and having awful gear means you'll be a bit more uncomfortable at times, but the quality of your hike depends on what's in your head, not what's on your back.
Still, gear is a lot easier to control than your emotions, especially before the fact. You don't know how you'll respond to non-stop rain or full shelters or long days hiking in the heat or watching your partner go home. So people focus on what they can do something about: finding the perfect socks, or shoes, or rain gear.
Old Hiker
04-26-2014, 15:06
I'll see your 2 cents and raise you a nickel.
I was/am one of "those" people who asked for opinions: specifically on a Marmot Precip jacket since you talked about rain jackets. Got lots of great feedback (thanks, WB - including advice on the Mica !!) Ordered both, as there is a good REI return policy. Decided to go with the Precip: has underarm vents, and "feels" better when wearing it. Never mind the several ounce difference. I'll take the weight penalty.
I will still read the opinions about gear here, especially if it pertains to gear I'm interested in buying, either now or someday. I respect those who have made the entire trek, those who have tried and not made it, even clueless weekenders. (Sorry, Kevin, don't know you, but I remember your name-tag !!) I will also give my opinions on gear I have:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?86824-LightHeart-Gear-SoLong-6-First-Impressions&highlight=
I use the opinions like I use the reviews: go to the ones who HATE the gear and find out why, then try to make an informed decision.
3 hour drive? Let's see: even if I use my bike at 45 mpg, 3 hours is about 200 miles one way, 400 miles + 6 hours time. That's about 9 gallons of gas, there and back. At $4.10/gallon (my bike needs the 93 octane), that's about $36 added to the price of the gear IF and only IF I buy it. My car will be less mileage, more money. YMMV, of course.
sureaboutthis
04-26-2014, 15:41
Some people enjoy going into the minutia of gear. That's their business.
Slo-go'en
04-26-2014, 15:43
I always take the bad reviews with a grain of salt. A lot of times it's easy to tell the user was an idiot. Of course, if ALL the reviews are bad, then you can worry.
But the real problem is you can't really tell how well something is going to work for you until you go out and try it in the field.
Good gear will make for a more comfortable hike, perhaps, and having awful gear means you'll be a bit more uncomfortable at times, but the quality of your hike depends on what's in your head, not what's on your back.
+1. I will use a golf analogy. I have been playing golf for 45 years. started with a cut down set with hickory shafts. After a few years of playing with those, and caddying at the local golf course, I saved up and bought my first of clubs for $45 from the local department store. Now a dozen golf balls might cost that. One club can retail for $400-500. Over the years, I have bought several sets as my old ones wear out.
The point of this is I still shoot about what I have shot since I was about 15 (upper 70's on a good day, low to mid 80's usually). Is the gear better...oh heck yes. Has it changed anything significantly? Not really....maybe I hit the ball 40 yards farther but the gear is not the limiting factor. The parallels are about the same in the outdoor world. I used to camp in canvas tents and Coleman sleeping bags. Still enjoyed it then as I do now with my 2 lb.tarp tent and 800 fp down bags.
I just met Dakota Joe this morning. he is hiking with a pack that cost him $1.50 from goodwill or a similar place. Not sure a xl350rlt pack coasting him $1000 would substantially change his hike. As far as obsessing..... You will find very few very serious hikers, say multiple thru hikes or similar that obsess about gear.
Offshore
04-26-2014, 19:23
I just met Dakota Joe this morning. he is hiking with a pack that cost him $1.50 from goodwill or a similar place. Not sure a xl350rlt pack coasting him $1000 would substantially change his hike. As far as obsessing..... You will find very few very serious hikers, say multiple thru hikes or similar that obsess about gear.
This thread really struck a chord as someone getting back into backpacking after a long hiatus. I've spent about a year replacing old gear (what a difference 25 years makes) and have gotten a lot of good insight from this site as well as others. But sometimes the gear discussions get to be so academic that it's out of hand. Anyone frequenting these forums is really at the point of choosing from an embarrassment of riches - let's face it, we're not buying low-end gear - so it becomes a matter of personal choice. And at times the discussions here look more like holy wars. (For example, personally I realize that Gregory packs are not the lightest, but to me, they are the most comfortable - and I don't really care what a "gram weenie" has to say on the matter.) Let's remember that the important thing here is that the "best" gear is a highly personal choice and that a closet full of the "best" gear is meaningless if it sits in the closet. A backpack on the trail bought from Walmart beats a Vaporlite Super UL Cuben Magic Pack sitting on the shelf. HYOH (with your own gear).
sureaboutthis
04-26-2014, 20:00
I second the Gregory pack comment. Lighter ones just didn't cut it for me in comfort, durability, or loading.
It remains that some people derive enjoyment from the details. Supposedly the mantra is HYOH, but here we have people proscribing to others what is an acceptable level of interest in gear.
Sounds an awful lot like "Hike my hike."
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Drybones
04-26-2014, 21:29
A lot of new hikers are under the illusion that having the perfect gear will make for a perfect hike. It doesn't work that way. Good gear will make for a more comfortable hike, perhaps, and having awful gear means you'll be a bit more uncomfortable at times, but the quality of your hike depends on what's in your head, not what's on your back.
Still, gear is a lot easier to control than your emotions, especially before the fact. You don't know how you'll respond to non-stop rain or full shelters or long days hiking in the heat or watching your partner go home. So people focus on what they can do something about: finding the perfect socks, or shoes, or rain gear.
The hikers I've seen having the best time did not have the best gear.
Drybones
04-26-2014, 21:32
The star rating thing may lead you to a bad choice. I read all the reviews and ratings when I first started hiking and was searching for a sleeping pad I could sleep on, got a Therma-rest Prolite Plus because it was rated high...hated the thing and so did my wife, neither of us could sleep on it.
Meriadoc
04-26-2014, 21:40
Yep. There's a little of HMHDI going on. (Link: http://www.pmags.com/hike-my-hike-damn-it-hmhdi )
There's also a lot of folks who haven't hiked a long distance yet and haven't realized that gear is not the most important part. That's where veterans come in to nicely point the way.
Gear and planning are also one of the few ways to engage with a dream that is still months away. (What Spirit Walker said.)
And for many of us talking about gear is fun. We're knowledgable about it from use and research. It's fun to share knowledge.
I'm not too worried. I'm not seeing people say "you must have this widget or your hike will fail." Folks will figure it out via experience. By mile 500, gear talk among thrus was nil. No need for it.
Edit: the consumer culture also lends itself to gear talk. Because it teaches us that we can buy things to solve our problems. That's one reason those who have deprogrammed themselves realize it isn't about the gear. Long distance hiking is one effective method of deprogramming, thus the point of view of our veteran long distance hikers!
Finally, those with lots of experience know what works for them. And they have the gear they need already. So of course there will be less obsessing. Uncertainty can lead to obsessing.
However, I want to point out that those who have pared down to lightweight loads have already done the obsessing - a very close analysis of what to bring and what to leave home. So for many the obsessing was done in the past and now it's a spectator sport and not a participatory sport. It always looks different from the outside.
With anything in life, keeping your level of expectation in check will usually lead to satisfaction. Over-planning can be good if you're building a spaceship, but honestly we're just going for a long walk in the woods. If you expect to be tired, hungry, cold, wet, etc., no matter what brand of gear you have, you will not be disappointed.
The topic has been something on my mind for a year or so now.
How gear is the hobby:
http://www.pmags.com/gear-as-lifestyle
Too much obsession over weight:
http://www.pmags.com/backpacking-weight-mania
Or just my own take at this point in my hiking "career"
http://www.pmags.com/ultra-light-but-not-ultra-precise
But you can skip all the blathering above and here's the bullet points..or, even, better, go straight to a video that may sum it up better :)
Why I think people like gear discussion and/or it discussed frequently:
If a person is new to the outdoors, it is something very much of interest. If you have never backpacked before, seeing that a seemingly authoritative sounding website or magazine endorses a specific pack is comforting. The person new to the outdoors wants to know what is the best and what to buy. Again, considering money is a finite resource, that is an understandable desire.
Specific gear is easy to discuss. It is something tangible. You can easily describe what the water filter weighs, the price, how past it pumps water vs the competition and so on. May be more difficult to discuss why a water filter may be more appropriate vs chemical treatment.
“Gear is fun”. Buying the gear gives some temporary happiness. And many of us like our toys. Basically, we get a thrill when discussing what new things to acquire and then acquiring it. The credit card bill at the end of the month may change that feeling, however. http://www.pmags.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif
But mainly, I think, very few of us can get out as much as we'd like (myself included!). Purchasing gear, and the discussing of the gear, is a way to still be part of the outdoor lifestyle. If I was to be brutally honest about myself, part of the reason why I participate in the online discussion forums and maintain a website is for similar reasons. Cheaper than therapy in between my hikes/climbs/skis. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3SFqV0hMyo
bamboo bob
04-27-2014, 12:17
My take is that it doesn't matter what gear you use because it's all the same more or less. Just get actual backpacking gear from any maker instead of say a day pack or car camping gear you will be fine. A few pounds more or less has no effect on most people.
Every year there's a piece of equipment that I call "this years what the cool kids are using" One year it was Frogg Toggs, another Cat stove"s, hammocks, last year it was those bare feet shoes (i forget the name) Always something. A brand goes in and out of favor. Montrail comes to mind.
My most common reason for replacing gear is that I lose something. A water filter or once I left a thermarest at NOC. I lost a ridge rest in the 100 mile wilderness. Rarely things actually break. A leki pole. A filter again. Of course shoes wear out. Socks wearout.
But Mags has it with his last point. If we can't hike then we gotta do something related to hiking and discussing gear fills in. It's a real work out trying to spend twelve hours a day on Whiteblaze instead of a trail.
I always take the bad reviews with a grain of salt. A lot of times it's easy to tell the user was an idiot. Of course, if ALL the reviews are bad, then you can worry.
But the real problem is you can't really tell how well something is going to work for you until you go out and try it in the field.
Similarly I always take good reviews with a grain of salt. No gear is perfect.
Similarly I always take good reviews with a grain of salt. No gear is perfect.
I especially take good reviews with a grain if salt if the equipment hasn't been used.
he.who.forgets
04-27-2014, 19:21
The topic has been something on my mind for a year or so now.
How gear is the hobby:
http://www.pmags.com/gear-as-lifestyle
Too much obsession over weight:
http://www.pmags.com/backpacking-weight-mania
Or just my own take at this point in my hiking "career"
http://www.pmags.com/ultra-light-but-not-ultra-precise
But you can skip all the blathering above and here's the bullet points..or, even, better, go straight to a video that may sum it up better :)
Why I think people like gear discussion and/or it discussed frequently:
If a person is new to the outdoors, it is something very much of interest. If you have never backpacked before, seeing that a seemingly authoritative sounding website or magazine endorses a specific pack is comforting. The person new to the outdoors wants to know what is the best and what to buy. Again, considering money is a finite resource, that is an understandable desire.
Specific gear is easy to discuss. It is something tangible. You can easily describe what the water filter weighs, the price, how past it pumps water vs the competition and so on. May be more difficult to discuss why a water filter may be more appropriate vs chemical treatment.
“Gear is fun”. Buying the gear gives some temporary happiness. And many of us like our toys. Basically, we get a thrill when discussing what new things to acquire and then acquiring it. The credit card bill at the end of the month may change that feeling, however. http://www.pmags.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif
But mainly, I think, very few of us can get out as much as we'd like (myself included!). Purchasing gear, and the discussing of the gear, is a way to still be part of the outdoor lifestyle. If I was to be brutally honest about myself, part of the reason why I participate in the online discussion forums and maintain a website is for similar reasons. Cheaper than therapy in between my hikes/climbs/skis. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3SFqV0hMyo
went straight to video and loved it
Violent Green
04-27-2014, 20:41
Everyone has different goals with their hobbies. I have fun hiking. I have fun talking about gear and helping others with their decisions. I have fun trying new gear. I have fun trying to improve my hikes either through increased fitness, better/more trips, or better gear. So, I'm going to do all of the above as much as I can because it's fun for me. If it's not for you, that's fine, but you need to realize that everyone's different. We can agree it's not about the gear, it's about being fulfilled. Doesn't really matter how we get there.
Ryan
Not everyone lives near a Cabela's or EMS or Dick's, but if you're planning on something like a thru hike I honestly wouldn't see an issue with making something like a 3 hour drive to a store like that.
3 hour drive? Let's see: even if I use my bike at 45 mpg, 3 hours is about 200 miles one way, 400 miles + 6 hours time. That's about 9 gallons of gas, there and back. At $4.10/gallon (my bike needs the 93 octane), that's about $36 added to the price of the gear IF and only IF I buy it. My car will be less mileage, more money. YMMV, of course.
The one time that could make much sense would be if someone was starting out and planning for a thru hike and needed much (or all) of the gear for the hike.
If they took some time to search online first to see what they might be interested in, and then took the drive (particularly if that drive would bring them to a multiple of possible stores - someone within 3 hours of Northern NJ comes to mind as a good example) to be able to actually see all the items and try them.
That way, while still a cost, it would be minimal for any item (dividing the travel cost over many gear items, plus the likelyhood of being able to save some or all of it with shopping multiple places) while still giving them the comfort of being able to try/check out the items and hopefully also save costs of repurchasing better options later.
A lot of new hikers are under the illusion that having the perfect gear will make for a perfect hike. It doesn't work that way. Good gear will make for a more comfortable hike, perhaps, and having awful gear means you'll be a bit more uncomfortable at times, but the quality of your hike depends on what's in your head, not what's on your back.
My dear Ms. Walker, This is about the best dang thing I ever read on Whiteblaze. So true... So true... Kudos to you.
shakey_snake
04-27-2014, 23:44
Gear?
We can pickle that!
I think one way to reduce the amount of discussion about gear on forums is to increase the number of trip reports. I'd much prefer reading a trip report (with awesome pictures) than a gear review.
A lot of my personal conversations about gear are just about passing the time while I'm at work...wishing I was outside playing instead. I rarely think about my gear when I'm actually out there.
The other issue, I think, is the transition from beginner to more experienced backpacker. How many of us really knew what we wanted when we first geared up? It takes a few trips out to get comfortable with the gear and really understand your own style and needs. And after realizing that you picked the wrong stuff the first time, it's easy to overcompensate and really make sure you get the "right" stuff the second time.
I think one way to reduce the amount of discussion about gear on forums is to increase the number of trip reports. I'd much prefer reading a trip report (with awesome pictures) than a gear review.
A lot of my personal conversations about gear are just about passing the time while I'm at work...wishing I was outside playing instead. I rarely think about my gear when I'm actually out there.
The other issue, I think, is the transition from beginner to more experienced backpacker. How many of us really knew what we wanted when we first geared up? It takes a few trips out to get comfortable with the gear and really understand your own style and needs. And after realizing that you picked the wrong stuff the first time, it's easy to overcompensate and really make sure you get the "right" stuff the second time.
you would think that trip reports would get more activity than a gear thread but they are largely ignored. There have been some great trip report threads on BPL but they are quickly overshadowed by tent vs. tarp and other gear related issues that have been debated endlessly since cavemen argue rock house vs. cave. The same is true here on whiteblaze as well. Sad but true.
bamboo bob
04-28-2014, 10:14
Malto, I think people do read journals quite a bit. Just not on WB. Trail journals and Postholer for instance. Unfortunately more people are doing their own blogs for friends and family only or facebook or even just stand alone blogs and we as a group don't get to read them. I find the WB ones just don't cut it. WB works great, just not for that.
Malto, I think people do read journals quite a bit. Just not on WB. Trail journals and Postholer for instance. Unfortunately more people are doing their own blogs for friends and family only or facebook or even just stand alone blogs and we as a group don't get to read them. I find the WB ones just don't cut it. WB works great, just not for that.
True, but I'm just as interested in a trip report of an overnight or week long trip to some awesome place. Trail journals are great, but I wish people would post reports from their normal weekend or weeklong trips too.
MDSection12
04-28-2014, 10:32
Every hobby has this argument... "You're not really into X, you just like fiddling with the gear..." Well, there's two sides to that coin. Some people use the wrong tool for the job and suffer for it. Every reasonable person is gonna fall somewhere in the middle. If I lean to gear-snobbery, or gear-ignorance, what does that matter?
Saying that there will be no difference between similar product offerings is a bit silly too... When personal preference matters a great deal, as with hiking gear, even the seemingly inconsequential minutia of a piece of equipment's functionality can be a deal breaker.
I don't have money to be throwing around carelessly. My other hobbies have taught me that if I buy the right thing first I will save money, even when that 'right thing' is twice the price of a comparable product. For that reason I research heavily and try to make 'end-game' purchases on the first shot.
Not to mention that in backpacking you are likely only carrying one of whatever piece of gear we're discussing. With other hobbies I can try a few and see what I like... With backpacking there's no deciding you'd prefer the one in your closet halfway through a trip. Make your bed, lie in it... So make it well. :)
MDSection12
04-28-2014, 10:33
In short, just another cyber-hiker telling me I'm doing it wrong on the Internet.
bamboo bob
04-28-2014, 10:36
In short, just another cyber-hiker telling me I'm doing it wrong on the Internet.
I don't get what this means.
shakey_snake
04-28-2014, 10:45
Look up anything in Google and 7 of the first 10 results will be someone trying to sell you something. It only took 20 years of popular use but web commerce is the web, now.
Gear is just what people sell you when it comes to hiking. I mean, BLM lands and national forests are free and businessmen can't own the National Parks. They have to get you somewhere.
MDSection12
04-28-2014, 11:27
I don't get what this means.
It means we tend to get a ton of these threads where someone tells the rest of us that something we're doing doesn't make any sense... Then we all have to come in here and defend something we do, despite it having no impact on other hikers. It just gets old. These arguments are all the same.
If I want to research and buy hiking gear simply because I think it looks cool hanging on my wall who cares? This is a place to discuss, among other things, hiking gear... Why would someone come on here to tell us that discussing fine details of hiking gear is 'obsessive?' Isn't that one of the points of discussion forums? To discuss things that large sections of the population don't care about?
bamboo bob
04-28-2014, 11:37
large sections of the population don't care about?[/QUOTE]
You got that right.
MDSection12
04-28-2014, 11:46
Yup, I'm aware of how true that is. My other forum indulgence is for guitar gear. The same argument comes up over there all the time; 'the audience can't tell the difference between a tube amp and solid state, so who cares?' While that is largely true, what separates a musician from the unwashed masses if not knowledge of their craft including the gear involved?
Just the same, I'm a backpacker. I don't care if other people are more or less knowledgeable about backpacking gear than I am, I simply know that by continuously learning I have improved my enjoyment of the hobby... How could that possibly be wrong?
Francis Sawyer
04-28-2014, 14:38
The best piece of equipment is the crainium.
The best piece of equipment is the crainium.
I've never heard of those... where can I get one? do they have an UL version?;)
daddytwosticks
04-28-2014, 16:10
I've never heard of those... where can I get one? do they have an UL version?;)
Can I have my crainium in titanium? :)
Slo-go'en
04-28-2014, 20:42
If a critical piece of gear fails at the wrong time due to poor matterials or workmanship or even by making a poor choice in what you buy, it could endanger your life.
Sparrow2013
04-28-2014, 21:03
I like being able to walk into REI and have no urge or need to buy anything else. I now have all the gear I need. What I now need most is what they cannot sell. More time outside. Having the right gear and knowing how to use it, even if not top of the line, increases safety and therefore allows you to smile and enjoy your hike more. Even in the solid pouring rain, trudging along, and getting passed twice by two trail runners who are "only" doing 35 miles today.
Yes it is obsessing. But it's obsessing to a purpose. That purpose is being comfortable doing something that 50 weeks out if a year most of us _don't_ do.
When I'm shopping for a new thing I want to know it inside and out. How it wears, how it behaves, and whether it suits me. I read, well scan, every mention, description, and spec I can find. Always at the back of my mind I'm aware that my comfort and maybe my safety might depend on this thing.
Reviews are another matter. Some are worth reading. Some. Most aren't. And some are so badly done I want to reach through and throttle some body. My opinion and only me is responsible for it
Sent from my Samsung Note 3 using Tapatalk.
If a critical piece of gear fails at the wrong time due to poor matterials or workmanship or even by making a poor choice in what you buy, it could endanger your life.
I'm not dissing the importance of good gear, but... that's just a wee bit melodramatic for the AT, don't you think?
I like being able to walk into REI and have no urge or need to buy anything else. I now have all the gear I need.
Uh-huh. I know whatcha mean. But that's the result of prior obsessions!
What I now need most is what they cannot sell. More time outside.
Ain't that the truth.
I've been thinking more about this line of thinking, and it really comes down to personality and how one wishes to spend their time. Are the people that "obsess" over backpacking gear also spending time researching other large purchases in their lives, or is it limited to backpacking or other hobbies? When you're going to buy a car/television/tablet, are you also spending significant chunks of time reading reviews and other information?
I don't have the patience/interest level to do exhaustive research for stuff I don't really care that much about. I'm not a car guy, so I basically buy whatever is in my price range that looks decent. I don't read reviews or obsess over options.
I love hiking/backpacking, though, and I find that reading gear debates and reviews, trip reports, etc. is entertainment in and of itself.
that posted video is hillareous. Makes my day. thank you so much!
Slo-go'en
04-29-2014, 10:25
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/miscgreen/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Slo-go'en http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/images/Eloquent/buttonsgreen/viewpost-right.png (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1874087#post1874087)
If a critical piece of gear fails at the wrong time due to poor materials or workmanship or even by making a poor choice in what you buy, it could endanger your life.
I'm not dissing the importance of good gear, but... that's just a wee bit melodramatic for the AT, don't you think?
Yeah, a wee bit, but at the very least gear failure could make your life uncomfortable. I almost had the hip belt detach from my pack last year on the trail. If I hadn't had the means to fix it, it would be definitely been uncomfortable. I need to remember to inspect my gear closer before heading out, especially when using well worn gear!
During certain times of the year in the part of the AT that runs through Slo-go'en's neighborhood, gear failure could certainly jeopardize one's life, but that piece of gear between the ears can help with that too.
I'm not dissing the importance of good gear, but... that's just a wee bit melodramatic for the AT, don't you think?
a bit of a paradox...it certainly may be a bit "over the top" advice for people with backpacking experience and/or who read this site/do their homework/etc. But I occasionally hear of S & R for the tourist types who head up into the mountains woefully unprepared for the cold (or heat). A common misperception among these types is that it is warm in March and April down south. However these types are not reading WB.
a bit of a paradox...it certainly may be a bit "over the top" advice for people with backpacking experience and/or who read this site/do their homework/etc. But I occasionally hear of S & R for the tourist types who head up into the mountains woefully unprepared for the cold (or heat). A common misperception among these types is that it is warm in March and April down south. However these types are not reading WB.
Oh I hear ya, I was thinking of the same thing but really, I considered such folks "beyond the scope of the discussion." SloGo'en talked about a gear failure leading to death... which I can easily imagine in a technical climbing or extreme winter hiking situation. There are no technical climbs on the AT, and most thru-hikers don't deal with much snow. The AT is long and gnarly in places but still pretty tame overall.
A lot of new hikers are under the illusion that having the perfect gear will make for a perfect hike. It doesn't work that way. Good gear will make for a more comfortable hike, perhaps, and having awful gear means you'll be a bit more uncomfortable at times, but the quality of your hike depends on what's in your head, not what's on your back.
Still, gear is a lot easier to control than your emotions, especially before the fact. You don't know how you'll respond to non-stop rain or full shelters or long days hiking in the heat or watching your partner go home. So people focus on what they can do something about: finding the perfect socks, or shoes, or rain gear.
Along these lines many, especially here on this website, and those willing to feed into it, assume they must have UMPTEEN information on the AT or backpacking or gear to enjoy pusuing these endeavors!
Information OVERLOAD! Where's the adventure?
Meriadoc
04-30-2014, 19:20
Information OVERLOAD! Where's the adventure?
This is why I stopped relying on AWOL. It had too much information. I knew too much ahead of time.
Information OVERLOAD! Where's the adventure?
OK, I see your point. On the other hand, why wouldn't folks take the trouble to learn how to make their hikes safer, more pleasant, more interesting, etc.?
Would it be more adventuresome to saunter into the woods with, say, inadequate rain gear and suffer the consequences?
The other point is that a misadventure takes a bigger toll with advancing age. ;)
I can think of no other continuous blazed long distance maintained hiking trail in the world that has SO MUCH information AND misinformation associated with it than the AT. People coming to a site like this are sometimes, and from what I see often, overwhelmed with how complex we make hiking seem to be with the overload of AT information that we often make seem so damn important. Think about it. We, that can include me too, sometimes obsess over the minutiae. How many pages on the Twelve Tribes, rain jackets, WP or non-WP shoes, trail runners or boots, do you carry TP or not?, etc etc etc do people need? OMG. How much of this is absolutely necessary? Too much info, which here are largely personal opinions, can paralyze people too making backpacking seem so complex than it really ought to be. :)
Let me get back to my digital scale weighing those Ti tent stakes now. :)
How much of this is absolutely necessary? Too much info, which here are largely personal opinions, can paralyze people too making backpacking seem so complex than it really ought to be. :)
Folks decide for themselves when they've heard enough. Folks come and go from Whiteblaze as well.
I did a lot of my AT hiking pre-Internet. Agree that the Internet has made information much more readily available. Who's to say it's "too much." ?? :-? I'm happy to have it, but I guess I could live without it.