Butcher My Guide Book?

[Don H]

In preparing for a March 13th start I've been going through my gear trying to cut weight. My trail guide (AWOL's) weighs 8 oz. and I'm thinking I can cut it in half along the binding. Has anyone done this? Will it stay together or will it fall apart?

[Maple_Sky]

I cut my bound edition of the AT Guide down the spine with a sharp knife, and it didn't fall apart. I'm planning on putting a peice of duct tape on the spine to reinforce it.

[royalusa]

We typically tear apart all of our guidebooks and just carry the pages we need for that section. A mail drop would be used to mail us the next section we wanted. We'd mail the used pages home.

[Rain Man]

You can have any print/copy shop cut off the binding cleaning and punch it and spiral bind it, cheap.

I thought I read that AWOL is offering that guide spiral bound this year? Yep, see here for an unbound version--
The Unbound editions are the same, except there is no binding. Pages come in heavy-duty zip-lock bag. This edition is most useful for hikers who want to carry only relevant sections of the book. (http://www.theatguide.com/Editions.html) GREAT idea, IMHO.

Rain:sunMan

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[Don H]

Well I took the knife to it and cut it at Harper's Ferry. Then cut covers from a manila folder and used packing tape to attach. It seemed to work out OK but time will tell.

[d.o.c]

seems like alot of people start rippn it apart page by page as one becomes hiked and unneededi kept both mine intact for they are neat and a remminder of my hikeing and shoot useful for years after realy

[Northern Lights]

You can have any print/copy shop cut off the binding cleaning and punch it and spiral bind it, cheap.

I thought I read that AWOL is offering that guide spiral bound this year? Yep, see here for an unbound version--
The Unbound editions are the same, except there is no binding. Pages come in heavy-duty zip-lock bag. This edition is most useful for hikers who want to carry only relevant sections of the book. (http://www.theatguide.com/Editions.html) GREAT idea, IMHO.

Rain:sunMan

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That's the version I bought, it's perfect. Just seperate it out into sections

[Don H]

I thought about buying the unbound version but didn't want to have a bunch of loose papers to deal with. Maybe AWOL could do a version that is in 3 or 4 separate books.

[Roland]

I thought about buying the unbound version but didn't want to have a bunch of loose papers to deal with. Maybe AWOL could do a version that is in 3 or 4 separate books.

At the risk of sounding rude, Don, aren't you making a big deal of this for nothing? I mean, the guide only weighs 8 ounces. Every time you take a leak, you're gonna lose more than 8 ounces. Same for every dump. I probably carry 8 ounces of mud in the cleats of my Vibram soles. And as it dries-up, it falls out again.

Your overall weight will fluctuate more than 8 ounces many times each day. Trying to save a few ounces by binding the guide into 3 or 4 separate books seems like an awful lot of fuss for little gain.

Start with the complete guide. Tear-out pages as you go. When you walk off Katahdin, the guide will weigh nothing. :D

Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy your hike.

EDIT: My point is that a few ounces saved by carrying a partial guide is practically negligible, since you will add and lose ounces many times each day.

[Dirty Nails]

I tear out the section I need (and add a couple of staples) to keep the unused sections dry & clean. The section I am using will invariably get damaged or destroyed. The remainder can go in your bounce box.

[royalusa]

I thought about buying the unbound version but didn't want to have a bunch of loose papers to deal with. Maybe AWOL could do a version that is in 3 or 4 separate books.

We loved the unbound version. We'd put the next days loose pages in a ziplock baggie and put it in the pocket on the outside of our pack. That way when we hiked it was always "flipped" to the right page (actually 2 pages were always readable as it was in a baggie) and it was easy to read no matter if it was a sunny day or pouring down rain. The other pages were inside our pack in another ziplock baggie. At night we would swap out the pages in our baggies for the next day. You'll find a method that works for you.

[harrisonholly]

Roland must be PROUD to don a 40 lb pack

[Roland]

Roland must be PROUD to don a 40 lb pack

Not as proud as I am to be the object of your affection in your first post on WB.

:welcome

[Don H]

Roland,
Watching those few ounces here and there resulted in a 15 pound pack, dry weight (no food or water) including a tent and cold weather gear.

[D-wreck]

I cut my guidebook up and really wish I hadn't, my only regret on my thru. Other hikers gave me advice on where to stay 500 miles down the trail...but I had no easy way of keeping track of it. When you keep it whole you can also use the guidebook as a journal. Very easy to keep track of where you ate lunch, where you slept, what springs were dry or nasty, nice places to eat. Then if you ever go back and re-do a certain section you'll be better informed.

[max patch]

A guidebook with your notes in it is gonna make a great souvenier. I wouldn't cut it up.