View Full Version : Gear recomendations for a good, long hike.
I hike quite a bit, but I recently decided to atempt a thru-hike. The gear I have is a bit worn, outdated, and insufficient to take on the AT. I'd like recomendations based on use and experience. Also, I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on the gear: having gear that is low in cost and lightweight is my goal.
Recomendations from experienced long-distance hikers would be the most helpful, but I appreciate any input. A link to the gear would be nice.
I've already got a good tent lined up (Eureak Spitfire), but I need packs, poles, sleeping bags, and boots.
Backpack: I've decided an External Frame is best for my needs and preferences, comfort and price. I'm aware that Externals are not as flexible as internals, but for the most part I think the comfort will make up for this. I want something atleast 4,000 Cubic Inches at the bare minimum. If you have an internal frame that you really, really, really recomend I'll look into it.
Poles: I had planed on some Hammer HP1 hiking poles that cost 20$ and came with thermometers and compases in the handles, but I read reviews that Leki makes better poles. A link to a Leki pole of a similar price and features would be nice.
Old pole: http://www.amazon.com/Hammers-HP1-Anti-Shock-Compass-Thermometer/dp/B000BR3AJK/ref=pd_sim_e_2
Sleeping bags: I am almost 6'3'' tall, so a large bag is helpful. I was looking at a nice one from Suissee Sport, but I found out that it's woefully small for me. I'd prefer a mummy bag with a compression sack and waterproof coating. This should go without saying, but I don't want cotton filling.
Boots: mid-high gauge, rough out, double seams (at least), high back, no european style. In layman terms, I want a boot that isn't rediculously thick, has the rough side of the leather facing out, is sewn with doulbe seams (duh), and preferably isn't european style.
European-style has to do with how the sole and boot leather are connected: the seams face out on european boots, making them less durable. "Littleway" boots have the seams facing in, making them more waterproof. I've seen a lot of "hiking shoes" in stores lately, and I'm a bit skeptical: they seem better suited to looking trendy in the health-foods store than making it through Pensylvania.
In short, boots are the only subject where I would prefer heavy to light, given otherwise equal alternatives in price: my ankles are prone to injury (tall family, happens a lot to us all).
Hiking boot info page: http://www.slackpacker.com/hiking_boots.html
mountain squid
04-26-2011, 19:33
having gear that is low in cost and lightweight is my goal.Unfortunately, those two criteria don't always go together well . . .
My suggestion would be to attend Trail Days (http://www.traildays.us/) in Damascus, VA in May. There will be many gear vendor displays. Even if you don't purchase anything you will be able to see all the latest and greatest 'stuff'. Additionally, you'll see this years hikers and see what gear they are carrying.
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs087.gifto WB.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
Read this:
Cheap Gear – How to Dirt Bag and Deal Shop Like a Professional (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=206678#post206678)
Just tell me what gear you found to be helpful, and what gear you found to be awful. Thank you.
Snowleopard
04-26-2011, 21:27
External frame pack: get a used Kelty. My 35 year old Kelty doesn't weigh much more than some of the medium light internal frame packs; the newer ones probably carry a heavy load better but weigh more. What I like about mine is that it seems to ventilate better in hot weather and has lots of little compartments for staying organized, but I generally use a light internal frame pack.
Sleeping bag: if you can sew or have someone who would sew for you try a synthetic quilt sized to fit you, here's a kit: http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Quilt-Kit/index.htm Compression sacks kill the loft of a sleeping bag, which makes it colder. You don't want a waterproof cover on the sleeping bag you want something that breathes; the better sleeping bags have very good water resistant fabrics. Campmor makes a $110 20 degree down bag in long, supposedly for up to 6'6".
Poles: consider some used ski poles, cross country poles may be better. Cut them to the right length for you. Once you get used to them, two poles are better for balance and taking the load off your knees on downhills. Adjustable length is nice sometimes, but not necessary. Lekis are good but expensive.
um - don't do boots - do shoes - you sort of "sound" "heavy packed" to me. Get your big 4 - pack, sleeping bag, pad and shelter to about 12 pounds - EVERYTHING else weighs 10 pounds - that puts you at a base weight of 22 pounds - food and water should weigh less than 10 pounds fully loaded - this puts you at 32 pounds - now, try to get rid of 2 pounds and carry 30 pounds total and absolute max - this WILL NOT make you an ultra-light hiker but will give you a realistic weight that would be comfortable for a long hike.
bigcranky
04-26-2011, 22:17
Just tell me what gear you found to be helpful, and what gear you found to be awful. Thank you.
That's sort of asking a lot, ya know? :) Any of us could list hundreds or thousands of items that we liked or disliked, and it probably wouldn't help you much.
Anyway, I hated the only two externals I ever owned (Kelty Tioga and Army-issued ALICE pack), so that's no help. No experience with the tent, but many hikers use it. Leki poles are great, but they are more like $100 -- none of them will compete on cost. You can often get Komperdell poles on sale for around $40-50; they are also well made. Try Sierra Trading Post online.
Sleeping bags. For a northbound thru-hike a decent 20-F down bag will probably be sufficient for the whole hike. The Campmor 20-F mummy is a popular lower-cost choice, and is available in Long for less than $150. You can spend a lot more on a sleeping bag if you want, and get lighter and warmer for the extra money.
Boots: if you wear a size 44 (Euro, roughly 11 or 11.5), I could make you an attractive offer on a lightly used pair of Scarpa Manta boots. They are very impressive boots, but I switched to trail runners back in 2000. I believe they would meet all your criteria.
A couple of more general comments:
You'll find a wide variety of gear on the A.T. However, as you look inside the packs of long distance hikers and successful thru-hikers, the variation in gear narrows. Not that everyone carries the same thing -- far from it, and the arguments over the "best" gear go on forever. But you'll start to see patterns in the kind of gear used.
This is because thru-hiking the A.T., or any long trail, is a very specialized activity. The gear tends to be specialized, too -- light weight is prized over bullet proof construction, since we're not climbing Everest or trekking through briars and heavy brush. If you look at a thru-hiker's pack, in general you'll find a smallish internal frame pack around 2 pounds in weight, a down sleeping bag, usually expensive, a 2-3 pound tent or tarptent (sometimes a 1-pound tarp), a very small cook kit and minimal extra clothing. Very few "camp comfort" items, as most of the time is spent hiking, not in camp. Trail runners and hiking poles work well because of the generally smooth nature of the trail (Ok, possibly excepting Pennsylvania) and the short, steep climbs and descents.
Again, plenty of successful thru-hikers have carried all sorts of gear -- heavy packs, giant tents, huge mountaineering boots, and first aid kits that would work well on an ambulance.
But maybe just keep something of an open mind when it comes to the more specialized gear that hikers use. Might end up being helpful.
Light gear helpful. Heavy gear awful.
Light tent: Gossamer Gear The One. Also, Equinox 8x10 tarp with a homemade bug net tent. Less than 2lbs for each system. Use trekking poles to set up.
Light trekking poles: I have Leki Makalus but my boyfriend has Gossamer Gear poles. They are so light I swear they float away. I like the Lekis well enough.
Light bag: Golite Ultra 20 quilt. Awful heavy old bag weighed almost 4lbs and was not as warm.
Light pad: Z-rest. Light and big and easy to fold up. No worry about punctures. Comfy and warm.
Light cooking: Homemade alcohol stove, homemade windscreen, MSR Titan kettle and spoon. Eat out of the pot. For luxury, a plastic coffee cup. Awful old heavy cooking: big aluminum pot with pot-grabber thingie, canister stove with lots of wasteful canister trash. Canisters would get stuck on the stove and the stove would come apart before it came off the canister. Awful.
Light clothes: No change of clothes. Only spare socks, a light down "sweater" and very light Houdini shell. Plus homemade fleece balaclava, fleece fingerless gloves and silnylon rain chaps.
Light shoes: Running shoes don't give me blisters like big old heavy boots did. They also (usually) let me walk normally rather than change my gait.
Light pack: My heavy pack is great when I have to carry a heavy load of water: Osprey Aura. My light pack is great when I don't: ULA Relay. My other light pack is good when I have to carry a lot of food: Gossamer Gear G4.
Light musical instruments: Penny whistle weighs only 1.25 ounces. Doubles as an "I'm in trouble" whistle. McNally Strumstick weighs a pound and sounds pretty even if you don't know how to play anything.
Light camera: I found a tiny point-and-shoot digital camera, because I could keep it in a pocket within easy reach, lets me take more pictures and have more fun taking pictures than a larger, heavier SLR camera with lenses and all that. My pictures come out better, too.
I still think you should read the dirt bagging article. Your gear doesn't get you to Katahdin. Old gear, homemade gear, less than "the best" gear will do fine. Even heavy gear is fine if you can carry it.
Bigcranky's third-to-last paragraph in post #8 really hits the nail on the head. I would add that some not only hike with very light kitchen gear but go stoveless altogether.
KillerKowalski
04-27-2011, 04:20
Gear recomendations for a good, long hike?
The correct mental state.
tjforrester
04-27-2011, 07:47
That's sort of asking a lot, ya know? :) Any of us could list hundreds or thousands of items that we liked or disliked, and it probably wouldn't help you much.
Anyway, I hated the only two externals I ever owned (Kelty Tioga and Army-issued ALICE pack), so that's no help. No experience with the tent, but many hikers use it. Leki poles are great, but they are more like $100 -- none of them will compete on cost. You can often get Komperdell poles on sale for around $40-50; they are also well made. Try Sierra Trading Post online.
Sleeping bags. For a northbound thru-hike a decent 20-F down bag will probably be sufficient for the whole hike. The Campmor 20-F mummy is a popular lower-cost choice, and is available in Long for less than $150. You can spend a lot more on a sleeping bag if you want, and get lighter and warmer for the extra money.
Boots: if you wear a size 44 (Euro, roughly 11 or 11.5), I could make you an attractive offer on a lightly used pair of Scarpa Manta boots. They are very impressive boots, but I switched to trail runners back in 2000. I believe they would meet all your criteria.
A couple of more general comments:
You'll find a wide variety of gear on the A.T. However, as you look inside the packs of long distance hikers and successful thru-hikers, the variation in gear narrows. Not that everyone carries the same thing -- far from it, and the arguments over the "best" gear go on forever. But you'll start to see patterns in the kind of gear used.
This is because thru-hiking the A.T., or any long trail, is a very specialized activity. The gear tends to be specialized, too -- light weight is prized over bullet proof construction, since we're not climbing Everest or trekking through briars and heavy brush. If you look at a thru-hiker's pack, in general you'll find a smallish internal frame pack around 2 pounds in weight, a down sleeping bag, usually expensive, a 2-3 pound tent or tarptent (sometimes a 1-pound tarp), a very small cook kit and minimal extra clothing. Very few "camp comfort" items, as most of the time is spent hiking, not in camp. Trail runners and hiking poles work well because of the generally smooth nature of the trail (Ok, possibly excepting Pennsylvania) and the short, steep climbs and descents.
Again, plenty of successful thru-hikers have carried all sorts of gear -- heavy packs, giant tents, huge mountaineering boots, and first aid kits that would work well on an ambulance.
But maybe just keep something of an open mind when it comes to the more specialized gear that hikers use. Might end up being helpful.
Well said.
The outfitter at Neels Gap makes his living off experienced backpackers who try to adapt their gear to a long hike. Weekend hiking and thru-hiking are different skill sets.
I've thru-hiked the AT with both types of styles. The hike with lightweight gear and trail runners was much easier than the hike with the heavy gear and bomb proof boots.