PDA

View Full Version : What is the best A.T. Guide for my pack?



Eywa Dude
01-23-2012, 15:16
I hope I'm not opening up a can of worms here, but what is your opinion on the best trail guide to carry in my pack on my thru-hike this year? I'm also looking for a guide that lists any gear shops near the trail in case I need to replace worn out shoes or broken gear along the way. Does such a guide exist? I know there are a few guides out there, and I am interested to hear the good and the bad about each one. Thanks for your effort guys!

Don H
01-23-2012, 15:41
Well I like the AT Guide by David Miller. Assuming your going NOBO I'd get the NOBO unbound version and take a months worth at a time. Have the other sections sent as needed. I'd also by the bound version for home if you have someone following or supporting you for reference.

Don H
01-23-2012, 15:46
Find the AT Guide here: http://www.theatguide.com/

trippclark
01-23-2012, 15:47
I hope I'm not opening up a can of worms here, but what is your opinion on the best trail guide to carry in my pack on my thru-hike this year? I'm also looking for a guide that lists any gear shops near the trail in case I need to replace worn out shoes or broken gear along the way. Does such a guide exist? I know there are a few guides out there, and I am interested to hear the good and the bad about each one. Thanks for your effort guys!

Well, to be honest a can of worms is probably a good description and you are likely to get lots of feedback. By way of full disclosure, I do contribute a small bit of info each year for "The A.T. Guide" so I am probably biased towards that book. In the end, both of the major guidebooks -- "The A.T. Guide" and "Thru-Hikers' Companion" -- will get you up the trail in an informed way. Both represent a huge amount of work by the folks that put them together and are fabulous resources. They are, however, laid out differently and the formatting differences appeal more or less to different folks. There is a side by side feature comparison on "The A.T. Guide" website at
http://www.theatguide.com/CompareCompanion.html
I would encourage you to look at both books yourself and see which one best suits your style.

SCRUB HIKER
01-23-2012, 21:41
Another vote for AWOL's The A.T. Guide. Lists almost all the outfitters that are remotely near the trail and the phone numbers for almost all gear manufacturers. By Virginia, I'd guess 75% of the people I was hiking around last year had the AWOL Guide--either they started out with it or switched to it somewhere early on. I took mine the whole way and it served me well.

Sly
01-23-2012, 21:49
Another vote for AWOL's The A.T. Guide. Lists almost all the outfitters that are remotely near the trail and the phone numbers for almost all gear manufacturers.

That's not exclusive info, the Companion has had it for years.

Ewya Dude, questions like this are answered several times a year. It's recommended to use an advanced search if you're looking for answers before posting.