Thru-Hikers' Companion and/or Data Book

[marty1983]

Hello friends, getting ready to hit the trail in 4 days and was wondering if there was any reason to bring the Date Book and the Thru-Hikers' Companion. It seems that the Companion Book has the same point to point mileage information and of course much more information about each individual town/gap/shelter/mountain. I have separated the Companion into 13 parts to reduce weight and would like to ditch the Data Book altogether unless you feel it has some useful information not contained in the Companion Book. Thanks everyone!

[Derek81pci]

I was wondering the same actually. I'm going SOBO so would it be better to just make a few notes in the Data Book since it is much lighter? I have a few months til I head out so it might even help keep me busy!

[max patch]

The Companion is all you need. You haven't needed to carry both the Data Book and a Handbook since about 1995ish when Wingfoot added the Data Book info (with approval of the ATC) to his Thru Hiker Handbook. Seems funny now to think back and remember how all the WF haters were up in arms about the merging of the 2 books into one.

Derek, you'll want the Companion.

[max patch]

You haven't needed to carry both the Data Book and a Handbook since about 1995ish when Wingfoot added the Data Book info (with approval of the ATC) to his Thru Hiker Handbook.

2003. I don't know where in the world 1995 came from -- I wasn't even on the internet then!

[Derek81pci]

Seems logical, thanks :) Been in lite-hike mode lately, but I guess this is something I shouldn't skimp on.

[ScottP]

the companion should be sufficient.

[Blissful]

Also, you can download and print the pages from the Companion you need for each section and mail it to yourself along the way.

[Papa D]

I really prefer the Companion - the Data Book does have most of what you need but it is somewhat limited - it's good for me to know things like when a shelter was built and how many it sleeps and the other little narratives about the area that the Data Book lacks. I would suggest purchasing the Companion and then TEARING it carefully into about 4-5 pieces to keep the weight down (i.e PA sections are not needed while hiking in GA, but you very well might want to look over TN and Southern VA). Mail drop yourself a new section every month or so at least 50-100 miles in advance (which might be all the mail drops you need anyway). Drop the sections you are done with in a hiker box for folks going the other way.

[Wizard 2009]

Companion, you can take all the notes you want into the data book, but once you start hiking all of your carefully laid plans change. It would be better to have that extra information so you can adapt your plan.

To quote from GI Joe "Knowing is half the battle"