View Full Version : information book
sailorman50
12-12-2012, 18:58
I am going to do my first long hike on the AT after I graduate in May. I have all the gear I now want a book to plan out when and where possible restock areas are, water, and lean-toos etc. I have noticed the 2013 companion book, the 2013 data book, and the 2013 guide book as three possibilities. What are your recommendations for me. Be advised I plan on taking the book with me on the trail. Also I am resupply places are not concrete so I would like a book that shows them all.
Thanks!!!
HikerMom58
12-12-2012, 19:03
My personal fav is The A.T. Guide book. Good luck on your upcoming hike... looks like a lot of "20 somethings" are hitting the trail next year... Have FUN!!
AWOL is the very best guide. His guide is independent of the "official" ATC type guides because he is not subject to the influence of the highly political trail clubs or ATC or ALDHA nor any of the State and Federal organizations that are famous of spinning the information they give you or don't give you. His method is to give you the information and let you decide what to do with it. There is alot of useful info that is with-held from the offical guide. For example, there are shelters located somewhere that the trail club does not want you to use...they just "don't list it". The same thing goes for water locations. Good camping spots are not even listed in the guide because the trail club's don't want you to camp there. The other thing that bugs me about the offical guides like the" companion" is the extent they go to defend big companies that are polluting and destroying the enviroment right next to the trail.
hikerboy57
12-12-2012, 19:51
AWOL is the very best guide. His guide is independent of the "official" ATC type guides because he is not subject to the influence of the highly political trail clubs or ATC or ALDHA nor any of the State and Federal organizations that are famous of spinning the information they give you or don't give you. His method is to give you the information and let you decide what to do with it. There is alot of useful info that is with-held from the offical guide. For example, there are shelters located somewhere that the trail club does not want you to use...they just "don't list it". The same thing goes for water locations. Good camping spots are not even listed in the guide because the trail club's don't want you to camp there. The other thing that bugs me about the offical guides like the" companion" is the extent they go to defend big companies that are polluting and destroying the enviroment right next to the trail.
hmmm ive bought 2 issues of the companion and never noticed this. ill have to go back and look.
ive found the companion to be accurate and reliable for the sections ive hiked.
as far as "good camping spots", now why wouldnt trail clubs and maintainers want you to camp in a "good camping spot"?
are you referring to illegal stealth sites?
max patch
12-12-2012, 20:04
For example, there are shelters located somewhere that the trail club does not want you to use...they just "don't list it".
I have no idea if that claim is true or not; if anybody had both The AT Guide and Companion it would certainly be easy enough to verify.
Guess it should be pointed out that this years AT Guide was so complete it listed a shelter that was planned but not yet built.
Blissful
12-12-2012, 22:36
AWOL is the very best guide. His guide is independent of the "official" ATC type guides because he is not subject to the influence of the highly political trail clubs or ATC or ALDHA nor any of the State and Federal organizations that are famous of spinning the information they give you or don't give you.
Huh??? SInce when are trail groups politically motivated to doctor up a guidebooks? Are you kidding me?
The ATC, trail clubs etc you are bashing work their heart and soul out to give us the trail that so many have come to cherish. Most are led by hard working volunteers that don't get a stitch of money for what they do.
I'm sure SLy will have something to say about it.
Blissful
12-12-2012, 22:45
For example, there are shelters located somewhere that the trail club does not want you to use...they just "don't list it". The same thing goes for water locations. Good camping spots are not even listed in the guide because the trail club's don't want you to camp there. The other thing that bugs me about the offical guides like the" companion" is the extent they go to defend big companies that are polluting and destroying the enviroment right next to the trail.
Examples please? You give none, only allegations that right now are unfounded
What shelters are "off limits" ?
Water sources vary so much, they are hard to cite. Which ones are purposely left off because of political motivation?
Maybe those good camp sites are actually illegal to use...
What big polluting companies are defended by the Companion or other ATC publications?
FarmerChef
12-12-2012, 23:03
to the original poster:
Both the "Guide" and "Companion" are very useful books to have with you on the trail. Which one you use is largely up to your personal hiking style and preference. The Guide features an elevation profile with points laid out along the profile. The companion has information in a more tabular format followed by greater detail on reference points along the way. Both have their uses and I consult BOTH before each hike.
Both are available for a nominal fee and I recommend each one equally.
I've hiked with both guides for 1,000 miles of trail and found nothing lacking in either guide nor anything to support the claims of political motivation or purposefully omitted waypoints. All the information you need on shelters, campsites, towns, services and shuttles is contained in both. They're not identical but each easily has enough to get the job done. That said, some of your very best information will come on the trail itself from other knowledgeable hikers and oft homemade advertisements posted in shelters, along roadsides, at trail magic spots and more.
AWOL is the very best guide. His guide is independent of the "official" ATC type guides because he is not subject to the influence of the highly political trail clubs or ATC or ALDHA nor any of the State and Federal organizations that are famous of spinning the information they give you or don't give you. His method is to give you the information and let you decide what to do with it. There is alot of useful info that is with-held from the offical guide. For example, there are shelters located somewhere that the trail club does not want you to use...they just "don't list it". The same thing goes for water locations. Good camping spots are not even listed in the guide because the trail club's don't want you to camp there. The other thing that bugs me about the offical guides like the" companion" is the extent they go to defend big companies that are polluting and destroying the enviroment right next to the trail.
Do you have any idea what you're talking about? The Companion is ALDHA's guidebook, and as a organisation we don't defend or accept money from any "big companies". The only "official guides" are state by state guidebooks by the ATC.
ALDHA is a hiker organisation, we're not affiliated with any government organisations. The ATC does publish the Companion, and profits from it, but it's hikers and members from ALDHA that put it together, and a way for us to give back to the trail.
The reason not all water sources are listed is because we prefer only listing permanent and not seasonal sources.
I've had the contact info on my sig for the past 3-4 years. if you have a problem or suggestion for the Companion, maybe you should try to use iit rather than make yourself look like a fool.
Slo-go'en
12-12-2012, 23:12
Umm, politics aside, I like the format of AWOL's guide better then the Companion. I find AWOL's guide is more "on trail" user friendly and lists the "minor" landmarks which the Companion doesn't.
But then, the Companion is so named because it's suppost to be used along with the data book, which has the detailed listing of all the landmarks. Most people just get the Companion as it has all the town info in it too along with other useful info.
walknrow
12-13-2012, 01:06
Haven't seen the Companion, but in planning a previous SOBO, I chose the AT GUIDE & was really impressed with the book and the supurb customer service. Thanks AWOL!
AT Guide, NOBO & SOBO editions, bound or looseleaf (carry only the pages you need at the time). Compact. Seemed very complete. Not sure about the Companion.
Good Luck with your planning & Cheers!
Umm, politics aside...
But then, the Companion is so named because it's suppost to be used along with the data book, which has the detailed listing of all the landmarks. Most people just get the Companion as it has all the town info in it too along with other useful info.
Yeah, because there are none.
At one point the Companion didn't have any data points, now it basically has the Data book built in, so it's a bit of a misnomer or could be considered a companion to topo maps.
I have used both and peronally prefer the AWOL AT Guide. I like the visual of the elevations and just find it easier to read and more appropriate for my use. I do believe the Companion may have more information on somethiings, but that it is more what I would want to read about at home, not as necesary when on the trail.