View Full Version : Noob considering thru hike
So I'm basically a noob at hiking, camping, and definitely backpacking.
I was wondering if anyone had a definitive resource they had to learn the skills needed to do these things and complete a thru hike.. and also maybe a guide to navigating the very complex world of gear. There's so much info and things to buy online it's overwhelming..
Basically, skills needed to thru hike successfully so we can start now, and also the right light gear to buy. Thank you in advance.:)
VTATHiker
09-09-2013, 04:57
Welcome to Whiteblaze xalex. There's WAY more information out there than you need. After a thru hike you realize that less is more. A good place to start though is by binge-reading Whiteblaze topics on packs, bags and tents. Other places to look for inspiration: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=386738.
Hike on!
atbackpacker
09-09-2013, 08:20
here's a good place to start...http://lnt.org/learn/online-awareness-course
good luck and enjoy the trail!
Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.
Don't run out and buy a pack first. Assemble your other gear first. Then buy a pack that holds your stuff.
Don't buy a pack online. Get properly fitted for a backpack. Try several. Find the one that fits you best. It took me 3 tries before I found a backpack that didn't try to cripple me.
Rent before you buy. If possible.
Good luck.
Wayne
evansprater
09-09-2013, 10:22
You have any friends/acquaintances that backpack? One of my buddies got me into it, and he was my single most valuable resource as I could directly ask him questions and get straightforward answers without having to navigate the spiderweb of BS and opinion of the internet. Feel free to private message me (or, I'm sure anyone else on the forum) if you have any questions.
I wrote this doc. Aimed at people who may be overwhelmed w/ planning for the AT:
http://www.pmags.com/a-quick-and-dirty-guide-to-the-appalachian-trail
Includes links for beginner backpackers, too.
Between now and next year, get out and backpack. Try the gear. Learn to manage your food and water. See if you like backpacking for ~12 MPD at least. (not everyone does, and that's cool. Better to find out now and before you change your life around an AT journey).
...
Basically, skills needed to thru hike successfully so we can start now, and also the right light gear to buy. Thank you in advance.:)
In the Skills Needed category: Sufficient earning power to have $5,000 on deposit, with all gear in hand, to start the thru-hike. An additional $1,000 reserve for worst case scenarios wouldn't hurt. Will you need all of that money? Maybe. Maybe not. Only you can determine that as the hike progresses. Can it be done for less? Probably. Can it be done for more? Yep. Budget for transportation from home to the start and back home from the finish. Where ever the finish may be.
All the gear & all the skills in the world can't overcome lack of funds for a thru-hike.
Good luck.
Wayne
slbirdnerd
09-09-2013, 12:28
If you're a reader, add binge reading people's backpacking journeys to your list of things to do: AWOL on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller, Becoming Odyssa by Jennifer Pharr Davis, Three Hundred Zeroes by Dennis Blanchard, The Things You Find on the Appalachian trail by Kevin Runolfson, and for fun of course A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. The list goes on and you can learn a lot from all of them, and be inspired in different ways by each of them.
Sarcasm the elf
09-09-2013, 13:09
Here is a tried and true gear list from the folks at Mountain Crossing (the first outfitters you pass if headed north on the trail). Remember there is one "best" packing list, but this ine is an excellent starting point.
http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4
Odd Man Out
09-09-2013, 13:55
Here is a tried and true gear list from the folks at Mountain Crossing (the first outfitters you pass if headed north on the trail). Remember there is one "best" packing list, but this ine is an excellent starting point.
http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4
Also, for gear, this book is a good place to start.
http://andrewskurka.com/product/ultimate-hikers-gear-guide/
mainelydave
09-12-2013, 17:31
Use the search function on here and also view the articles. I can't think of one issue or one piece of gear that hasn't been discussed ad nauseum on here.
So I'm basically a noob at hiking, camping, and definitely backpacking.
I was wondering if anyone had a definitive resource they had to learn the skills needed to do these things and complete a thru hike.. and also maybe a guide to navigating the very complex world of gear. There's so much info and things to buy online it's overwhelming..
Basically, skills needed to thru hike successfully so we can start now, and also the right light gear to buy. Thank you in advance.:)
Slo-go'en
09-12-2013, 17:40
You can read all the books and posts ad nausium, but the only way to learn is by doing. Of course you'll have to start someplace and the book "how to hike the AT" by Michelle Ray is a good place to start. It is available as an ebook from Amazon for not much money (and maybe for free).
In the Skills Needed category: Sufficient earning power to have $5,000 on deposit, with all gear in hand, to start the thru-hike. An additional $1,000 reserve for worst case scenarios wouldn't hurt. Will you need all of that money? Maybe. Maybe not. Only you can determine that as the hike progresses. Can it be done for less? Probably. Can it be done for more? Yep. Budget for transportation from home to the start and back home from the finish. Where ever the finish may be.
All the gear & all the skills in the world can't overcome lack of funds for a thru-hike.
Good luck.
Wayne
I'm pretty sure it can be done for significantly less but with the caveat that you won't be able to stay over in every town or have some of the off-trail luxuries like side-trips and so forth...you just have to prioritize. Instead of hotels, I'm only looking at hostels along the way. But that being said, having emergency funds is crucial.
I'm planning to section from Harper's Ferry to Springer, mostly because the train will drop me off very near the trail, which is pretty convenient and pretty cheap if you live on the east coast and buy your ticket in advance. I also would recommend investing in one of the many guide books (either AWOL's or the AT Conservancy) and getting together a basic outline of your hike. Excel spreadsheets are good for comparing your budget to the distances between stops so that you can know approximately how much you will be spending (if you're a detail freak like me, you can figure out exactly how much money you expect to spend down to the day).
brian039
09-12-2013, 18:28
Gear is what you need to focus on. There are literally no outdoor skills you need other than how to set up your tent and proper campsite selection.
Slo-go'en
09-12-2013, 23:16
Gear is what you need to focus on. There are literally no outdoor skills you need other than how to set up your tent and proper campsite selection.
It's not exactly rocket science, but it is a little more complicated than that and there is a definate learning curve. I find that people who have at least some prior camping experiance tend to fair better then those who don't. Sure it's possible to learn on the fly, but it makes it all that much more difficult at the start. Much better to have some of the kinks worked out before hand.
Tuckahoe
09-12-2013, 23:54
Gear is what you need to focus on. There are literally no outdoor skills you need other than how to set up your tent and proper campsite selection.
It's not exactly rocket science, but it is a little more complicated than that and there is a definate learning curve. I find that people who have at least some prior camping experiance tend to fair better then those who don't. Sure it's possible to learn on the fly, but it makes it all that much more difficult at the start. Much better to have some of the kinks worked out before hand.
+1 Slo... Brian that is probably one of the worst pieces of advice I have seen. Gear does you no good if you dont know how to use it properly and to take care of it. And if you dont have the skills and knowledge to take care of yourself out in the outdoors you're no good to yourself and can potentially make pretty stupid decisions because of a lack of that basic knowledge. Like Slo said it's not rocket science, but there are certainly skills that will get you safely up the trail.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?177 You can definitely do it cheaper, with discipline.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php?181 Great advice.
The gear is just means to an end. Becoming comfortable with living in the woods, as opposed to just suffering through till the next hostel/hotel will do wonders for your confidence.
If you are a woman preparing for an AT hike, I highly recommend Wild and White Blazing (http://livingwildandprecious.com/wild-and-white-blazing/) by Zipper. I really enjoyed it last year and then it was so much fun to meet other women from the group while I was hiking.
Autummyst
10-07-2013, 12:20
+1 Slo... Brian that is probably one of the worst pieces of advice I have seen. Gear does you no good if you dont know how to use it properly and to take care of it. And if you dont have the skills and knowledge to take care of yourself out in the outdoors you're no good to yourself and can potentially make pretty stupid decisions because of a lack of that basic knowledge. Like Slo said it's not rocket science, but there are certainly skills that will get you safely up the trail.
+1
Also, be open to changing your gear. I've seen people get 'locked in' after buying a piece of equipment or clothing even though it's making them feel horrible. I've changed my clothing and gear a few times because of the above stated advice. My husband and I have done mini backpacking trips to get ready for 2014 and it's really made the world of difference.
I really think the biggest piece of advice I've received on WB that ended up being totally true was to get out there and actually practice (plus it's fun!!!)