My boyfriend and will be starting a SOBO hike in mid-July 2006. (He's had hundreds of miles of backpacking experience, mostly in the west. I'm less experienced.) We're both fairly traditional backpackers - we carry 20-25% of our body weight.
1. Any suggestions on how to really break in a pair of boots before the hike begins? (My feet are my weak point - I always get blisters and I'd like to avoid that.)
2. Since we are hiking together - what things do we NOT need duplicates of? (Obviously tent and stove are in this category, but what about first-aid kits, flashlights, etc...)
3. As far as clothing goes... Some of the research I've done indicates that we should always have cold weather gear with us, due to elevation changes and the like. Do you agree? If it's not necessary to carry long johns in August, I think I'll have them sent to me along the way.
4. As the "baby" of my family (I'm 19), they tend to worry about me. Suggestions on how to ease their minds, both before the trail and on the trail?
5. The cost/comfort continuum is a little daunting to me. I'm a college student - I don't have too much money to spend on gear. Things you would suggest I invest money in and things I could probably do with cheaper items? (For example, one bit of advice I received was that, since I'll be spending alot of time in shelters, a really expensive top-of-the-line tent is probably not the most important thing to buy with my limited funds.)
Any general comments or suggestions would be welcome. Sorry about writing a novel here. If you reply to my silly questions, you'll probably only encourage me to ask more. (Just a warning...)