I used the AWOL guidebook on my 1st attempt, some sections, and finally my thru. I loved the town maps and all and it was really easy to navigate (I got the .pdf version this last trip). Guthooks, I learned along the way, was a lot better for instant info like water sources or whatever due to the comment sections. It also showed a few other trails, waterfalls, and interseting sights along the way where AWOL was pretty specific and thru hiker based, I thought. Either will do the trick, but the best thing to do is plan for water sources, wander the towns, and have fun exploring. Use either one sparingly. If I had to pick, I'd choose AWOL only due to the fact that it would reside in the pack longer than Guthooks as I'd be looking at Guthooks a lot more (if that makes sense).