which guide book?
which book of the main three (companion, pages, or data book) has the best readable information?
i can't seem to pick one.
data book
Depends on what you're looking for. If you need town info, shelter info, a bit of history, along with data, the Companion.Originally Posted by phillycheze
Personally I like the Pages, it's more visual than the others. Data is good if you just want raw data and no fluff. Don't like the format of the Companion.
and there's always the Thru-Hiker's Handbook
the thru hikers companion is what i lived by
Hope that helped.
If you find yourself in a fair fight; your tactics suck.
Try 'em out
It looks like you are close enuf to the trail to do a weekend or two. I suggest hiking a couple sections, and then go to a bookstore/outfitter that carries the books. Read about that section(s) you hiked and determine which info is more handy to you. Some ppl prefer loads of data, others don't.
HYOH and good luck!
"I think we broke his brain."
All the guidebooks are going to have errors (I hold accuracy way above format), but I don't get pissed at the book when it is put together by a nonprofit group that has volunteers out there checking the notes. That is why I like the companion
Wise man.
I'm fond of the history in the Companion, but not the format.
I carried the Appalachian Pages.
An ideal guide would have the AP format with the history provided in the Companion.
Kirby
I liked the companion myself.
That's pretty good advice, jbone.
Philly, you can check out the entire 2008 ALDHA Companion for free at:
http://www.aldha.org/companyn.htm
Teej
"[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.
My choice is either the Companion or the AT Pages. Like many of the features in the pages, but the Companion's info is a bit more in depth (it's also a bigger book).
Both are hiker friendly, in that the Pages offer a loose leaf option, also a Southbound option, and perforated pages so you only need to carry the section you are currently hiking.
The Companion, on the other hand, offers the online version which allows you to print out the section you need, mark it up during planning, but still be able to reprint with your final plan for your hike. Very convenient. Be sure to purchase a copy if you plan to use the online version - it's only fair to the authors and publisher, and not all that expensive.
I'm looking forward to the 2009 AT Pages and the improvements made. During my last section I used both - just carried the sections I needed.
I think the Handbook's print format makes it very easy on the eye, especially as concerns the mileage charts and the town maps.
In terms of accuracy, the Companion is probably the best, as it's individual field editors actually live and frequently hike in the areas that they are writing about and up-dating.
Ultimately, tho, the books are quite similar and at the end of the day, it probably doesn't matter too much which one you take.
Although I didn't have it, I was by far most fond of the Handbook, because it lists a lot more data points like trail crossings, campsites, and old forest roads.
so, all are good depending on who u are?
Kirby, or any one else, how would you change the format in the Companion to better suit your needs? Although I'm not at liberty to say right now, there will be changes coming.
What I liked about Appalachian Pages
I particularly liked that fact that I didn't have to flip to the back of the book or to the back of the section to get the information relevant to the data. In Pages, the data is on the right hand side and the corresponding information is on the left. No flipping back and forth.
Lonehiker (MRT '22)
What about the "Thru Hikers handbook"? I don't see too many comments about it.
http://www.trailplace.com/hb_2008edition.html
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