Should I plan to ruin all my gear?

[rjc]

There's a very slight chance my wife and I will have the opportunity to do a thru-hike this year, so I've started letting ideas roll around the back of my mind since I'd probably only have a couple of weeks to plan and hit the trail.

Between wear and tear and odor, I'm thinking there's a good chance I'll toss a lot of my gear (sleeping bag, clothes, rain clothes, backpack).

In particular I use this gear often. For example I have a rain jacket I love, and if it stinks I'm not going to wear it on business travel any more. If my sleeping bag has an odor to it I'll just buy a new one. And I won't want to spend hours and hours trying to get the odor out by washing in vinegar then a pet odor remover, etc. etc. etc.

We're only talking maybe $1500 of gear between the 2 of us, which pales in comparison to a decision to go without 2 salaries for six months.

For those of you who have done a thru-hike and replacement cost for gear wasn't an issue, did it make sense to keep your stuff or just get new gear afterwards?

[garlic08]

Lots of cheap stuff got trashed--some clothing, shoes. My tent has survived multiple thru hikes, as has my rain gear, sleeping bag--all the expensive stuff. Can't say I'd wear my rain coat on a business trip now, but it's good for hiking still. I probably consumed more like $300 worth of gear on the AT hike, mostly running shoes and socks, and one lost headlamp. Like you said, it pales in comparison.

[Rockhound]

There's a very slight chance my wife and I will have the opportunity to do a thru-hike this year, so I've started letting ideas roll around the back of my mind since I'd probably only have a couple of weeks to plan and hit the trail.

Between wear and tear and odor, I'm thinking there's a good chance I'll toss a lot of my gear (sleeping bag, clothes, rain clothes, backpack).

In particular I use this gear often. For example I have a rain jacket I love, and if it stinks I'm not going to wear it on business travel any more. If my sleeping bag has an odor to it I'll just buy a new one. And I won't want to spend hours and hours trying to get the odor out by washing in vinegar then a pet odor remover, etc. etc. etc.

We're only talking maybe $1500 of gear between the 2 of us, which pales in comparison to a decision to go without 2 salaries for six months.

For those of you who have done a thru-hike and replacement cost for gear wasn't an issue, did it make sense to keep your stuff or just get new gear afterwards?

If you want to get new gear, get new gear. I'm a little disturbed,however, by your preemptive decision to just throw away your old stuff. Rather than bothering to attempt any kind odor removal or restoration or, better yet, donating your old gear to someone who does not have the typical American mindset that you seem to share. That is,"If it's old or broken, don't bother to maintain it or fix it. Just buy a new one and toss the old one away". Sad. Very,very sad.

[Lone Wolf]

There's a very slight chance my wife and I will have the opportunity to do a thru-hike this year, so I've started letting ideas roll around the back of my mind since I'd probably only have a couple of weeks to plan and hit the trail.

Between wear and tear and odor, I'm thinking there's a good chance I'll toss a lot of my gear (sleeping bag, clothes, rain clothes, backpack).

In particular I use this gear often. For example I have a rain jacket I love, and if it stinks I'm not going to wear it on business travel any more. If my sleeping bag has an odor to it I'll just buy a new one. And I won't want to spend hours and hours trying to get the odor out by washing in vinegar then a pet odor remover, etc. etc. etc.

We're only talking maybe $1500 of gear between the 2 of us, which pales in comparison to a decision to go without 2 salaries for six months.

For those of you who have done a thru-hike and replacement cost for gear wasn't an issue, did it make sense to keep your stuff or just get new gear afterwards?

yeah. toss most of it

[Rockhound]

If you happen to be tossing a 0 degree bag let me know. I'm in the market.

[4shot]

I haven't thru'd so I am not really qualified but I have a couple of comments now that you have been preached to by others. I don't think you have to automatically assume that it will be ruined so wait and evaluate after the trip what you can salvage and what you can't.I think it makes sense to use whatever you have until it is no longer serviceable.

If you read here often enough and want the support of the WB readers to buy new gear....here is how you go about it without offending (some of)the readership. Just list your stuff, especially if it isn't hi-tech/top-end/ultralight. Then you will be inundated with folks telling you to replace your pack with "this one", your tent with "that one", etc. Bear in mind that this stuff won't be available at your local thrift store or large box department store and will be $$$. But it's ok. That way you can get all the stuff you want with the approval of (some) who post here without suffering any lectures. Good luck.

[Spokes]

Interesting question. My thru-hiking gear ended up falling into 2 distinct categories- Consumables and Non-Consumables. Footwear, ditty bags, windscreen, some clothing items got tossed but sleeping bag, pad, tent, pack all were all salvageable (YMMV).....

Good luck.

[modiyooch]

In all likelihood, it won't be usable for anything other than trail use. My kids refuse to sleep in my tent because of the odor. I did buy an additional one and I did hold on to my old one, my friend, for decades for personal use only.

I do suggest not buying new equipment for the trail, but replacement personal equipment later. You will probably be sending a box home of equipment not needed or appropiate for the hike within the first 100 miles. Plus , your taste may change during the hike.
I think you all should get off his case and maybe target Starbucks who insists that I have to have a lid and cardboard holder as if I'm a child and cannot sit in the restaurant without spilling my coffee, all the while advertising "go green". Or, these freebie newspapers that are collecting & rotting at the base of driveways. Can't these people figure it out that no one lives there? Either refrain from adding to the trash pile, or better yet... pick it up.
thanks for letting me ramble...
I think I'll pick the papers up today and dump it at the business door.

[DAJA]

If you read here often enough and want the support of the WB readers to buy new gear....here is how you go about it without offending (some of)the readership. Just list your stuff, especially if it isn't hi-tech/top-end/ultralight. Then you will be inundated with folks telling you to replace your pack with "this one", your tent with "that one", etc. Bear in mind that this stuff won't be available at your local thrift store or large box department store and will be $$$. But it's ok. That way you can get all the stuff you want with the approval of (some) who post here without suffering any lectures. Good luck.

This is very true and happens daily on here... Saving weight is the new mantra, and apparently is justification for most to replace what they have regardless of condition. Gear, like all material things, should be used until it no longer functions for its purpose, then replaced... At the very least donate it or sell it so at least others will get use out of it..

[Blissful]

Thru hiking is tough on gear. Unless you already have good quality stuff that can endure it, might consider upgrading if you have the $$. Though I have a few items that went in '07 and will go again this year (like my pocket rocket and old fifty cent thermarest seat cushion)

[Rockhound]

Post your address, and we can all donate our smelly gear to you.
That stuff is rank. I think it's beyond cleaning.

Yes there comes a time when gear is beyond repair or restoration. I don't want that gear. Either does anyone else. Toss it. The person who started this thread said he does not wish to waste the time and effort to maintain his gear. He would rather just throw it away and buy new stuff. That is a piss poor apathetic mindset.

[Rockhound]

Hiker boxes are not just for food. Maybe somebody could get some use out of his slightly worn gear. Sure beats it taking up room in a landfill.

[Mags]

No lecture...

But as Garlic said, a good chunk of the equipment and clothing should be usable again. A down bag has many miles of life in it. You may want to get it professionally cleaned at the end of the five month period but it is not that expensive..esp if compared to the cost of a down bag. (If they are synthetic, than you may find it does not really last past the thru-hike. Donate it to boyscouts or goodwill..but throw in a front loading washer first! )


The only items that come to mind that may not be worth replacing are
the socks and the shoes.

The other items? Again, as Garlic said, it may not be fit for the office..but will probably still be usable outdoor gear. FWIW, I have some clothing I strictly use for outdoors and others I wear around town. My outdoor clothing gets grungy rather quickly even when not doing a thru-hike. My friends and co-workers (I'm sure) have silently thanked me over the years.

[Lone Wolf]

Hiker boxes are not just for food. Maybe somebody could get some use out of his slightly worn gear. Sure beats it taking up room in a landfill.

i throw out all clothing and footwear that is left at The Place. it stinks and is unsanitary

[HikerRanky]

No lecture...

But as Garlic said, a good chunk of the equipment and clothing should be usable again. A down bag has many miles of life in it. You may want to get it professionally cleaned at the end of the five month period but it is not that expensive..esp if compared to the cost of a down bag. (If they are synthetic, than you may find it does not really last past the thru-hike. Donate it to boyscouts or goodwill..but throw in a front loading washer first! )


The only items that come to mind that may not be worth replacing are
the socks and the shoes.

The other items? Again, as Garlic said, it may not be fit for the office..but will probably still be usable outdoor gear. FWIW, I have some clothing I strictly use for outdoors and others I wear around town. My outdoor clothing gets grungy rather quickly even when not doing a thru-hike. My friends and co-workers (I'm sure) have silently thanked me over the years.

What he says.

I have some very old tents and rain gear and sleeping bags... Yes they have some slight funk to them, but it's still perfectly usable for outdoors.

Resist the temptation to throw it away. Take a little bit of effort to clean items like your down sleeping bags and down jackets and such.

[Rockhound]

i throw out all clothing and footwear that is left at The Place. it stinks and is unsanitary

If you spotted a $400 sleeping bag in there with a slight odor somehow I think you might just spend $5 to wash it and see if you could'nt get the smell out. Used old footwear? yes, probably best to toss.

[Lone Wolf]

If you spotted a $400 sleeping bag in there with a slight odor somehow I think you might just spend $5 to wash it and see if you could'nt get the smell out. Used old footwear? yes, probably best to toss.

i would never use a used sleeping bag

[JustaTouron]

If you spotted a $400 sleeping bag in there.

Did everyone miss the part where he said the total cost of gear for two was $1500?

That would mean over half of his investment was tied up in sleeping bags. For all those sell it on WB proponents....is there really a huge demand for second hand Walmart gear with over 2000 miles on it? If so, I will start posting some of the junk I have. Anybody want a 12 oz frying pan that you fold open and close by use of a wing nut that is permanently blacked from soot?

[mweinstone]

hipness, comunality, and shareing. wolf? you okay?
you sound like your 1500 dollars is not alot. it is. for 800 you go to walmart and buy everything for 2. my friends did. jessica and jason in 06. they were comfy and warm and well able to hike . their sleeping bags were very wide and tied on to the bottom outside of their cheap packs but all in all they enjoyed their trip all the way from fla. they used alcohol in a pop can and soda bottles for water and fuel and they had heavy knives not light and slightly goofy cheap headlamps but they had fun. they hitched further to get food than some cause they only went to big stores for the saveings. they ate all their candy from the dollar store witch is a large overall saveings. and their gear was unuseable and see thru and smelly in the end. but my million dollar super kit is old and torn and washed a million times and still works fine and dont smell and is 4 years old. cause i started with the best as im spoiled rotten and much wealthyer than jase and jess.

[Rockhound]

Did everyone miss the part where he said the total cost of gear for two was $1500?

That would mean over half of his investment was tied up in sleeping bags. For all those sell it on WB proponents....is there really a huge demand for second hand Walmart gear with over 2000 miles on it? If so, I will start posting some of the junk I have. Anybody want a 12 oz frying pan that you fold open and close by use of a wing nut that is permanently blacked from soot?

Hubba Hubba=$300, 2 0degree bags on sale at REI $150 each, Jetboil cooking system about $100, 2 new packs about $250 each Still $300 to go. Also the poster stated that $1500 is really nothing to him compared to he and his wife giving up salaried positions for 6 months. Somehow I get the feeling that they are'nt hurting for money and are not buying cheap Walmart crap.