Gear
There are several good books and websites that tell you how to do your first long distance hike, with lists of gear, daily routines, etcetera. It's not my intention to write such a book myself. I recommend anyone new to long distance hiking peruse 2 or 3 such books. Each author has his own system, and just because it worked for him, doesn't make it the best system for you. By reading several books, you'll be able to piece together a system that appeals to you. You should also find a few journals on line, written on the trail you plan to hike, and that you like, and skim through them. Every hiker experiences much the same things, but different people are impressed by and write about different aspects of their experiences. For a first time long distance hiker, the knowledge gained by perusing a few journals and reading a few books of advice on long distance hiking will provide some of the breadth of knowledge of experienced long distance hikers.
Still, some discussion on gear may be valuable. Below, I discuss a set of gear I would typically use.
Gear I Use |
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| Things I Wear on a Typical Day | Comments | Ounces |
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| Short Pants1 | 7½ | |
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1 Shorts, Pants, Shirts, and Underwear should be tested before a Long Distance Hike by hiking in them, with a full pack, for a few miles. Any discomfort or chafing you notice on the test hikes will be much worse on the big hike, so replace anything uncomfortable. Presumably, you will have spares, or shorts and long pants, short and long sleeve shirts, etcetera. The various items should be made of different fabrics and sewn to different patterns. The reason is that if a seam or fabric is rubbing and causing some chafing, switching from your shorts to your long pants, etcetera, may solve the problem. All clothing should be made of wool or plastic fabrics: Down and cotton, when wet, are difficult to dry, won't keep you warm, and keep your skin wet, leading to skin problems. Stretch fabrics flex with the motion of your body, but some tightly woven non-stretch fabrics are almost impenetrable by biting flies and mosquitoes. |
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| Long Sleeved Shirt1 | 7½ | |
| Sun Hat1, 2 | 3 | |
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2 Depending on the destination, a rain hat may also be advisable. On windy days hats may blow away. Make sure they fit tightly enough, and on those windy days, use a few feet of string to tie the hat to your shirt, pack, etcetera. |
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| Boots | See Foot Chapter for Discussion. | 36 |
| Socks | See Foot Chapter for Discussion. | 2 |
| Underwear1 | 2 | |
| Wallet3 | ||
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3 Some hikers use a zipper type plastic sandwich bag as a wallet. I use a nylon wallet that closes with Velcro® and has a zippered change compartment. This keeps everything from spilling, and keeps permits, paper money, credit cards, etcetera from crumpling. |
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| Garmin® 650T GPS4, 7 | Tracks of Route Loaded, Has Topo Map See GPS Chapter for Discussion. |
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| Things in My Pack | Comments | Ounces |
| iPod Touch®4 | For email, websurfing, writing my journal | |
| Cell Phone4 | ||
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4 If I used a smart phone, I could save the separate weights of a GPS, iPod Touch®, camera, and cell phone. But if I run down the batteries on the GPS or iPod, I still have a full charge on my cell phone for emergencies. The separate GPS, in my opinion, has better features and receives more satellites than smart phones. Finally, smart phone contracts cost much more than my cheapo cell plan, and I live on a tight budget. |
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| Panasonic G1 μ4/3 Camera4, 5 | 45-200 Lens, 14-45 Lens, assorted filters, bag, etcetera | |
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5 Cameras are not necessary at all. Many people hike without them. My camera is almost as big and heavy as a Single Lens Reflex camera. It has interchangeable lenses and filters, and I can manually focus the camera and set the light sensitivity of the sensor, exposure time, and aperture. I found that pocket instant cameras would not focus on wildlife, flowers, etcetera, so the part of the picture I wanted to shoot was often out of focus. Also, setting the exposure manually allows me to get pictures and details that I can't get with instant cameras. So I choose to carry a much bigger, heavier camera than most. There are now several types of cameras that feature interchangeable lenses, and manual focusing and exposure control. Were I to choose a new camera today, it might not be the same model. Many phones, GPS units, etcetera, also have cameras. Some have decent zoom and focus functions. Depending on how good you want your pictures to be, one of these or a pocket camera may be good enough for you. |
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| Guidebook, Maps, Nature Books6 | 32 | |
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6 Some people carry the bare minimum. I like to carry extra maps and nature guides, because for me, part of the fun of hiking is understanding the world around me. |
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| Flashlight7 | 1 AA Cell Aluminum LED | 2 |
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7 I have standardized all of my devices which use disposable batteries to use AA cells. AA lithium batteries are available in some tiny stores, weigh less than other battery chemistries, and last a long time, but they are expensive. Some big advantages are that I don't have to find and buy a bunch of strange types of batteries out on the trail, and I carry only one type of spare batteries. |
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| Aspirin, Tylenol, Vitamins | ||
| Lip Wax | - | |
| Sunscreen | 1 | |
| Glacier or Sun Glasses8 | ||
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8 Sunglasses quickly get dirty and scratched. This really bothers my eyes, so I typically only use them on snow or where white soil or foaming white water produce extraordinary glare. In these cases, if you don't wear sunglasses, the extra light can actually burn your eyes, producing snowblindness. |
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| 2 Pair Reading Glasses | ||
| Compass | See Navigation Chapter for Discussion. | ¼ |
| Cigarette Lighter9 | 1 | |
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9 The fuel in most cigarette lighters is butane, C4H10. When the 4 carbon atoms are arranged in a line, it is also known as n-butane. When the carbons are arranged in a Y, it is known as isobutane, i-butane, or 2-methylpropane. For hikers, the configuration makes little difference. Butane boils at -1 to 1°C or 30 to 34°F, or about the freezing temperature of water. The butane won't vaporize, come out of the lighter, and burn when the lighter is very cold. So if it's freezing outside, and your lighter won't work, put it under your clothes in your armpit for a minute or two, and it will warm up and probably work again. Then, if you keep it in a pocket near your skin and under your warmth layers, it will probably stay warm enough to work each time you take it out. |
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| Fingernail Clippers | 1 | |
| Scissors10 | 1 | |
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10 I found that almost every time I used my knife, what I really wanted was a pair of scissors. Repairing gear is much easier if you can tightly control what you're cutting. So I've substituted a small pair of scissors for a knife. I found my nice, small pair of scissors with a plastic snap on scabbard at a sewing store. |
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| Battery Charging | ||
| iPod Cable and Charger | ||
| Camera Cord and Charger | ||
| Phone Charger | ||
| 3 way plug | ||
| Extra AA Lithium Batteries7 | For Steripen, GPS, and Flashlight | 4 |
| Eating Gear | ||
| For a discussion of why I don't carry a stove or pot, see the nutrition chapter. | ||
| Spoon | 1 | |
| Water Bottle | See Water Chapter for Discussion. | |
| Steripen®7 | See Water Chapter for Pills, Filters, UV. | 5½ |
| Potable Aqua® | See Water Chapter for Pills, Filters, UV. | 2½ |
| Bear Rope | 4½ | |
| Hygiene | ||
| Toilet Paper | 1 | |
| Toothbrush, Paste, and Floss | In the sample section of some grocers they sell a folding toothbrush and a small toothpaste tube for less than $2. | |
| Sleeping Gear | ||
| Silnylon Tarp and Groundsheet | 15 | |
| Sleeping Bag | ||
| Foam Pad | 8 | |
| Backpack | ||
| Backpack | ||
| Plastic Garbage Bag11 | To keep gear dry | 5 |
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11 I line the inside of my pack with a heavy duty garbage bag. I think a light bag would develop a lot of holes in a 5 or 6 month hike. In rain, the outside of the pack gets wet, but everything inside the garbage bag stays dry. I've even swum across rivers in my pack and the contents stayed dry. I think the pack rain covers sold at outdoors stores don't keep things as dry as with this method. These external rain covers also snag on things when bushwhacking, and billow around in windy conditions. |
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| Clothing | ||
| Extra Socks | See Foot Chapter for Discussion. | |
| Long Pants1 | 10 | |
| Short Sleeved Shirt1 | 8 | |
| Rain Jacket1 | 11 | |
| Rain Pants1, 12 | 6½ | |
| Rain Hat1, 12 | I would only carry a rainproof hat on a hike in a very rainy place. Elsewhere, I just use my sun and fleece hats in the occasional rain, and deal with the wetness for a short while. | |
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12 The information on water proof breathable garments you get from advertisements and from store employees is almost useless to long distance hikers. Sure, a person standing still in a brand new jacket might well stay dry from rain while letting sweat escape. However... Long distance hikers sweat much faster than these fabrics allow the water to escape. So water from sweat will slowly accumulate on the skin and in clothes inside the jacket. Expect to eventually be wet and cold from accumulated sweat alone. Even so, waterproof breathable fabrics will keep you much drier over time than totally waterproof fabrics. Furthermore, our jackets and pants don't stay new for long: The coating wears, and the seam taping develops leaks. Rain also gets inside the jacket at the collar, and in boots at puddles or while plunging through snow, etcetera. So inside our waterproof layer, we do get somewhat wet. But the water proof layer should keep cold, drenching water from continuously flowing over our bodies, sapping away heat. It should also keep the wind from quickly evaporating the water from our soaked warmth or fleece layers, which would also sap heat away from our bodies. So the water soaking our warmth layer stays warm, and our bodies stay warm. In this wet condition, our rain jackets serve as Vapor Barriers, and keep us warm, even though we're wet. |
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| Fleece Shirt1 | 8 | |
| Fleece Pants1 | 12 | |
| Fleece Balaclava1 | 3 | |
Tents and other Shelters
There are many types of tents and shelters available. All have their advantages.
I use a simple tarp. It is a 5' x 10' piece of SilNylon. Along the long sides, a few feet of thin bungee cord are attached at the corners and at two more places in between. On the short sides, there is a bungee in the middle, and two places along the center have bungees. I tie these bungees to bushes, trees, grass, and stakes to form it into a circus tent shape. If there is little wind and the rain is light, I tie it high to give plenty of headroom. With more extreme weather, I tie it low to the ground. There is plenty of fresh air inside and I like that I can see all around myself. My tarp does nothing to control mosquitoes, but my sleeping bag and a head net are enough for all but the worst of mosquito areas.
I also like technical hammocks for trails which have trees along the entire length. You can sleep above rocks and thorns, and on sloped ground, so you can camp just about anywhere with trees. The stretched fabric is more comfortable than a foam pad above hard ground. Wind does cool you from below, but there are quilts that attach below hammocks, or you can use a foam pad between the sleeping bag and the hammock. The hammocks have tarp roofs to protect against rain. In extreme winds, the tarps must be tied with the utmost of skill or the water will blow in from the side. Mosquito netting is also sewn in, making the hammock a bug free tube in which you sleep. (~39 ounces)
There are many types of bivy sacks, tents and combined tarp tents. A bivy sack or a very small tent has very little ventilation, and rain and sweat may accumulate in your clothes and sleeping bag, where a larger tent may allow vapor to vent away. Bivies and small tents may also feel kind of claustrophobic. Tents are rated for light weather (summer), medium (3 season), and extreme weather (4 season).
Some trails, such as the Appalachian, the Pinhoti, and the Ouachita, have permanent wooden shelters for hikers to lunch and sleep in. It is very nice to walk into a solid, dry, prebuilt shelter in a rainstorm. However, they may be so full there is no place for you to sleep, or they may have such jerks there that you would rather sleep elsewhere. Therefore, you should have your own shelter, even if you plan to camp in the permanent shelters.
Packs
There are ultralight packs made of very thin fabrics, with little padding in the shoulder straps, and with no pack frame or hip belt to help suspend heavy loads. With just a few days of food, no heavy cameras, or books, etcetera, these can be very comfortable on well cleared trails like the Appalachian or Pacific Crest Trails.
If you like heavy cameras, books, or other gear, if you want to carry many days worth of food, or heavy water loads, or if you're on a trail which requires a good deal of bushwhacking, bouldering, or etcetera, ultralight packs may not withstand the abuse. A more standard, heavier design may be appropriate.
Cost of Clothing
It seems like every name brand hiking shirt, jacket, pants, etcetera, costs $75 or more. For some hikers, this may be budget breaking. Sometimes clothing made from the same fabrics is available from lesser known brands or from discount retailers for ¼ of the name brand price. Even if there is no guarantee, or if the stitching is not quite as good, a few minutes with a needle and thread can keep these garments going. And so long as the fabric is plastic, it evaporates water just like the expensive fabrics. For example, I have a rayon Hawaiian shirt I bought on sale for $3 which works as well as the $75 shirts. And people send amazingly good gear to thrift shops. Backpacks, sleeping bags, and clothes, obviously barely used, show up in thrift stores and garage sales for a few percent of the new price. So don't let the staggering cost of clothes and gear at your outdoor retailer keep you from doing your dream hike.
Sewing and Repairs
A few minutes with a needle and thread, or your dental floss, can fix a lot of gear disasters. Often, if I notice extreme wear or a failing seam on a bit of gear, and I hike for another week, I will find a bit of discarded strap or fabric good enough to use in the repair. So a repair kit that weighs almost nothing, and a sharp eye for impending failures and useful trash, could save a hike or the cost of replacing gear.
Stove Fuels
Long distance hikers need to be able to acquire fuel for their stoves in the tiny stores along the trail, or in resupply packages. For those shipping fuel, be aware of and follow the regulations.
Butane
There are various sizes and connections of butane cannisters. Make sure you buy a stove with a common connection type. On little travelled trails, ship the fuel or call to make sure your type of cannisters are available. The notes on cigarette lighter butane above all apply. See there for other butane names, and especially note that the cannisters need to be warmer than the freezing temperature of water to work. Butane is a poor choice for winter camping, and cannisters may need to be warmed during freezes.
Alcohol
Alcohol stoves burn with a clean, hot, blue flame when using ethanol or methanol. When using petroleum distilates or isopropanol, they burn with a yellow flame that is too cool to cook effectively and produce a lot of black soot, which collects on the pot and then transfers to you and all of your gear, making a black mess of everything.
Ethanol, ethyl alcohol, or grain alcohol, C2H5OH, is the intoxicating alcohol in booze. But most booze for drinking has too much water to burn effectively. Conversely, ethanol pure enough to be burned usually contains benzene, which is poisonous and carcinogenic. Drinking alcohol is subject to high liquor taxes, but there are many other uses for ethanol. For example, it is useful as a cleaning solvent and as a fuel. Therefore, ethanol plus enough poisons to prevent drinking is sold as denatured alcohol or methylated spirits, without the liquor taxes. The additives include things like denatonium benzoate to make the alcohol taste bad, and methanol, naphtha, and pyridine to make it poisonous. Denatured alcohol is sold in paint and hardware stores as a solvent.
Methanol, methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, CH3OH, is sold in gas stations and auto part stores as a fuel line de icer. In the body, a little bit of methanol can break down into formic acid, which causes permanent blindness by destruction of the optic nerve. More methanol causes systemic problems and can kill you. Make sure you never let denatured or methyl alcohol get into your food or water.
Hikers usually carry alcohol in a different type of bottle than their water bottles so they can tell them apart and avoid drinking it.
Unfortunately isopropyl alcohol, C3H7OH, which burns poorly, is sold right next to methanol, also as a fuel line de icer, and in similar looking bottles. Carefully read the ingredients to ensure you're buying methanol and not isopropanol. Hints such as the color of the bottle, having iso in the name, etcetera, are not universally useful. In case the ingredients are not listed and you really need to know, go on line and check the material safety data sheet. All chemicals in the US have an MSDS, and among many other safety notes, the chemical contents must be listed. Isopropanol, diluted with water, is also sold as rubbing alcohol. That makes rubbing alcohol an even worse fuel than pure isopropanol.
Gasoline, White Gas
Gasoline stoves are prone to clogging at the nozzles. Make sure you carry and know how to use the cleaning tools and spare parts. Generally speaking, the higher the quality and cost of the white gas, the less it clogs stoves. Because of the additives, automotive gasoline clogs stove faster than white or camping gas sold for camping gear.
Ultralight Backpacking
After perusing the table above, you can see that I carry unnecessary heavy cameras, books, etcetera. I also like rugged hikes in the western deserts where I carry a great deal of water and food between rare water sources and towns.
But I have tried ultralight hiking along suitable trails, and carrying very little is quite nice. There are excellent books and websites on ultralight hiking, and all long distance hikers can benefit from ultralight techniques, even if they don't fully embrace them. For example, I carry a pretty minimal complement of clothing, and no pot or stove, even though I like my heavy cameras and books.
Planning for Hikes
I can recall that before my first long distance hike on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2003, I spent months reading and researching everything under the sun. Almost every aspect of long distance hiking technique is covered by some book or website. The more popular the trail, the more information is available about the trail itself, and everything alongside it. If the trail is little known, preparation may include buying maps from a lot of different sources, and reading them all to understand how to put the route together. Planning can be a very long process, depending on your needs, and how much you enjoy the planning process.
Before I set out, as a minimum, I want to see that the guidebook or maps really do have enough information that I think I can find my way from place to place. I also want to know about how many days I will need to walk between towns, and what categories of supplies I can buy in each town. Finally, I need to know how I will get to the beginning and from the end of the trail. These days, with many hikes having passed under my boots, this does not take long.
I've also noticed that today, I can take one walk around a store, seeing what kinds of protein, bread, dairy, and fruits they carry, and a second pass picking up what I need to make it to the next town. It used to take me much longer.