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Eureka Gossamer Tent Details:
Joe's Review: The Eureka Gossamer Tent has three things going for it. 1) It's very light at just over 2 1/2 lbs. 2) It is very cheap. I purchased it at campmor for only 79.99. 3) It beats a tarp because it keeps the bugs out! The space inside this tent is extremely tight and I was unable to sit up inside it. This was a sacrafice I was willing to make in order to have a lighter weight tent. While thru hiking I stayed in shelters whenever I was able to but I would recommend having a backup plan in case the shelter is full or you can't make it to one. Both sets of Aluminum poles wound up breaking during my trip which doesn't speak well for its durability. Campmor happily replaced them for me though, free of charge. Jansport Alaska II 100 Internal Frame Pack Details: Joe's Review: I didn't purchase this pack with the intention of thru-hiking with it. I bought it a year before for weekend use. It is extremely comfortable with ample hip and shoulder padding. It has lots of easily accessable pockets and tons of space. The major downside to this pack is the fact that it weights over 7lbs. MSR Whisperlite Internationale Stove Details:
Joe's Review: I was very impressed with the MSR Whisperlite Internationale Stove. I had absolutely no problems with it. It is light, fast, and easy to use. The few extra ounces are well worth it. While others were still struggling with their wood or homemade lighter stoves I was done cooking and eating dinner already! I made the mistake of starting my hike with two 22oz bottles but definitly didn't need two. I never even came close to exhausting my one bottle while cooking at least one meal a day. There are plenty of places along the way to resupply with white gas. The North Face Trinity 20° Reg. Mummy Sleeping Bag Details:
Joe's Review: I once again opted for the cheaper option. The North Face Trinity 20° Reg. Mummy Sleeping Bag isn't down and it isn't the lightest bag on the market but it worked just fine for me. Its not down, so it's not the end of the world if it gets wet, and I can wash it. Also, this bag is rated at 20 degrees which turned out to be perfect throughout my thru-hike. There were many times when it was too warm, but there were also plenty of nights where it was just warm enough. A lot of people sent home their warm sleeping bags in Virgina but I held on to mine and i'm glad I did. There are 30 degree nights all the way to Maine! Asolo AFX 535 Midweight Hiking Boots Details: Joe's Review: I was extremely pleased with the Asolo AFX 535 Midweight Hiking Boots. The break in period was short with only minor blisters on my heels. They are a little heavy but provide excellent foot protection and stability. They were also extremely durable lasting almost the entire 2200 miles of my thru-hike and coming up just about 100 miles short. Asolo no longer makes this boot but it was replaced with an updated version, the TPS 535. Princeton Tec Solo Headlamp Details: Waterproof. Comes with a high-power Halogen and a long burning Krypton bu lb. 2 beams (wide or narrow). Runs on 2AA batteries, incl. Burn time 2-8 hours. 2 in. x 2 in. x 2.5 in. Wt. 4.5 oz. with batteries. Mesh pouch incl. Joe's Review: I'm a big advocate of the headlamp, very convenient. I'm not so sure about this particular brand because it seemed to go through batteries at a very fast rate. PUR Hiker MicroFilter Details:
Joe's Review: As far as water filters go, the PUR Hiker Microfilter worked great and I have no complaints. I did wind up abandoning using it a few hundred miles into my thru-hike and went with the risky strategy of drinking untreated water. I did however continue to carry this along with me and used it occasionally on questionable water sources. Emergency Germicidal Drinking Water Tablets Details: 50 iodine based tablets in each bottle. Two tablets will disinfect approx. one quart of water. Wt. 1 oz. Joe's Review: I would recommend getting some of these. Even if you have a filter, they are light, take up no space and are handy in a pinch. I did see people using the chlorine mixing Nalgene 32 oz. Narrow Mouth Loop-Top Bottle Details: Joe's Review: I used the Nalgene water bottle and it served its purpose fine but I definitly didn't need to buy this for 8 bucks. A 22oz. Gatorade bottle works fine, is lighter, and comes filled with gatorade! Oh, and if need be, it is disposable too. I wound up hiking with this and a gatorade bottle. Water Sack & Pillow Details: 2.5 gallon capacity yet weighs only 4 oz. Collapsed, it fits into the tightest backpack! Rugged nylon outer cover with a tough double inner liner of 3 mil food grade polyethylene. Filled with air, it makes an excellent pillow! A shower attachment is available as an optional accessory. Joe's Review: Ok, I didn't use this as a pillow, but it certainly came in handy around camp. You will need something to store water a couple gallons of water in because often times the water source is a good distance from the shelter. This worked well because it compacts nicely and has a spout that makes it easy to use when hanging. I saw a lot of collapsable buckets out there that seemed to work just as well. Red Ledge Thunderlight Full Zip Pant Details: Joe's Review: The Red Ledge Thunderlight Full Zip Pants were one of the cheaper brands of rain pants and they seemed to work fine. I wound up sending these home early on because I found that if I hiked in them when it was raining I wound up getting soaking wet anyway from sweat. Not a bad idea for a lightweight pair of pants though. Red Ledge Thunderlight Parka Details: Joe's Review: Again, the Red Ledge Thunderlight Parka was one of the cheaper brands of raingear. Very comparable to Marmot. Worked great. I used this more on cold rainy days and as a windbreaker. Towards the end of my hike when it got warmer, this was my only long sleeve item that I carried. Silva Starter Type 1-2-3 Compass Details: The Starter has an enlarged ergonomic base plate desgned for children or adults with smaller hands. The larger rotating capsule with 5 degree dial graduation is easier to read. There are inch and millimeter scales plus a lanyard hole on the base plate. Joe's Review: While this compass is cheap and works great, the Appalachian Trail is extremely well marked and there is no use for a compass to navigate. I sent this home the first chance I had. Mini Mag Lite Details: Constructed of aircraft aluminum, with a positive on-off rotary bezel switch that changes the beam from a flood light to an intense (2200 candlepower) spot light. Remove the head piece entirely, and you have a 360° area light. Features a long-life bulb, and a spare stored in tail cap. Water and shock resistant. Two AA cell batteries, included, give up to 5 hours of light. Wt. 2.5 oz. (without batteries). Belt Holster Included. Joe's Review: Why carry a mag light when I already have a headlamp? It just makes sense. When hiking at night, I often used both and I have to carry extra batteries anyway why not carry them in a spare flashlight? Therm-a-Rest® Ridge Rest Full Length Closed-Cell Foam Pad Details: Wt. 14 oz. Size: 72 in. x 20 in. x 5/8 in. Rolled: 20 in. x 8 in. Named for its pattern of ridges and valleys, Ridge Rest is warmer, softer, and more comfortable than other non-molded closed-cell foam pads. The ridges in the pad create thickness for comfort, with less weight. The valleys form air pockets that trap air and keep you warmer. Ridge Rest EVA foam remains functional to -65° F. Color: Black/Grey. Joe's Review: On my thru hike most of my nights were spent in shelters on hard wood floors so a sleeping pad was a must. Also, insulation from the cold is essential. I saw many blow up sleeping pads out there, but they are heavier and higher maintenance. The drawback to Thermarest Ridge Rest is that it doesn't pack up very small and I had to strap it to my pack. Personal Protection Uzi Details: This is just a joke....for all the people out there that asked me if i was bringing a gun. NO!!! i'm not bringing a gun!!!! Sure there are dangers on the trail, but Millions of people hike the trail every year and something like 8 people have ever died on the trail...I LIKE THOSE ODDS!!! Much better than the odds of dying in a mail room in America, thats for sure. |
Some Of The Food I Consumed Along The Way |
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Probably the biggest topic of conversation on the trail is FOOD!!! This is for good reason. A thru-hiker burns on average 6,000 calories a day, and even more when its cold out. This means that many calories must be consumed and careful consideration should be made as to what food one will have to carry. |
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