Anybody ever done it or know somebody who has???? Considering attempting this starting next spring.....
There are several thru hikers on here, AT98BooBoo is one, in fact I think he might be on the trail right now. I section. One day I'll get my 2000 miler.
thanks for the reply... ya ill have to try to catch him..... my buddy has put the idea in my head and now im seriously considering.... just dont know if I can physically do it.... about a week on the trail and my hips hurt back hurts feet are shot..... so I dunno.... I imagine you would have to go extra light
Dude, we should talk. I'm an ultralighter. I can get you on the trail with less than 40 pounds and you'll be comfy.
Right now I use a REI UL45 (45 liters) but i am saving to upgrade to their new UL65. Capacity has always been an issue over weight.
I got ya... Id hate to buy another pack but now I have a gregory 3500cu and a arcteryx 4500 which I love but isnt the lightest in the world Ive heard of a company called go-lite I believe is the name there suppose to be top of the line for ultra lightweight gear Gotta love REI though just wish there was one closer to me.... I just received my whatever you call it where they give you money back for spending money there
Their stuff is good for the weekend hiker. But for thru hiking its crap. It won't live to see Virginia. I'm looking for my packing list, I have it with weights someplace here. My base pack weight is less than 16 pounds. Add 4 liters water, food and fuel for 7-10 days and you won't go over 35. I only pack that much food and fuel because I go hiking to HIKE not hitch into town and resupply every three days. I'll find the list and post it here.
Big Three Plus REI UL45 Pack 37.7 Pack Liner (contractor bag) 5.4 Tarptent (still in production, so this is an estimate) 24.0 Generic 20F Synthetic Mummy Bag in stuff sack 37.5 REI Lite-Core short 18.8 Generic Blue pad 5.4 Big Three Total: 128.8 ounces Health and Hygiene Toothbrush (handle cut to 2” in Coughlan’s cover) Toothpowder 1 oz bottle Purell MSR pack towel 4 oz. bottle Dr Bronner’s Peppermint First Aid Kit(in a Trek I zipper pouch) 3 strips Mole foam 2 3x3 gauze pads 3 individual use packets Neosporin 6 doses Imodium 30 200mg Ibuprofen 1 small roll Tums EX 3 safety pins (different sizes) 1 large sewing needle 1 tin dental floss 1 Winchester Multitool (like Micra, but smaller) REI 4.5 x 8 tuff stuffsack Health and Hygiene Total: 15.35 Kitchen: Kmart grease pot and lid 3.6 Coleman F1 stove 2.9 Small lockblade knife (2” blade) 0.7 Plastic cutting board (Home made, fits inside pot lid) 0.6 Lexan Spoon 0.4 Plastic messkit cup 0.6 Melitta #2 1 cup drip coffeemaker 1.5 Mini Bic lighter 0.4 Matches in waterproof case (backup fire) 0.8 Bandanna 1.0 2 Trioxane bricks (backup fuel) 2.3 Silnylon Stuffsack 0.7 1L Aquafina Bottles (2) 3.8 Katadyn Hiker Pro (still undecided about this) 15.5 Total Kitchen: 33.8 ounces Clothing Carried Hind nylon running shorts 2.8 Wilson Ultra-Tec T-shirt 5.6 Polypro sock liners (2 pair) 2.4 Thorlo Hiking Socks 6.4 Total Clothing Carried: 17.2 Misc. Coby AM/FM/WX radio w/batteries in padded case 7.0 Mora Frost boater’s knife 3.4 Nine LED flashlight w/batteries 3.1 Coleman 2 LED Lantern w/batteries 6.3 All weather notebook w/hideaway space pen 3.4 Pocket compass 0.8 8x20 Monocular 2.6 Reading glasses and case 1.2 Carmex 0.4 Total Misc.: 49.0 Total Pack Weight (minus food, fuel and water): 15.25 Lbs Clothing Worn Base Layer Polypro bottoms (Wally World) 6.7 Polypro top 6.7 Mid Layer Fleece Pants (generic) 16.4 Fleece Top 17.7 Shell Layer Marmot Precip Pants 10.2 Marmot Precip Jacket 12.2 Fleece Gloves 1.8 Silnylon Mittens 0.5 Polypro liner socks 1.2 Thorlo Hiker socks 3.2 Fleece balaclava/hat 3.8 Merrel Moab Ventilators 30.5 Hiking Poles 20.8 Total Clothing Worn 131.7 ounces Please do your best to do your worst.
And again the problem is that all of that ALMOST fits into an REI UL45 and a Jansport fannypack. I gave up making a tarptent and bought the Shires Contrail. And I can carry a better winter sleeping bag with the extra cubic inches. This list was gathered over the course if 4 years and most of it was either made, scrounged or bought second hand. People talk about the THOUSANDS that are spent on gear. Mine runs somewhere around $400. Over 4 years that's not much.
You really got your shit dialed in so you know what ya got..... I appreciate the list, that helps did ya not carry a water purifier or filter or did I skip over that somewhere Is toothpowder like toothpaste in powder form? Yea I didnt particularly mean REI gear specificaly but the store itself.
I use a Katadyn Hiker Pro filter, it's in the kitchen bag. I got it as a gift so I don't have to count it as part of the $400 LOL. You can see what I mean, that weight is not an issue, volume is. And some hikers have actually told me that I carry too much stuff...
I assume you know about whiteblaze.com? Great site ... tons of info on the AT. I know several people who have thru-hiked. One of them was a guy who did it the summer we graduated from high school. He did the entire length in 90 days. That is flat-out hauling ass ...
it seems a great way to see the country and to experience it at a slower rate than driveing.i'm glad it is there for people to use.some of the other trails being completed seem interesting.i was reading about a trail going the course of the mississippi i think it is geared for cyclists but hikers can use it also...i was just remembering in the early 70's dave and john kunst set off to walk across all the continents.john was murdered in afghanistan and dave was wounded but recovered and was able to complete the walk.
It's been my experience that mixed-used doesn't work very well. There are always people who can't follow the rules. I try to avoid trails that allow bikes.
for sure ! many times cyclists seem to being doing time trials and such.people takeing chances just like on the highways.i used to walk alot but recent back and leg problems have put me on the bike.i live near the mrt.so far i've covered about 40 miles of it but i'm gradually going furthur up and down river.i've lived here all my life and i'm seeing things i've never seen before but have read about.historic sites mostly.thats why i like the idea of the appalacian trail so much.
when you hike it let us know. Maybe some of us can meet up on parts of the trail and hike it! I am always within driving distance to the AT so I would definitely be up for it!
