I’ve Been a Thru-Hiker Since 2013: Here’s How Gear Has Changed

When I graduated from college in 2013, I had no idea what I was doing with my life. But I did know that I wanted to hike as much of the Appalachian Trail as possible.

So I set out with all the secondhand gear I owned and made it as far as possible before I ran out of money. That LASH on the AT was my first real, long hike. And when I think back to the things I used to carry, I realize that over time, my entire setup has shifted in one way or another. My backpack is like the ship of Theseus.

These days, the consensus on thru-hiking gear gets built, built again, then replaced. One minute I think I’m a total edgelord with my Brooks Cascadias, the next I’m a dinosaur. By the time I’ve figured out which Altras are working for me, it feels like everyone has already moved on to Hokas.

The outdoor gear market is always progressing towards something more lightweight or innovative, thanks especially to the creative influence of the cottage gear industry. The trends move quick, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up.

On that note, let’s take a moment to look around and see what everyone’s sporting, and ask each other how we feel about it. Besides, what else was there ever to do at the campsite but to sit around and compare gear? Some traditions will outlive us all.

2021 Was The Year of the Fanny Pack

Consult the astral charts and you’ll see that it’s true, folks. Personally, I’m pretty excited about it, because I’ve been grinding down my shoulders for nearly ten years now, and there’s finally a way to get a little more weight off of them. Don’t get me wrong, that GoLite pack I had back in 2013 was fun in a masochistic kind of way. And I probably needed that Osprey pack for extra support (and how rainy it was) when I walked across Scotland.

But the practicality and versatility of the fanny pack are simply undeniable at this point. I picked up the Cotopaxi Bataan and I swear you can fit half of Narnia in there, all while relieving your shoulders of some excess weight. Phone, wallet, lip balm, map, monocular, excess of bars, various small rodents, assorted currencies, loose papers, existential dread, etc. Meanwhile, if you crack open a fortune cookie, what do you think it will say inside? Mine says, “the hipbelt is on life support.”

Keep reading the entire article on gear through the years, written by Taylor Bell here.

अंतिम अद्यतन

October 24, 2024

द्वारा लिखित
फोटो थंबनेल ब्लॉग लेखक

ट्रेक

ट्रेक से मीडिया का उल्लेख

एपलाचियन ट्रेल, कॉन्टिनेंटल डिवाइड ट्रेल, पैसिफिक क्रेस्ट ट्रेल, और बीच में सब कुछ। हम लंबी दूरी के बैकपैकर्स की सेवा के लिए समर्पित हैं।

हम सभी चीजें लंबी दूरी की बैकपैकिंग हैं।

एपलाचियन ट्रेल, कॉन्टिनेंटल डिवाइड ट्रेल, पैसिफिक क्रेस्ट ट्रेल, और बीच में सब कुछ। हम थ्रू-हाइकिंग और लंबी दूरी के बैकपैकिंग समुदाय की सेवा के लिए समर्पित हैं।

नोट: सौहार्दपूर्ण बहस की अनुमति है और प्रोत्साहित किया जाता है। हालांकि, अगर आप असभ्य हैं, तो आपकी टिप्पणी हटा दी जाएगी. यदि आप किसी अन्य टिप्पणीकार या ट्रेक ब्लॉगर या लेखक पर व्यक्तिगत हमले करते हैं, तो आपको इस पृष्ठ से प्रतिबंधित कर दिया जाएगा।

अधिक सामग्री का अन्वेषण करें

मीडिया मेंशन

The Sawyer Mini is super lightweight, fits in your pocket, and filters up to 100,000 gallons of water.

Menachem Kossowsky
लेखक

मीडिया मेंशन

Sawyer’s picaridin spray works up to 12 hours, and the company’s picaridin lotion is effective up to 14.

Bruce Ingram
Contributing Writer

मीडिया मेंशन

The Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter earns our top pick for its unbeatable mix of weight, longevity and versatility.

मेग कार्नी
Contributing Writer

दस्ते से

हमारे समुदाय के साथ कैम्प फायर वार्तालाप, स्क्वाड सदस्यों और राजदूतों से लेकर ब्रांड पार्टनर्स और सॉयर टीम तक।