Best products from r/AppalachianTrail

> Would starting off one or two weeks earlier make a big difference?

You'll be at the tail end of the SOBO bubble. An August 1st start will likely have you finishing sometime in January, if you keep up an average pace. Getting through the White Mountains (and the Greens) before cold conditions set in likely won't be a huge challenge, but other areas to be aware of include southern VA and the Great Smoky Mountains portion of the AT. Early season snow-storms are possible in both of these areas, and if you're not prepared to at least zero until conditions improve, such a situation at higher elevations in the south could prove dangerous if not fatal. For a taste of what a late-season SOBO is like, I'd suggest reading the Bearfoot Sisters' first volume chronicling their yo-yo- Southbound.

To be clear- I don't think that your time frame adds a considerable about of additional challenge to the already considerable challenge of a thru-hike general, but it does add some level of additional difficulty nonetheless, and you'll want to be prepared for cold conditions accordingly. Don't assume that Summer (or even early-Autumn) conditions will follow you south- unless you're a super hiker capable of finishing the trail in 2-3 months, cold weather conditions will catch up with you sooner or later as your work your way south.

Will starting 1 week earlier make a difference? Probably not. Will starting 2 weeks earlier make a difference? Maybe... Maybe not. Climate and weather are pretty variable, and 2 weeks may or may not be enough time to stave off the worst of the cold weather. I'd say starting a month earlier would definitely make a considerable difference in the conditions you experience towards the end of your hike. If you can swing 1-2 weeks without burning bridges at your job that you'd rather not burn, I'd say go for it- but if keeping your post-hike employment opportunities open is dependent on you seeing your job through until the end, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

> I'm going to be hammocking. Should I get a TQ and UQ for summer weather (40º rated maybe) to keep the weight down and switch partway through, or stay with the TQ and UQ that I have the entire time.
> Will a Palisade 30° TQ and 20° Wooki be warm enough, or conversely, too warm for parts of the season?

Those bags are good to start with. Even August can see nighttime temperatures approaching freezing at higher elevations in the Mountains of the northeast. If you carry quilts rated to only 40 degrees I can pretty much guarantee that you'll regret it sooner rather than later.

However, you will also need to switch to an even warmer setup at some point during your hike. If you're still in the Whites (or the even the Greens) when September comes rolling around, I'd think about securing at least a bag liner if not switching to a warmer setup entirely. After the the Whites especially you'll probably be able to breath easy for a few hundred miles until you start hitting higher elevations again in the south. By the end of your trek, you'll probably want want a sleep setup rated to the teens, if not something in the 0-10 degree range, especially since you won't have the added warmth of a tent.

> Do I have enough clothes for layering? I've got a down jacket but no fleece. Add a fleece layer for fall?

I don't think you'll need both a down jacket and fleece to start out with, or for the first month or so on the trail, but you'll want extra layers sooner or later for hanging out in camp/sleeping in during particularly cold nights. Like /u/SongBirdUL says, have extra warm layers ready to be mailed to you when needed.

I would suggest adding a pair of long underwear (tops and bottoms) to your setup. You probably won't ever want them for hiking in (barring a possible snowstorm in the south) but you'll be glad to have them for sleeping in sooner or later. I'd say you should even start with them- August won't be that cold overall but there will probably be 1 or 2 nights even early in your trip when you're camped high up and you'll be glad you have them.

You'll want pants to hike in sooner or later. Instead of a pair of shorts, you might look into zipoff/convertable pants to have the functionality of both without substantial added weight.

You can probably ditch the bug net. Come August, bugs in the northeast are reduced in most places. The few that are still out and about will be killed by frost before long. (It's light enough that it's probably worth carrying until you're sure you no longer need it, though.)

I would let your rain pants double as wind pants rather than carrying both.

You can ditch the trowel. You'll probably stay at established tent sites and shelters most frequently, and nearly all of these have outhouses or composting toilets (remember not to pee in them!). When stealth camping, it's usually not hard to find a stick to dig a hole with. (BTW, you have the trowel listed twice on your list.)

I would also consider at least a lightweight sleeping pad. As the Autumn progresses, and the backcountry grows quiet and cold weather becomes more frequent, staying in shelters and lean-tos is going to become more and more desirable. You'll almost certainly have at least some cold, wet nights down south where the prospect of setting up your hammock and tarp in the rain is pretty unattractive when there is an empty and dry shelter nearby. EDIT: I see you haven't ordered the hammock yet- if you get the Double Blackbird XLC, it will add some additional weight to your setup (although the lightweight double is only 6.5 ounces heavier than the single), but you can slide a sleeping pad in-between the two layers. This would allow you to use the pad for added warmth in your hammock in addition for comfort in any of the shelters.

Keep in mind also that canister stoves lose efficiency in colder weather. They start to lose efficiency around freezing temperatures, and as the temps approach 0 degrees they can cut out entirely. This may not be a huge issue for you, depending on how quickly you move and the weather you encounter. You can also keep the canisters in a jacket pocket during the day, and sleep with them at night, to keep them warm prior to use to help minimize the impacts of the cold. If winter finds you with substantial mileage remaining, though, you might look at getting a canister stove with an inverted canister design, or an alcohol stove with a primer, as alternatives for increased stove efficiency.

EDIT: One other suggestion- You'll rarely have a campsite to yourself during the first month or so of your trek, but sooner or later you're likely going to experience some serious alone time. Give some thought now to how you're going to deal with that. A light-weight E-Reader with a ton of books preloaded is not the worst idea. There will be other long distance hikers out and about even late in the season, but you may find that it will take some effort on your part to find a solid group to hike with. You'll know who is ahead of you from log book entries, however, catching up to a group that is only 3 or 4 days ahead could require big mile days on your part over the course of even a week or longer.

----------------------------------------------

I hope this helps. Good luck!

First, and maybe most important piece of advice: relax. Don't worry too much about getting things like gear "right". There's lots of ways to skin a cat, as they say in Tennessee.

Second, and maybe almost as important as #1: Find time before the big trip to take a little practice hike. After you have your gear, find a day to do a little "trial run". An overnight would be great, but it doesn't have to be to be super educational. It doesn't have to be serious backpacking. Just kind of pantomime a full day of the hike: load your pack with your gear, walk around somewhere with it on for a while (a park, your neighborhood, the backyard, wherever), stop and set up "camp" - tent, sleeping bag, etc - eat a little lunch, pack everything back up, and walk back home. You'll be surprised how much you figure out on your own just doing that.

As for the specific questions:

• Pack: Get it Last, or at least near the end of your gear buying. Once you have everything else, take all your stuff with you to an outfitter and start stuffing it into various packs and then trying them on. You'll very quickly discover what size fits and is comfortable. Find an outfitter near you that sells a decent selection of packs, and pick their brains.
  
  
• Other gear: since you're going as a group, it may make sense for you all to get together and figure out where you can split up group gear. Rather than each having a tent, half of you could have 2-man tents. Stuff like that. Here's a pretty decent gear-list starting point. Weight is the single most important factor in picking gear. The less you carry the more fun you will have. Avoid the "well I'll just throw another one of these in" mentality: it adds up quick. When you get closer to being fully gear-out, post your gear list here and you'll get plenty of feedback on what you're forgetting and what you should leave home.
  
  
• Food: You can get all the food you need from your regular grocery store. Just look for things that are light (ie, dried foods..you'll have plenty of water on the trail), calorie dense, don't require refrigeration, and cook easily. For breakfasts things like oatmeal, poptarts, instant-breakfast shakes, snack cakes. Lunches can be pretty much anything on a tortilla, cheese, crackers, candy bars, salami, pepperoni, tuna. For dinners, look through the aisle where the Mac-n-cheese is at the store, lots of options there: Mac-n-cheese, rice-a-roni, couscous, Knorr pasta/rice sides. Add a packet of tuna/chicken/spam/salmon to one of those, and you've got a complete meal. Do a dinner practice run at home before the trip, just to see how things work. Or spend a weekend eating just "trail food" and see how it goes.
  
  
• Water: There's plenty of water sources along the AT through there, but you will need a way to treat it. Aqua Mira is probably the most popular method among AT thru-hikers. It's cheap, it's light, it's easy, and it works. A water bladder with a hose for on-trail drinking, and a little gatorade bottle for in-camp drinking is a pretty common water carrying system. Having the little bottle lets you make drinks (coffee, tea, lemonade, etc) in camp without it gunking up your water bladder.
  
  
• Technology: Definitely a camera. And you'll probably have cellphone reception the whole way, so you can bring that too. Just keep it off as much as you can to save battery. (And talking on the phone/texting is considered rude in the woods). Anything that can be killed by getting wet should be double-bagged in ziplocks and kept buried inside the pack.
  
  
• Poops: An easy way to do it is to find a horizontal fallen tree that you can sit on and hang your ass off the backside of. You want a tree big enough to not break under you, but not so big that you can't slide far enough back on it. Then bury the poop and the paper at least 6" deep. But...you may find that you'll never have to poop in the woods at all. There's a decent chance that you'll be spending most nights at the AT shelter locations anyway, since they have good tenting spots and water sources. And they usually have privies. On my entire AT thru-hike I think I only crapped in the woods maybe 6 times.
  
  
• Bears: don't worry about bears at all. They'll run when they see you - you probably won't even have time to get the camera out. At night be sure to hang your food and anything that smells like food (including that candy bar wrapper in your pocket). A google for "bear bagging technique" will turn up plenty of instruction for that.
  
  
• Toiletries: Yes to toothpaste (a little "travel" size is plenty), and TP (or baby wipes), but skip the deodorant. It attracts insects, and really doesn't do any good backpacking anyway. And that's it really. No need for soap or anything like that.
  
  
• Trekking poles: I'm a big fan of trekking poles, but I think i would hold off on investing any real money in them for your first trip. They definitely help the knees and balance and keep you from landing on your butt sometimes, but for a first trip I might go with a cheapo pair from Target or Walmart. The big difference between cheap and expensive poles is longevity.

Pad - looks good, a personal favorite. I take along http://www.amazon.com/Therm-a-Rest-Z-Seat-Cushion-Coyote-Gray/dp/B00453UPQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334417369&sr=8-1 to put under my hips and sit on at campsites

Platypus - I love these things, if you haven't ordered, the 3 liter adds a minimal amount of weight and can make it easier to position in your pack when they aren't quite as full.

Peanut lighter - looks really silly to me, but I love mini bic lighters.

Pill holder - what does this do that a ziplock bag doesn't?

Headlamp - perfect, those rock. Consider some sort of LED lantern for your campsite, my mom found some interesting cheap energizer flashlights at target that run on 2 AA and have multiple modes including colored beacons and they weigh about 3 ounces.

Down jacket - I would consider the same model with a hood or detachable hood. You can also get an appropriate sized stuff sack and turn this into a comfy pillow pretty easily.

Aquamira - do some taste testing, see what you like most. My mom ended up really liking the platypus gravity filters along with potableaqua.

Ragg Cap - why bother spending $12+ shipping for a boring beanie? Unless that's just a placeholder, hit up rei for a sweet end of season something for the same price

Paracord - perfect, no more, no less, although I might recommend neon green or orange, as that color will disappear at night

Ridiculous cheap knife - get a leatherman squirt or juice w/ scissors and pliers instead

One thing I would consider with that stove set up (and what helped me make a decision myself) is what you are going to be eating... if you're going to order a bunch of freezedried meals and eat those nearly exclusively, save yourself the trouble and get a jetboil. If you like to cook and will have more fresh ingredients, then maybe the pocket stove will be great. But then you won't have to lug around pans and more than a single spork, because the jetboil is so well self contained.

Clothes in general - feels like you have just a few too many items. I hear lots of stories of those convertible pants never being worth while, most people just unzip the legs and send them home. For long pants, consider some triathlon tights and athletic shorts exclusively.

Those toe socks will drive you insane. Invest in three pairs of smart wool socks - of varying thickness so you can rotate out and change the stress on your feet. They make footie and crew type...

That tent is pretty awesome. If you're hiking solo, you do have a chance to use some of the cooler, (lighter) more unusual shelter options like hammocks and tarps. I would at least give that some thought before spending $300 on a tent.

Phones - My mom has been hiking with an HTC Status. You don't need to find some rugged phone or buy one specifically for the trail. Keep it in a ziplock bag, or aloksak bag. They have a solar charger, but I don't think they've used it. Your problem is going to be days between cell phone towers/valleys. It has, however been invaluable. I wouldn't go without. A spare battery and wall charger would probably be better than bothering with solar.

Add a tube of Cortisone cream and a few benadryl to your first aid kit.

Add a wide brimmed hat with a bug net. Bugs protection in general...

Trail runners will probably see more use than your boots. You'll also want flipflops/crocs/slip ons for camp. For the earlier part of the trip, Some short gaiters may also be help with mud.

I like a plain old, regular compass, rather than something in a multitool.
http://www.amazon.com/Brunton-F-9020G-Classic-Compass/dp/B000093ILT/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1334418487&sr=8-8

I assume you had a mug in your list before I came to the thread. If I could only take 5 items, a mug would be one of them... I have both lexan and enameled mugs and they weigh (surprisingly) similar.

(FWIW, that list would be mug, spoon, platypus, sleeping bag and a bic lighter)

Just some thoughts in general, after outfitting myself and the parents for various trips. I hope it is helpful.

I think I'll just take my Nokia 1616 with me. It's a bare bones, go-phone that I popped my SIM card into. It only has an 800mAh battery, but doesn't have any data connection whatsoever (purely GSM), and lasts usually 3-6 days with me calling and texting a usual amount. It weighs < 78.5g, and has a standby time of 540 hours. With minimal talking and texting (I'm wanting disconnectivity), I should get at least 2 weeks/charge.

The reason the filter is in there is that it's the easiest means of physically removing microbes, but given the price, I think I might stick with a standard 2 or 3 liter Platypus + chemicals (Aquamira, no iodine).

I meant to remove the light, I was kinda looking for LED lamps, but cherryhammer recommended that I look for a certain type at Target. And the RidgeRest (very average, I know) is a roll-up type; however, I fit rolls in my backpack, so I'll just have to see if there's sufficient space. And with the Z seat being 2 oz, I'm happy to have a little more convenience and comfort.

And I'm thinking I want the three, even if I don't fill it up fully ever. The difference between a 2 liter and a 3 liter is just a few grams. I'm sure the Northern summer portion will definitely make it worthwhile.

And I'm stoked I found that product at that price! For reference for anybody, it's the Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove with Piezo Ignition. It's $15, weighs 3.9 oz, fits "with any screw top butane / propane canisters, available just about anywhere, MSR, coleman, camping gaz, etc.", and this is what one user showed at a 5% and a 95% flame. I have no affiliation with the company, but seriously, go read the reviews. I might make a can stove(s) and bring alcohol with me, just for easier refilling and weight's sake.

My pack is water-resistant to some degree, but I'm not gonna risk it. I've been in snowy conditions, never rain, but there was condensation on the inside of my pack, and it actually frosted/froze a bit, which I'm sure compromised the strength of the waterproofing.

I've since scrapped the pants (mostly everybody has suggested so), and now have just the 1 pair of liners, and added another pair of mesh shorts, for a grand total of two.

Many thanks for your insight!

Reading Trail Journals is always nice because you're getting a day by day account of how hiking operates rather than a stylized narrative. Just at cursory glance, I saw few guys I hiked with who should have pretty accurate journals:

RodNReel

Frankenstein - I hiked around him for a good portion of the hike. Pretty detailed and should give you a good idea of life on the trail.

Affirm

Blue

That's not to say a stylized narrative isn't pleasing to read and get's you hyped for your trip. A Walk in the Woods gets some shit from thru-hikers but it's a book about the Appalachian Trail for people who are not thru-hikers-so you!

Ray Jardine's Trail Life is indispensable for preparation. Even if you don't agree with all of his points, he gets you thinking and presents the organization of gear in a straight forward fashion. It was so hard to get a direct answer out of anyone online in regards to gear; every question was greeted with "just do what works for you!" I had no hiking experience and wanted something of a base to start from. Trail Life at least gives you a starting point to experiment with. I would say this is the most important book for practical preparation you need to make.


Honestly, not much you can read is going to help a ton, the AT doesn't need that much prep work. Here's a pre-hike check list that I would suggest.

• Save up $4500 - You can do it on much less but hurting for money on the trail is no fun. It's not that I wish I had more money on my hike, living with an overwhelming lack of funds gave me one of my most poignant learning experiences, but it allows you more freedom-you can be on the trail longer and actually replace your shoes instead of wearing them until you find a newish pair in the hiker box.
  
  
• Go on weekend test hikes once you have enough gear to go backpacking - There where little details I didn't like about pieces of my gear that I would never have noticed unless I used them for an extended period of time. Find out now that ENO straps sink you to the ground or that your sleeping pad doesn't insulate enough for a March start.
  
  
• Go through your guide book and circle things you think might be interesting - I compulsively looked through my guidebook when I was bored and checked a lot of things I didn't want to miss. It's nice to open up to a town and already have the buffet circled and the cheapest resupply marked down.
  
  Be prepared for the AT to be very different than you expect. Be confident and social with everyone you meet. Meet Ms. Janet! Immerse yourself in the whole experience and don't think too much about home.

I'd recommend a light weight small 1 person tent. The lighter the better. Some people get larger tents to fit there stuff waste of weight in my opinion.

Next comes your budget, you can spend a lot of money on a tent. Just like buying a car you can get a 1990 Honda or a new Ferrari.

If your on a budget I hiked the PCT with this tent:

Alps mountaineering Lynx 1-person tent. Used ones going for $78. 3.8 pounds. Held up does the job. https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaineering-Lynx-1-Person-Tent/dp/B00BMKD1DU/ref=sxin_7_af-pna-1_c600956ebde1baf8592371faedf0cf781eb071ae?keywords=tent&pd_rd_i=B00BMKD1DU&pd_rd_r=33b407bc-ebcb-4ba9-818d-a3a3e7db6d0d&pd_rd_w=e3KvM&pd_rd_wg=Zf92I&pf_rd_p=3892bc23-5fa8-4a18-8855-22c23bd2e202&pf_rd_r=4P2HDHKKN7KQE3CPKBGR&qid=1573250503

If you got a little extra money, you get what you pay for. These tents are lighter and some of them are lighter and a little bigger. You are fighting between size and weight. Some tents are bigger but weigh more, some weigh less but are too small for some people. This is a preference and only you can pick the right answer. Everyone has a different opinion. Here are some awesome tents Ive seen hiking:

Big agnes copper spur

https://www.backcountry.com/big-agnes-copper-spur-ul1-ultralight-tent-1-person-3-season?skid=BAG00B3-GRA-ONESIZ&ti=UExQIEJyYW5kOkJpZyBBZ25lcyBUZW50cyAmIFNoZWx0ZXJzOjE6MTM6MTAwMDAwMDEyX2JjLXRlbnRzLXNoZWx0ZXJz

NEmo Hornet (My personal favorite. )

https://www.nemoequipment.com/product/hornet/

MSR Elixer

https://www.moosejaw.com/product/msr-elixir-1-tent_10368196?hybridPLA=true&ad_id=GooglePlusBox&utm_source=GooglePlusBox&utm_medium=PLA&utm_campaign=MSR&scid=scplp4197589&sc_intid=4197589&adpos=1o1&cm_mmc=PLA-_-Google-_-SC_Shopping_NoPromo_Brand_Desktop|SC_Shopping_NoPromo_Brand_Desktop-_-google|762455646|39930674093|182268966899|aud-223426839163:pla-840516347932|c|9016466|4197589&gclid=CjwKCAiAwZTuBRAYEiwAcr67OVfNzVg9Dx6vr7IfpqP6uLZJNCL0nIHtVHhK7KeYErN6jYeBIASwnRoCCJcQAvD_BwE

These style tents are very light but are very expensive. They are also a pain to set up and break easily. As a begginer id stay away. They are for rich people who backpack all the time.

https://zpacks.com/products/duplex-tent?variant=9365267316772

Hyperlite has a similar style for a stupid

You can also use a tarp, or a hammock. I stay away im a tent person.

A lot of backpacking is what you like! Its personable, if you go with any of the middle tents you cant go wrong! Just recomend finding a light one person tent! let me know if you need help choosing a style! Happy trails!!

Great point. I remember my first few nights out solo (not a thru hike, just backpacking) and I was all concerned with what I'd do if I ran into a large animal.

Then I realized you almost never hear of anyone having any serious encounters with large animals. However, it's fairly common to hear of people dealing with ticks. Lyme is nothing to take lightly. If not treated early and properly it will send your life down a completely different tangent.

Yes, definitely Permethrin. We douse all of our gear in it usually 2-3 times per season (Maine doesn't have very long summers). You can buy it at WalMart or on Amazon.

SectionHiker recently did an article about using stronger industrial type permethrin (rather than Sawyer branded) to soak your clothing. Good article and goes into the safety of working with the substance.

Permethrin is great. Highly recommend it and thanks for bring it up.

Where's the Next Shelter? just came out last month and is getting rave reviews. It's about as different a book as you can possibly get from Wild though.

The main character isn't trying to overcome a drug problem or sex addiction. He's just a guy who really loves backpacking, hits the AT and immediately finds himself in over his head. He meets some of the most interesting and hilarious people on the trail and really brings them to life through realistic dialog and vivid descriptions, not only of the people but the remarkable beauty that the trail offers.

Without spoiling anything, the author faces difficult physical and mental challenges that end up providing answers to questions about life he never even thought to ask. This serious fare is balanced with a sprinkling of humor, beautiful descriptions of the scenery and just enough factual information to be of some use as a planning guide.

I should probably also mention that Where's the Next Shelter? was written by me.

Thank you for looking!

Plantar Fasciitis. I had this when I got to like 1,200 and was doing 22+ miles a day and when I went back down to 15 it still hurt. I'd put my feet up every mile or so for 5 minutes and put them in every cold stream just to break even. I ended up going to a podiatrist and got cortisone injections in each foot and he made me get boots because he said I walked like a model (tee hee). After the shots, I stood up in next morning walked to the bathroom and when I got their I realized my feet didn't hurt for the first time in a month. I took three days off then went down to 14 miles a day until my tramily caught up and never had pain again.

I had been using trail runners before that. I was resentful of the boots at first but come to love boots. If you stick with trail runners, I wouldn't wait until 500, I'd say every 400 or sooner honestly. Think about it this way, if you wait until 500 instead of 400 miles, wouldn't you pay a dollar every mile to not be in pain?

It's probably too late for these, but these can help for some people. It helped a little for me but not much. ( I had a different brand, but I don't image they're very different (don't get white!)).

https://www.amazon.com/Plantar-Fasciitis-Sock-Vive-Tendonitis/dp/B01N4WP79B/ref=sr_1_8_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1527257445&sr=8-8&keywords=Plantar+Fasciitis+Sock

Also, getting a cold can of soda and rolling it under each foot helps a little.

Makes sense! Initially I was looking at $100+ poles, which I don't really want to spend. Found a solid looking pair on Amazon for $20 that seems more promising, if I do end up going with them. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B007YT854S/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2VZTJP6N0Z6QL

Sounds good - will test out the pack soon!

Great info - thank you very much!! :)

I did the trail veggie. I ran into a couple shortly after Fontana that had been weekend camping and packed too much food so they were looking to give it away. Oddly enough they were veggie too. Ended up with several packs of these beans, they were awesome.

I contacted the company halfway to tell them how much I enjoyed them on the trail and they sent around 6 boxes to my mothers' house. I was set for the rest of the trail lol. I'd just add hot water, later on, I sent the stove home and just soaked them for an hour or two before eating.

I carried a small bottle of Catalina dressing and was set. I know it sounds gross, but I love Catalina on beans. Other than that I just had the usual sides of cheese, instant potatoes with gravy, veggie jerky, rice or noodle dishes from Knorr, etc.

If I were to do it all over again I'd probably bite the bullet of extra weight and carry a high-quality multi-vitamin and perhaps a good whey or micellular protein blend. I knew thinning hair would be in my future due to genetics, but pre-trail and post-trail photos are night and day difference. Hair never really grew back. I'm sure many will take this as proof that a meatless diet isn't optimal, but I last I checked, a diet of tuna, snickers, honeybuns, etc. isn't optimal either. I can't think of anyone who "ate optimal" on the trail. Idc what you're eating, the trail will not be kind to your body and the caloric deficit you'll be in will take its toll. Just my 2 cents, then again I met vegans who did just fine, so it's whatever.

This book is very helpful for a first-timer:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Hike-A-T-Nitty-Gritty-Long-Distance/dp/0811735427

For what it's worth, I hiked a considerable distance with a 17 year old during my hike. An amazing person. He told everyone he was 20 so that he didn't face constant age jokes and he had the maturity and humor to back it up. Jaws dropped when he revealed up in Maine that he was only 17.

• Ultralight: The Ray Jardine Way
  
  
• Ray Jardine's book Beyond Backpacking, now called Trail Life: Ray Jardine's Lightweight Backpacking is considered by some to be a bible of sorts.
  
  
• The Complete Walker is a perrenial favorite (read the 3rd ed. I think, before I did the Trail)
  
  
• I have not read Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide To Ultralight Hiking And Backpacking but it looks interesting.
  
  
• This also looks interesting: Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail (Volume 1)
  

The Barefoot Sister's book is pretty good. Also check out As Far As the Eye Can See by David Brill. These two come highly recommended by both me and the trail legend Ernie from Sunnyside Inn in Hot Springs NC, a veritable wealth of knowledge about all things AT

As mentioned, you should definitely get the latest AT guidebook. You may also enjoy reading Becoming Odyssa, Grandma Gatewood's Walk, and AWOL on the Appalachian Trail. I would also highly recommend Walking With Wired's 2014 AT blog.

I found this book interesting

https://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trials-Psychological-Emotional-Thru-Hike/dp/0985090103/ref=nodl_

My goal is to be a 2019 NoBo, so I haven’t been out there yet, but the book was decent brain candy while waiting. Good luck!

How are you going to get filtered water into your bladder? Or effectively get unfiltered water out of it? I do not think the lifestraw can be connected in line with a hose either.

I would look at something like the Sawyer Squeeze: better filtration, can filter more gallons (100,000), able to screw onto a bladder/bottle or use inline with hydration hose (connect between end of hose and mouthpiece).

Or Aqua Mira drops.

Ok fair point. I'm pretty much guessing on the bear stuff, I've never had to deal with it. How's this for a line?

https://www.amazon.com/LiteOutdoors-Guyline-Tensioner-Kit-Lightweight/dp/B078TPYMZY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3I3I7LU1GB2GQ&keywords=dyneema%2Bcord&qid=1555263431&s=gateway&sprefix=dyneem%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1

Andrew Skurka's [The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hikers-Gear-Guide/dp/1426209207) is a great book about gear related to long distance hiking. Darn Tough socks are always good!

I think it could be done as the calorie to weight ratio is great.You could likely survive on the chips alone but I'd supplement the chips with some fresh fruit/veggies when possible. The biggest challenge would likely be getting bored of the chips.

I think you could get creative with storing the whole bag of chips, perhaps in the outer mesh pocket of your pack if you have one or if not by attaching a stuff-sack or other bag to your pack.

Fritos are 160 calories per ounce and probably a bit more crush resistant. I imagine they'd pair well with some instant re-fried beans.

For what RedDawn couldn't answer, there is cell reception on pretty much all the trail in NJ.

I think this is the stove that is the $7 one off Amazon. I put it on here because it's actually the stove I have and has proven to be reliable.

Check gear lists to see if there's anything you think you would want listed.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004U8CP88/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I found Michelle Ray's book, How to Hike the A.T.: The Nitty-Gritty Details of a Long-Distance Trek, invaluable to my preparation. Not knowing anyone who had any long-distance hiking experience, this was the next best thing.

I highly recommend Appalachian Trials! to any prospective thru-hiker. I'm reading it for my third time now and I feel that, going into the my hike next year, I already have a major advantage.

http://www.theatguide.com/

http://www.aldha.org/companion.html

You could try this one, but I've never used it:http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0811735427

Check the sidebar of this subreddit--lots of good info there.

I picked up a Therm-a-Rest Z Seat in Hot Springs, after being envious of the one my hiking partner had.

Basically, it's like a small version of Therm-a-Rest's foldable mattress. It serves as a great butt pad for when you have to sit on cold/dirty/wet/uneven surfaces. I also used it as an extra layer of padding on top of my mattress for my shoulders.

I take it with me on all of my day hikes now, and people are always impressed that it's even a thing that exists.

Also, I got a rechargeable headlamp so that I would never need to carry batteries. (I only ever charged it in town, but I could have recharged it on the trail, if necessary.)

If you haven't read Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail I would highly recommend it

I recommend reading Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis: https://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trials-Psychological-Emotional-Thru-Hike/dp/0985090103/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506807365&sr=8-1&keywords=appalachian+trials

The author of the AT guidebook also wrote a book about his thruhike. He had a wife and kid(s?) at home and discusses this throughout the book. It's kind of dry, but I thought it was worth reading before my hike.

Have you heard of the barefoot sisters? Isis and Jackrabbit yo-yo hiked the AT barefoot! (ME>GA>ME). They have a book about their journey, might be worth checking out.

My SO and I did a nobo this year. We had one stove and two cups. We started with a pot, which I think was 1.3 liters, and sent it home in Neels Gap cause it was heavy and we never used it.

Where's the Next Shelter? (Green Giant Travels Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017QCTR2G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5GROAbGWSKSDP

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI701Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can cold soak them too.

The Barefoot Sisters hiked a good portion of their SOBO trip with a family with several small children, one of whom was carried the entire way. So it's doable, but as has been mentioned, it'd be hella tough with a lot of extra considerations.