Downsizing Your Gear for Through Hiking

     Whenever you are preparing for a hike that is overnight, it is very important that you pack smart. You not only need to pack efficiently but effectively as well. When packing, a good rule of thumb would be to lay everything out that you think you need and then cut it in half. After that, cut it in half again. I used this method for our first attempt to the Approach hike on the AT. My mistake was that I didn’t cut it in half again which I should’ve done. I know that this method sounds a bit weird but it does help cutting down your gear. Think about it this way, the less you pack, the more you can walk.

     Trust me when I say, hiking without all that weight is so much more enjoyable. Another aspect to consider is what types of food to bring.

     For our failed AT trek, the food I packed, that I thought was perfect, was way too heavy. We packed things such as mini peanut butters, beef jerky, granola bars and tortillas. I know our trek was cut way short but honestly it was way too much food. If you are going to attempt a longer hike, I would recommend taking some of the backpacking meals.

     Backpacking meals are a great option due to they only need water to make. We used two of these while we were out there and we were very surprised and thrilled that they were in fact amazing. You can find them at REI and Walmart. Some people say that too many of these meals are bad which they can be (look at the nutritional value). That is up to you though. We loved them because they are super light and very easy to clean up since it's all in a bag. Although these meals are great there is one huge drawback that you should consider. These kinds of meals require you to use water. This means using your precious water supply. So when the closest water source was that stream you passed 2 miles ago... you need to keep that in mind.

In addition to food items, you really need to consider what items are crucial for your hiking trip. Do I really need those tennis shoes that I will wear only once? Or will I eat that entire LARGE jar of peanut butter? The answer is no. Don’t do that to yourself and your body. Bring only the essentials, not items you think you will need. Items such as a tent, sleeping bag, and sturdy hiking boots are items I would consider crucial elements to having an enjoyable hiking experience. Another huge issue that we ran into was not having very many options to refill our water supply. In times such as those I would recommend buying something like a lifestraw that can be found here. We did and we were so thankful while we were out in the middle of nowhere and out of the water we had brought. Its not for everyone, however when you are basically on your own and nothing but that little stream is around to keep you going- you might change your mind.