When we first started serioiusly thinking about doing the Appalachian trail we visited many web sites and began to plan out our gear list. Many of the items we already had were not suitable for long distance hiking. A major bane of long distance backpackers is weight, and most of the gear we had was a little on the hefty side. We decided to cut weight where ever possible, shaving ounces off of each piece when we could. We still have work to do on our gear list, and theres still some debate on how much more weight we can drop and still feel comfortable, so our gear list at the moment is a work in progress. The links below are some of our favorite web sites. Many backpackers are now beginning to make their own gear to custom taylor it to their special needs, and its something I would like to try later, but for now, my store bought equipment will have to do.......=)
| Site | Description |
|---|---|
| REI | Gear, Clothing, Advice, and a Super Staff |
| Mountainsmith | Backpacks (including the Mountainlight series) |
| Marmot | Sleeping Bags, Clothing, Tents, Backpacks |
| Sierra Designs | Tents, Clothing, Raingear |
| Thermarest | Sleeping Pads (both inflatable and closed cell) |
| MSR | Titanium Cook Sets, Backpacking Stoves |
| Lowa | Footwear (including the Tempest Low Trail Hikers) |
| Asolo | Footwear (including the GTX 520 full grain leather boots) |
| PUR | Water Filters |
| Photon Lights | 1/2 ounce "Flashlights" |
| Trailplace | AT community with a planning forum and online journals |
| Backpacker Magazine | Backpacking related articles and gear reviews |
| Joes Ultralight Backpacking | Lightweight Backpacking Page |
| Sgt. Rocks Hiking | Backpacking Page with gear reviews and tarping information |
| Outdoor Review | Gear review from people who use the products |
| James Stephenson's Page | Hiking to raise money for cancer research |
| Tortoise & Hare's Page | Friends we met on the trail |
| Honey & Moon's Page | Friends we met on the trail |
| A.J. Whitney's Page | Hiking to raise money to benefit Multiple Sclerosis |
| Sticks and Stones Web Page | Appalachian Hike for Leukodystrophy |
| Wings Alcohol stoves | Wings home-made alcohol stove web site |