Date: 2023-08-01
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Miles today: 0.0

I have already covered equipment once (see my comments after the first leg, 1/1/23), so I would like to just return and highlight my equipment all-stars and some general thoughts.Equipment All-Stars (things that I would absolutely take again):Altra Olympus shoes - Love zero drop or hate it - I was able to adapt to the zero drop by wearing them around home before the hike started. But the Olympus version gave me good grip (Vibram sole), great cushioning to glide over the rocks and roots, and a wide toe box. Zero foot blisters for 2200 miles. The durability was not spectacular - the most I got was 400 miles (and the least was 200 miles), so I had to replace them often - but for me the tradeoff was worth it. 5 million steps is a lot of steps.Darn tough socks. 2200 miles. No holes. Survived multiple hostel dryers.Gossamer Gear Gorilla - great pockets. Great hip belt. Handled 20 lb easily and was very durable.  Gossamer Gear ¢¢ thinlite pad (rolled, not folded) - I used this as the backpad for my pack, but also unfolded underneath my sleeping pad to protect it. It also did triple duty as a sit pad.Osprey pack liner - This waterproof packliner was an upgrade in both weight and functionality from the original Nylofume liner I used to keep my gear dry. The Nylofume failed my first night on trail due to a burst seam. The Osprey pack liner was heavier but 100% reliable. There was no better feeling during a drenching downpour (or a slip in a bog) than knowing that my sleeping bag and sleeping clothes were bone dry, even if I wasn¢t.Aftershokz headphones. These are bone conduction headphones, so I could hear ambient noise around me while I listened to an audiobook ¢¦ like a timber rattlesnake¢s angry rattle on the trail in PA (!)Superglue singles. Okay, this is a very niche recommendation. But a tiny tube of superglue saved me several times (including shoe emergencies).Befree filter (and 0.6l bag) plus a Gatorade 750 ml bottle plus sports cap. The Befree filter was the fastest way to scoop and filter water while hiking, and the Gatorade 750ml bottle was much less ungainly than the Smart Water bottles.  A draft collar on my sleeping quilt. I used the REI 30 degree Magma sleeping bag for the 2nd half of my hike, and got surprised in the early weeks when temps dipped into the high 30¢s. The draft collar added at least 10 degrees of warmth to the setup. Unfortunately, it took me 2-3 nights to figure that out.Bug spray - I started off with Picaridin and used it sparingly for 4 months, shifted to 30% DEET daily for NH and twice per day in Maine, and then 100% DEET twice per day for the second half of the 100 Mile Wilderness. An absolute necessity for Maine.Garmin Fenix 7 watch. This, along with my tent, were my two equipment splurges. I was able to load my daily routes onto my watch, which displayed my map as I was hiking (along with all kinds of data). The clutch function, though, was a gentle buzz if I missed a turn and drifted off trail - which meant I really never did.Finally, my Durston XMid Pro 2 person tent. It was my oasis in the middle of the craziness. Light, storm-worthy, and spacious.General thoughts:Less is almost always more. I can¢t stress enough how much better a lighter pack is than a heavier pack. Better for your feet, your joints, and your frame of mind. My pack with food and water was generally 15-20 lbs, and most of the time I didn¢t even notice it. The Reddit ultralight thread is a great source of ideas for how to not be light but not stupid-light.Having said that, I did start off with several items that were too light-weight: my packliner (see above), my Gossamer Gear trekking poles (which I loved but didn¢t survive NH and ME), and my rain pants (which looked like expensive trashbags). I went heavier on all of these items - the wear and tear of a thruhike did not make them practical.REI. No, they don¢t carry a number of cottage manufacturers. Yes, they do sell at list price with limited discounts. But they stand behind the products they sell. When I ran into quality issues with my sleeping pad and my shoes, REI sorted it out for me quickly and replaced them without complaint. I was grateful.It¢s not all about equipment. But bad equipment can make you miserable, and some pieces can, in the words of Marie Kondo, ¢bring you joy.¢