Yo I started my hiking career with a lot of unnecessary gear, but it took me many miles of hiking to realize that. In 2018, I was 19 and got on the AT for my first hike. And I had no idea what I was doing.
Over the course of the AT, I got rid of a lot of things. Sometimes that meant switching to better versions of what I already had. Other times it meant leaving out elements that were simply superfluous.
Afterwards, I felt truly experienced backpacking. That first hike had taught me exactly what I needed and didn’t need for a long-distance backpacking trip. Or so I thought.
Fast forward to 2022, when I set out once again, this time to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Despite everything I had learned on the AT, I ended up ditching and upgrading a lot more gear on the PCT. Two years later, I hiked the Continental Divide Trail and then the Appalachian Trail for the second time the following year.
Each successive hike has reminded me that there is always room for improvement when it comes to gear and has reinforced the benefits of carrying a lighter load for injury prevention, efficiency, speed, simplicity and enjoyment.
Now, with four hikes under my belt and having given dozens of «exams» (reviewing a hiker’s gear with them and suggesting what they can get rid of to lighten their load), I’m surely not perfect, but at least I feel certified to share some of the gear tricks I’ve mastered over the years.
If you’re preparing for your first hike (or even a second or third), you might want to listen and think twice about some of the items you were planning to bring.
Here are 10 of the most notable pieces of gear I’ve noticed. No needed after almost 10,000 miles of hiking.
10 Pieces of Gear I’ve Abandoned on 4 Hikes
1. Leggings
I wore gaiters over my shoes for my first two hikes to keep debris from getting in and rubbing my feet. The CDT was the first time I really prioritized minimalism, so I decided to forgo the gaiters and risk getting dirt, sand, and stones in my shoes.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t as big of a burden as I expected. In fact, ditching the gaiters made me more likely to take off my trail shoes on breaks. Leggings add an extra stepEvery time you take off your shoes, it is necessary to unhook the part that holds the shoe from the lace or hook and remove the Velcro from the heel.
It’s enough of a nuisance that it keeps me from taking my shoes off all day. However gGiving my feet time to breathe and dry several times a day was key to rejuvenating the pain and preventing blisters.
Now I feel like leggings are a burden. Plus, I like having one less item of clothing to worry about and I enjoy being able to show off all the colors of my walking shoes without a piece of fabric covering them.
2. Water bladder
I started the AT with a water bladder as the only container. It is not the way to go. It ended up being a waste of space and weight, and it was quite difficult to access and fill my backpack. Additionally, in cold weather the connected tube would freeze, disastrously cutting off my access to water.
Just a few weeks after my first run, I made the decision to use two Smartwater bottles and never looked back. Having bottles instead of a bladder made it very convenient to fill them using a compatible water filter like the Sawyer Grip or the Platypus Quickdrawand it was easier to fill cities with water fountains or sinks.
On my next hike, I hope to use the bottle hill for a more ecological product. Another fun bonus about these is that you can decorate them with stickers you collect along your walk for an extra touch of personalization and creativity.
3. Hiking pants
I’m here to bust the myth that you need pants to hike. Turns out that’s not the case. I can confidently say that in all the weather I’ve hiked in (torrential rain, single-digit temperatures, thunderstorms and thunderstorms, hail the size of golf balls, scorching heat, humidity, aridity, and extreme wind), I have found no need to wear hiking pants.
All you really need is a pair of shorts and some rain or wind pants. In my opinion, anything in between is unnecessary. It’s never too cold while you’re working hard on a hike to need anything more than rain pants (with the exception of extreme cold), and when you’re eating at camp or sleeping, you can wear a pair of lightweight sleeping pants and snuggle up in your sleeping bag.
If you’re worried about getting bug bites, sunburn, scrapes from overgrown trails, or dirt on your legs… I’d say that’s going to happen anyway, even with pants. And chances are you’ll end up being too hot. Check for ticks every night and wear sunscreen, and your legs will get tougher as you go.
4. Underwear
I’ve been going back and forth on this, but ultimately decided to ditch underwear after realizing it’s another thing I don’t really do. need have with me on a walk. You’re going to be disgusting after days without showering, whether you’re wearing underwear or not.
For a while, I carried a pair to wear while out on the town, but soon that became a nuisance too. Ask yourself: are they really necessary? Are your lined shorts enough? If you’re still unsure, you’ll most likely change your mind during the hike.
5. Winter hat
It may seem crazy, but you don’t actually need a warm hat as long as you have a sweater or hooded puffer. Or even a hoodie for added protection. I also like to wear a lightweight buff because it’s much more versatile than a hat, and you can even wear it as one if you learn to fold it correctly. If it’s cold enough to wear a hat, then it’s probably cold enough to wear a hoodie.
On my most recent hike on the AT, I was wearing my Alpha Direct sweater with the hood up. and my raincoat with the hood up while walking if it was too cold. At night, while I was sleeping, I would put on my sweater and a scarf over my head. I never felt too cold. have a hood and a hat is redundant.
6. Third pair of socks
I started my hiking trip with three pairs of hiking socks and one pair of thick sleeping socks. As I optimized my clothing and gear over the years, they slowly narrowed down to just two pairs of socks: a pair for walking and a small, thin pair for sleeping.
Yes, having a new pair of socks to wear when you’re in the middle of the woods can be lovely and refreshing, but they’ll get dirty and wet again almost immediately. Instead, I now wear the same pair of socks for walking between cities every day, and save the pleasure of having clean socks for when I do laundry or replace them with a new pair.
If they are getting so covered in dirt that they are causing hot spots, I simply rinse them in a stream (downstream, of course) and drain them. Good as new.
The only part that really sucks is having to put them back on in the morning to start walking while they’re already wet and stinky. But as soon as you’re done with that and start walking (I like to use it as a fun little mindfulness exercise), you’ll barely notice.
My current sleeping socks
7. Physical diary
It’s special to remember my little journals from my first three hikes and read handwritten stories from all my escapades. I also enjoyed taking the time to write in a notebook every night, without using the phone. However, on my most recent walk, I opted to skip the physical journal and instead used the journal app on my iPhone.
It was nice to not have an oddly shaped rectangle and pen to keep in my bag every day, worrying about keeping it dry and not losing it. I also enjoyed having all my notes in one place. It was satisfying to have fewer things weighing me down. And I can still look at my journal on my phone to relive the experience in my mind.
8. Physical guide
On the AT in 2018, it seemed like everyone was carrying the AWOL Guide for information about the trail and the towns. The smartphone app Guthooks (now called FarOut) was just starting to become popular. But even four years after the PCT, it seemed like no one was carrying a guide anymore and people were mainly relying on the FarOut app.
The app has everything you need to know and uses satellite to navigate your location, so you don’t need cell service. Yes, it can be a little risky to rely on a phone that may break or die unexpectedly, but the fact is that there are so many people hiking these trails that if that happens, chances are someone will help you.
On my last three hikes, I never needed physical maps or guides. Save the paper, save some trees, save some weight, and add some extra space in your backpack.
An example of a section about FarOut on my iPhone
9. Package cover
I used to use a cover over my entire backpack every time it rained. But in truth, it was a pain to stop, take off my backpack, take out the cover, put it in my backpack, and put the backpack back on every time it rained. (And vice versa when it stopped raining).
I would often postpone this annoying task until it really rained, only to have the rain stop as soon as the entire procedure was over. I eliminated this frustrating process by switching to a waterproof backpack and lining the inside with a durable plastic bag. This way, the backpack cover is not necessary and is one less thing to have to carry or worry about.
Regardless, the contents of my backpack have almost always stayed much drier since I switched to this method.
10. Camping shoes
I have only completed one hike without camping shoes, but I will never go back. Until I tried a hike without crocs or sandals to wear around camp or town, I thought they were 100% necessary. I didn’t realize how much I didn’t care about having them until they were no longer an option.
Surprisingly, I never minded going barefoot around camp or just putting on my hiking shoes loosely and without socks to get around town.
Packing all my gear in my bag at the CDT
you do it
Of course, there is no judgment if you choose to wear any of these items. Some of this is personal preference. Maybe you weren’t even planning on carrying any of these items. Either way, I hope this helps you feel prepared and I hope you enjoy your trip. The path awaits.
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