Changes – The walk

Approach to the trail

the mentality

To someone who knows what they’re doing, the novice’s approach always seems a little silly.

Without getting bogged down in too much detail about how I learned my lessons or came to certain conclusions, I’d like to share some of the different changes I made for my second hike compared to when I started my first with no prior experience.

Large tent

I started the Appalachian Trail with a free-standing, single-person tent that I had owned for a few years before committing to a full hike. I really liked that tent and had no complaints about it, but at 3 pounds I quickly realized I wanted an upgrade for long distance hikes. It served me well, but for my PCT thru hike I will be using a Zpacks Altaplex. I can’t wait to see how it holds up. I know my legs will be grateful for the improvement. This item is the biggest improvement I have made in terms of weight reduction and quality.

clothes

On the AT I started out in the only type of clothing I used to associate with hiking. Khaki cargo pants. Many layers. Packaging and weight are not taken into account. Warmth and durability were key. It was all top-notch stuff, but I found it was much better suited for weekend jaunts than a few thousand miles of hiking. I had redundancies in my layers that could have easily been fixed or overridden entirely. At least that’s how I started. Inevitably, I discarded all of that and replaced it with running clothes for the obvious weight and comfort advantages. Going into the PCT, I have my clothing and layering system much more fine-tuned, unlike the AT where it took me about 1000 miles to figure it out.

rain gear

My pancho and waterproof trousers served me well, but my new Frogg Toggs jacket and ULA waterproof skirt are saving me at least a pound. I won’t miss the wet conditions of the AT, but I will never look this good again.

Work 💅

Hygiene

This time I’ll bring a portable bidet. Lihat juga psf2. In my opinion, this is an upgrade worth the extra weight.

Delivery boxes

I didn’t bother with the AT mailboxes because it seemed too complicated. Now that I have a better understanding of what to expect and how to properly plan the trail, I’ll be sure to spoil myself a little when I get the chance. (Thanks for the help mom!)

Getting started

There was a learning curve while hiking that I really didn’t expect when I started the AT. I didn’t know what I didn’t know at that time. Having finished the AT, I still feel like I don’t know much, but I definitely know more than before. The way I manage mileage, resupply trips, and the efficiency of my food and water transports will allow me to get off to a much better start this time.

I don’t know much and I’ll never claim to know, but I learned a few things on my way to this sign.

the mentality

The AT largely seemed like an all or nothing mission to me. Not finishing would have felt like a failure. I don’t feel the same way about the PCT though. Snow in the Sierras. Fires. A looming world war. It just doesn’t feel the same. I still plan to hike south to north from start to finish, but a section skipped for safety reasons or possibly even returning home early for whatever reason just doesn’t seem to carry the same weight as on the AT. I just want to enjoy my time on the road. From term to term is the goal but I will not do it at the expense of enjoyment.

Too good to change

These are some things I see no reason to change or replace since my last hike.

Casio F-91W. Jetboil MightyMo. Smartwool base layers. Patagonia Micropuff. Swiss multi-tool (the toothpick and tweezers are lifesavers on the go)

My Casio F-91W and my Smartwool base layers in full screen. Too good to change. It was necessary to change my khaki cargo pants and belt.

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!

For more information, visit the About page of this site.