When I first started down the path, I knew I wasn’t going to be a true purist. I went into this experience confident that I would feel no less accomplished in completing the trail if I walked for a day a section here and there, opting to leave my heavy backpack behind. On the road, we call this «slackpacking.»
Obviously, it feels amazing to give your body a little break by not carrying so much weight on your back. This can help you stay fresh and cover long stretches of trail and/or train for bigger miles later when you DO have a full pack. Slackpacking was also a great way to dive back into hiking after being sick with Noro. 
What I didn’t know is that I would be a big fan of slackpacking in the opposite direction of my hike. Before I set out on the path, I assumed I would walk every step of the way completely NOBO. Finish the day at one mile and pick up from the same point the next time you hit the trail. I didn’t even realize it was an option to choose which direction to carry the backpack until a few days into my hike. It sounded strange to me. Why should I go SOBO? I chose a NOBO hike for a reason! I felt very conflicted about going to SOBO the first time I did it (maybe I have a bit of a purist in me), but when I started accepting Slackpack offers from hostels, I quickly realized some of the main benefits of walking in the opposite direction of your hike.
Reason 1: Logistical benefits
The first reason is logistics. Many times it is best for hostels or shuttle drivers to take you to the furthest point and have you walk back closer to their establishment. Hostels and shuttle drivers already do SO MUCH for hikers that I like to do what’s easiest for them. Sometimes, if the hostel is right on the road, they can even drop you off and walk directly back to the hostel without having to arrange a second transport to the site. This is really ideal. 
Reason 2: Physical benefits
The second reason is physical. Choosing which slackpack direction gives you the ability to manipulate the map a bit. If you know that going down is harder than going up, you may want to walk backwards a certain distance to avoid excessive descent. If you’re intimidated by the elevation gain from the look of your map, maybe do the section in the opposite direction so it’s not as scary. For me, this isn’t a big consideration most of the time because, in my opinion, your body will feel those miles either way, but it can make a big difference physically and mentally for some hikers. 
Reason 3: Social Benefits
The third reason, my favorite reason, is social. Slackpacking to SOBO gives you the chance to meet up with other hiking friends you may not have seen in a while. Sometimes, while walking in the desired direction, you can go days without meeting people and realize that you were dancing around each other the entire time. SOBO Hiking helps me realize that my trail friends really aren’t as far away as I thought! This is also a great mental help if you start to feel like you are going too slow or falling behind. A good SOBO slackpack day reminds you that we are all together to achieve this.
Here are 7 friends I ran into while SOBO slackpacking the other day! And more not in the photo! 
Some people say slackpacking is for lazy people. And to that I say, friend, do your own hike.
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