What is the #1 piece of gear that you hike with that was worth hauling every step of the trail?
Joseph
Your #1 piece of gear
system
#3
I had many many beautiful nights watching sunsets jamming to some Marley, Dead or Dylan. Yes, nature should be enough… but this is/was my hike and it has a musical soundtrack. Nothing like mountains of the moon or natural mystic or china cat sunflower playing over my speakers while sipping some wine, looking deeply into the beautiful eyes of my eternity, daytripper… how my heart longs for that now. simple life pleasures… newbies you must camp on top of Little Knob… there is one campsite just past the viewpoint.
Aswah
system
#4
there was another piece you carried that I enjoyed more… hmmm. had many good times in many good spots with ya… peace aswah:boy
Aswah
system
#7
Since they don’t take American Depress. Unless you’re in Fort Montgomery, then they only take cash and have never seen a travelers cheque. That was weird.
BW
system
#8
A collapsible, fabric water bucket (4 oz.). Good for carrying water, storing water overnight (letting particles settle to bottom). Each evening, squirt in a little soap and wash clothes. Bucket Showers. Washing dishes. Served as a “man purse” when going to town, laundry, carrying groceries etc. Wrapped items in it in bottom of pack for waterproofing. Used as a seat on wet days. Hung from tree branch to have camp access to much used items. Firewood gathering basket. Put a rock inside and roll up when felt need for a handy sleeping weapon against mice, snakes, snorer’s etc. Wore as a hat several times during major rainstorms. Truly multi use.
Double Stuff
system
#9
I found a small rubber tiger whilst on the JMT in 02, it was lying not ten feet from a pair of reading specs that i found, just as mine had broken, that was to weird. That little tiger is my official hiking mascot and goes on every trip, it is my most essential piece of gear.
Cheers
Cheers
system
#10
My flip-flops made me soooooo happy. I would dream about them for the last couple hours of hiking and then as soon as I got to camp I would take off my hiking shoes and put them on and it was feet happiness. Plus they only weigh a couple ounces, so you can’t go wrong with them. My MP3 player/radio also made me immensely happy on good days and it made bad days more bearable.
Tell it like it is
system
#11
LEKI’S! MOST IMPORTANT!! HANG ONTO THEM FOR DEAR LIFE!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON’T LET THEM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT!!
Leki-Less
system
#16
It is seven or so miles north of Iron Mountain Gap… 19 miles past erwin plus the seven or so miles. get water at shelter before and walk on up. great flat spot up there
aswah
system
#17
Ooooh, tough one. I think I’d have to go with my bandana(towel, washcloth, water strainer, head covering, eye covering to sleep in late, snot rag…not all at the same time of course) Although I loved my sunglasses and my lekis too… Oh and the four quarters I kept in case I came across an unexpected coke machine at road crossings!
Grassy Ridge
system
#18
My Marmot DriClime windshirt. Warm, light, compressible. Use it all year. By far my most versatile piece of gear.
Mags
system
#19
Hands down, my Marmot DriClime Windshirt. I wouldn’t consider going anywhere without it.
In fact, when the zipper on my windshirt failed in Colorado on the CDT (after the shirt had gone 8400 trail miles!!!), I stapled velcro to the zipper so I could keep the windshirt with me. Eventually, I picked up a new windshirt to replace the 8400-miler.
It’s expensive, lightweight, extremely warm, and dries like lightning. In fact, I’m wearing it now, as I’m in a library in Deming NM, 35 miles from finishing the CDT!!!
yogi
yogi