Best-Of Surveys
The 2020 AT Section Hiker Survey: Motives and Logistics
Long overlooked in our annual surveys, Appalachian Trail (AT) section hikers were the focus of this year's survey. We surveyed 448 people, 34 of whom had completed the entire AT...
Southbound Thru-Hikers: The Appalachian Trail Hiker Survey
Since I finished my Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike in 2014, I’ve been working with The Trek to survey thru-hikers each year. Most of the hikers who take our surveys are...
Top Stoves and Filters: The 2019 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey
We surveyed 365 section or thru-hikers about their stove, food, and water preferences and their experience of illnesses on the Appalachian Trail in 2019. We found some interesting differences in
Top Backpacks: The 2019 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey
In this installment of The Trek’s 2019 Hiker Survey, we cover backpacks and base weight. We asked hikers about the frame type, capacity, brand, and model of their backpacks. This...
2019 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey: Top Tents and Shelters
Each year, The Trek surveys long-distance hikers on the Appalachian Trail (AT) regarding the shelter systems they use, such as tents and hammocks. In this post we cover the types...
The Top Footwear on the Appalachian Trail: 2019 AT Thru-Hiker Survey
Each year as part of The Trek’s annual thru-hiker survey, we ask hikers about the footwear they used, and this footwear data remains my favorite to analyze and write about!...
The 2019 Hiker Survey: General Information
This is the first post of 2019 in The Trek’s annual survey of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and long-distance section hikers. This year, we gathered new information on hikers' favorite hostels...
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Trends: Examining Gear, Budget, and Resources Over the Past 5 Years
In 2014, we began conducting annual surveys about AT thru-hikers and attempting thru-hikers. Starting these surveys soon after my own thru-hike has been a really meaningful way for me to...
Reader’s Choice: The Best Thru-Hiking Documentaries
Most of us can’t spend our entire lives thru-hiking. Oftentimes these grand adventures are mere six-month highlights in a world of 9-5 jobs and bumper-to-bumper traffic. However, there are ways...
2018 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Survey: Top Stoves and Water Treatments
We surveyed over 300 section or thru-hikers about their stove, food, and water preferences and their experience of illnesses on the Appalachian Trail in 2018. This year, enough hikers with...