Eight (Overlooked) Essentials Every Thru-Hiker Should Carry

Throughout my 2016 AT thru-hike, I consistently carried one of the heavier packs on the trail. I knew this was gonna be the case when I started – and I quickly accepted it would stay that way early on in my hike. It didn’t take long for me to realize this either – thankfully I had “ultralighters” point this out ad nauseam (but that’s another story).

To be honest, I did carry a lot of stuff I should have left at home. For example, I started hiking north from Springer with a chair. In my defense, it only weighed a pound and condensed quite nicely – I’ll touch on that later. But some of the things I carried turned out to be hike-savers. The inspiration to purchase many of them came from fellow thru-hikers I shared the trail with or from reading the trail journals of former thru-hikers. (Tip: Be observant. And don’t be afraid to ask why someone is carrying something and where they got it.)

At the end of the day, your choice in backpack, tent, sleeping bag, trekking poles, boots, etc. is up to you – it ought to be based on whatever fits you best, not what you read off some online gear list. That said, you should buy everything on this list. I’m pretty sure I would have finished my thru-hike regardless, but the following items made life a whole lot easier.

1. The Long Spoon

And that’s what they’re technically called. I started my hike with a Snow Peak Titanium Spork – I liked how it nestled inside my GSI Outdoors Halulite 1.1 Liter Boiler (highly recommended, by the way). But that was the problem. If my 6.5 inch spork (the only means I had to stir the boiling food in my cook pot) fit inside my pot, then what was keeping my fingertips from getting scalded as I made dinner? Absolutely nothing – I suffered for nearly a week until I could find an outfitter who carried one.

While it may look a little comical, a long spoon is truly indispensable – especially if you’re planning on eating Backpacker’s Pantry or Good To-Go (if you can afford them, some of the best on the market) freeze dried or pre-packaged meals. You’ll definitely need a long spoon to reach all the way to the bottom.

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After I finally bought one, I didn’t know where to carry it in my pack – it didn’t fit inside my GSI boiler. I ended up clipping it to the outside of my pack with the next item on my list I deem to be indispensable. And the combination of these two items hanging off my pack made for a great bear alarm, by the way.

Days hiking until I wanted one: Probably one. I burned my fingertips that first night at Springer – I actually considered carrying chopsticks to solve my stirring-boiling-foods problem. But I stubbornly powered through. I bought a long spoon in Franklin, NC.

 2. Titanium Cup

I decided to participate in a gear shakedown with a few hikers I met early on while taking a zero day in Hiawassee, GA – I ended up sending nearly three pounds of pointless gear home. One of these items was my 14-ounce Titanium cup. I deemed it pointless because I had never used it – it stayed clipped to my pack hobo-style for nearly a week completely untouched.

Best action shot I could find of the long spoon/titanium cup power duo.

And wouldn’t you know, as soon as I mailed it home I ran into trail magic – in the form of piping-hot coffee on a cold spring morning. But the extremely thoughtful trail angel had run out of Styrofoam cups. I had to bust out my GSI boiler (buried deep in my pack) in order to receive my cup o’ Joe. I remember cursing myself for sending it home.

Days hiking until I wanted one: Ha. Again, probably one. Especially since I had just sent mine home. I bought a replacement in Gatlinburg, TN even though I could have had it shipped back to me somewhere up trail. I just didn’t want to miss out on another opportunity to enjoy drinkable trail magic (which was quite frequently).

The 14 oz. (that’s volume, not weight) cup did end up coming in extremely handy. When it came to filtering water, I didn’t carry Nalgenes or SmartWater bottles like many hikers – I solely relied on two-liter Platypus collapsible water bags. I quickly found that my titanium cup was the best way to fill a Platypus from a spring or stream – just scoop and pour, scoop and pour.

3. Sawyer Mini Water Filter

I’ll be honest – I was undecided as to which water filtration system I’d be carrying up to the very day before starting my hike. I brought my SteriPEN Adventurer with me from Seattle to Atlanta – I personally like it. It’s well suited to the pristine streams and rivers routinely found in the Pacific Northwest. But I was back in Appalachia now – and I knew the springs I’d be gathering water from were bound to be murky and muddy (they often were).

I had read about the Sawyer Mini in trail journals and gear lists, but that’s as far as my knowledge went. It had been years since I backpacked prior to my AT thru-hike – I was had never even laid my hands on a Sawyer until the very night before I started hiking north. I purchased one at an REI in Atlanta and was instantly impressed. The thing worked beautifully – and I never looked back. Over the course of my hike, I ended up purchasing about five of them – two because I let them freeze and three more because I got lazy with my backflushing (New Jersey’s bog water was solely responsible for the destruction of one).

And for such a great piece of equipment, they’re relatively cheap. I was able to secure one at a Walmart for twenty bucks – most outfitters in trail towns sold them for about thirty.

Days hiking until I wanted one: In this case, I started with one. But it took probably about two weeks before I figured out the best way to use it for me. I inlined my Sawyer Mini into the drinking tube attached to a two-liter Platypus. I’d simply fill my Platypus straight from the water source and throw it in the brain of my pack – that way, the Sawyer would filter the water as I sucked through the tube.

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 4. Multiple Pairs of Darn Tough Socks

One thing I remembered from Boy Scouts was the importance of wearing wool socks. When I was in gear-buying mode as I prepped for my thru-hike, I certainly kept the “no cotton” rule in the front of my mind as I shopped. But when it came to socks, there are a lot of wool and synthetic types out there – and after trying out nearly every brand, I eventually settled on two pairs of Darn Tough Light hiking socks.

I liked them a lot – they worked out great! I hiked those first few days with virtually zero blisters or hot spots. I’d wear one pair and let the second pair hang from my pack to air out. Then it got consistently rainy. It didn’t take long for my two pairs to stay constantly soaked – and I suffered. I know why I only thought I needed two pairs of socks (because that’s what I read online, duh). But practical experience quickly showed me otherwise.

I searched for wool socks in Hiawassee, GA – no dice. I finally found Darn Toughs in Franklin, NC – and bought three extra pairs. Overkill? Maybe, but I never had foot problems (related to socks) during the rest of my hike. And there’s just something nice about starting out the day with dry socks.

Days hiking until I wanted one (or in this case, more): Four days exactly. Oh, I remember this well. I had just summited Blood Mountain in a soaking (and scary) thunderstorm. I decided to push on past Mountain Crossings and stealth camp just a few miles up-trail. As I was hiking, I noticed a sharp pain coming from my heel. I stopped and took off my boots – my right heel was nearly rubbed raw. And I didn’t have another dry pair of socks to put on. I suffered for a few days (and went through lots of tape) before I finally found myself in dry socks again. Lesson learned, indeed.

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I just realized – I still wear them around the office.

5. Superfeet Insoles

So hiking around with five pairs of socks may have staved off blisters and raw spots, but they did nothing to help with the nagging foot pain I soon began to experience days after starting my hike. I was hiking in boots that I liked (and that fit and were broken in) – I was also properly using trekking poles. But about a week into my hike, the area on the bottom of my foot between my arch and the balls of my feet started killing me.

It was suggested I buy a pair of insoles the next chance I got. Thankfully, I was able to grab a pair at the outfitters located next to Ron Haven’s Budget Inn in Hiawassee, GA (didn’t stay there – sure wish I had). And those Superfeet worked like a charm! My foot pain was all but eliminated over the course of a few days. Apparently, all that extra weight I was carrying had been doing a number to my arches. I’m pretty sure I met only a few thru-hikers over the course of my hike who didn’t swear by Superfeet.

Days hiking until I wanted one: Two days. As soon as it was suggested I buy them – I did. And they worked. I was also able to get extra miles out of my boots, which were thoroughly worn in by the time I started my hike.

6. Guthook’s AT Guide

I started hiking north with the ever-present A.T. Guide – its green cover quickly became an instant tell as to who was a thru-hiker whenever I emerged from the woods at a road crossing or into parking lot. That book is truly important – we all carried one. Aside from the elevation profiles (super handy), mileage markers (obsessively handy) and water sources (life-savingly handy), it also has detailed maps of trail towns complete with the locations and phone numbers of hostels, outfitters, grocery stores and restaurants.

But it doesn’t contain maps of the trail itself – so you don’t know where you’re at in relation to everything else. And that’s where Guthook’s guide comes in. Downloadable as an app to practically any smart phone, Guthook’s uses GPS to show your exact position on the AT on a detailed, full-color map – and it works in airplane mode. And, like the AT Guide, this app has an elevation profile mode – it also shows where water sources, campsites, scenic outlooks, summits and road crossings are located. Additionally, you can tap the location of anything, like a water source, and the app will tell you how far away you are from it. Pretty cool piece of tech.

Yeah, Guthook’s might prevent you from seeing this.

Days hiking until I wanted one (or learned how to use it correctly): About ten days. I downloaded it last minute the night before my hike – it got decent reviews despite the fact I hadn’t read much about it online. And, yes, I checked it frequently during those first few weeks in the woods. But it has its limitations – the info it provides simply isn’t as detailed as what I found in the AT Guide, particularly when it comes to towns. I eventually discovered that they both served different purposes and used them accordingly – I relied on Guthook’s for on-the-fly info (so how far until the next water source?) and the AT Guide for advanced planning (so how far is that burger place away from our hotel?).

 7. A (Large) External Battery

Despite being deep in the woods with spotty cell service, I used my phone a lot. When I wasn’t checking the Guthook’s app or snapping photos, I was writing. I brought along a Zagg Pocket Keyboard to help update my dinky trail journal on a (semi) nightly basis. And while I did carry an external battery, I quickly realized it wasn’t going to be enough to keep my tech powered between recharging opportunities in town.

I left Springer with “The Brick” – a 15oz. behemoth that would charge my iPhone at least nine times before needing a recharge itself. The problem was this thing took a full 48 hours to recharge! I left town multiple times (Hot Springs, NC and Damascus, VA) with only a partially-charged external battery. I ended up buying an additional external battery in Pearisburg, VA as a supplement.

I’m sure by the time the Class of 2017 starts hiking north (or south), there will be something, anything, better than The Brick. (Note: I would include a hyperlink to it so y’all know what not to buy, but I can’t find it online. I’m serious.) I was very impressed with The Brick’s eventually replacement (or, to be completely honest, supplement – yeah, I carried two external batteries…). I found a 12,000 mAh PocketJuice at Walmart for less than thirty bucks.

If I ever do another long hike, I’m buying the biggest damned external battery I can find.

Days hiking until I wanted one (in this case, found a replacement, er, supplement): 24. I was crushed when I left Hot Springs, NC and quickly realized my external battery wasn’t fully charged. Not only did it limit the amount of time I was able to spend writing, I completely had to stop listening to music in order to save juice. It was devastating – by this point in my hike, music had become a huge motivator.

8. Therm-a-Rest Z Seat

Like I said, I started hiking north with a chair (I know, I know…). I chose to carry an Alite Monarch – in my defense, it was the lightest “backpacking” chair on the market. Ok, I’m an idiot – total rookie move. While I generally eschew the virtues of true ultralight backpacking (to some degree), carrying a chair was a jackass-level decision. I only used it twice – and the second time, I fell out of it, nearly kicking over my stove. By day three, I knew I’d be sending it home – it became the bulk of that three-pound package I mailed from Hiawassee, GA.

But I didn’t want to just sit on the ground. I’m serious. I was filthy dirty about 90% of the time, but at the end of the day, when I was cooking dinner and trying to relax just a little, I didn’t want to plop down in a pile of wet leaves or sit on some janky rock. I needed cushioning. Thankfully, I took a cue from a fellow thru-hiker and purchased the Therm-a-Rest Z Seat. It was the exact same design as my Therm-a-Rest Z Lite mattress and weighed only two ounces. It wasn’t much – but it provided just enough padding to keep my butt dry and comfortable.

There it is. Under my butt where it belongs.

Days hiking until I wanted one: Seven. After I sent the Alite home, I sat on the dry sack that held my tent whenever I cooked dinner. It was actually Savage who turned me on the Z Seat – she had been carrying hers since day one. After about a week without a proper seat, I finally decided to buy one the next chance I got. I got lucky – I found one two weeks later at Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs, NC.

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I’m sure there’s stuff I missed – and I’m sure you’ll let me know. Thanks y’all and happy hiking!

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Comments 16

  • Chris G. : Jan 7th

    Chris, Chris here. How could you tell the sawyer filters had frozen? I understand you need to replace them when they freeze but is there something on the filter that told you it had frozen or did you wake up see ice crystals hanging off a tree and know it was time to replace? Thanks for the article, the boy scout in me has also questioned whether or not two pairs of hiking socks was enough, I may carry an extra pair as you suggested.

    Reply
    • Chris : Jan 8th

      Yeah, there’s no way to know if your Sawyer’s been compromised due to being exposed to below-freezing temperatures – I always slept with mine in my tent (and on frigid nights, in my sleeping bag). On the two occasions I ended up replacing my Sawyer (out of an abundance of caution), it was during early morning hikes when my drinking tube froze solid. I assumed that if my drinking tube was a solid block of ice, then my Sawyer must be frozen as well. If you choose not to inline your Sawyer (like I and many others do), then carry it in your pocket as you hike if you know the temps will be below freezing. A lot of thru-hikers kept their Sawyer attached to their dirty-water bottle, which was often carried in an outside pocket. Savage probably froze her Sawyer (cause she was a SmartWater bottle/Sawyer-in-the-side-pocket gal) by hiking in below-freezing temps and leaving it exposed to the elements – don’t worry she replaced it the next day. And always carry a backup Sawyer – they weigh next to nothing and are relatively inexpensive.

      Reply
  • Goldberry : Jan 7th

    Chris, great list. Bombadil did most of our research for our hike. I’m happy to say we had all the gear you mentioned as essential. Titanium long spoon, titanium cup, sawyer filter (replacement is a better safe than sorry scenario. If you leave it out and it froze last night, it’s trash. If it’s 16′ out and you’re not carrying it in your coat, it’s trash), were all in our pack. I brought 5 pairs of socks and was perfectly happy settling on 4 pairs, Bombadil had more. Bombadil carried an anker charger and was very satisfied with that, sorry I don’t know the specs. Bombadil loved insoles, I never used them. Chair…when asked what I missed most on the hike it was a chair. We did training hikes the year prior and I believe I carried the same one you did…once. It is too heavy. I didn’t have anything to sit on until very late in my hike. I think it was in front royal I found a green therma rest to cut a square out of. This was satisfactory and light. Goldberry’s 2 cents.

    Reply
    • Chris : Jan 7th

      Thanks for the reassurance Goldberry – I should’ve mention the tip about making your own camp seat. Quick story: After I won a Klymit air mattress at Trail Days, I let McDoubles and Black Santa cut up my old Therm-a-rest Z Lite to make camp seats exactly like you described. Nice 2 cents!

      Reply
      • Chris : Jan 7th

        And, for the record, I hiked with five pairs of Darn Toughs.

        Reply
  • Ruby Throat : Jan 8th

    As I’ve been getting ready for my 2017 thru-hike, I traded in my 20 year old (5+ pound) Osprey Isis pack this year for a lighter pack, but with a heavy heart. We’ve been so many places AND she has a BUILT-IN CHAIR!!!!!! So sad to see her retire. I thought I couldn’t possibly live without the chair. But the Z seat and a log work beautifully, I’m happy to say. (Just don’t tell my old pack!).

    Most everything else on your list is in my pack already, but I appreciate the tech suggestions. My project this week is to research keyboards and tech juice, so thanks for giving me a place to start. Great post!

    Reply
    • Ruby Throat : Jan 8th

      Ooooohhoo…also….Darn Tough socks have a LIFETIME WARRANTY! Right on!

      Reply
  • dgray : Jan 8th

    14 oz titanium cup? I thought it must be a typo, but you say it twice in the article. My 500ml ti cup weighs 2.4 ozs. Carrying a 14 oz cup would indeed be a commitment!

    Reply
    • Chris : Jan 8th

      Yeah, kinda unclear – I was referring to volume, not weight. Thanks for pointing that out!

      Reply
  • Jeff : Jan 8th

    Enjoyed the write-up and took away some good notes for my future trips. Side note: If you want to get promoted in your office, get some better shoes. Some study a while back showed 3 out of 4 managers won’t promote somebody with torn up shoes at work. However, love the work socks!

    Reply
    • Chris : Jan 8th

      Thanks for the tip. Keep in mind, I live/work in Seattle. And I sell Hondas. Enough said. But I’ll keep that in mind should I return to the East Coast!

      Reply
  • Derrick : Jan 9th

    Great article. Planning a 2018 AT thru-hike. Found your article very informative. Thanks so much.

    Reply
  • Bob : Jan 9th

    Be careful what you wish for… largest external battery pack. Amazon has a 41,600 mAh battery!! The thing is HUGE (electronically). 10cm x 10cm x 10cm isn’t all that big size wise. I haven’t found the charge time (most sites blocked by Net Nanny). Says it’ll charge the I5 (the newest they have listed) 19 times. The downsize; weight. 2.9lbs?!!? Ouch, that’s going to leave a mark!!

    https://www.amazon.com/LUXA2-Outputs-Charging-External-Smartphones/dp/B00HD8ZKMK

    This one (might be the one mentioned in comments even) is 26,800 mAh and 5.6 ounces. For those hiking spring of ’17, it’s time to start shopping. I’m looking at ’18 for my hike so anything electronic (cell, apps, batteries, etc.) I’m going to wait.

    https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Capacity-Anker-Ultra-High-Technology/dp/B00M3073L4?m1k=mbnx111-20&t=mbnx111-20&m2k=mbnx111-20&mnsid=mbnx111-20&tag=mbnx111-20&ascsubtag=UUacUdUnU52040

    Reply
  • Greg Ward : Jan 10th

    Spot-on!!! Thanks for the info.

    Reply
  • Haiku : Jan 21st

    I definitely didn’t need most things on this list. Actually I got rid of my titanium fold up spoon and went for a good ol plastic spoon once I lost it. I never found I needed a long spoon, and the fold up spoon was a PITA. And free! And lighter weight than titanium! The Sawyer Mini sucks, EVERYONE I knew (including myself, who never had problems using it before) switched to the 1 oz heavier Sawyer Squeeze. Battery pack- not necessary. I never used Guthook either on the AT though for PCT I think it’s a bit more useful. What I did was buy individual replacement batteries for my phone (about half the weight per charge) and just used AWOL- either printed pages for each section, or on my phone/pdf. Never a problem! Also, cheaper! I didn’t find I needed a cup but at some point I got a Campbell’s soup cup. Less weight than the titanium one (1 oz), free, and insulated to boot! It was useful for scooping some of the sketchy water sources during an unusually dry summer on the AT. I didn’t use a Z seat but that is a luxury item that I think is worth considering. Definitely wasn’t necessary to get aftermarket insoles with my Altra Lone peaks- everyone agreed they felt like “clouds on the feet”. For sure though, Darn Toughs! I never found the pair I liked (1/4 no cushion) in stores on the trail either, I’d recommend mailing to yourself from Amazon or wherever.

    Reply
  • Carnac767 : Aug 8th

    Great article, Chris. Thanks for posting it. I’m with you on 1, 2, and 4-7. It’s what I use. I feel like I can’t carry enough Darn Tough socks. Call it a trench foot phobia from my military days. I lug around an MSR Guardian water filter–heavy and expensive (though I did get it on sale for $80 off), but I’ve used it all over the world and it’s never let me down. The extra weight is well worth the peace of mind. Happy Trails.

    Reply

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