stats
The Top Sleeping Bags on the Appalachian Trail
When I bought a sleeping bag for my thru-hike, I was incredibly overwhelmed. Synthetic fill is more water resistant, but natural down is more lightweight and compresses to a smaller...
By the Numbers: The Top Shelter Systems on the Appalachian Trail in 2015
"Hammocks are cool ... you can stealth camp just about anywhere." - Enthusiastic hammocker "I started out with a hammock ... then met a girl and we switched to a...
By the Numbers: What Footwear 2015 Thru-Hikers Wore on the Appalachian Trail
“You just get good at hiking, after so many miles. You become the toughness factor the boot had.” - An eloquent and badass 2015 AT thru-hiker, on switching from sturdy...
By the Numbers: Backpacks on the Appalachian Trail
As one of the Big Three gear items, backpacks are a crucial gear purchase. As my trail namesake, my pack was dear to me from the start. But after I crammed...
2015 Thru-Hikers: Sneak Peek Into Another Record Year
Current estimates suggest that this will be the 5th record year in a row for both NOBOS and SOBOS. This is likely the 4th record year in a row for...
By the Numbers: The Top Shelters on the Appalachian Trail
Although tents are the traditional means of shelter in the backcountry, a variety of alternative shelter systems are used by long-distance hikers on the Appalachian Trail, including hammocks, tarps,
AT Thru-Hikers Footwear by the Numbers
One of the many weird, but cool, things about hiking is that you are basically your own car. Your food is like gasoline: it is more expensive the further north you...
2014 Appalachian Trail Thru Hiker Stats Are In and They Are Surprising
Today Jennifer Pharr Davis and I sent a tweet asking the AT Conservancy if the updated 2014 Thru Hiker stats were online and low and behold they let us know...