My Appalachian Trail Gear List and Review
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Outerwear
- Footwear
- Clothing
- Hammock and Tarp
- Sleeping Gear
- Toiletries and Personal Items
- Electronics
- Gear Repair
- Conclusion
🏕 Introduction
Hey there! Welcome back to my channel. I would like to thank all of you for your patience during my break. Now, I'm back and ready to get this thing rolling again. For those of you who are new here, my name is Ali, also known as TC, and I recently completed a Northbound through hike of the Appalachian Trail. In today's video, I'll be talking about the gear that I finished the trail with.
If you haven't already, you can check out my previous video where I discussed the gear I was taking with me before setting out on the trail. I'll provide a link in the description so you can easily find it. It might give you a better idea of the changes I made to my gear list throughout the journey. So, without further ado, let's dive into my finishing gear list!
👕 Outerwear
Let's start with the outerwear, the clothing and gear I wore and carried during my Appalachian Trail hike. I'll begin with the socks. I wore Darn Tough socks throughout the trail and went through three pairs, technically four because I initially thought I lost a pair but found them later. These socks are incredibly durable. I didn't realize it was possible to wear a hole in them until it happened to three pairs. They truly are incredible, and I will be wearing Darn Tough socks for life.
To protect my legs from debris and insects, I wore Dirty Girl Gaiters. These were a gift from a friend, and they worked amazingly well. The only minor complaint I have is that I had to occasionally readjust the little clip that attaches to the front, as it would sometimes become loose. Overall, these gaiters are versatile and adjustable, making them a great choice.
For shoes, I opted for the Altra Lone Peak trail runners throughout the entire trail. I chose the standard version without the high top or GORE-TEX features. I had zero issues with these shoes and went through a total of five pairs. The sixth pair I am currently using for trail running and they still have some life left in them. These shoes held up well, and I highly recommend them.
My sports bra of choice is a standard, pad-less one. I removed the pads before starting the trail as they can be uncomfortable, especially during long hikes. As for underwear, I wore ExOfficio's boy shorts. They are made of quick-wicking and fast-drying material, which made them perfect for the trail.
For shorts, I used biker shorts with pockets on the sides and a zipper pocket on the back. They hit about mid-thigh for me and held up well throughout the journey. I'm still using them to this day.
As for shirts, I wore a long-sleeve Jolly Gear shirt, which I purchased at Trail Days. I opted for the full long-sleeve version without the short sleeve attachments. This shirt was fantastic and surprisingly odor-resistant. It also had a ponytail hole at the back of the hood, which helped keep my hair off my neck and cooler during the summer months. The adjustable hood was also a great feature.
To keep warm, I used a Lightheart Gear micro grid fleece hoodie, which has a kangaroo pocket in the front and thumb holes in the sleeves. I loved this hoodie so much that I had to buy a new one after a curious mouse chewed a hole in my first one. It's exceptionally comfortable, warm, and durable.
For headwear, I wore a Tre hat. It's lightweight and has a hole at the back for my ponytail. The hat served its purpose well and held up despite my constant outdoor activities.
To listen to music and make hands-free calls, I used Aftershokz bone conduction headphones. They were a game-changer. I could have phone conversations while walking on the trail and easily switch to listening to music or podcasts. They provided excellent sound quality and comfort. The battery life was impressive, lasting up to 14 hours on a single charge.
Lastly, I wore a Timex watch and a chakra bracelet on my wrist. The watch wasn't anything special, but it served its purpose. Although it was no longer waterproof by the end of the journey, it still managed to display the time. The chakra bracelet was purely sentimental as it was my high school running watch.
That wraps up the outerwear section. In the next section, we'll delve into footwear and discuss the trekking poles, fanny pack, and more. Stay tuned!
(Note: The headings in the article are not bolded due to formatting limitations, but they should be bolded when creating the final content using Markdown language.)
