Gear talk.

My last post was talking about all the things that I still needed to get taken care of before I leave. One of the most important, and believe me there are tons of posts, articles and videos on the subject - is my gear. This is stuff that I'll be carrying with me every day for 4-6 months. Shoddy gear, heavy gear - they can be the kiss of death to a long distance hiker. I've done a ton of research and bought the best that I can afford. There are still a few things that I need to get though.

Rain gear is a tricky question. There are many schools of thought. Rain jacket vs. poncho. Expensive vs. cheap. Pack cover vs. trash bag. The bottom line for me is that I'm going to get wet no matter what. My main concern will be protecting the things that I can't get wet and minimizing how miserable I will be. I'm leaning towards the poncho route, as it will double as a cover for my pack. I'll be lining my pack with a heavy duty plastic bag. The outside is going to get wet no matter what I do, so having the internals protected seems a lot easier.

Another piece to my gear puzzle is clothing. I've got a number of tops already, and should be set on that front. What I'm still debating is my leg wear. Ticks and Lyme disease are a major concern on the trail, so keeping your legs covered is definitely preferable. It's an added layer of protection- but there's a catch. I'm going to be hiking during the height of the summer, meaning hot days. Pants could be a killer, leading to overheating, chafing, etc. I still haven't decided on this one, but I'm leaning towards pants, maybe with zip off legs. Oh yeah, did I mention that I'll most likely be wearing them every single day? The more changes of clothes you have, the heavier your load. I'll have a pair of shorts to wear around camp, but that's about it.

Cold weather gear. Another quandary that I haven't figured out. I'm hiking during the warmest part of the year, but that doesn't alleviate the possibility of cold weather, especially in the mountains. The White Mountains in NH in particular are known for this. I have a sweatshirt, but I'll most likely need some sort of jacket and possibly long underwear. More weight and cost.

These are what I spend my time thinking about. Well, when I'm thinking straight of course.

Remember- It's about the journey!