Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Gear List

Choosing your Appalachian Trail thru-hike gear is as important as planning your hike itinerary. Gear that works fine for an overnight or weekend trip may not be the best choice for a thru-hiker. Multi-month backpacking adventures require more careful consideration when it comes to hiking gear. However, thru-hikers are a relatively small segment of the backpacking and camping market, and it can be difficult to find a good selection of appropriate gear in stock where you can actually see and touch it.

When shopping for thru-hike gear, you'll want to pay close attention to weight. The farther you carry something, the heavier it seems -- and on an Appalachian Trail thru-hike, you'll be carrying it for more than 2,100 miles. At the same time, you need your hiking gear to be sturdy enough to last for the entire six-month trip.

The best thru-hike gear is, of course, the gear that works for you. But until you have the trail experience to know what works, it's helpful to narrow down the choices to the gear that has worked for others in the same situation. Here is a thru-hike gear list recommendation that will get you from end to end on the Appalachian Trail -- or just about any long-distance hiking trail.

Photo © Nancy Shepherd