Greenhorn Gear: A Newbie’s Thru-Hiking Gear List

I’m new to hiking but I know that you need gear to hike the Appalachian Trail. So I had to figure out what is and isn’t worth the weight for me.  It is my hope that sharing this information will be a helpful starting point for other aspiring or committed thru-hikers. I also want to commemorate my first gear list to see how drastically this all changes after ~2,200 miles!

(If you just want the gear list, head to the Gear List tab on my author profile.)

HOW I RESEARCHED GEAR

If you read my first post, you know that my NOBO AT hike in 2023 will be my first real foray into backpacking and camping. Subsequently, my knowledge of gear relies primarily on reviews from The Trek, YouTube videos and shakedown hikes. The Trek’s Best of 2022 article series was the starting point for most of my gear.

Reflecting on my choices, I know that I highly value the opinions of recent thru-hikers when compared to other sources. I cross-referenced the Best of 2022 articles with The Trek’s 2021 Hiker Survey. Seeing the same gear repeatedly across different posts and videos also played a heavy hand in what gear I tested first. (I’m talking about everyone and their extended family seeming to have a Sawyer Squeeze peeking out of their bag.)

David Firari gives a detailed report on his gear list, find it all here.

마지막 업데이트

February 10, 2025

작성자
사진 썸네일 블로그 작성자

The Trek Editors

Editors

We are the word nerds of The Trek who want nothing more than to infuse some hiking and backpacking joy into your day.

더 많은 콘텐츠 살펴보기

미디어 언급

When I’m going to be walking in tall grass and weeds, I wear my snake boots which I’ve sprayed with Sawyer’s permethrin. Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/article308242365.html#storylink=cpy

Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon
Executive Producers and Hosts, "The People's Pharmacy

미디어 언급

Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent: Top-pick bug repellent

Wirecutter Staff
Staff

미디어 언급

Water purification technology has reached new heights with the Sawyer Squeeze System, delivering 0.1-micron absolute filtration that removes 99.9% of harmful bacteria, protozoa, and cysts.

Camping Survival
웹사이트