After losing my possum fur gloves on the Pinhoti I went back to my favorite from when I was ten—mil spec wool liner gloves.
The alternatives
What I was using
Minus 33 Degrees Wool Gloves
These are 2.4 ounces and when I bought them they were the low cost option. They are now about twice as much as I paid (currently $19 on Amazon instead of under $10) while the standard ones are four pairs for $28 which is more my kind of price.
They are warm, wear really well and I wore ones like them under a liner in below freezing weather in Alaska when I was a kid. 85% Merino Wool, 10% Stretch Nylon, 5% Elastic is what the Minus 33 ski liner gloves are made of.
The “standard” ones are 50% wool, 40% acrylic, 7% spandex and 3% rubber.
Possum Fur gloves are 28.43% Brushtail Possum Fiber, 52.12% Merino Wool, 15.71% Nylon, 2.12% Acrylic, 1.25% Elastic and 0.37% Steel
My wife currently does training walks wearing them my minus 33 degree gloves.
What I was given for Christmas
NRS Gloves
These are lighter than the wool and are “NRS Men’s HydroSkin Gloves – Neoprene Insulation Paddling Gloves.” (A mouthful)
Bulky and kind of ugly. But waterproof. All sorts of personalities have used them.
The unlined version with liner gloves
Review of the NRS gloves
Finally received the NRS gloves as a Christmas present and had a below freezing day with some wind to try them in.
They are lighter than the wool. They weigh 1.5 vs 2.4 ounces for the wool.
They are warmer. I was thinking of going with a size larger so my sun gloves would fit under them but that kind of defeats the purpose of being a skin tight layer.
Thin. Pliable. Warm. I’ve yet to try them out in the rain or try the sink test but they have a good reputation for water resistance and for quality.
The official site says they are DWR, not waterproof as some reviews assume. From the NRS website:
Premium nylon-spandex exterior with a DWR coating sheds water without sacrificing dexterity.
0.5 mm neoprene core for lightweight insulation.
Soft, smooth and hydrophobic interior feels great against bare skin.
Silicone pattern on the palm and fingers provides a better grip when wet.
Features a simple, stretchy cuff for easy donning and pairing snaps to keep the gloves together.
Note NRS updates their product line regularly so this product might not be the same in a year. Older reviews (including the official NRS review on YouTube) are of a different glove with the same name.
Verdict: cautious optimism. I think they are going on the AZT with me.
I recently saw a video of “mistakes” someone made and that he posits many beginners make. S
Using a trekking pole tent instead of a freestanding tent that has affiliate marketing kickbacks available.
Wearing boots instead of trail runners.
Treating “survival ratings” on sleeping bags like “comfort ratings”.
Not using a single pot cook system.
Not simplifying things.
Some of these are common mistakes and others are not mistakes at all or are not common.
Zpacks Pivot—a great tent.
To start with, from the way I frame it I think the reader can tell that I obviously disagree with #1. I switched to trekking pole tents more than five thousand miles ago.
To be fair, the only active affiliate links I have are those included when I copy data. It seems only fair to preserve those even though it doesn’t create revenue for me.
Maybe when I go back to working affiliate marketing I’ll change my mind about which type of tent is better.
#2 is pretty much a standard belief. Bottom line is that for most hikers trail runners are more comfortable. So it is kind of true.
On the other hand Gear Skeptic went into the math and the studies and boots do not have any significant disabilities. Boots do last substantially longer and handle really rough terrain better.
#3 is a mistake many people have made. The entire industry was not as transparent on ratings as it should have been. The new standards are a vast improvement.
A related mistake is that people will look at a bag with 12 ounces of down and one with 6 ounces of down at the same fill power and trust the manufacturer of the lighter bag that it really is as warm as the one made by someone else with more down.
#4 is something everyone eventuality seems to learn. Some have a pot and a cup but that tends to be the most complicated cook system after a while. If you are car camping or other “not thru-hiking” style backpacking, everything changes.
#5 — simplifying — is something I took to heart 6-7 years ago. Some of that is simple organization.
My electronics bag is always the same color. My bag with my water filter is always the same color. My bag with the trowel in it is always the same color.
Yellow stuff sack.
Water prep is also easily simplified in the evening. I’m also a big fan of gravity filtering water or chemical treatment while I do something else at the same time to simplify my life.
I always fill my wife and my own air mattresses at night.
An additional point is kludges—they are definitely a mistake that people make.
kludge
/klo͞oj/
INFORMAL
noun
an ill-assorted collection of parts assembled to fulfill a particular purpose.
verb
use ill-assorted parts to make (something).”Hugh had to kludge something together”
I’ve written a lot about hats. I won’t rehash it here.
Jackets
Rab Goretex., Marmot
Both of these are good rain jackets
Arc’tryx Beta AR, Outdoor Research Apollo
Both are good. The Arc’tryx kept me from hyperthermia but it is heavy. The Apollo I got on trail and it works. Could be lighter. I’ve worn both around town. I like the Arc’tryx, it is just too heavy for long hikes.
Arc’tryx—great for around town and bad weather. OR Helium II (boo. Hiss), Lightheart Gear
The Helium wets out quickly. Lousy service. Lightheart Gear works. Wore out eventually. Worked well enough for me that my wife bought one.
Helium gets used as a windbreaker sometimes.
My wife’s Arc’tryx
A different model than mine. Protected her from hypothermia. Still wears it around town. Only failure is that it is heavier than other gear.
I confess I will go back to Lightheart Gear when my Visp wears out.
More on jackets/alternatives
I’ve used a “typical” vinyl rain coat. Waterproof. Heavy. Does not breathe.
I really wanted to like ponchos. I tried a number of them. My forearms and hands were wet and cold.
The Packa
I used https://www.thepacka.com/. Really liked it. Rain cover for your pack, protects your shoulder straps from the rain, breathable and lots of protection. Not what I would use away from the Appalachian Trail or with a Dyneema style pack.
My Packa eventually wore out.
In addition, Frogg Toggs are cheap and fairly light. The jackets are worn on many trails.
I’d put the Packa as perfect for the Appalachian Trail. Not perfect for other trails with more exposed wind. Continuously improved and people wearing them share a sense of community.
For the PCT, Happy6 and I moved to Versalite rain pants. About half the weight but not as tough as EMS and no zipper. We did not need them days on end. With tenacious tape patches they kept going and we we wore them for about 2/3rds of the CDT as well.
https://lightheartgear.com/products/rain-pants is what I’ve moved to since my Versalite pants wore out and got washed once too often. Don’t toss DWR treated pants into the washing machine.
LHG pants bottoms
The pants have a bottom zipper. They also have pass through pockets. That is, flaps but they give you access to your pants or shorts pockets instead of having separate pockets for the rain pants. I like them because that means I can quick pull up/on rain pants and still have easy access to whatever was in my pockets.
Finally, most hiker boxes will have a pair of failed Frogg Toggs bottoms in them at one point or another. The bottoms are no where near as well accepted as the tops.
This year, the Montbell Versalite(Men’s/Women’s) was the highest-rated rainwear on the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s a 6.4 oz / 182 g jacket made with GORE-TEX WINDSTOPPER fabric. It has pit zips, a pocket hem adjuster, and two hand-warmer pockets placed hiker up to not be in the way of a hipbelt, fanny pack, or harness.
This year, the Montbell Versalite(Men’s/Women’s) was the highest-rated rainwear on the Continental Divide Trail. It’s a 6.4 oz / 182 g jacket made with GORE-TEX WINDSTOPPER fabric. It has pit zips, a pocket hem adjuster, and two hand-warmer pockets placed hiker up to not be in the way of a hipbelt, fanny pack, or harness.
I find the satisfaction ranking more relevant than the popularity of the twelve most common rain jackets on the PCT and the CDT.
Comment: I found it interesting that gear that made the “top five” on one trail did not on the other. Montbell, Visp and Lightheart Gear showed up on both the PCT and the CDT top five.
Most hikers start with the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail.
It is common on the Continental Divide Trail for hikers to have hiked both other trails before.
Most rain jackets can also double as a wind shirt. That use just wears them out much faster. When wind breakers often weight 6-7 ounces it made sense to use the same jacket for both tasks.
With 1.7 ounce wind shirts it makes sense to carry a wind shirt and not wear out my rain jacket early.
I’ll have more on gloves and mittens after Christmas.
Remember, trail names are just nick names used by hikers.
Those new to the world of thru-hiking may be wondering “how do I get a trail name” or “how do hikers come up with their trail names”. Fortunately, there is a set of (until now) unwritten rules surrounding the subject.
I would consider these “rules” to be widely known/regarded, but none of this is set in stone. Trail names are meant to be something fun within the community and you can do whatever you wish as far as your trail name goes.
On that note, before we get into the unwritten trail name rules, know that you do not have to have a trail name. If you want to use your “regular” name for the entirety of the trail, feel free to do so.
Chances are you will still be asked about your trail name and other hikers will try to give you one.
If you make it clear you don’t want a trail name and someone continues to try to give you one (and this bothers you), then maybe that’s not a person you should spend any more time around.
With that caveat out of the way, here are the unwritten rules of trail names.
You cannot give yourself a trail name.
A trail name needs to be given to you by someone else, you cannot make up your own.
Unless you really want to give yourself a trail name.
You must accept a trail name for it to become your trail name.
Other hikers cannot unilaterally decide what your trail name is.
You are allowed to change your trail name.
But know this will make it incredibly difficult for others to identify you.
But it is never too late to change a name you aren’t happy with.
You can get a new trail name on a new hike.
Although many hikers choose to keep their trail names to be more easily identified by people they may have met previously.
After all, you can change your trail name any time you want.
There is no length requirement for trail names.
Trail names can be as simple as “7” or as long as (or longer than) “Endless Postman Summer”. Just know that if you have a long trail name, your fellow hikers will likely find a way to shorten it.
Two or three syllables is the longest a trail name gets without getting shortened.
You can have the same trail name as another hiker.
Just like names off the trail, there is quite often overlap with trail names in the hiking community. No name is off-limits and there’s no quota for each trail name on a particular trail.
Though I’d hesitate to go with one used by more than seven or eight other people in the same year.
You do not have to have a trail name.
I stated this above but it bears repeating: you do not need to take a trail name while on the trail. There is nothing wrong with going by your given name.
Lots of people do that.
Anyone can give you a trail name, and you can give a trail name to anyone.
There’s no quota on the number of trail names each person can give out. That said, don’t be the person who meets someone without a trail name and then instantly tries to name everyone after knowing them for ten seconds.
Those people are obnoxious.
You do not need a trail name to give out a trail name.
You can still give people trail names if you don’t have one (whether by choice or because it hasn’t come about yet). It’s not like you need to be in the “trail name club” before you’re allowed to participate.
Do not put your trail name (only) on any packages you send yourself.
This is an important rule and perhaps the only one that is a real rule you must follow. It’s easy to get into the trail culture and go by your trail name even when in town.
However, when sending yourself a resupply package, gear, or whatever else through the mail, use the name on your identification (which you’ll likely be asked for to pick up your package/mail).
Or both your “real” name and your trail name. But don’t skip your real name.
Don’t think you will be the only person “allowed” to use your name.
It is fun to look back at my gear from the past and look at now.
I see gear I’ve changed a lot and also see gear that has been stable or unchanged for a while as Happy6 and I get ready for the Arizona Trail.
Clothes
Shirts
I’ve actually changed shirts up a bit, but generally because they’ve worn out and been replaced.
Started with short and long sleeved t-shirts for the Appalachian Trail. For that trail that is still a good choice.
Black Diamond Alpenglow Sun Hoodie
For the PCT I switched to a Black Diamond sun hoody. Then to Mountain Hardware (that is a great sun hoodie). I’ve made some on-trail substitutions when things were wearing out.
Merino long sleeve t-shirt, mountain hardware, etc and two Jolly Gear sun hoodies.
The only change I’ve made off trail is Jolly Gear. I’ve enjoyed the shirts I’ve had from Jolly Gear. I’d put them on par, but different, from Mountain Hardware. My favorite varies.
Pants and shorts
For pants, I used to have preferences. Now, whatever fits.
REI Sahara and Prana Pants
On the AT zip offs were important to me. Now, I don’t really care. Pants protect me from sunburn and scrapes.
For shorts it is pretty much what is the lightest pair that fits.
Underwear
These days it is nylon mesh. Breathes. Doesn’t hold moisture. Washes out easily and dries quickly. Lightweight.
Socks
I’ve worn a lot of socks. Darn Toughs are a trail favorite. I’ve hiked thousands of miles in them.
For sleep I have a pair of really light socks that are insect shield treated and have no compression.
Hats
I started with a Tilley Hat clone. I really liked it. Lost it. Bought a genuine Tilley Hat at REI. Could never get it waterproof.
It was donated to a thrift store last month after my having it around 6-7 years and not wearing it.
For trail use on the Appalachian Trail I went to the Frogg toggs hat. It is lighter than Tilley and waterproof. Wide brimmed. My wife considers it ugly. She is probably right.
For the PCT I went to a sun hoodie and a polyester (hydrophobic) hat.
Built cool hat
Lost that hat at the family reunion in Oregon. Bought one at a grocery store. A replacement wasn’t available on Amazon so I got a washable built cool.
I now have a built cool hat in blue and one in orange. Under a sun hoodie color really does not matter.
Baselayers & fleeces
I’m currently using a merino long sleeve t-shirt and a capilene legging set. I’d use Silkweight milspec because it is the same technology and cheaper than brand name capilene but I owned the bottoms I use before Silkweight was a thing.
“AirMesh’s warmth is good for such a light fabric, but 60 gsm Alpha Direct surpasses the warmth-to-weight performance of AirMesh fabric.”
“In drying tests from saturation, the fabric dries at a considerably slower rate than 60 gsm Alpha Direct and an equivalent rate to 100 gsm conventional wicking fabric.”
I end up wearing the baselayer and fleece just enough that I’m willing to carry them.
Misc
On the PCT and CDT and such I need sunglasses.
Washcloths and sunglasses
I also use a washcloth from dollar general. I’ve been tempted to use the light blue one instead as it is smaller but haven’t yet.
I often carry a pair of shorts to go with the pants I wear so I have a choice.
Vargo trowelMisc water filters and equipment. Much I still don’t use. But I might.
I just changed up my camp shoes. Review after Christmas. Same for my new gloves.
Finally
Toothbrush, tethers and card protectorsOld headlamp. Misc. Flip fuel
I use tethers on my reading glasses and sunglasses. I keep my credit card in a protector in my wallet to protect it from abrasion.
I have a toothbrush, floss and a miniature toothpaste container that I’ve refilled several times.
I also carry ibuprofen, vitamins and spare reading glasses.
Puffy
Puffy with hood and one without
I’m currently in the camp of using a puffy with a hood. This picture and others on this page are not accurately color balanced.
Sleeping
I’ve used a number of bags and quilts. Currently I use the feathered friends bag Happy6 and I used to start in 2019 on the AT. When it is cold we use them as zip together bags. Warmer (but cool) we use them zipped together as a large quilt.
Happy6 and I both use Therm-a-Rest pads. Short sized for lighter carries.
I’ve tried a number of pillows but now just use a stiff sack with spare clothes for a pillow. For siestas I just use my pack or my camp shoes for a pillow.
We are currently in a Zpacks Pivot Trio and I use MSR groundhogs with it. The soil where we hike is too tough for titanium shepherds hooks or non-DAC aluminum.
Groundsheet/footprint
https://zpacks.com/products/flat-groundsheet is what we just got. It is almost impossible to find this Dyneema footprint on the website in favor of the much less expensive footprints they sell.
It has advantages that make it worth considering. Lighter than tyvek. Friendlier to use than polycro.
I’ve used polycro, tyvek and other ground sheets for footprints. I’ve looked at Nylofume (which is tougher than polycro).
Polycro is light and absolutely waterproof. Tyvek breathes some and makes a good tarp to siesta on. It is cheap and easy to replace.
The Dyneema is kind of expensive but lighter than Tyvek. As a result of it weighing less we are trying it out. If it works on the AZT we will finish the CDT with it.
Bottles, bear spray, etc.
Raingear
I use a combination of a baseball hat, Visp jacket and Lightheart Gear rain pants in the rain.
I’ve used a lot of rain gear. I wholeheartedly recommend Lightheart gear.
I’ll know more about which gloves I plan to use after Christmas.
I’ve been happy with Cascade Mountain Tech and was happy with Black Diamond before I switched. CMT adjusts easier than BD.
I wear gaiters on trail. Otherwise I have a constant stream of things falling in my shoes. Gaiters are important for some people, useless for others.
Specialty gear
I wear hearing aids and carry a recharger for them. I have a phone with a built in camera that uses a usb cord to recharge. I recharge it with a two outlet charger in town and a battery on trail. I have two nightcore batteries and a nitecore headlamp for trails where I go more than four days between recharges. I carry two usb c cables.
Water
I started with a steripen. It failed on day two of a section hike. Tried a Sawyer Mini. Friends don’t let friends use a Mini. I’ve used a Sawyer Micro. Definitely an improvement. The Standard Sawyer is better yet.
Sawyer filter
A Katadyn BeFree is faster. It uses a different size water bottle. I first saw thru-hikers in Washington using them who filtered everything and they were still faster than a new Sawyer. That convinced me the BeFree would last a thru-hike.
For the AZT I’m thinking of going back to the Sawyers because water is so problematic in Arizona.
To carry water I’ve used a bladder and I’ve used CNOC water bags. Switched to hydropak with the BeFree as it is tougher and lighter. In theory CNOC is easier to fill but that hasn’t been an issue.
Aquatabs
I first picked up Platypus bags from hiker boxes to have for when I needed to carry more water. Wore them out. Got one new Platypus and an Evernew for when I need to carry a lot of water.
I discovered Platypus bags rated 2 liter will hold three. Evernew bags rated 2 liter hold two.
Early on hiking I picked up some iodine water purification pills from the hiker box at Mountain Crossing. I eventually switched to Aquatabs after trying their liquid system. The tabs don’t have to be mixed, are lighter and just better.
Push pull replacement tops.
I have replacement push pull tops for water bottles. I used to buy the platypus ones but they have been discontinued.
The ones I now use have a great color to them.
Cooking gear
Pots and pans and a 1 quart cup
I have quite the collection. Even have a fuel flip for transfers of fuel into an empty canister.
Happy6 and I currently share a Stanco Greasepot with a cozy. No cups.
For bottles I carry one one liter smartwater bottle or its equivalent. I carry a one quart Core water bottle for the cap which makes a great scoop.
I have .7 quart Core water bottle which works well for mixing instant breakfasts for water and protein with breakfast. The wide mouth works really well for that in the mornings and it is otherwise a great bottle.
Bear bags, canisters, etc.
Adotek
We started with a Garcia for the Appalachian Trail. Too heavy and not needed.
BV 500 on the PCT. Then we upgraded with gifts.
Bearikade
Lighter. Tougher. Great size. Nice seal. Still too heavy to carry when not needed.
For food I started with a dry bag from Amazon to hang my food in. It eventually wore out. So I bought another of the same brand and color. It wetted out immediately. Quality had obviously gone downhill.
The only good thing about Covid is that it pushed me off trail before I had to deal with with that failure for any real length of time.
I moved to a Dyneema bag as it was truly waterproof and I hike with one now. A second one holds my baselayer & such and also works as a pillow.
For my pack I started with a pack cover. When I switched to thePaka.com my rain cover also covered my pack.
As I moved to a Hyperlite Dyneema pack I also picked up a Dyneema pack liner. It eventually failed. I moved to trash sacks and then Nylofume transparent liners. I like them. Inexpensive, tough, transparent and easy enough to replace.
I have my toiletries (paper & trowel) packed with ziplock bags inside of a red dry sack in one outside pocket.
Electronics and medical goes in a yellow dry sack and water filter and bags go in a blue dry sack I can sleep with to keep my filter from freezing. My meds are my ibuprofen and vitamin d and a multivitamin. I also carry some cotton swabs and have carried lukotape and antibiotic cream.
When one bag wears out I replace it with another of the same color.
Lost gear
I lost my Tilley hat clone. One ball cap.
My favorite base layer top. One pair of Darn Tough socks.
One ultralight croc clone (lost them both but one was returned to me).
One pair of possum fur gloves.
One set of reading glasses. Found a replacement within the day.
That is all I can think of.
Afterwords
Gear choices vary a lot between people. I’ll be seventy next year (2026). Younger hikers might carry more weight. Heavier tents than I use are common.
They may take bigger risks or use more marginal gear (like tarp + bivy instead of a tent).
I also hike with my wife and we hike places not suited to hammocks nor are two person hammocks reasonably light.
Light my Fire Spork— my first spork
Some alternatives are a matter of taste. Nemo pads instead of Therm-a-rest. Closed cell foam instead of a pad works for some people.
Some people use sporks. I’ve come to prefer long handled spoons. Others also carry a cup in addition to a pot or only need to boil enough water for one person instead of two people.
Bear spray can be an essential for some areas and a waste for others.
Bear spray
Since I hike with my wife, I carry the tent, she carries the cooking gear and the footprint. Her medical kit is different from mine (she has the Imodium).
Gear is ultimately a choice with many right answers.
The question of which shoes are the best is asked much too often by people expecting a cut and dried answer.
New Balance 400s
The issue
The problem has several parts:
Shoe fit is very foot dependent.
Which shoe is best for which use differs a lot.
Manufacturers quality isn’t always reliable.
Special uses.
Shoe fit is very individual
The most important factor for a shoe is that it works well with your particular foot.
One outdoor professional I respect a great deal has narrow feet. What works well for him won’t work at all for me.
Many people handle low arches or no arch support well. Salomon Odyssey Triple Crown Magic was that sort of shoe. It made a big splash in 2018 and 2019 or so and seems to have disappeared.
Triple Crown Magic by Salomon
I don’t see it in surveys of long trail hikers and the places I checked on line had sold out and not replaced their inventory.
Other people like arch support or need shoes that rotate some to take the stress off their knees (shoes that lock in your ankles tend to generate knee problems).
Some people do not have a problem with their feet sweating. They can walk in 98+ degree heat for miles in waterproof shoes and be fine.
Others need as much breathable shoe surface as possible.
The bottom line is the most important thing a shoe can do is fit your particular feet well.
Most common shoes used by thru-hikers
For 2024 and the Appalachian Trail (from thetrek.co — links as they set them up):
Surprisingly, trail shoes for hikers (which are more robust than trail runners, Merrill Moabs being the prime example) are often not as popular as trail runners designed with joggers in mind.
Ultra Raptors—a friend’s favorite shoe.
Hikers often gravitate towards cross-over shoes (shoes between a trail runner and a trail shoe ) as well.
The Terraventure is a prime example of a cross-over shoe.
Manufacturing quality
There were shoes that were great for six hundred miles or more on trail that went to less than three hundred or even failing at one hundred miles as manufacturing quality control slipped or intended defects were introduced.
The current quality of manufacturing—not that of years past—is incredibly important in finding the “best” shoe for a thru-hike.
Special uses
The most common example of a special use that is outside of the norm is waterproof shoes focused on winter/snow use.
Another difference is whether the shoes are used to carry heavy loads or for a lighter pack or standing at work. Those are all different uses that the same shoes might be put to.
Finally, cushion can make a difference for some people. It makes it easier to adjust to hiking. Cushion also affects road walks and trails where you might want to have a rock plate for — either in addition to cushion or where a really thick cushion can take the place of a rock plate.
This starts by going to a place where you can get shoes fitted to your feet. I took my daughter to a great place in Charlottesville that spent more than half an hour and fitted her to excellent shoes that have been perfect for her.
Buy a pair from such a store and see how that pair works for you.
La Sportiva Wildcats.
It also helps to pay attention to what others are using on the trail you want to hike but don’t let that alone control your final decision.
Postscript, shoes I have used
I started with cross trainers by New Balance. NB discontinued the ones I used which had cushion and used their A1 last.
I tried some basketball shoes (some are similar to cross trainers) but discovered that rocker action doesn’t work for me.
Then I picked up some REI garage sale shoes by Vasque (the Breeze) and then some NB 400 cross trainers/trail shoes.
Vasque Breeze
I then moved to Altras. Those messed up my knees. Other than almost crippling me they were great. I hobbled into an REI and switched to Northface Ultra 109s which worked well for me as did their successor the 110.
They were especially good for walking around town.
For a section hike the guy at REI recommended some Merrills (not the Moab) that were best suited to walking on carpet. Every stick or pebble hit my feet as I hiked.
Salomons were next. They were just a little too narrow for me so I had foot pain all the time. I replaced them with La Sportiva Wildcats that were great but they were too active (so I rolled my ankles a lot with them).
They felt really great but lasted me only from Katahdin to Rattle River before the rocks had sliced up my uppers. So I needed new shoes.
That led me to the Merril Moabs I got from a hiker box. They were great. I’ve bounced in and out of Moabs from time to time, the last time because of quality control issues that they have since resolved.
I tried Hoka ATRs (Stinsons) and really liked them. I left Hoka over durability issues in later years that gave me shin splints before three hundred miles. I also tried Speedgoats and had the same problem with the shoes not lasting.
I haven’t bought Hokas since.
Topo Ultraventures
It seems that they have fixed that durability issue, but I’ve moved on to Topos. I started with Ultraventures and am now using Terraventures for improved durability and because PMags liked them.
I do road walks and town trail training in Phantoms which I’m considering for a Camino.
Evening walk December 8 Tooele
I have a pair of Moabs I bought as “boots” for an ice axe class and a pair of La Sportiva Ultra Raptors (a great shoe) in my closet. The Raptors are Wildcats with less stack and better protected uppers.
They last longer and are less likely to roll my ankles—the change in stack makes them more stable.
Later in the evening December 8
I’ve tried the new Topo Mountain Racers which are great for trail but not for roads. I’m waiting to hear how they do for durability.
Something common to many surveys of the “best” items of gear is that they are not the most commonly used items of gear.
Instead they often are:
More expensive
Heavier
Only marginally better
Used by a small group
Now, this isn’t true of all “best” items from all surveys, but it is a common theme.
An example
I first noticed it in evaluations and surveys of rain gear. I own an Arc’tryx that was at one time “the best.” It has protected me against hyperthermia in pouring rain for hours and kept me dry.
Arc’tryx Rain Shell
I wore it today to walk in the snow.
While my wife bought it for me at a dramatic discount I’m still embarrassed at how much she paid. I don’t wear it on trail anymore and instead backpack with something that weighs half as much.
The most common shell on the Appalachian Trail (where you can expect to get rained on a lot) is by Frogg Toggs. It is by no means highly rated.
To quote the latest survey:
Frogg Toggs was once again the top brand and model of rain gear used by hikers, perhaps due to its reputation as an affordable and easily replaceable option.
Two brands whose rain jackets I recommend (Lightheart Gear and Montbell) were highly rated.
For Frogg Toggs a complete set, jacket and pants, costs $32. Lightheart gear’s jacket costs $150 and Montbell lists at $260 (but is currently on sale for about $180).
That pattern repeats often.
Another example
Another example is stoves. Often fancy, heavier stoves are rated as better than much less expensive and lighter stoves.
The reason
Now there are good reasons for the way the ratings turn out. “Best” items tend to have better features and be sturdier. So people rate it higher.
A best knife will have a great blade and wide functionality.
The spatha knife. A great knife.
The most common knife will weigh less and will only cut cheese and salami and tape.
Derma Safe Knife—I’m most likely to carry this one.
The same is true for tents. Highest rated tents are all three person palaces that are double walled and freestanding.
Most common will be smaller and weigh half as much.
The heavier items have a place, especially for weekends or car camping. I still have gear just for that type of use.
But day after day through hiking where the primary goal is to cover distance creates a use where lighter weight has a value.
Exceptions
That said, sometimes “best” is lighter. That is especially true with down. 450 loft is heavier for the same insulation than 650 which is heavier than 850 which is heavier than 950/1000. Synthetic will range between equivalent to 450 to equivalent to 650.
Sometimes “better” is more common than “barely good enough”. So while Frogg Toggs are most common for rain jackets, for puffies (down jackets worn at camp to keep you warm until you go to sleep) the most common ones are also quality gear.
Trends
The trend is for better gear to be lighter and for a convergence to develop where the highest rated is often lighter than less expensive gear.
Technology is making strides.
Caveats
First. Once you get away from surveys many of the ratings are driven by affiliate marketing kickbacks.
While surveys have their weaknesses (they are what people carried before they hiked) surveys at least tell what gear is an actually being used and how people felt about it.
Striking, often a list of “best” or “top recommendations” will not overlap with what people are using. When there is a divergence like that it bears some attention.
Second. Some years are statistical anomalies.
For example, one year the Sawyer Mini was the highest rated filter. I like the regular Sawyer, the BeFree and the Sawyer Micro filters.
But the Mini? Friends don’t let friends carry a Mini. Slower. More prone to clog. Minuscule weight difference. My advice about the Mini is to just say no. How it came out as “best” one year I have no idea.
Third. Surveys are perpetually behind the curve. Usually innovations aren’t that significant and you can always be just fine without the latest and greatest.
Sometimes it is great to have made a switch before everyone else.
Finally. Surveys can miss things or be incomplete. You won’t get a survey of the best pot or the best spoon or best hat.
So surveys are useful, but they do not replace thinking or research. Remember you are looking for what is best for you not what other people thought was best for them.
