Day hikes on the Appalachian Trail

I don't but I have to say I'm envious of your hike location!!

We have a regular hiking back pack with a dedicated space for a CamelBak (or other) water reservoir and a hole for the tube and mouthpiece. Well, we have several back-packs actually and water reservoirs to match the size of the back pack.
It is so much more handy than using water bottles: no need to take off the back pack, unscrew the bottle etc. to take a few sips. Just grab the mouth piece, open it, sip and close it again. No need to even stop walking, unless you share the water with a partner (in that case, just stopping for a few seconds to let them drink is enough).

As for hiking poles: on (fairly) flat terrain, I don't use them. But in the mountains, I've always regretted when we didn't take them with us. My BF and I share one set. He likes to use them for climbing, whereas I love them for walking downhill.
My feet get very painful after walking downhill for a longer time: the soles of my feet get very sore from the repeated impact and my legs get tired from trying to put my feet down gently. The walking sticks make it easier to walk downhill 'softly' without too much impact on my feet.
It also helps me a lot on steep inclines downhill, I'm always worried about slipping and the walking sticks give me more stability and assurance.

Lighter sticks are more pleasant of course (ours are carbon fiber). Walking sticks in more sections are easier/smaller to pack when not using them, but a bit more hassle to adapt when hiking (you need to change the length according to if you're walking uphill (shorter) or downhill (longer) or flat terrain).

The hydro-packs are a lot easier when you are hiking, and you can take smaller sips during your hike instead of stopping to gulp from a water bottle. However, they are difficult to clean, harder to refill on the go, and I have had leaking issues. So, despite the convenience, I go with water bottles now.

Boots are very personal, but I love my Vasque hikers. I have a heavy-duty pair for backpacking, but also lighter, low-cut day hikers that are my favorite pair of footwear ever. Generally, anything that is waterproof and has gor tex will be hotter. The non-gor tex versions breathe better, but are not waterproof. So, it's a trade-off and depends on your preference.

Hiking poles for me are a MUST. They help with balance on uneven ground, save your knees (especially on downhill portions of a hike), and they prevent my fingers from swelling up. On anything longer than a neighborhood stroll, I take my hiking poles. A tip on purchasing these: the ones that tighten by twisting the pole are bound to wear out and not tighten anymore, which makes them unusable. Get the type that tightens with flick-locks instead.

Oooohhhh... what section of the AT?? We are near Harper’s Ferry and I have done a couple miles of the trail with the kiddos and have a bucket list dream of a thru-hike someday (my CV time has included some audio books on the AT). My husband said he wouldn’t mind starting to do small sections of it together - yay!

Can’t help much on gear, but I personally have never liked the big clunky hiking boots and have used my running shoes thus far. I have my eye on Altra Lone Peak 4.5s, currently on sale at REI.

Sorry, forgot:

If you go for a hydration pack, store the bladder and hose in your freezer. That's easier than getting the inside 100% dry and will prevent mold and mildew from growing.

There's a running store nearby that's doing online orders with curbside pickup. You can't go in the store, but they'll bring them to the sidewalk right outside the door for you. I needed new shoes and needed to try them on - tendonitis. Called them on the phone, explained the situation; they gave me three pairs of shoes to go try on in my car and walk around in.

I don't know how urgent your need for shoes is, but you might be able to find someone who'll work with you. Also Amazon is accepting shoe returns, but I'm glad I didn't have to go that route, I'm sure it would be frustrating.

I have a now 8 year old daypack from Arc'terix. It's super lightweight, comfy, and actually has a hip belt that works. While I never go out with so much stuff I can easily hike with about 15kg of luggage and feel no strain on my shoulders. Such a shame they stopped producing this one as it's truly brilliant. I basically use water bottles. Just (depending on temperature) one to two 1-1.5l plastic water bottles. Kept a few when vacationing in southern Europe where you can't drink tap water everywhere and have to buy bottled water.

Also if you drink a lot and sweat a lot make sure you have electrolytes. I don't advise putting anything but water in a hydration pack but I always carry electrolyte gummies.

NorthCascades wrote: »

jjpptt2 wrote: »

I hate poles, so I can't help you there, sorry.

I lost my poles years ago, attached them to my pack, lost them glissading. Not retrievable. I've been hiking without them ever since, and never once missed them. (I do feel guilty about the litter though.)

They can be useful when balance is really tough like on shifting rocks or crossing a swift creek. But it turns out the woods are full of sticks that work really well.

We all have a preferences, that's why it's a great world. At age 65, I'm finding even a stroll through a rolling meadow, like the battlefield park in my picture above can be enhanced with poles. I saw a cartoon on FB recently, of an oldster saying, "I see all these pics of older people doing these amazing hikes in spectacular country; I, on the other hand, am happy if I can get my feet into my underwear every morning." There are days I can empathize with that, LOL. If I were to re-enact Bryson's "Walk in the Woods," I'd definitely be Katz-like.

I'd like to get back out to WA and see the Olympics and San Juans again.

Platypus makes lightweight water bottles: https://www.platy.com/bottles/softbottle-.5l-1.0l/softbottle.html
They weigh almost nothing (20-40 grams empty).

IMHO CamelBacks are the worst reserviour. They are a pain to clean. All the other with the slider top are much, much easier to clean by design.

I wear retired running shoes - but I retire my shoes around 250 miles - and running socks.

I carry a GVP G4 I made myself, weighs less than 400 grams

HilTri wrote: »

I wasn’t sure the slider top hydration packs would be secure and to lose my water due to a leak would be awful but now that you recommend them, I will check them out. Can you tell me what a GVP is please?

Slide-top reservoirs are superior in pretty much every way. Easier to clean, easier to fill, easier to empty, easier to dry out...

Another reading recommendation is "Grandma Gatewood's Walk" Never mind that Bill Bryson disses Gatewood and the movie was terrible I still enjoyed "A Walk in the Woods". The part where they get to Gatlinburg is priceless.

I have been eyeing that book - might have to take the plunge! I read Blind Courage (Bill Irwin) - I cant even fathom doing the AT blind! We did a small section Mother’s Day weekend (Weverton Cliffs in Harper’s Ferry, access your most anything else was closed) and my husband commented several times how amazing of a journey that must have been... and terrifying! Unfathomable.