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Re: New Member
> of October. Right now I am beginning to sort through the equipment catalogs.
> Most of the stuff I use to hike with now is 20 years old and there are an
> amazing number of new equipment choices. This planning stage, though
> suddenly feels a little expensive is more fun than I thought it would be.
>
> That's about it, any info. from experienced hikers, appreciated.
>
> Rich Milewski
Rich:
I'm envious! It's been a lifelong dream of mine, also, to hike
the AT end-to-end. At this point in my career as a wage slave
:-)......chances are, I won't be able to hike the whole thing until I
retire...in the year 2020!
I'm not an equipment expert, but I'll give you my two cents anyway.
Most of my gear is 20-25 years old. I recently started backpacking
again....after a long hiatus. My backpack is a Kelty BB5
expedition pack that I purchased in 1971. Still works great.
My stove is a Svea with Sigg Tourist kit (1972). It works ok, but it's a little out
of date. The Svea often requires priming by lighting a small amount of fuel on the *outside*
of the base to build up pressure in the tank below. There are more efficient stoves
available now that perform better in cold weather with a lot less hassle.
One thing that I would definitely not scrimp on is boots. Get the
best available. Make sure they fit well. I'm sure that others here
on AT-L can chime in with recommended brands.
Have fun! Keep us posted on your plans and progress!
Rick
Barrington, Rhode Island
<ricktjader@ids.net>