Gear I Love
Many of these are affiliate links. If you click on them, it will cost you no extra, but a portion of the money you pay to buy the products will go towards supporting this website!
Over the years, over the hundreds of miles I have hiked, and as I approach my time on the AT, I have tested out many different pieces of gear. Some do the job, no more, no less. Others let me down compared to the high praise I read online, while others blow me away with their performance.
Here is some of my favorite brands:
SOLE Inserts
SOLE Inserts changed the game for me during my time backpacking the AT. Their inserts mold to your feet and saved me from foot, leg, and even some lower back pain while I was on the trail (I use the performance medium, however, if you struggle with metatarsalgia and Morton’s neuroma, then there are raving reviews for these inserts). If you use any of my links, you get $20 off!
Insect Shield Permethrin Clothing and Treatment
The best way I found to deal with the bugs was with permethrin clothing treatments. Insect Shield sells clothes with built-in permethrin protection against mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and midges (no-see-ums). The repellency lasts through 70 washings – and are appropriate for use by children and adults of all ages. They also offer a treatment service called “Insect Shield Your Own Clothes“, which allows you to send in your own clothing to be treated with the same technology they use on their clothing and gear. If you think you may buy some of their gear or treat your own clothes, you can use the Discount Code: ROVER15 for 15% off your first purchase.
Decathalon
Decathalon is a european outdoor recreation store. In my mind, its like the REI of Europe. Except its far cheaper.
No matter where in the world you are you likely at one point saw someone wearing clohing or carrying a backpack with Decathalons in-house brand “quechua”. I have found the quechua gear to be superb in performance and typically 50% of the cost of other equivalents. Specifically I have found their MH-series of clothing to be amazing 🙂
(Plus they have begun branching out into the US and so you no longer have to worry about your products being shipped from across the pond!)
Brynje
Unique Baselayers made of mesh that claim more warmth and less wet than traditional baselayers. Read my post on them here.
FlipFuel’s Fuel Transfer Device
Lastly, I always recommend hikers get a fuel transfer device. I cannot stress enough how this became one of my favorite gadgets on the trail. It allows you to take fuel from one can and put it in another. As you are aware from your time on the AT, hikers are always leaving leftover fuel cans at hostels. So instead of constantly having to track your fuel levels, you can just top off your fuel can each time you reach town. You can get 20% off using my Discount code: Rover20
My Favorite Gear for the Rest of Your Pack:
Backpacks
Tents/Shelter
- TarpTent Double Rainbow
- I recommend you use a Polycryo Footprint. The one I have linked here is to a Window Shrink Film Insulator Kit, which is the same exact material, but much cheaper than if you buy this material as a precut footprint from a tent company. With the amount you can buy in the link above, I cut myself 3 footprints for my 2-person tent.
- MSR Mini Ground Hog Stakes I recommend the mini, I used the full size and found the mini to be just as strong, but much lighter and to take up less space in my pack
Sleeping Gear
- Hammock Gear Premium Burrow
- If you plan to either use a hammock, or if you are a tenter interested in lightening your load by using a quilt instead of a sleeping bag, then Hammock Gear is for you. I found the ratio of high quality to low price for Hammock Gear’s quilts to an unbeatable deal. That, and their customer service is extremely responsive and helpful.
- Sea 2 Summit Sleeping Bag Liner
- Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow
- Pillows are not a necessity on the trail, but for those willing to pay a little and carry a teensy extra weight, this pillow is a worthwhile investment for the comfort it brings
- Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Sleeping Pad
- This is the updated NeoAir and it is in fact a whole lot quieter than the previous version (which was the main complaint). It is thick enough even for side sleeping (which I do often on the trail). I have not found another pad that beats its combionation of R-value, thickness, and weight.
Clothing
- Insect Shield ExOfficio BugsAway Vianna Pants
- I love these because they have Insect Shields permethrin bug repellant, not to mention they fit nicely. However, if you already have a pair of pants you love and are not looking to buy another pair, then may I recommend sending them into Insect Shield for permethrin treatment
- Marmot Women’s PreCip Eco Full-Zip Rain Pants
- I love these because they fully zip on either side, making it possible to put them on and take them off without removing my shoes. This is HUGE. While these may not be the lightest on the market, I have found them to be the best considering their price & quality.
- Darn Tough Socks
- Darn Tough socks have a famous name for good reason. Not only are they high quality, but they have a lifetime guarantee. You can bring them to any outfitter to exchange them, or mail them into the company itself for an exchange. In a thru-hike this saves you a LOT of money. Plus, being made of wool, these socks will keep your feet warm even when wet.
- Altra Olympus 4
- Trail runners are big when thru hiking and Altra may have the most well known name. That being said, while the Olympus was my favorite shoe to hike in, because of its thick sole and use of vibrum which allowed me to grip onto even the most slippery surfaces, many fellow hikers complained of lessened quality for the newer versions of the shoes (i.e., the Olympus 5’s or the Lone Peak 7’s)
- Dirty Girl Gaiters
- These gaiters are great for keeping dust/dirt/sticks/any other unwanted material out of the shoes and off the socks. I have found this most helpful in keeping my socks clean for longer (trust me, you’ll be grateful too).
- They will likely help you more on drier hikes, such as through deserts
- SOLE Inserts These have proved life changing in my thru-hike. I look forward to using them in my every day life walking/running/hiking. If you are interested, you can get $20 off using my link.
- Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat
- I LOVE THIS HAT. It is great because the combination of the wide brim in front and the floppy back makes it easy to use and great for blocking the sun. It vents well AND it has little holes to hold my sunglasses on my head (which hold the glasses, even if I bend down!)
- Discount code: Dakota23!
- It’s good for 20% off full cart, one-time use only.
- Coolibar UPF50 Fingerless Sun Gloves
- Great way to protect your hands from sunburn without carrying heavy sunscreen
Electronics
- Garmin inReach Mini 2
- Garmin Instinct Solar Smartwatch I LOVE this watch.
Kitchen
- Soto Stove set
- I have heard that the SOTO WindMaster is slightly better (i.e. more efficient with fuel), but for the cost, I found the Amicus perfectly good enough for my needs
- FlipFuel transfer device
- This was a GREAT addition to my kitchen set on the trail. It allows me to take fuel from one can and put it in another, saving me money and the hassle of always buying new fuel cannisters!! (You can get for 20% off with the code Rover20)
- Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
- Some on trail complain about how quickly water filters through the Sawyer Mini. I carried the Sawyer Squeeze, a slightly larger and heavier version, but as a result, filtration was much quicker. And as long as I was consistent with back filtering it (cleaning it out), it lasted my entire thru-hike
Other
BearVault canister
Bug Net Head soooooo worth the $15
Leatherman Squirt Knife tiny and lightweight and it still has everything I want/need
Pepper Spray safety first 🙂
Pee Rag this will save you the hassel of constantly restocking on toilet paper
Trowel and CuloClean Portable Bidet for the other kind of bathroom you’ll need on trail
Powder Face Sunscreen a much lighter version of sunscreen for your face
Many of these are affiliate links. If you click on them, it will cost you no extra, but a portion of the money you pay to buy the products will go towards supporting this website!