Gear and Preparation
The Basics
Gear
We don't really know what we are doing...
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Cards on the table, we are rookies at this thru-hiking business. But what is adventuring if not for walking into the great unknown? That said, we are not setting off blindly. Over the last few months we have been doing our research, planning and shopping. We won't be going in unprepared. And, like many helpful hikers before us, we thought we would set out how we went about getting ready. Think of this as a 'beginner's beginner's guide'.
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This is what we've done to get ready:
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Our first port of call was the internet. We needed to find out what thru-hiking is all about, what we can expect, what we will need and, more importantly, what we won't need. The Pacific Crest Trail Association website was our starting point. Surveys provided by Halfway Anywhere was another great source of info. A big shout out all those that take the time to put these (and other) sites together. Without them, we'd have been lost before we even had the chance to get lost.
Once we decided that we could actually do this, we set our dates and got our permits, airfares and dived into the fun stuff, buying our gear!
Footwear
From the PCT surveys one thing was clear, the lighter your pack, the better your chance of finishing. With that in mind, we set about getting everything we needed (and nothing we didn't) for a base weight of 7.5kgs each. Buying gear (and finding it in the wardrobe) became a simple equation: what does it weigh + how much does it cost + how good is it at doing what you need it to do.
There is a lot of gear out there, for all types of adventures and for all budgets. Again, we turned to the friendly people of the internet. Sites like switchbacktravel.com were great resources to narrow our search. So too were the always helpful folks at our local camping store (props to the NT General Store). After trawling lists and reviews, the final decision on what to buy usually came down personal preference...nothing wrong with adding a little style where you can.
Tent
Sleeping
It was clear to us that hiking shoes and trail runners are now king. Boots (to N's distress) are out. They are just too bulky, heavy and poorly ventilated for something like this.
J went the trail runner option, Altera Lone Peak 3.5 and N went hiking shoe, Merrell Moab 2. We're expecting to go through a few pairs each before the end.
For the tent, we went lightweight and durable. Roominess was also a consideration (in anticipation of those zero km days sheltering from Washington rain). We went the Hubba Hubba NX and ground sheet.
Based on survey results and our own research, the Sea to Summit Ultralite Insulated sleeping mat was a clear winner for weight, size and comfort. The choice of sleeping bags is endless. Based on weight, temperature and comfort, we settled on the Enlightened Revelation and bag liners (mostly for the added comfort and easy washing).
Cooking
This seems to be a choice between Jetboil and MSR. We went the MSR Windburner.
GPS
We opted for the Garmin InReach SE. For us novices, we felt it gives us security in an emergency as well as good back up navs. The mapshare function was the cherry, making it easier for people back home to keep a track of us.
The rest of our gear is listed below.
Training
Food
The truth is, we haven't done a whole lot. We're backing ourselves in here somewhat. J has been training for a half ironman, she's fit enough. N added an extra leg day at the gym. We're hoping to pick up the rest as we go. We'll let you know how this regimen works out.
This started out as the most daunting part of the preparation and, to be honest, we'll be employing the 'try and see' approach. We are going use the re-supply function on the Pacific Crest Trail app and re-supply in towns when we can. Most importantly though, we have found a biltong supplier in the US and will be taking full advantage. Yo lekkerding!
Sobo
The reason for doing the PCT south bound is timing. We've had to finish work, projects and other life business first. A 1 July start was about as early as we could make. The problem with Sobo'ing (or one of the challenges) is getting to the start. US border laws restrict access from Canada at that point along the border and no roads go anywhere near to the start from the US. We considered all sorts of ways to get to the start without an annoying hike up the trail (and back again); we even considered getting choppered in (no go apparently). After several fights, we settled on doing a warm up hike in to the start, from Ross Lake along the Lighting Creek Trail. I guess that will have to be our training...