stg-sectionhikercom-buttons.kinsta.cloud Backpacking Gear Reviews and FAQs

Here’s the gear list that I’m planning to take on my first Long Trail Section hike over the Memorial Day weekend. It comes out to a base weight of 12.5 lbs which is a respectable lightweight load. With water, food, and fuel, I expect my total pack will weigh in at about 20 lbs. for the three day weekend. Later …

The Long Trail is a 272 mile trail that runs from the Massachusetts-Vermont state border through Vermont to the Canadian Border. It was established before the Appalachian Trail and is said to have been the model upon which the AT was based. The first 100 miles of the Long Trail coincide with the Appalachian Trail, but the LT keeps going north at White River Junction as the AT breaks east and heads into New Hampshire.

This weekend I took another section hike on the Appalachian Trail from Lee, MA to Dalton, MA, a distance of 20 miles. Unlike my last trip, this section was infinitely easier. The snow had all melted and the daytime temperatures were a lot higher. I was also joined by several friends who I had hooked up with from Whiteblaze.net, a …

The Exped Downmat 7 is a sinfully luxurious sleeping pad for cold weather camping when you need extra insulation below your sleeping bag to stay warm. Almost all sleeping bags, no matter their temperature rating, have one fundamental flaw. When you get into your bag, you compress the insulation underneath you limiting its ability to retain loft and trap warm …