Lots of Ground to Cover (To Cover a Lot of Ground)

Therese Hobson’s Studious Approach to Gear for the Appalachian Trail

Therese Hobson completed a NOBO thru hike of the Appalachian Trail this year, taking with her not just gear, but a good base of knowledge and confidence that came from doing her research about it before she started. Here she dives into detail about the crucial “Big Three” that become the foundation life on trail with pre-purchase and post-hike thoughts about it all. If hiking the AT is in your plans for the coming year, adopting a meticulous investigative process can reap great rewards. It’s also pretty enjoyable.

Words and Photos by Therese Hobson

What an interesting endeavor it is to break away from society for six months to hike a long trail. Life is made simple in the woods. It’s just you, your pack, and its contents. Existence becomes repetitive in the most beautiful way– you wake up, break down camp, hike, eat, and sleep. The moment’s in-between dawn, and dusk are spent moving through, over, and around mountains.

Movement is a core element of thru hiking, and thus, proper gear, clothing, and footwear are essential components of being a successful thru hiker. Taking all this into account, it’s not hard to imagine that effective gear choices radically boost one's overall experience.

See the full article by Therese Hobson on Hyperlite Mountain Gear's website here.