2014 AT thru hike gear list

Overall, good choices on your list. On the AT, I used Vargo 6.5 inch tent stakes similar to these:

http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/stakes.shtml

I think the vast majority of places I camped were too rocky to use y stakes.

I like the shepherd hooks. I've always used the Y stakes though. Just kind of my go-to stakes. I've had a couple issues with rocks and stuff when staking but then I just use a rock if I can't stake in. I try to stealth camp as much as possible when it's feasible so I don't always have issues with the compact ground. Do they ever spin around on you? I imagine they bend a little but pretty easy to bend back into place. I've used 1 of my friend's hooks and it worked for me. I'm sure I'll make the purchase one day.

personally i'd go with a travel toothpaste instead of Dr bronners. You can get most stuff clean without soap and its better for the water sources.

i don't use my cat stove anymore but when i did i etched a line at the 1oz mark on the inside so i didn't need to pour twice. or in case you lose your little cup.

have fun.

>personally i'd go with a travel toothpaste instead of Dr bronners. You can get most stuff >clean without soap and its better for the water sources.

I am going to respectfully disagree on this one. You NEED something to clean your hands with! There is research that indicates that more people get sick from poor hygiene than from giardia/crypto, ect.

Only thing with the soap is I use it for a lot of stuff including clothes and body. I like little multi-use items like that. For the cup I use different amounts of fuel for different meals. Like couscous I only need about 1/2 oz of fuel. Plus the cup is light enough for me to just carry it. If I lose it or it breaks, I'll just eyeball it. It's no big deal. I do use toothpaste on shorter trips though since the weight and little extras aren't that big of a hit. Sometimes I use Dr. Bronners at home anyway when I run out of toothpaste. I forget to buy more even when I buy it in bulk. Haha!

I also bring a small dropper bottle of sanny for my poop pack. Just a little easier to sanitise without needing water to rinse. Then when I get back to camp, I'll do a full wash if needed. Plus my sanitizer has aloe in it which I like for burns.

"I am going to respectfully disagree on this one. You NEED something to clean your hands with!"

you can wash your hands quite well with plain water.. the scrubbing action is more important than soap. also adding hand sanitizer to the mix works quite well.

there is research that shows that soap is screwing up water sources with algae. you don't need soap.

using the hand sanitizer in places you wouldn't think to. like after reading a shelter log or shaking peoples hands or other places of common contact is what helps too.

you will soon find out that you don't need to clean your clothes or self with soap all that often.. if there is a lake or big river then you can do it without soap. do major cleaning at town stops. you'll be a dirty smelly thru hiker soon enough and you will stop noticing and caring much ;)

Hand Sanitizers: My Journey Towards Discovering Best Practices for Wilderness Hygiene

After nearly 5,000 miles of distance hiking trips — no soap has made it into my pack, but at least 2 oz. of hand-sanitizer has always made its way into my pack. HYOH but I'd have to agree with Jake D. and add that any soaps can alter natural water sources, AND are not as effective as simply hand-sanitizer being used for 60-90 seconds after most activities — treating water, using the bathroom, shaking hands, doing pretty much anything in town, and before eating anything !

Either way — enjoy the walk !