kjoyce4In just over a month, I’ll be headed out on my first thru hike and my first long backpacking trip. My backpacking setup is still pretty much a beginner setup, but there are a couple upgrades I made for weight and comfort so far.
1. My Backpack
My pack is the only item in my big three that I switched out for this trip. I have a 45 liter Gregory Maven that I’ve used for a lot of non backpacking travel and I love it. It’s comfortable and can fit a lot, but not quite enough for me and a dog on trail.
So I swapped it out for another Gregory pack, the Kalmia 60 liter. It is by no means an ultralight bag, but it has some features I was really excited about. There’s an angled side pocket just for your water bottle, that can also be stowed away. I’m definitely one of those hikers who won’t drink my water if I have to stop or take my pack off to reach for it.
There are a ton of exterior pockets, so there’s a home for everything from my map to my raincoat and the bag’s raincoat. It didn’t come with one, but the one included with my maven works perfectly.
Honestly, I wasn’t looking to upgrade my pack, but after trying to rearrange everything for the twentieth time, I realized I can’t fit my tent and four days worth of dog food in a 45 liter pack.
So far, I’m happy with the new pack and after a bunch of adjustments, it fits really well.
2. My Sleeping Pad
I lied, I upgraded part of my sleep system. Again, mainly for space concerns, but also for comfort. I’ve been using a Thermarest Trail Scout which is self inflating and has foam in the middle, which makes it pretty big even when it’s packed down.
So I used my REI member coupon on a new Nemo Tensor sleep pad. It’s half the size and twice as thick. This pad is so much more comfortable than my last pad. My only worry is that the fabric seems a little thin and I’m scared I’m going to pop it or Chloe will jump on it with the same result.
3. My Shoes
My final big upgrade for this trip were my shoes. I got a pair of the Altra Superior 4’s two years ago, and loved them. They’re comfy and minimal and the wide toe box was perfect after stuffing my feet in a pair of hiking boots that were half a size too small for a year. Sadly, they’re pretty worn and I didn’t think the hole in the toe would make it through Vermont’s rugged landscape.
When I discovered that Altra had moved on the the 4.5, I started doing research again. The super breathable material above the toe box is different and I wasn’t sure if I wanted such minimal cushion again.
So as all hikers seem to do, I ordered myself a pair of Lone Peaks. Even though I hate to play into the hype, they’re comfortable and despite the fact that they aren’t a huge departure from my Superiors, there’s so much more support. Probably because my two year old shoes have the support of a sock at this point.
Of course, when I’m done with the trail, I’ll have a full update on how all of my gear stood up to the Long Trail (including how dirty my light blue shoes will be). I still have a couple more pieces of gear to pull together before the hike, so expect a full gear list in June.
