Planning for a long hike is a series of decisions that all entail compromises. High-quality gear, for instance, might not always be the cheapest. The most spacious tent might not always be the lightest. As you ponder ways to slim your footprint on trail, keep these simple rules in mind.
I Counted Every Bit of My Trash for One Month on the PCT
I tallied the waste I created for a month of my thru-hike. It was embarrassing. Now, I know how to begin fixing it.Get Gear That Lasts
On the Appalachian Trail, I wore Hoka One One Speedgoats and went through seven sets. For the Pacific Crest Trail, I did more shopping around before settling on the Topo Ultraventure 2. Not only do they fit my feet better, but thanks to their wider toe box and rugged Vibram soles, I wore through only three pairs despite 400 additional miles of trail. All new gear necessitates a chain reaction of waste鈥攖hink about a pair of shoes鈥 packaging, or the unseen scrap back at the factory. Treat gear as an investment, so that your dollars last a little longer, and you鈥檒l generate less waste, too.
Purchase (and Sell) Secondhand Gear
As a recovering packrat, I鈥檓 here to admit you don鈥檛 need every piece of gear you ever buy. It鈥檚 OK to realize that a sport isn鈥檛 for you and find a new owner for its accoutrements. It鈥檚 OK to admit that your body has changed and what once fit now makes you look like an Oompa-Loompa. It鈥檚 OK to want the newest and the best, too; just find a store that can get that gear to someone else at a better price. And before you buy new, check the and for someone鈥檚 seconds.
Stop Reaching for Tiny Servings
In Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, where the Pacific Crest Trail intersects with Interstate 90 near Seattle, grocery options are comically limited鈥攁 few convenience stores, a couple restaurants, a travel center. You do what you have to do to keep going. But while grabbing an eight-ounce block of Tillamook cheddar, I watched another hiker gather ten three-quarter ounce bars of the same cheese, each individually wrapped. It cost at least twice as much for less cheese and generated ten separate pieces of trash to my one. When at all possible, and, if need be, split the rest with a friend.
Buy in Bulk and Ship to Yourself
A confession: I am the doofus who buys a plastic disposable razor in town, uses it once, and throws it away. The same goes for shaving cream, shampoo, soap, and the like. In the future, I鈥檓 going to change that with , a cache of goods like larger shampoo bottles or reusable razors I can repeatedly mail to myself as I hike between trailside post offices. The upfront cost of Priority Mail is daunting, but you鈥檒l save in town. And you can always split the real estate with a hiking buddy, if you鈥檙e not filling it full.
Use Hiker Boxes and Reuse What鈥檚 Available
Sorry to repeat myself, but hiker boxes are magic. Troves of extra gear, food, and accessories other hikers didn鈥檛 need, hiker boxes have stopped me from buying cellphone charging cables, water-filtration parts, and even shoe inserts. They are not only a way for hikers to give one another a boost but to circumvent the stream of endless landfill fodder. Before you buy something, check a hiker box. And before you trash something, ask yourself if there鈥檚 any way it can be salvaged or even scavenged for parts鈥攊f so, find the hiker box.