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> Would starting off one or two weeks earlier make a big difference?

You'll be at the tail end of the SOBO bubble. An August 1st start will likely have you finishing sometime in January, if you keep up an average pace. Getting through the White Mountains (and the Greens) before cold conditions set in likely won't be a huge challenge, but other areas to be aware of include southern VA and the Great Smoky Mountains portion of the AT. Early season snow-storms are possible in both of these areas, and if you're not prepared to at least zero until conditions improve, such a situation at higher elevations in the south could prove dangerous if not fatal. For a taste of what a late-season SOBO is like, I'd suggest reading the Bearfoot Sisters' first volume chronicling their yo-yo- Southbound.

To be clear- I don't think that your time frame adds a considerable about of additional challenge to the already considerable challenge of a thru-hike general, but it does add some level of additional difficulty nonetheless, and you'll want to be prepared for cold conditions accordingly. Don't assume that Summer (or even early-Autumn) conditions will follow you south- unless you're a super hiker capable of finishing the trail in 2-3 months, cold weather conditions will catch up with you sooner or later as your work your way south.

Will starting 1 week earlier make a difference? Probably not. Will starting 2 weeks earlier make a difference? Maybe... Maybe not. Climate and weather are pretty variable, and 2 weeks may or may not be enough time to stave off the worst of the cold weather. I'd say starting a month earlier would definitely make a considerable difference in the conditions you experience towards the end of your hike. If you can swing 1-2 weeks without burning bridges at your job that you'd rather not burn, I'd say go for it- but if keeping your post-hike employment opportunities open is dependent on you seeing your job through until the end, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

> I'm going to be hammocking. Should I get a TQ and UQ for summer weather (40º rated maybe) to keep the weight down and switch partway through, or stay with the TQ and UQ that I have the entire time.
> Will a Palisade 30° TQ and 20° Wooki be warm enough, or conversely, too warm for parts of the season?

Those bags are good to start with. Even August can see nighttime temperatures approaching freezing at higher elevations in the Mountains of the northeast. If you carry quilts rated to only 40 degrees I can pretty much guarantee that you'll regret it sooner rather than later.

However, you will also need to switch to an even warmer setup at some point during your hike. If you're still in the Whites (or the even the Greens) when September comes rolling around, I'd think about securing at least a bag liner if not switching to a warmer setup entirely. After the the Whites especially you'll probably be able to breath easy for a few hundred miles until you start hitting higher elevations again in the south. By the end of your trek, you'll probably want want a sleep setup rated to the teens, if not something in the 0-10 degree range, especially since you won't have the added warmth of a tent.

> Do I have enough clothes for layering? I've got a down jacket but no fleece. Add a fleece layer for fall?

I don't think you'll need both a down jacket and fleece to start out with, or for the first month or so on the trail, but you'll want extra layers sooner or later for hanging out in camp/sleeping in during particularly cold nights. Like /u/SongBirdUL says, have extra warm layers ready to be mailed to you when needed.

I would suggest adding a pair of long underwear (tops and bottoms) to your setup. You probably won't ever want them for hiking in (barring a possible snowstorm in the south) but you'll be glad to have them for sleeping in sooner or later. I'd say you should even start with them- August won't be that cold overall but there will probably be 1 or 2 nights even early in your trip when you're camped high up and you'll be glad you have them.

You'll want pants to hike in sooner or later. Instead of a pair of shorts, you might look into zipoff/convertable pants to have the functionality of both without substantial added weight.

You can probably ditch the bug net. Come August, bugs in the northeast are reduced in most places. The few that are still out and about will be killed by frost before long. (It's light enough that it's probably worth carrying until you're sure you no longer need it, though.)

I would let your rain pants double as wind pants rather than carrying both.

You can ditch the trowel. You'll probably stay at established tent sites and shelters most frequently, and nearly all of these have outhouses or composting toilets (remember not to pee in them!). When stealth camping, it's usually not hard to find a stick to dig a hole with. (BTW, you have the trowel listed twice on your list.)

I would also consider at least a lightweight sleeping pad. As the Autumn progresses, and the backcountry grows quiet and cold weather becomes more frequent, staying in shelters and lean-tos is going to become more and more desirable. You'll almost certainly have at least some cold, wet nights down south where the prospect of setting up your hammock and tarp in the rain is pretty unattractive when there is an empty and dry shelter nearby. EDIT: I see you haven't ordered the hammock yet- if you get the Double Blackbird XLC, it will add some additional weight to your setup (although the lightweight double is only 6.5 ounces heavier than the single), but you can slide a sleeping pad in-between the two layers. This would allow you to use the pad for added warmth in your hammock in addition for comfort in any of the shelters.

Keep in mind also that canister stoves lose efficiency in colder weather. They start to lose efficiency around freezing temperatures, and as the temps approach 0 degrees they can cut out entirely. This may not be a huge issue for you, depending on how quickly you move and the weather you encounter. You can also keep the canisters in a jacket pocket during the day, and sleep with them at night, to keep them warm prior to use to help minimize the impacts of the cold. If winter finds you with substantial mileage remaining, though, you might look at getting a canister stove with an inverted canister design, or an alcohol stove with a primer, as alternatives for increased stove efficiency.

EDIT: One other suggestion- You'll rarely have a campsite to yourself during the first month or so of your trek, but sooner or later you're likely going to experience some serious alone time. Give some thought now to how you're going to deal with that. A light-weight E-Reader with a ton of books preloaded is not the worst idea. There will be other long distance hikers out and about even late in the season, but you may find that it will take some effort on your part to find a solid group to hike with. You'll know who is ahead of you from log book entries, however, catching up to a group that is only 3 or 4 days ahead could require big mile days on your part over the course of even a week or longer.

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I hope this helps. Good luck!

First, and maybe most important piece of advice: relax. Don't worry too much about getting things like gear "right". There's lots of ways to skin a cat, as they say in Tennessee.

Second, and maybe almost as important as #1: Find time before the big trip to take a little practice hike. After you have your gear, find a day to do a little "trial run". An overnight would be great, but it doesn't have to be to be super educational. It doesn't have to be serious backpacking. Just kind of pantomime a full day of the hike: load your pack with your gear, walk around somewhere with it on for a while (a park, your neighborhood, the backyard, wherever), stop and set up "camp" - tent, sleeping bag, etc - eat a little lunch, pack everything back up, and walk back home. You'll be surprised how much you figure out on your own just doing that.

As for the specific questions:

• Pack: Get it Last, or at least near the end of your gear buying. Once you have everything else, take all your stuff with you to an outfitter and start stuffing it into various packs and then trying them on. You'll very quickly discover what size fits and is comfortable. Find an outfitter near you that sells a decent selection of packs, and pick their brains.
  
  
• Other gear: since you're going as a group, it may make sense for you all to get together and figure out where you can split up group gear. Rather than each having a tent, half of you could have 2-man tents. Stuff like that. Here's a pretty decent gear-list starting point. Weight is the single most important factor in picking gear. The less you carry the more fun you will have. Avoid the "well I'll just throw another one of these in" mentality: it adds up quick. When you get closer to being fully gear-out, post your gear list here and you'll get plenty of feedback on what you're forgetting and what you should leave home.
  
  
• Food: You can get all the food you need from your regular grocery store. Just look for things that are light (ie, dried foods..you'll have plenty of water on the trail), calorie dense, don't require refrigeration, and cook easily. For breakfasts things like oatmeal, poptarts, instant-breakfast shakes, snack cakes. Lunches can be pretty much anything on a tortilla, cheese, crackers, candy bars, salami, pepperoni, tuna. For dinners, look through the aisle where the Mac-n-cheese is at the store, lots of options there: Mac-n-cheese, rice-a-roni, couscous, Knorr pasta/rice sides. Add a packet of tuna/chicken/spam/salmon to one of those, and you've got a complete meal. Do a dinner practice run at home before the trip, just to see how things work. Or spend a weekend eating just "trail food" and see how it goes.
  
  
• Water: There's plenty of water sources along the AT through there, but you will need a way to treat it. Aqua Mira is probably the most popular method among AT thru-hikers. It's cheap, it's light, it's easy, and it works. A water bladder with a hose for on-trail drinking, and a little gatorade bottle for in-camp drinking is a pretty common water carrying system. Having the little bottle lets you make drinks (coffee, tea, lemonade, etc) in camp without it gunking up your water bladder.
  
  
• Technology: Definitely a camera. And you'll probably have cellphone reception the whole way, so you can bring that too. Just keep it off as much as you can to save battery. (And talking on the phone/texting is considered rude in the woods). Anything that can be killed by getting wet should be double-bagged in ziplocks and kept buried inside the pack.
  
  
• Poops: An easy way to do it is to find a horizontal fallen tree that you can sit on and hang your ass off the backside of. You want a tree big enough to not break under you, but not so big that you can't slide far enough back on it. Then bury the poop and the paper at least 6" deep. But...you may find that you'll never have to poop in the woods at all. There's a decent chance that you'll be spending most nights at the AT shelter locations anyway, since they have good tenting spots and water sources. And they usually have privies. On my entire AT thru-hike I think I only crapped in the woods maybe 6 times.
  
  
• Bears: don't worry about bears at all. They'll run when they see you - you probably won't even have time to get the camera out. At night be sure to hang your food and anything that smells like food (including that candy bar wrapper in your pocket). A google for "bear bagging technique" will turn up plenty of instruction for that.
  
  
• Toiletries: Yes to toothpaste (a little "travel" size is plenty), and TP (or baby wipes), but skip the deodorant. It attracts insects, and really doesn't do any good backpacking anyway. And that's it really. No need for soap or anything like that.
  
  
• Trekking poles: I'm a big fan of trekking poles, but I think i would hold off on investing any real money in them for your first trip. They definitely help the knees and balance and keep you from landing on your butt sometimes, but for a first trip I might go with a cheapo pair from Target or Walmart. The big difference between cheap and expensive poles is longevity.

I think I'll just take my Nokia 1616 with me. It's a bare bones, go-phone that I popped my SIM card into. It only has an 800mAh battery, but doesn't have any data connection whatsoever (purely GSM), and lasts usually 3-6 days with me calling and texting a usual amount. It weighs < 78.5g, and has a standby time of 540 hours. With minimal talking and texting (I'm wanting disconnectivity), I should get at least 2 weeks/charge.

The reason the filter is in there is that it's the easiest means of physically removing microbes, but given the price, I think I might stick with a standard 2 or 3 liter Platypus + chemicals (Aquamira, no iodine).

I meant to remove the light, I was kinda looking for LED lamps, but cherryhammer recommended that I look for a certain type at Target. And the RidgeRest (very average, I know) is a roll-up type; however, I fit rolls in my backpack, so I'll just have to see if there's sufficient space. And with the Z seat being 2 oz, I'm happy to have a little more convenience and comfort.

And I'm thinking I want the three, even if I don't fill it up fully ever. The difference between a 2 liter and a 3 liter is just a few grams. I'm sure the Northern summer portion will definitely make it worthwhile.

And I'm stoked I found that product at that price! For reference for anybody, it's the Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove with Piezo Ignition. It's $15, weighs 3.9 oz, fits "with any screw top butane / propane canisters, available just about anywhere, MSR, coleman, camping gaz, etc.", and this is what one user showed at a 5% and a 95% flame. I have no affiliation with the company, but seriously, go read the reviews. I might make a can stove(s) and bring alcohol with me, just for easier refilling and weight's sake.

My pack is water-resistant to some degree, but I'm not gonna risk it. I've been in snowy conditions, never rain, but there was condensation on the inside of my pack, and it actually frosted/froze a bit, which I'm sure compromised the strength of the waterproofing.

I've since scrapped the pants (mostly everybody has suggested so), and now have just the 1 pair of liners, and added another pair of mesh shorts, for a grand total of two.

Many thanks for your insight!

Hey! I'm also looking to start NOBO 2017 around that same time. I have some backpacking experience. Mostly weekend overnight trips over the past 3 to 4 years. I just got back from finishing a 7 day shakedown hike on the Georgia section (Springer to Dicks Creek Gap). Once you start picking up some stuff, I would highly suggest at least trying a 2 or 3 night hike to get a feel for your gear.

I've been slowly upgrading to more lightweight items over the past few months ... after obsessively reading this sub as well as /r/ultralight. Here is what I'm currently using. Hope this helps!

• Packs - I have the ULA Circuit but I've heard nothing but good things about the Osprey Exos. Both are extremely popular packs on the trail. This is really dependent on your baseweight so it's recommended that you pick this up last. (Something I did not do lol)
  
  
• Sleeping Bags - What I ended up getting and what everyone here seems to recommend is a 20deg Enlightened Revelation Quilt. I don't have any complaints about it so far. Another popular (and cheaper) option I've seen around here is the Kelty Cosmic Down.
  
  
• Tents - You can pick up a Henry Shires Tarptent for around $200 to $300. I have the Notch but I almost went with the Rainbow.
  
  
• Trekking Poles - You don't need expensive carbon poles. I picked up a pair of Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork poles for about $70 on amazon and I love them. These also double as my tent poles. I'd go cheaper here and use the cash saved somewhere else.
  
  
• Cooking System - I have the MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove and a GSI minimalist cookpot. However, I'm looking to upgrade the pot to a titanium cookpot before leaving for trail.

Reading Trail Journals is always nice because you're getting a day by day account of how hiking operates rather than a stylized narrative. Just at cursory glance, I saw few guys I hiked with who should have pretty accurate journals:

RodNReel

Frankenstein - I hiked around him for a good portion of the hike. Pretty detailed and should give you a good idea of life on the trail.

Affirm

Blue

That's not to say a stylized narrative isn't pleasing to read and get's you hyped for your trip. A Walk in the Woods gets some shit from thru-hikers but it's a book about the Appalachian Trail for people who are not thru-hikers-so you!

Ray Jardine's Trail Life is indispensable for preparation. Even if you don't agree with all of his points, he gets you thinking and presents the organization of gear in a straight forward fashion. It was so hard to get a direct answer out of anyone online in regards to gear; every question was greeted with "just do what works for you!" I had no hiking experience and wanted something of a base to start from. Trail Life at least gives you a starting point to experiment with. I would say this is the most important book for practical preparation you need to make.


Honestly, not much you can read is going to help a ton, the AT doesn't need that much prep work. Here's a pre-hike check list that I would suggest.

• Save up $4500 - You can do it on much less but hurting for money on the trail is no fun. It's not that I wish I had more money on my hike, living with an overwhelming lack of funds gave me one of my most poignant learning experiences, but it allows you more freedom-you can be on the trail longer and actually replace your shoes instead of wearing them until you find a newish pair in the hiker box.
  
  
• Go on weekend test hikes once you have enough gear to go backpacking - There where little details I didn't like about pieces of my gear that I would never have noticed unless I used them for an extended period of time. Find out now that ENO straps sink you to the ground or that your sleeping pad doesn't insulate enough for a March start.
  
  
• Go through your guide book and circle things you think might be interesting - I compulsively looked through my guidebook when I was bored and checked a lot of things I didn't want to miss. It's nice to open up to a town and already have the buffet circled and the cheapest resupply marked down.
  
  Be prepared for the AT to be very different than you expect. Be confident and social with everyone you meet. Meet Ms. Janet! Immerse yourself in the whole experience and don't think too much about home.

My Suggestions:

• The quilt looks like it would work. At first I was going to agree with everyone else about not bringing one for both but the Accomplice, for the most part, is 2 sleeping bags sewn together. What degree do you plan on getting tho?
  
  
• The cook set could be replaced with something lighter. Not sure if you want those cups but this is only like 3 oz: http://www.amazon.com/Stanco-Non-Stick-Grease-Strainer-Black/dp/B000MVTIOQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1452001853&sr=8-2&keywords=grease+strainer If money isn't tight, the TOAKS Titanium pot is the upgraded version of what I've linked.
  
  
• 16 oz of duct tape seems excessive.
  
  
• The Dry bags seem heavy. You can get others that weigh about 2 oz. http://www.seatosummit.com/product/?item=Ultra-Sil%26reg%3B+Nano+Dry+Sack&o1=0&o2=0&o3=511-32
  
  
• I think you could get away with the speaker but for 22 oz. I would rather get headphones that are significantly lighter.
  
  
• I would forgo the Gopro. Phone camera works fine. HYOH tho. GoPros do take really cool shots. You just have 4.54 pounds in electronics alone.
  
  Response to your Questions:
  
  
• From all the other gear lists I've seen, you have the appropriate amount of clothing. Weight conscious people usually forgo pants for shorts, have 2 base layers, a nice puffy, a rain/wind shell and that is about it. Don't forget light pair of gloves.
  
  
• Go to the retailer site and they usually have the dimensions of what you are suppose to get.
  
  
• I've seen some people with it but I would say majority do not. Most that have the bug net for their face usually are bivy/tarp people. Unless you are overly attractive to bugs I would ditch it.
  
  
• I would just get a cheap/light pair of gloves to be honest. Nothing worst than freezing hands as you try and take down/set up your tent.
  
  
• Works for some, I tried it. For me took to long to boil water, imo. If you know what you are doing it will be fine. My recommendation is get a wind screen. If it becomes a pain get a http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/stoves/rapid-cooking/pocketrocket/product or something similar. I'm not a fan of the jetboils, I believe you can't cook in them.
  
  
• I can't imagine you will have a problem but I'm not completely sure. All the vids and trail time I've seen there has been lots of spots. You just may have to be a little more selective.
  
  
• See above
  
  Good luck! If I see a couple with a dog and a cloudburst I'll say hello!

I haven't bought a sleeping bag for a few years but it looks like there are some decent ones out there for reasonable prices. I found this one on Amazon for cheap.
Looks like it's not the lightest option but compresses small and has good reviews. A 30 degree bag will be fine in July- you could get away with a warmer rating if you want to.

As for a tarp, anything will do. I've used hardware store blue tarps, pieces of sheet plastic, Tyvek house wrap, and army surplus ponchos for that purpose. The poncho was great because it doubles as rain gear. You don't need to spend a lot of money.

Whilst i spent a fair amount on my pack, sleeping bag and pad, and tent the rest i cheaped out on. Echoing what others have said but most clothing you can get cheap (any poly/.running t shirts and base layers, sleeping socks, gloves, hat, swimming trunks), trash bag for pack liner, cat can alcohol stove (or stoveless, if you prefer canister then there's always this for cheap and light http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U ) , uniqlo UL down jacket (you can get them on ebay for at least half price to), frogg toggs for waterproofs. Darn tough socks might be expensive at first but the warranty would probably make them worth it in the case of a thru hike. Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Fiber poles if you want to use hiking poles for $30. Depending on your budge the Six Moon Designs Scout tent is lightweight (34 oz) and only $125. CCF pads are much cheaper and fine for some, but i'd try and test one out first if you can.

Second hand gear is always a good way to go, i stalked eBay a fair bit getting gear together. As far as shoes go, trail runners are very popular but do tend to have shorter lives so i'd recommend approach shoes (such as Merrell Moab Vents) which tend to last a bit longer. The biggest way to save money though is to just not buy gear, which will also help keep your weight down. If you just embrace the fact you're going to stink and be dirty from the start then you don't need that second t shirt and trousers/trunks, less pairs of socks and underwear etc.

Ok, here's the totally non-essential, and stupidly expensive for what it is, but I won't go out even overnight without is my Nalgene coffee press or the GSI Nalgene coffee filter. The filter weighs nothing, it's the coffee and sugar that gets you. Now, if you are good with typical Maxwell House/Folger's coffee, and you drink it with cream and sugar, there is one good alternative. Maxim Korean Coffee Packets are amazingly good. I use 2 packets every morning and sometimes again in the evening. The 100 pack does me good for about a month. If you're reading my post, checking out the product, and saying "Really, um... no.", then you are in the same shoes I was in until I tried it. Has sugar and cream already in it.

I'll also second the battery pack. Those who claimed that pillows and camp shoes are non-essential, I beg to disagree! That's like saying Gold Bond powder is non-essential! I'll admit that I'm not UL, but tax, tag, and title, out of town I'm weighing in right around 30 with 2 liters of water and food. Since I weigh 250, it's light enough.

The best gear is the gear you have when you're out there enjoying nature. It can be easy to get hung up on the best gear when you're shopping, then find doesn't seem to matter that much when you're out in the wild. Does it keep you warm, dry, and let you get out there? Then its fine.

I think it is good to focus on getting good gear that works for you. Try it out in terms of using it, and in terms of packing it up and carrying it. If it works and you can afford it, then great.

I find it helpful to remember that the difference between good quality gear and the best quality gear can often be a tiny difference. You can pay twice as much to shave off 4 oz of weight, just as an example. In the meantime, you are figuring out what you need, what you like, what your style of hiking & camping is.

This probably sounds slightly rant-y, but it isn't intended to be. I think as long as you aren't getting crappy gear, you'll be fine.

You might find it interesting to read Walking With Spring by Earl V. Shaffer. He walked the AT NOBO shortly after WW2, and is the first known thru-hiker. If I remember correctly, dude carried a poncho, a bedroll, a pot, an axe, a swiss army knife, and a camera. His clothes were mostly wool. The poncho was his tent when he didn't make it to a shelter. He cooked over a fire. If he could do it with that gear, you'll be fine even with mediocre modern gear.

I did the trail veggie. I ran into a couple shortly after Fontana that had been weekend camping and packed too much food so they were looking to give it away. Oddly enough they were veggie too. Ended up with several packs of these beans, they were awesome.

I contacted the company halfway to tell them how much I enjoyed them on the trail and they sent around 6 boxes to my mothers' house. I was set for the rest of the trail lol. I'd just add hot water, later on, I sent the stove home and just soaked them for an hour or two before eating.

I carried a small bottle of Catalina dressing and was set. I know it sounds gross, but I love Catalina on beans. Other than that I just had the usual sides of cheese, instant potatoes with gravy, veggie jerky, rice or noodle dishes from Knorr, etc.

If I were to do it all over again I'd probably bite the bullet of extra weight and carry a high-quality multi-vitamin and perhaps a good whey or micellular protein blend. I knew thinning hair would be in my future due to genetics, but pre-trail and post-trail photos are night and day difference. Hair never really grew back. I'm sure many will take this as proof that a meatless diet isn't optimal, but I last I checked, a diet of tuna, snickers, honeybuns, etc. isn't optimal either. I can't think of anyone who "ate optimal" on the trail. Idc what you're eating, the trail will not be kind to your body and the caloric deficit you'll be in will take its toll. Just my 2 cents, then again I met vegans who did just fine, so it's whatever.

If you are doing mostly "freezer bag" meals, you will not need a very large pot, and shape is less crucial. However, if you plan to cook in your pot a lot, you will need to be more picky. Wider bottom pots are easier to cook in and eat from, and typically you want a pot wider than your stove for efficiency. Think about stability, both in the width of the pot and weight/length of the handle.

Titanium isn't really lighter, it's just stronger. I have an aluminum grease pot from Kmart, weight 3.5oz and holds 1.5 liters, it's nice and wide. Only cons are that it does not have a handle or fry pan lid, and will dent much more easily (but can also be bent back into shape or replaced cheaply). Grease pot from amazon.

This book is very helpful for a first-timer:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Hike-A-T-Nitty-Gritty-Long-Distance/dp/0811735427

For what it's worth, I hiked a considerable distance with a 17 year old during my hike. An amazing person. He told everyone he was 20 so that he didn't face constant age jokes and he had the maturity and humor to back it up. Jaws dropped when he revealed up in Maine that he was only 17.

• Ultralight: The Ray Jardine Way
  
  
• Ray Jardine's book Beyond Backpacking, now called Trail Life: Ray Jardine's Lightweight Backpacking is considered by some to be a bible of sorts.
  
  
• The Complete Walker is a perrenial favorite (read the 3rd ed. I think, before I did the Trail)
  
  
• I have not read Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker's Guide To Ultralight Hiking And Backpacking but it looks interesting.
  
  
• This also looks interesting: Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail (Volume 1)
  

The Barefoot Sister's book is pretty good. Also check out As Far As the Eye Can See by David Brill. These two come highly recommended by both me and the trail legend Ernie from Sunnyside Inn in Hot Springs NC, a veritable wealth of knowledge about all things AT

If you're looking at LPG canister stoves, at $13, this one offers the best cost/performance ratio:

http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U

Best to have a windscreen though as these (and alcohol stoves) are extremely susceptible to energy loss from even light breezes.

As mentioned, you should definitely get the latest AT guidebook. You may also enjoy reading Becoming Odyssa, Grandma Gatewood's Walk, and AWOL on the Appalachian Trail. I would also highly recommend Walking With Wired's 2014 AT blog.

I found this book interesting

https://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trials-Psychological-Emotional-Thru-Hike/dp/0985090103/ref=nodl_

My goal is to be a 2019 NoBo, so I haven’t been out there yet, but the book was decent brain candy while waiting. Good luck!

How are you going to get filtered water into your bladder? Or effectively get unfiltered water out of it? I do not think the lifestraw can be connected in line with a hose either.

I would look at something like the Sawyer Squeeze: better filtration, can filter more gallons (100,000), able to screw onto a bladder/bottle or use inline with hydration hose (connect between end of hose and mouthpiece).

Or Aqua Mira drops.

I use something like Bodyglide. The key is the paraffin. It doesn't last all day, but a few applications a day helps where it counts.

EDIT: It also doesn't sting like some if you are already chaffed. If you ARE already chaffed, get some A&D cream for the end of the day. If you can wash your sensitive areas, do so. Otherwise do what you can to keep them clean and dry as possible.

Andrew Skurka's [The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Hikers-Gear-Guide/dp/1426209207) is a great book about gear related to long distance hiking. Darn Tough socks are always good!

This ultralight canister stove has been making the rounds lately, I've been pretty impressed with it. http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U

I think it could be done as the calorie to weight ratio is great.You could likely survive on the chips alone but I'd supplement the chips with some fresh fruit/veggies when possible. The biggest challenge would likely be getting bored of the chips.

I think you could get creative with storing the whole bag of chips, perhaps in the outer mesh pocket of your pack if you have one or if not by attaching a stuff-sack or other bag to your pack.

Fritos are 160 calories per ounce and probably a bit more crush resistant. I imagine they'd pair well with some instant re-fried beans.

I found Michelle Ray's book, How to Hike the A.T.: The Nitty-Gritty Details of a Long-Distance Trek, invaluable to my preparation. Not knowing anyone who had any long-distance hiking experience, this was the next best thing.

For what RedDawn couldn't answer, there is cell reception on pretty much all the trail in NJ.

I think this is the stove that is the $7 one off Amazon. I put it on here because it's actually the stove I have and has proven to be reliable.

Check gear lists to see if there's anything you think you would want listed.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004U8CP88/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I highly recommend Appalachian Trials! to any prospective thru-hiker. I'm reading it for my third time now and I feel that, going into the my hike next year, I already have a major advantage.

http://www.theatguide.com/

http://www.aldha.org/companion.html

You could try this one, but I've never used it:http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0811735427

Check the sidebar of this subreddit--lots of good info there.

I would reccomend the GSI Soloist pot over the Jet boil and with that a MSR Pocket Rocket, but thats just my personal preference.

This is the liner that I use but I would look more into other liners, just to see if theres anything you would prefer more. I only used the liner like a dozen times at most, so its not a necessity.

If you haven't read Appalachian Trials: A Psychological and Emotional Guide To Thru-Hike the Appalachian Trail I would highly recommend it

I have used an alcohol stove for about 6 years and I love it. I use mine with an MSR Titan Kettle but it is about $50. A cheap option would be to use a grease pot. Loads of people swear by them. You can buy one at Walmart too. The Toaks titanium pot is around $30. People also use this mug to cook water in and claim it will boil 2 cups. Here is another grease pot that people use.

You can make a windscreen for it out of lightweight aluminum flashing or heavy duty cooking foil.

http://www.amazon.com/TREK-A-Journey-Appalachian-Trail/dp/B0002DFWHQ

It is a good movie.

I really like this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Maxim-Original-Korean-Coffee-100pks/dp/B005GV9RZC/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1523158929&sr=8-2&keywords=korean+coffee

I recommend reading Appalachian Trials by Zach Davis: https://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Trials-Psychological-Emotional-Thru-Hike/dp/0985090103/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506807365&sr=8-1&keywords=appalachian+trials

The author of the AT guidebook also wrote a book about his thruhike. He had a wife and kid(s?) at home and discusses this throughout the book. It's kind of dry, but I thought it was worth reading before my hike.

Pick up one of these for sure: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043S06GI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Have you heard of the barefoot sisters? Isis and Jackrabbit yo-yo hiked the AT barefoot! (ME>GA>ME). They have a book about their journey, might be worth checking out.

Non-mobile: I found this one on Amazon for cheap.

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

For the most part no. People often reccoment <this> and <this> as cheap, easy, and lightweight options. You can buy these at costco sometimes too. I think costco sells them for $20. also here's a review for them

If you were holding off on the Cascade Mountain Tech ones due to price, they just went on sale on Amazon for around 40% off. They're now listed at $27, down from $45.
Link

My SO and I did a nobo this year. We had one stove and two cups. We started with a pot, which I think was 1.3 liters, and sent it home in Neels Gap cause it was heavy and we never used it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI701Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can cold soak them too.

http://www.amazon.com/TREK-A-Journey-Appalachian-Trail/dp/B0002DFWHQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Just get a greasepot.

https://www.amazon.com/TREK-Journey-Appalachian-Brian-Burnham/dp/B0002DFWHQ

The Barefoot Sisters hiked a good portion of their SOBO trip with a family with several small children, one of whom was carried the entire way. So it's doable, but as has been mentioned, it'd be hella tough with a lot of extra considerations.

I have had this one for over a year now, charges my S4 about 3 times. It is the size above the one OP linked.

http://smile.amazon.com/Jackery%C2%AE-Bar-Premium-Aluminum-External/dp/B00AANMVNQ/ref=pd_sim_cps_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=10YVD3VZRYDZC1K3PBB6

Personally, I'd go with neither.


I'd go with a small little pocket rocket style stove like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Burner-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U


Jetboils are big and heavy, but convenient.


I like how alcohols are light and cheap and useful in starting fire in the rain. But, they are dangerous (likely illegal right now in the fire ban areas) and inefficient and slow.


Pocket rocket style stoves are the best of both worlds. Fairly cheap ($15), quick and easy to use (morning coffee isn't a chore), safe (positive shutoff valve), small and light. And you can use the stove to help dry twigs to get a fire going in an emergency.

This is 20 bucks and once charge, will charge your phone from dead to full, three times. They also have bigger ones which equal more charges from dead:http://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Bar-External-Battery-Charger/dp/B00AANMVNQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1450145036&sr=1-2&keywords=jackery