[pct-l] Wearing out of gear

[Scott Bryce]

On 9/7/2010 12:27 PM, ned at mountaineducation.org wrote:
> I guess what I have to realize is that hikers prefer to leave the
> trail often for resupply, good food in town, laundry, fun with new
> trail friends doing the same,

Some do. They consider it part of the experience. Others don't.

> and the replacement of shoes,

Which happens, maybe, 4 times on a 5 month hike. If you plan carefully,
you can order shoes on line at one town stop and have them sent to
another town stop where you are picking up a resupply anyway. In most
cases, you don't need to make a special trip into town just for shoes.

> pads,

Which may need to be replaced one time during the entire trip.

> and whatever else wears out along the trail.

If the alternative is to carry more weight than necessary, this may not
be a bad idea, but in general, with the exception of shoes, most
lightweight gear will last the entire trip.

> In describing all of his preference differences, Miner makes another
> good point, which illustrates this "style" differences between us. I
> don't like leaving the trail and adding miles by going out and back
> often.

I think that is true for most PCT hikers.

> I don't like the idea of descending thousands of feet empty and
> having to ascend it again heavily resupplied.

You realize, don't you, that most PCT resupplies don't fit that
description? Some do, obviously, but most don't.

> It also feels too much like "back-tracking" and I really don't like
> having to hike the same piece of trail more than once.

Agreed, but neither would I like carrying 5 month's of food from Campo.
You have to go into to town at some point. Some go into to town with
their friends to party. Others spend as little time in town as possible,
because they would rather be hiking.