Whether you’re planning for your first thru-hike or any thru-hike after, there are a few pieces of thru-hiking gear that you need to buy months in advance. It can be frustrating to plan farther ahead, but if you do, you’ll be happy when you start your thru-hike. After 17 thru-hikes, I’ve run the gambit of planning from nothing but getting off the couch to massive spreadsheets. I compiled this list for you, so you don’t get screwed before your hike. Read on to yourself a lot of frustration.

What I learned from the mud, the people, and the experience of attempting to thru-hike Vermont's Long Trail.

Advice for thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail from thru-hikers. CDT advice on gear, resupply, culture, hiking strategy, and quitting.

I figured anyone who's hiked hundreds of miles across the United States would probably have some useful advice, so I asked five Pacific Crest Trail veterans about the most essentials tools in their packs

Thru hiking versus backpacking: both involve multi-day hiking and nights under the stars, but how do they compare in terms of logistics and culture? Thru hiking is a long-distance subset of backpacking and this fun overview explains what makes through hiking a unique activity in its own right. Maybe it'll inspire you to try your own thru hike!

Learn how to pack, plan, and make friends on the three longest trails in the United States.

Can't take 5-7 months to thru-hike the AT, PCT, or other mega-trails? Here are some more manageable thru-hikes that can be completed in under a month.

Many hikers hope their treks will make them better at other sports. Instead, mine kept me from distance running for a year—a common side effect we don't discuss enough.

I thought thru-hiking would be like a vacation. It's more like...a job.

I am 5'1", 100 pounds soaking wet, and definitely not an ultralighter. This is a list of the best and worst gear I used my 2021 AT thru-hike.