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Originally Posted by willravel
- SHOES, I know from this thread that the biggest part of this, besides general physical condition, is the shoes. I have no erxperience in choosing the type of boots that are necessary for long distance hikes. If this hike goes well, I will be doing it more and in varied areas (temporate, tundra, etc., I like to go nuts). Is there such a thing as an all weather shoe? Should I get one pair for hot weather and one pair for cold weather?
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You want light weight, supportive, and tough as hell. You also want good grippy tread. I've never really found a need to carry two pairs of shoes on a backpacking trip - and the extra pair just weighs you down.
And speaking of shoes, don't forget to inspect and then shake out your shoes in the morning before you put them on. Scorpions LOVE to hide in shoes.
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- food rations would be nice. Something light, easy to fix, and nutritious. I figure that military rations should be fine.
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Bring only ONE MRE. Get the rest of your food at a backpacking store. It's much lighter, and tastes a helluvalot better. You bring one MRE so that you have a high calorie, fast meal that also has a bunch of nice extras like waterproof matches and tabasco.
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- I need a water pack. The forementioned backpack has space in it for a water pack, and has an insulated hydrosleve for the tube, which is nice. Does anyone have experience with a specific brand or model that they would reccomend?
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I really like my Camelbak. Includes a tube that you can sip out of without removing the pack.
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- a walking stick would also be helpful. I usually grab something from the brush when I hike, but that may not be possible in an arid environment. Do people normally get walking sticks? Is this something you get retail, or something you just have from another walk?
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You can get a walking stick just about anywhere. If you're gonna buy one, I like the lightweight, but fairly thick wood. They're strong. And if you want to be a dork you can usually find one that's twisted and gnarled like Galdalf's staff
Think hobo staff.
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- what should I wear? Kind of an open ended question, but I'm not sure where to begin, beyond a light hat that has good coverage and breathes well.
- other stuff I'm not thinking of.
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make sure all your clothes can breathe. Bring several pairs of socks *per day* Light colors. Be sure to also bring a windbreaker and long pants (not jeans) for the nighttime. You'll also want a thermal blanket in your pack. It gets surprisingly cold at night in the desert. And if you're in the desert, of course, bring a crapload of sunscreen.
You're probably not going to be running across much water, so make sure you bring enough. And enough means "more than you think you'll need." Don't forget that you'll be using the water to wash your face, and hydrate your camp food.