I'm about to tell you something in regards to hiking that Backcountry.com, EMS, REI, and even the great North Face doesn't want you to hear.
Since the day they began their companies, they've been convincing you to buy shit you don't need. It's all just "stuff" that will either sit in your gear closet, or add unnecessary weight to your pack...and slow you down.
Yesterday on the trail, I passed a few people headed up Mt. Tom on a hard-packed super-highway trail. They had snowshoes, poles, very large packs, and were laboring immensely. As I ran by them in nothing but trail runners...note the word RAN by them, I asked where they were headed. The very nice people responded with, "Just Mt Tom. An easy day."
It didn't look like they were making it very easy on themselves.
A few hours later, after I had done Tom, Field, Willey, and Avalon, I passed them on their way down.
Be safe and prepared, but don't over think it. If you really want to improve your hiking experience, don't buy the new gadget. Get fit. Go faster. See more awesome stuff. And you won't be too tired to appreciate it, either.
During my days caretaking on Garfield Ridge, I watched people come in to my site after hiking from Liberty Springs 9ish miles away, hours after sunset, outside themselves with fatigue.
"What time did you leave Liberty this morning?"
"7am."
9 miles in 14 hours, and they were glad to be done. Repeat, glad to be done. If they were glad to be done, why in the hell were they even out there in the first place? Why not train a little bit, be done in 9 hours, and enjoy the experience?
One particular night after dark, a young teenager showed up. He said his Dad would be arriving much later because he was extremely tired. I hiked up and over Garfield towards Liberty, and found the man struggling to climb up a moderate incline near Garfield Pond. I took his pack(which weighed a ton) and hiked with him, arriving late at the site. He was grateful, and I was steaming. He put himself and his son in danger.
It stuck with me through the night, and the next morning I was still pissed. After coffee and morning radio, I decided to time trial from my site to Liberty Springs. I wanted to blow off some steam, and see how fast a fit person could do the hike. I power-hiked the steep sections, and ran the downhills and flats. Once I hit the top of Lafayette, I ran all the way to Liberty Springs. I do not remember the exact time, but it was well under 2 hours. On the way back, I took my time in 3 hours.
The saying is Hike Your Own Hike. I understand this. But why do you need all of the extra shit? How can anyone that truly loves the woods and mountains argue with this math:
Carry Less+High Fitness Level=See more mountains, streams, wildlife, scenery.
Spend all of those extra hours worked to afford the gear... on training, instead!
Happy Trails!
krp
