Having secured a long-distance permit from the Pacific Crest Trail Association, we now faced the task of deciding what to carry hiking 20 miles a day for over four months. We had never before been too concerned about pack weight. In camp, I often laughed as Big Cat pulled unexpected novelties from his pack. He routinely carried a camp chair, a full-size bow saw, an outlandishly heavy metal folding shovel, a Wiffle ball bat, and enough beverages to stock the shelves of your local corner store.
Atop his pack, hanging halfway out of a pocket, perched a whimsical stuffed animal named Fat Cat, his stitched grin stretched from ear to ear. For Big Cat to entertain lightweight trekking poles , a tell-tale mark of efficiency and nod to self-care, meant we were truly embarking on a new adventure. On the phone, he continued. I attributed any pain in my knees to being stiff, an achiness best overcome by exertion.
The internet overflows with gear lists compiled by thru-hikersβthose outdoorsy souls who spend entire seasons hiking a single long-distance trail from end to end.
By and large, they pack the same essential items, all the while striving to keep their backpack stripped of any superfluous equipment and as light as possible. When I say light, I mean light. For an expedition lasting several months, these minimalists might stick with two pairs of socks; a lone eating utensil never a fork and spoon ; and weigh their grub down to the dehydrated gram.
And they all take trekking poles. Well, I reasoned, when in Rome, buy some fancy walking sticks, trade your beloved Yellowstone Staff cotton t-shirts for high-tech wicking fabrics, your hiking boots for trail runners, and start walking the walk. Friendships form quickly on the PCT. We met Siri and Old School on the trail and then hiked with them for many weeks. Online shopping research quickly narrowed my focus to Cascade Mountain Tech. Their products boasted favorable reviews and they were local, headquartered in the Cascade foothills near my Seattle home.
