The Ultimate Hiker's Gear Guide: Tools and Techniques to Hit the Trail

I had my doubts when I first bought this book. My background is that I am an experienced hiker / hike leader (but not backpacker), long time avid reader of Backpacker magazine (and other relevant material), WFA graduate etc etc. I figured that the parts of this book that covered topics relevant to hiking would simply be review for me. I was wrong. While I was familiar with a fair amount of what is covered in the book, there was more than enough that I learned to make reading it worthwhile (and it is a fast reading book). This book should not be thought of as a complete guide to hiking, the only book you'll ever need. It concentrates on gear and clothing (hence its name). It will not teach you how to read/use a trail or topographical map or a compass, GPS, Wilderness First Aid, physical conditioning, and plenty of other types of knowledge that could be worthwhile to know when one is hiking or backpacking. One other reviewer thought that a lot of the text was like reading "techno babble" and yes, a fair amount of the text discusses the technical and practical attributes of various gear and clothing options. This is, after all, as the title says, a book about gear. Likewise, Consumer Reports doesn't simply say that item X is better than item Y, it also explains the issues that led to their ratings. I think that most people interested in learning about the various gear and clothing options for hiking/backpacking will find the level of "techno babble" to be both reasonable and worthwhile (but your mileage may vary). Overall I think the author is very very good at explaining in plain english the relevant technical aspects of the gear/clothing discussed. If you're making the gear/clothing decisions then the material in this book is quite relevant. The author has strong opinions about clothing and gear (he tends towards the ultra-light end of gear preferences) and at times will share them with the reader while he explains various gear and clothing options. While the author certainly has more experience than I do and is quite reasonable and logical with his reasoning about his preferences I believe that while some of his preferences may indeed be best for him, there can be excellent reasons why someone else (including me) could make different choices. Fortunately, the author is good at fairly discussing the various options even if he seems to have definite preferences.

For all of the attention this book got in the various forums I read, I was a bit disappointed. I am by no means an avid backpacker - most years I take one trip for one or two nights, about every third year the trip is 5-6 nights. This year is unusual as I am preparing for a 10-day trek in the mountains so I have spent several months reading everything I can and trying different combinations of gear. While the book is full of good information, it would be of much more use to someone who is truly just getting started in backpacking. Even with my very limited experience, I dont recall any "ah ha" moments or any suggestions that I made a point to try out. It all felt like stuff I already knew. In all fairness, I read Complete Walker III a few years ago and was similarly disappointed. There are a couple of things that I really like about the book: One is that it includes gear that is not sold as "backpacking" gear by the big box stores - items someone may already have that will work great and items from cottage gear manufacturers that newcomers may not have discovered yet. The other thing I really like is that it doesn't come out and say one type of item is better than another. Rather it presents a side-by-side comparison of several options and lists how good/poor each item performs for several criteria. Use the "Look Inside" feature and browse around the book to see one of these comparisons.

I have researched a lot of information on hiking, camping, and distance hiking over the past years and in my searches I happened to stumble across Andrew Skurka. This guy is one of the baddest ultra hikers I have come across. Starting out on the AT in 2002 Andrew quickly began honing his skills to become one of the worlds best. I came across his google talk and skills clinic concerning some of his many adventurous hikes and the skills developed and applied along the way. The Sea to Sea Route (from the Tip of Maine to the Tip of Washington State) that he solo hiked blew me away. I think it was 7200 miles or so. He averaged 33 miles a day hiking from sun up to sun down completing the unbelievable journey in 11 months. In this great manual he is walking me through all of the things that he has learned about gear, weather, terrain, environments, food, safety etc. It is packed with his approach to ultra light hiking, and the skills necessary to grow proficient and capable of the same. Of course he has a gift for such travel but the skills and knowledge that he shares will benefit even the novice to the most seasoned hiker. Put it like this ..."I am sure that after 33,000 hiking miles I can believe what Andrew has to say." This is a National Geographic constructed manual with beautiful illustrations and chock full of great personal stories that help to explain his perspective about gear to use in various hiking, and ultra light hiking scenarios. I am so glad that I found this great book. And thank you Andrew for writing it. I strongly recommend it.

Andrew Skurka is the ultimate hiker. Andrew's adventures are great stories on their own. So, it's from a great perspective that Skurka writes about the choices for gear and "how-to" for backpacking. While Andrew is known for his lightweight style you will quickly see that lightweight isn't entirely the goal for hiking. The book helps explain the process for selecting usable, effective gear. I like how Andrew helps me avoid "stupid light" gear. His experiences also helps illustrate how some of the best gear is not expensive - a homemade cat can stove; a simple closed-cell foam, sleeping pad; and fleece insulation. Skurka's book can truly save you time, money, and frustration for your time on the trail. Finally, Andrew's book is a great tool I've used in working with Boy Scouts. The lessons here apply to Philmont and to every wilderness trip the boys plan. Our troop has used Skurka's ideas to both Philmont trips and canoe trips in the Boundary Waters.

Action-oriented: got me from simply thinking about how to update my gear to actually getting it done. This was accomplished by his convincing and logical explanations regarding the various elements of long distance hiking and how to do it well. Good format: Clear, concise, and easy to read. I like how he tells about what gear is out there and ends with his personal picks. He comes across as honest which is important since he is probably sponsored by some of these gear companies. I also really enjoyed his personal stories leading into chapters. After reading these short stories I would definitely be interested in reading a book about stories from his adventures. Lastly, I love the distinction he makes between ultimate campers and ultimate hikers. He doesn't judge or say that one is better than another, but he confidently makes it cool to hike big miles and enjoy the physical aspects of hiking - which are made more enjoyable when carrying the most appropriate gear. Thank you Andrew Skurka!

The author of this book is great -- he's straight-forward, has a decent sense of humor and humility, and he explains the difference between hikers such as himself and campers (such as myself). Not being a very experienced camper, I failed to appreciate the difference prior to purchasing this book. While there is some overlap, this book is written for people who prefer to keep moving for most of the day set up camp as necessity requires. I'm more of the person he contrasts himself to, someone who's okay with packing heavier & remaining in place for much of my time, taking shorter excursions and day hikes from a base camp. Still, the author is very likable, and he provides some great product analyses. I also kept in mind some of the information when preparing for (& attending) an all-day wilderness skills course recently here in Minnesota, on a late winter day with little sun & occasional rain showers. This appears to be a great tome for not-necessarily-ultralight hikers, but you campers out there could do a lot worse.

I had wanted to get into hiking for some time, but I also knew that I wanted to steer clear of "traditional" hiking in favor of going ultralight. Skurka keeps things simple in this book, he gives clear and concise advantages and disadvantages for each type of gear (such as synthetic vs wool baselayers), allowing you to pick the right gear for the expected conditions, and yet he doesn't sacrifice for the sake of shaving off every possible gram. His sample gear-lists at the end cover a wide range of situations and climates. I followed his recommendations when buying my gear and avoided wasting money on the wrong things. His methods are boiled down to the absolute essentials. This book is meant for hikers that are serious about cutting out the superfluous, there is no room for items like a portable coffee press or little camp lanterns. This is one of the few hiking books that brings something new to the table and is not simply a rehash of the same old hiking tips and tricks and gear recommendations.

Overall, Skurka has written a fairly enjoyable and useful gear-oriented book. The reason for my three stars has nothing to do with the occasional piece of gear no longer in production, the lack of "war stories", or him being opinionated with a strong slant towards light packing. Even though these all hold true. Furthermore, Andrew comes across as a likable character whose adventurous feats are impressive. He clearly has the knowledge and experience to back up his opinions. My main issue with the book is that it's really aimed at young, fit hikers who intend to cram as many miles as possible in a given day, over the course of many days, weeks, or months. If you are about to take on the Appalachian Trail, this book will definitely come in handy. However, for regular people interested in day or weekend hikes, you'll find that the book quickly loses value and only few bits are really relevant to you. I find this focus on "ultimate hikers" a little too narrow. The title can be misleading as well, as it can be read in either of two ways. It's easy to read the word "ultimate" and assume that it refers to the book, as in, "this is the ultimate guide to the best gear for hikers". That's the book I would have loved to read. The ultimate in the title is instead tightly coupled with the word hikers to mean, "this is a gear guide for people who are ultimate hikers". This difference of interpretation yields an entirely different book. There isn't too much of an emphasis on safety either. If I search my Kindle edition for the words, "flare", "banger", "horn", "bear bells" I get zero results. I'm not asking for a long winded explanation of what to do in case of wildlife attack, but discussing basic gear around the topic would be beneficial. Instead, the only mention we get is on the usefulness of bear spray and the fact that he doesn't like/need to bring guns. Plenty of people reading this book will also hike in snake country, for example, and the book doesn't address the topic of snake proof boots or gaiters, even just to say that they are not a good idea if that's his opinion. (Instead, speaking of gaiters, the book recommends currently out of stock, lightweight gaiters to keep dirt out of your socks). These are just some, perhaps not that useful, examples of how the book's focus on mileage has a negative impact on coverage of topics that might really interest hikers (even if they fall in the category of beginners over preparing and over worrying about dangers which are not really a concern). This is fundamentally a good book, particularly if your goal is to hike as fast and efficiently as possible over long periods of time. If you are not an "ultimate hiker" however, I believe you can save the money, watch his lecture at Google (just Google it :)) and you'll get the gist of his opinion on the topic.

The author’s experience and practical knowledge make this a good read. A must read for beginners and a refresher for pros.

Der Autor stellt Ausrüstung sowie ihre Vor- / Nachteile vor, welche auf seinen recht extremen Touren funktionierten. Für Fans der Gewichtsreduktion ist dieses Buch absolut empfehlenswert. Interessant ist insbesondere, dass Ideen vorgestellt werden, welche man in einem Geschäft für Outdoor-Artikel niemals erfaren würde. Ob am Berg, auf dem Rad oder auf dem Trail - wer sein Gepäck reduzieren möchte / muss wird hier Ideen finden.

This book is the best thing i have bought in a long time. It is clear and full of useful details and tips. It is a must have if you are interested in ultimate hiking and knowing that Andrew Skurka wrote it makes it even better!

For a beginner or even a pro consumer, you need this. For you, others, etc, any doubts about something, have a look! Well explained, not expensive. I read it often, bits by bits.

Bella e utile guida, peccato che la maggior parte dei suggerimenti d'acquisto sia per prodotti disponibili negli Stati Uniti ma non in Europa. Inoltre le unità di misura americane costringono ad un continuo calcolo di conversione!