Customer Reviews

The Advanced Backpacker: A Handbook of Year Round, Long-Distance Hiking

5 star:		(2)
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3 star:		(1)
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The first time i glanced at this book I thought that i was looking at 'The Backpackers Handbook', also by Townsend. This seemed, and still seems to be, more or less a duplication of that previous guide. If you don't own the 'Handbook', then definitely check this out, I really like Chris' open-minded writing and hiking style.

The only new information in 'Advanced Backpacker' is brief; and can be found on the internet or in your library for free. But if you really want a wholesome guide to carry with you, then this should be the one.

I disagree with the other reviewer who compares this book to Townsend's "Backpacker's Handbook." The Handbook covers the basics of hiking equipment - in this book, Townsend assumes you know the basics, and covers only the adjustments to gear necessary for a long hike. Even with that caveat, there are some simply excellent discussions here - for example, its got the best breakdown of boot fitting I've come across.

More importantly though, Townsend uses this book to discuss at length topics aimed at, for lack of a better term, "advanced backpackers." Things like how to prep and plan for a thruhike. How to plan an extended route through an area where there are no trails, based only off the information available on maps. How to do menu and resupply planning for a multimonth hike. Snow camping and travel in early season mountainous terrain. It is discussions like these where this book shines. Townsend's expertise comes through to differentiate this book from the many others targeted to weekend hikers. I first picked this book up after my PCT hike in 2000, and immediately recognized it as the book I was looking for before my hike. It would have saved me unnecessary pain.

With that being said, the book is somewhat dated today. While much of Townsend's advice still holds, these days, its much easier to access information. Hundreds of former thru-hikers are immediately available through discussion forums to answer questions, and incredibly detailed posts are freely available on any bit of hiking minutiae you can think of. Like the other "advanced hiking" books by Roland Mueser and Karen Berger, this book is sadly somewhat of a relic these days. If you consider yourself an "advanced backpacker" though, its still worth getting ahold of, to access the author's expertise on some relatively esoteric subjects.

The author's experience in long distance backpacking is obvious when he shares his knowledge in an honest and enlightening way.
The section on inspiration and reality is well worth reading. He gives a nice little description of the long trails, with his comments and experiences. His food choices and ideas alone make the book worth the price. He includes the best description of chemical purification I have seen in some time. He covers boot fitting (one of the most important items, I think, in backpacking) like no one else I have ever read. Not a rehash of what has already been written (I admit I haven't read his other books), but some critical and important original views on the subject.
This book delivers excellent information for the long-distance hiker.