The Appalachian Trail Backpacker: Trail-Proven Advice for Hikes of Any Length [Paperback]

Victoria Logue (Author), Frank Logue (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994

The essential guide for preparing a hike along the A.T. Lets hikers know what to expect from animals, weather, and other hikers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...immensly valuable...A book that has been needed for many years. -- -Backpacker Magazine13.95

From the Back Cover

A classic now in its Third Edition, The Appalachian Trail Backpacker is today's gold standard for the latest must-have information for day, section, or thru hikers on the Appalachian TrailThis guide has been completely updated from front to back and contains valuable step-by-step information on preparing to hike the A.T.; comprehensive Trail Club information, including websites; crucial information on nutrition and diet; expanded coverage on shelters, cabins, and campgrounds; details on choosing the best equipment. Stretching more than 2,150 miles from Georgia to Maine, the Appalachian Trail is the nation's premier long trail, and the Appalachian Trail Backpacker is the essential guide for anyone preparing to hike it. With the help of dozens of A.T. hikers, the authors have gathered over 100,000 miles of A.T. experience into this commonsense guide on the nation's oldest trail system. From boots to cooking gear, The Appalachian Trail Backpacker offers essential information on backpacking equipment and prepares hikers to encounter wild animals, beat foul weather, interact with fellow hikers, and more. (6 x 9, 240 pages, b&w photos)

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Globe Pequot; 2 edition (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897321618
• ISBN-13: 978-0897321617
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,575,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The book to buy when preparing to hike on the AT, June 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Appalachian Trail Backpacker, 3rd: Trail-proven Advice for Hikes of Any Length (Paperback)

The AT Backpacker is a well-written, no-nonsense guide. The Logues give the low down on hiking with an eye toward the Appalachian Trail. I found everything I needed to know about foods to eat and how to be safe in drinking water. They also go through the dizzying array of gear out there, from tents and backpacks to stoves, sleeping bags, boots and clothes, all with the AT in mind. There are also chapters on winter backpacking, backpacking with children, and long distance hiking which expand on the basics.

An earlier edition of this book gave me the confidence to get out on the trail for some shorter hikes (weekend hikes and a week-long trip). I have used the checklist for overnight hikes in the back of the book to prepare for many hikes and find it the best equipment checklist anywhere.

I bought this third edition to get the latest as I prepare for a thru-hike of the AT. The Logues have made numerous changes throughout the book. I'm glad they have kept the AT Backpacker current. The additional appendix on websites has proved helpful for planning my hike.

I recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more before hitting the AT for a hike.

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Everything I Needed to Know about the AT, I Didn't Get Here, June 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Appalachian Trail Backpacker: Trail-Proven Advice for Hikes of Any Length (Paperback)

The only things more annoying than the complete absence of any useful information were the condescending attitudes of the authors. They open the book by bashing some children for not knowing the exact start of the Appalachian Trail. All non-thru hikers are portrayed as unenlightened idiots. The authors seem to forget or ignore that for anyone who hasn't thru-hiked the AT, there are going to be a lot of the usual questions ("How much food do you carry?" "How long have you been in the woods?") Maybe the authors should show a little more patience when asked these questions, especially by Trail Angels.

We could've written a better book by spending a few hours in a hiking store. Nothing was specific to the AT. 90% of the book was sheer common sense. (p. 89, second sentence, "You don't want to wear wool pants and a sweater when it's 90 degrees outside." ) Gee, thanks.

This was one of the worst purchases we have ever made.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you need advice for what to take on your hike, look here, July 25, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Appalachian Trail Backpacker: Trail-Proven Advice for Hikes of Any Length (Paperback)

This book is very well written, including gear reviews, trail tips, advice, and references for collecting additional information. While not enough to plan a hike solely on the basis of what is written, it surely is useful for AT day hikes, thru-hikes, or any hike you make care to attempt. Best for beginner-to -intermediate level backpackers. but everyone can learn something new from it.