Gear Splitting

[Malto]

just curious, does anyone know of a successful thruhike where 2 or more people shared a shelter who were "family" or a couple? I can't recall ever running into this on the trail. Maybe they could be the first a pond have a FKT for shelter sharing.

[Malto]

just curious, does anyone know of a successful thruhike where 2 or more people shared a shelter who weren't "family" or a couple? I can't recall ever running into this on the trail. Maybe they could be the first a pond have a FKT for shelter sharing.

[Kenai]

I spent a summer with 2 other college buddies in Alaska. We drove up from Vermont to work in a salmon processing plant. I am 5'9" 185, and the other 2 guys were well over 6 feet tall and well over 200 lbs. We were in a full size Chevy C-10 pickup, with a single bench seat. After being squashed in the middle of these 2 guys, until about Thunder bay, I opted to ride in the bed of the truck, with a blanket or tarp over me, when I was not driving. The ALCAN was not paved yet, so it was a grimy ride.
We had a 3 man tent and a wrestling warm up mat, for out sleeping pleasure.
At Liard River hot springs, we got in late, and just spread out the mat, and closed our sleeping bags up tight, so the mosquitoes wouldn't suck us dry as we slept. I woke up suddenly, after something struck me in the head. It felt like I had been hit by a rock. I sprang up and opened my bag, to find myself face to fang with a mangy looking wolf, who was as surprised as I was. I guess the sleeping bags must have looked like garbage bags to the wolf, and probably smelled like garbage, (or ass), as well. In a blink of an eye, the wolf went over and took a bite out of Bill's bag, getting him right in his butt cheek. After being greeted by the local wildlife, we all slept in the truck, until the ranger station opened to report our incident. It was our fault for sleeping in the manner that we did. Luckily, the nylon bags kept the wolf's saliva from getting into the wounds, which were not serious, thus avoiding the old style 14 day's worth of rabies shots.
Let me get back on point.
As soon as I got my first check from the processing plant, I bought my own tent. One of the guys ended up being a real pain in the butt. No matter how close you guys are now, you are going to want to have some personal space, and you will be happy to carry a little extra weight for the freedom that it gives you. Unless I was trekking with my significant other, I would always want to have a complete set of gear on my back. You could opt for a tarp, or a bivy, just to have something for the rain if you end up being separated from your friends. Cat food can stove is light enough too. At least that way if you find that your stubborn friend gets unbearable, you can go on your merry way. Just my opinion. Everybody's got one.

[Five Tango]

Hmmm,since I will never experience it,I wonder what married couples do?My wife is a city girl at heart raised in the country under protest........ I would share a tent and a stove with her but not guy friends.Every man for himself needs to be the motto there.Incidentally,my brother and his fishing partner spent a miserable night in the Everglades because they each thot the other had packed the tent.Stuff happens...........

[MuddyWaters]

No,no,no.

At least two of you will quit, on average.
Hiking speeds also not same you are unlikely to hike together all time.

Everybody carries own gear, all of it, unless hiking with family member like child, spouse, girlfriend. Where you will always stay together, or quit together.

[bigcranky]

This married couple shares a tent, and quite happily. But when I hike with others I carry my own tent.


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[Beuhler]

I want absolute veto power over any silly (sometimes dangerous) decisions my group makes. For me that means being self-sufficient and carrying my own food, shelter, etc. Everything is light enough now where that is fairly easy to do.

[shelb]

I have only section hiked. During my sections, my friend and I split a few things (she take the tent poles and I take the tent); however, we each take our own food. So far, we have only hiked up to 120 mile sections. Next year, when we hike a longer section, we will each be self proficient with regards to the tent, water purification, and cook ware.

[misprof]

This married couple share a shelter as well but we divide it so he has the tarp, I have the ground cloth. That way if we get separated both of us have something to keep the weather off us. He carries most of the food while I carry food for the day for the same reason as the tarp ground cloth. Other than that and the stove and pot we carry our own stuff.

[Heliotrope]

Hey, just looking for some words of advice from experienced hikers. Me and two of my friends are planning a sobo 2016 thru hike, and we are all physically fit and (I firmly believe) mentally capable of completing the hike. I do have some worries about the way they plan on carrying gear, though. Their idea is to split the load so one guy has the food, one guy has the tent (they're thinking of using a 3-man tent) and sleeping bags, and one guy has the rest of the gear and misc. items. In a perfect world, this would be a great idea, but after taking into account hiking pace and the possibility of being split up due to weather, trail difficulties, etc., the plan suddenly seems disastrous. The only problem is, my friends don't see it that way. One in particular is as stubborn as a mule and can't be convinced he's wrong unless he personally experiences failure or Gabriel himself comes down from heaven to tell him otherwise. I think it is extremely important for each hiker to be self-sufficient, but maybe someone has heard of or successfully used the gear-split method. So, in summary, is my friends' idea even a possibility, or should I continue to try and dissuade them?

Sounds utterly preposterous! Tell the guy who is most in favor of this system that he should carry the food, which on a 4 day segment at 2lb per person per day = 24 lbs, and you will carry the tent which may average 6-8 lbs for a 3-man. .

I remember a short trip where my buddy was going to be sharing my new tarp with me. Within hours on day one he took a wrong turn and was miles from the rest of the group at nightfall without shelter. The rest of us backtracked to the trailhead and made camp. Hours later the guy comes stumbling into camp exhausted.


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[Ostrogoth]

Try telling a teenager the right way of doing something. We all have to make our own mistakes, it's the best way to learn. Don't sweat it, let it happen. Have fun.!


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[BillyGr]

What do scout and church groups do, and families and such. I agree with everyone else. Also what else might your friend be "mule ish" about? Enough to ruin the hike?

They do share (some) gear (tents, cooking supplies and similar), but since it's usually one night (or two occasionally) and everyone will rendezvous at one point at the end of the day, not an issue.

[Ostrogoth]

On 2 to 3 week expedition trips this is how we organized it: tent, divided between inhabitants. Food, carried our own lunches, and breakfast and dinner divided into equal weights and split. Group gear split, stove, pots, fuel.

[Moosling]

I know for myself this wouldn't work as others have said after a few nights sharing a tent with 2 other dudes they would start to irritate me bad, it doesn't matter how close of friends we are I always seems to get irritated when I'm around someone for too long.

[Pedaling Fool]

There are two things I never do. Never say Never. Never split my gear with another hiker

[shakey_snake]

3 man tent? You're not prepared for the smell.

Nobody ever would be.

After a while you get used to your own funk, you might even forget about it until you run into some day hikers that will smell like the inside of a Bath & Bodyworks store. You do not get used to someone else's odor, however.