whats the best thru hiking guide?

[johnboy92]

i was just wondering what you guys and gals think?

[SGT Rock]

"Best" is subjective. That is why there are 4 choices.

"AT Guide" by Awol.

[Spokes]

Before my 2009 thru hike, I ordered and reviewed the AT Guide by AWOL, the Appalachian Trail Databook, the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion, and The Thru-Hiker's Handbook by Bob "501" McCaw.

I went with The Thru-Hiker's Handbook because I liked the way the info was organized and presented. The elevation charts were a little funky at times (my only complaint).

The Thru-Hikers' Companion had the best elevation charts but it was real cursory with town information and available services- a real downside for me.

Good luck!

[Awol2003]

Before my 2009 thru hike, I ordered and reviewed the AT Guide by AWOL, the Appalachian Trail Databook, the Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion, and The Thru-Hiker's Handbook by Bob "501" McCaw.

I went with The Thru-Hiker's Handbook because I liked the way the info was organized and presented. The elevation charts were a little funky at times (my only complaint).

The Thru-Hikers' Companion had the best elevation charts but it was real cursory with town information and available services- a real downside for me.

Good luck!

A couple of corrections:

The A.T. Guide was not published in 2009. The book Spokes refers to would be App Pages, which was significantly different.

The Companion does not have elevation charts.

[SGT Rock]

I was thinking the same thing.

[Spokes]

Sgt Rock, which one had the "watermark elevation chart" on each mileage page? The pages were more rectangular..... that was the Companion right?

[Blue Jay]

The AWOL book is by far the most popular this year.

[SGT Rock]

Sgt Rock, which one had the "watermark elevation chart" on each mileage page? The pages were more rectangular..... that was the Companion right?

Nope. The companion doesn't have an elevation profile. The only one that has it as the watermark is "The AT Guide".

[SGT Rock]

Appalachian Pages did, when Awol was the editor. But now it is in limbo. Awol took his ideas and is doing the AT Guide.

http://www.theatguide.com/

[GregSS]

Appalachian Pages (out of print) 2008 Edition AT Guide Book

A great guide book and out of Print. It was only printed in 2008 and 2009. This book has the updates from July of '08. The first 24 pages are loose and slightly dog eared. The rest of the book is in very good to excellent condition. $80 or best reasonable offer. These sell on Ebay for crazy sums of money like $200. After a couple of weeks here I may post it on ebay.

This will get you to Maine.

Plese call Greg 717-728-0290 during the week on my cell at 717-215-9394.

[jj2044]

OOORRRR you could just buy AWOL's AT Guide for like 15$ and it will "get you to maine" aslo

[Don H]

AWOL's book. He sells an edition unbound so you can carry a months worth at a time if you want. Also North AND Southbound editions.

[Slo-go'en]

I was bummed to recently find out that the thru-hikers handbook will no longer be published. I wanted to replace my 2004 edition, which only has the last two pages of Maine left bound into it. (All the other pages have been cut out for use on the trail, and many of those pages are either water damaged or lost).

So, I guess I'll replace it with AWOL's guide. The Companion is skimpy on trail land marks, since I guess they want you to use the data book with it.

[Chaco Taco]

I was bummed to recently find out that the thru-hikers handbook will no longer be published. I wanted to replace my 2004 edition, which only has the last two pages of Maine left bound into it. (All the other pages have been cut out for use on the trail, and many of those pages are either water damaged or lost).

So, I guess I'll replace it with AWOL's guide. The Companion is skimpy on trail land marks, since I guess they want you to use the data book with it.

I like the idea that the Companion doesn't tell you the "landmarks". Gives you more of the element of surprise. I usually get a copy of all the books, because they are all good in their own right. Typically carry sections of the Companion because I just want to know the basics, if I don't carry a map.If Im going on a longer section, Ill carry the map and a couple of pages of the Companion. I use the AT Guide as well for the profiles but I typically don't carry it on the trail. I have only used theData Book once. I know Wak used the Data book in 99 because it was really the only thing. In 08 I used the Pages and it was a first edition. As with all books, there was some inaccurate info but a lot of the info has been corrected.