Any Experienced Hikers Here?

[ninjavanish]

Rim-to-Rim is certainly a serious hike... especially in September.

To be honest... check out Backpacker.com

They always do a gear guide every year and should be a good resource to learn about gear and training... etc.

I have always found that a good outdoors store (I would stay clear of the large chains) have employees who are very experienced outdoorsmen and women with plenty of knowledge that offer good advice.

Never buy a backpack until you have actually tried it on personally. Most good outdoors stores can actually customize a backpack solution for you based on the size of your torso/waist etc. That's a reason to find yourself a good store to actually go into. On Backpacks... my advice is... the more ways to adjust the ride... the better.

So... how to find a GOOD gear store... that's the tricky part... and you will know when you have found a bad one. If anything doesn't feel like it fits right... it doesnt.

The same goes with Boots. You are going to want to find something that fits well... and having someone there to recommend sizing and support options tailored to your particular foot is going to prove more beneficial than you can imagine. Good shoes and a good pack are going to directly affect your experience... if you get stuff that doesn't fit well... it's going to make you regret ever leaving home. Just ask SvilleKid about the last time we tried to tackle a stretch of the AT.

I personally wear Merrell on my feet and a Mountainsmith Internal Frame pack on my back.