For 2,175 miles, I carried the Gregory Z pack. It was a great pack, reasonably priced, and lightweight. It lasted the entire six months and it still looks new. If your pack fits correctly, it can improve your hiking experience exponentially.
I bought my pack from an outfitter, so I got to try on many packs. The Gregory Z had all the buckles and straps, but you can’t adjust shoulder strap height or waist-belt height, so your torso length must be within a certain range.
If you don’t have an outfitter close by, you may want to buy a pack you can adjust for a perfect fit. I also have a Dana Design Redirect pack. The shoulder strap and waist belt height can be adjusted to distribute weight more evenly. This often makes the pack weigh more and also cost more. After about 15 miles of steep trail, it may be money very well spent.
Careful which one you choose--that pack goes with you EVERYWHERE. We were lucky we didn't fall off that mountain!
I won’t spend a lot of time writing about equipment, but there are a few items I think are very important to a great hiking experience. I’ll be writing later about what to take and what not to take, but if you have any questions, be sure to leave a comment and I will let you know my thoughts. Bye for now.
Zen and the art of AT thru hiking 