Cost was the most important thing for those new backpackers in the Earth Day generation. I estimate though that this equipment and a week of food creeped up to 50 pounds and more as it got colder.
I got my tent from LL Bean:
My pack and sleeping bag from Ski Hut:
Many smaller items from REI:
My SVEA 123 stove from Moor and Mountain:
Some things came from EMS (most other catalogs were free though):
and the rest of my gear came from local places around Baltimore Maryland like Sunny's Surplus, Montgomery Ward and Boy Scout vendors.
Total gear, without food was 35 pounds.
Add two quarts of water at another 4 pounds.
Read more of this history in
Bristow, R. (2025). The Real Appalachian Trail BC. Appalachian Trail Museum.
All proceeds go to the Museum.
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