Chapter Eight

Clothing

You do not have to carry a backpack full of clothes to be prepared for the types of weather typically found along the Appalachian Trail. Shorts, T-shirts, long johns, pile jackets and pants, and rain gear can be layered to achieve the right combination of warmth and flexibility regardless of the climate. When it comes to backpacking, owning a few high-quality garments will see you through many backpacking trips. Quality and comfort matter much more than style, but often you can have both. One pair of Patagonia shorts, for example, will last as long as, if not longer than, five cheap pairs of shorts. Before discussing the many types of available fabrics, let’s look at one of the most critical aspects of backpacking: layering.