#168 | Section Hiking vs. Thru-Hiking: Defining Each Style, Benefits and Drawbacks, and Who They're For
Backpacker Radio
Zach Davis
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 26 September 2022
⏱️ 103 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are bringing you another panel episode. Today we are joined by Backpacker Radio regular, Clay Bonnyman Evans aka Pony to compare and contrast thru-hiking and section hiking. We go deep, focusing largely on the benefits of each of these styles of hiking, who they're for, what we have personally gained from them, and much more. If you're curious about whether you should hit the pause button on your life and take a half year to meander in the mountains, this episode will hopefully serve you a ton of value. And, as always when Pony is studio, this one is delightfully wild.
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Panel with Badger, Chaunce, and Pony
- Tom Turcich (and His Pup) Set to Complete 7-Year Around-the-World Walk Next Month by Clay Bonnyman Evans
- Leave us a voicemail!
Time stamps & Questions
00:05:03 - QOTD: What's the stupidest thing you've done this week?
00:20:05 - Reminders: Apply to be a blogger for 2023!
00:20:32 - Introducing the panel topic
00:22:30 - Panelist's hiking experiences
00:23:55 - Discussion of the definition of section hiking
00:26:05 - Chaunce's Thru-Hiking Pro #1
00:28:25 - Zach's Thru-Hiking Pro #1
00:31:40 - Pony's disclaimer about section hiking
00:34:02 - Pony's Thru-Hiking Pro #1
00:38:15 - Chaunce's Thru-Hiking Pro #2
00:46:18 - Zach's Thru-Hiking Pro #2
00:57:44 - Pony's Thru-Hiking Pro #2
01:02:00 - Chaunce's Thru-Hiking Pro #3
01:05:55 - Zach's Thru-Hiking Pro #3
01:06:50 - Discussion of friends and trail families while thru-hiking
01:09:05 - Pony's Thru-Hiking Pro #3
01:12:10 - Chaunce's Section Hiking Pro #1
01:17:48 - Zach's Section Hiking Pro #1
01:20:56 - Pony's Section Hiking Pro #1
01:26:40 - Chaunce's Section Hiking Pro #2
01:27:30 - Zach's Section Hiking Pro #2
01:30:05 - Chaunce's Section Hiking Pro #3
01:32:48 - Pony's Section Hiking Pro #2
[divider]
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by the Trek, we are bringing you another |
| 0:04.2 | panel episode. |
| 0:05.2 | Today, we are joined by Backpacker Radio Regular, Clay Bonyman Evans, aka Pony to compare |
| 0:11.6 | and contrast through hiking vs. section hiking. |
| 0:15.3 | We go deep, focusing largely on the benefits of each of these styles of hiking, who therefore, |
| 0:21.0 | what we have personally gained from them, and much more. |
| 0:24.8 | If you're curious about whether you should hit the pause button on your life, take |
| 0:27.9 | a half year to meander in the mountains, this episode will hopefully serve you a ton |
| 0:33.2 | of value. |
| 0:34.5 | And as always, when Pony is in studio, this one is delightfully wild. |
| 0:39.6 | But first, if you've listened to Backpacker Radio, you know that both Zach and I are big |
| 0:44.8 | fans of Gossamer gear, and you factures of lightweight backpacking gear and accessories. |
| 0:50.3 | Their packs carry comfortably, their roomy shelters protect in harsh weather conditions, and |
| 0:54.8 | the trekking poles are some of the lightest on the planet. |
| 0:57.8 | Backpacker gear is changing the perception of delicate ultra light gear. |
| 1:02.1 | Zach and I are both users of Gossamer gear's packs and shelters. |
| 1:06.0 | I've used the one and the two, their one person and two person tons, on long hikes and |
| 1:11.2 | shorter trips. |
| 1:12.6 | The one is both roomy and light, weighing less than 1 and a half pounds, and what I like |
| 1:17.2 | to call the one you need. |
| 1:19.1 | The two is great for when I hike with Harper, with lots of space for activities. |
| 1:23.9 | Zach has used the Gorilla, their 40 liter pack, for more than 3,000 miles of backpacking. |
... |
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