Take a look at the SOG Revolver. http://sogknives.com/store/HREV-7.html
At 6 oz. you get a saw blade and a 4.75" knife.
At 6 oz. you get a saw blade and a 4.75" knife.
Knife for Appalachian Trail
- Thread starter xanderzuk
- Start date
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JImbothefiveth
Member
Apparently there's also a problem with people growing large patches of drugs, especially merijuana, and they might very well shoot you on sight.
I'd reccomend taking a gun. A g19 or g26 would be small and lightweight, and maybe bring an airsoft gun for practice.
I'd reccomend taking a gun. A g19 or g26 would be small and lightweight, and maybe bring an airsoft gun for practice.
Ya know, from your talk about chopping through wood on the AT with a big knife, I'm going to bring up a point that others have touched on a little.
Have you done your homework? 2175 miles is a long way, with or without support. You need maps, plans, local numbers of places you can stay in each crossing if necessary, etc.
You better hike as light as possible. Especially if you are doing it end-to-end! My best friend from high school's dad, Warren Doyle, has/had the most hikes total on the AT, and he was crazy about weight. They slept in garbage bags, basically just ate trail mix, and as far as I know didn't even carry knives. He will help you plan your hike if you contact him online; though I didn't get along too great with the guy (STRONG personality), I'd rather you use his services than invest time/cash in a failed hike.
I think he has a website with some free tips...here it is.
http://www.lmc.edu/faculty/DoyleW/ATBook.html
Of course, you can take his philosophy hook line and sinker, which might be a little much IMO:
Anyway, I am unclear on the ins and outs of the new National Park non-gun-ban (anyone care to clarify here or via PM?) but I would certainly recommend a gun. Of note, Doyle and many prominent AT people are rabid anti-gunners...
Have you done your homework? 2175 miles is a long way, with or without support. You need maps, plans, local numbers of places you can stay in each crossing if necessary, etc.
You better hike as light as possible. Especially if you are doing it end-to-end! My best friend from high school's dad, Warren Doyle, has/had the most hikes total on the AT, and he was crazy about weight. They slept in garbage bags, basically just ate trail mix, and as far as I know didn't even carry knives. He will help you plan your hike if you contact him online; though I didn't get along too great with the guy (STRONG personality), I'd rather you use his services than invest time/cash in a failed hike.
I think he has a website with some free tips...here it is.
http://www.lmc.edu/faculty/DoyleW/ATBook.html
Of course, you can take his philosophy hook line and sinker, which might be a little much IMO:
Anyway, I am unclear on the ins and outs of the new National Park non-gun-ban (anyone care to clarify here or via PM?) but I would certainly recommend a gun. Of note, Doyle and many prominent AT people are rabid anti-gunners...
Currently I am probably going with a much smaller knife than I had originally intended: A Buck Vanguard in S30V. 8.5 inches overall, 6.3 oz. I already have a Leatherman.
Some people are absurdly obsessed with wait, I am strongly concerned with it, and am already at less than I had originally intended, so I am doing good.
Some people are absurdly obsessed with wait, I am strongly concerned with it, and am already at less than I had originally intended, so I am doing good.
Carl Levitian
member
"Go on, git up in them woods!"
Well it isn't that a 6 oz knife is really a huge burden compared to a 2.5 oz knife. It's that if ALL your gear weighs half of what a conventional, non-lightweight piece weighs, OR you just don't carry crap you don't actually NEED, and you're just as conscientious about planning all aspects of your hike as you are the weight...you're way more likely to succeed!
Funderb
Member
Read, "A walk in the Woods" by bill bryson.
Check out RAT Cutlery. www.ratcutlery.com
I have the RC-3 and the Izula. Some of the finest knives out there that are designed to be used and abused. Lightweight and fairly cheap (you can get and RC-3 for around $65). Another good point is their warranty. If you break it, they will replace it. Does not matter if was your fault or not. So if you manage to break it during your hike you can just send it back and they will send you a new one.
I work out in the woods (wildland fighting/forestry) and in my opinion these are just about the best thing going as far as an all-around bush knife.
They have a pretty good following and you can read up on them over at:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=816
I have the RC-3 and the Izula. Some of the finest knives out there that are designed to be used and abused. Lightweight and fairly cheap (you can get and RC-3 for around $65). Another good point is their warranty. If you break it, they will replace it. Does not matter if was your fault or not. So if you manage to break it during your hike you can just send it back and they will send you a new one.
I work out in the woods (wildland fighting/forestry) and in my opinion these are just about the best thing going as far as an all-around bush knife.
They have a pretty good following and you can read up on them over at:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=816
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 13,146
This may sound funny, but if you just sleep in your clothes, then a fixed knife in a belt sheath is pretty uncomfortable when you roll over - that weighs in favor of a folder. My Kershaw Leek with G10 scales is pretty light, just as food for thought - it has S30V blade steel.
My understanding is that you, too, will become absurdly obsessed with weight before you get out of Georgia.
My understanding is that you, too, will become absurdly obsessed with weight before you get out of Georgia.
EHCRain10
Member
+1 to RAT Cutlery
Keep us updated on your progress when you leave
Keep us updated on your progress when you leave
wheelgunslinger
Member
Hiking the AT these days is like taking a months long nature walk with 600 or so of your buddies.
All this doom and gloom and ignorant talk of banjos is really pretty telling that most haven't experienced the AT at all and are just saying what they think it might be like.
However, there is some good advice here.
As for the knife part, there are guys who hike the trail in BDU's and have giant knives, ALICE packs, and all that stuff. There are also 95 lb women who throughhike and never need more than a small folding knife like a stockman or Buck 110. Most of what you'll likely be doing with it will be cutting open food packets.
As previously mentioned, the shelter areas are generally not campfire friendly. You'll be cooking on a stove of some kind (soda can). You'll be extremely fatigued every night (averaging 20 miles/day). And, pouring a hot meal down your throat will be a luxury. Gathering wood is a chore you likely won't have to do.
If you plan on doing the Springer to Baxter route, you'll have to really stay on point and make that mileage so that Baxter doesn't close before you get there. Nearly like a race against time.
I'll second that notion of getting to know some people who have done it.
They'll be happy to share their experiences with you.
Check out the local papers, meetup dot com, and message boards. There will be a buzz starting this time of year as we round the bend toward spring and the start of the season.
All this doom and gloom and ignorant talk of banjos is really pretty telling that most haven't experienced the AT at all and are just saying what they think it might be like.
However, there is some good advice here.
As for the knife part, there are guys who hike the trail in BDU's and have giant knives, ALICE packs, and all that stuff. There are also 95 lb women who throughhike and never need more than a small folding knife like a stockman or Buck 110. Most of what you'll likely be doing with it will be cutting open food packets.
As previously mentioned, the shelter areas are generally not campfire friendly. You'll be cooking on a stove of some kind (soda can). You'll be extremely fatigued every night (averaging 20 miles/day). And, pouring a hot meal down your throat will be a luxury. Gathering wood is a chore you likely won't have to do.
If you plan on doing the Springer to Baxter route, you'll have to really stay on point and make that mileage so that Baxter doesn't close before you get there. Nearly like a race against time.
I'll second that notion of getting to know some people who have done it.
They'll be happy to share their experiences with you.
Check out the local papers, meetup dot com, and message boards. There will be a buzz starting this time of year as we round the bend toward spring and the start of the season.
I agree 100% with wheelgunslinger. The AT is a heavily traveled trail in parts and as a whole. While there was one heavily advertised violent crime (Murder on the Appalachian Trail, a really badly written book), crime is far lower than off the trail. Millions hike the AT with no encounters with crime. I've hiked the southern half of the AT in parts and whole several times and all that goofy stuff is BS.
Every ounce you trim from one place and another adds up to pounds you don't have to carry or that you can put into more important things. An ounce trimmed here and an ounce there adds up after a week on the trail.
You won't be building camp fires. Most sites are stove only and most of the wood you might think you'd use has been scavenged before you ever thought about this trek.
Get on the boards where people who have actually done this and those that are planning it congregate. You'll get a lot better advice there on what you need.
The chances of something happening at low...unless it happens, in which case it's 100%, not .02%. I'd still carry a gun, but do your research. You might have to Fed-ex it to yourself instead of taking it through MA, assuming you intend to obey the laws there. (Just kidding, kinda)
wheelgunslinger
Member
If you worry about stuff like that, you really need to go backpacking on the AT.
It'll relax you.
Your mind is the best weapon you have. As SM and HSO and other illustrious acronymed users have pointed out, the weapon is an implement but by no means your personal Nuke where you pull the trigger and everything is okay. And, personal defense comes in all forms. So, a firearm isn't the best or only way to extricate yourself from trouble in the backcountry.
If you're planning for small percentage risks, might as well bring a 10 gauge for Moose and Black Bear, a MOP suit for nuclear/bio/chem attacks, and a laptop with sat. uplink web access in case your sweetie from high school friends you on facebook after her divorce is finalized.
We all draw the line somewhere. I've hauled gear all over the southern appalachians and all over the AT. 5 miles into a hike, I always see n00bs tossing stuff into the brush to lighten their load. Certainly, I've never seen someone throw a firearm away, but I have seen people give theirs dirty looks after they realize the penalty they incur.
It'll relax you.
Your mind is the best weapon you have. As SM and HSO and other illustrious acronymed users have pointed out, the weapon is an implement but by no means your personal Nuke where you pull the trigger and everything is okay. And, personal defense comes in all forms. So, a firearm isn't the best or only way to extricate yourself from trouble in the backcountry.
If you're planning for small percentage risks, might as well bring a 10 gauge for Moose and Black Bear, a MOP suit for nuclear/bio/chem attacks, and a laptop with sat. uplink web access in case your sweetie from high school friends you on facebook after her divorce is finalized.
We all draw the line somewhere. I've hauled gear all over the southern appalachians and all over the AT. 5 miles into a hike, I always see n00bs tossing stuff into the brush to lighten their load. Certainly, I've never seen someone throw a firearm away, but I have seen people give theirs dirty looks after they realize the penalty they incur.
Scott Free
Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2008
- Messages
- 51
I've never hiked the AT, but I have a friend who has. According to her, the first several miles are strewn with all the heavy stuff people thought they needed.
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 13,146
Nice...... AKA THR's OIAUs.
Extremely cool, though that WGS, Carl, and HSO all have firsthand experience. I'll bet the OP is in luck with whatever info he needs from these generous folks if he avails himself of their knowledge by PM'ing them.
exflatlander
Member
I assume you know about this siight:
http://www.outdoors.org/
I never did more than some of the White Mountains but I found a decent machete to be lighter than a hatchet.
http://www.outdoors.org/
I never did more than some of the White Mountains but I found a decent machete to be lighter than a hatchet.
TimboKhan
Member
I haven't hiked since about 200 pounds ago, but being a Marine and growing up in this state, I have done a fair share of hiking. Here is my advice:
Pack light, forgo the gun. The weight, changing legal situation, and valuable pack space it will take up negate any real usefulness. A knife is a good tool, but a leatherman would serve you better, though they are sort of heavy.
Trust me, if you are going to walk 2000 miles, weight is going to be a big, big issue.
wheelgunslinger
Member
Not to run you off from THR, because I'm happy to talk trekking or backpacking or naturewalking with anyone, anywhere, anytime. But, whiteblaze.net is a dedicated AT forum and you'll be able to find a lot of opinions there on gear, food, and even firearms.
Bear in mind, I'm not anti-gun at all. That's why I'm here. I just think that before you leave for the AT you should fill your pack and go out for a week of 20 mile days. Then, decide if you want the extra weight of the weapon. If you do, good on you.
Also, look into DIY gear. You can actually craft your own sleeping bag, tent, and pack for pennies on the dollar.
Bear in mind, I'm not anti-gun at all. That's why I'm here. I just think that before you leave for the AT you should fill your pack and go out for a week of 20 mile days. Then, decide if you want the extra weight of the weapon. If you do, good on you.
Also, look into DIY gear. You can actually craft your own sleeping bag, tent, and pack for pennies on the dollar.
wheelgunslinger's advice to "test hike" your load is one of the best you can be given. While not every successful through-hiker spent 3 months ahead of their AT trip testing their load and endurance, everyone I've know that did test hike completed their AT trips with minimal problems.
Load the gear you'll use and try a weekend with it covering the distance you think you want to cover in two days. Keep tuning it over 2 and 3 day hikes and then try a week with it. You'll know what you absolutely do not want to take after a week humping all that gear.
Load the gear you'll use and try a weekend with it covering the distance you think you want to cover in two days. Keep tuning it over 2 and 3 day hikes and then try a week with it. You'll know what you absolutely do not want to take after a week humping all that gear.
Thruhike98
Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 26
You are getting some good advice here, xanderzuk, both for thru-hiking and for other outdoor activities. I caution you that the requirements for these activities are not always the same.
While it's not exciting, and may seem counter-intuitive right now, a 1oz. $10 keyring-type Swiss Army knife is what's needed for thru-hiking the A.T. I carried a promotional Victorinox Classic with a local power company's logo the entire way from Georgia to Maine and never needed more knife. What will you use/need a knife for? Cutting 0.25" cord, your toenails, and food containers. That's about it. You'll use the scissors more than the blade. White gas or denatured alcohol is your fuel, your brain and a stout walking staff your protection. If every potential thru-hiker was out chopping down trees in that narrow corridor, that strip of North Georgia would look like Moab, Utah. There are a lot of folks who start out, for that amount of space. You'll also be too tired to gather firewood most days, and you should not count on building a fire as part of your routine, if only because dry wood is often scarce, especially on a pre-hypothermic, rainy, 35 degree day.
You are getting some great advice about some fantastic outdoor knives. I've found a couple new ones for my wish list reading this. Many of those knives are just not suited for this specific, atypical, crazy(?), activity you'll be undertaking. While a thru-hike shares a lot of similarities with a camping trip, it also shares a lot of similarities with a marathon. Heck, you'll do marathon-mileage days while you're out. A saw, ax, entrenching tool, survival knife, and firearm are not things that fit with the marathon-like aspect of a thru-hike (carrying everything for six months, back-to-back big (20+) mile days, stress on knees, etc.) of thru-hiking.
You'll be hard-pressed to find anything as large as a Gerber LST on a thru-hiker, at least after the first +/-100 miles. At the first road crossing with a store, I sent home a large Gerber knife, a can of mace, and a large compass. Hiking 15-20 miles every day with a pack over many ups and downs will make you shed anything you don't use every day and doesn't perform multiple functions; the end of your toothbrush, the cardboard core of a TP roll, the too-long straps on your pack, pages of a partially-read book, etc. Not kidding. I knew one finisher who had a cell phone - she mailed it to herself at each new town so she could call her folks then mailed it forward to the next town. Your knees will need to last 2200 miles, and pretty quickly they will feel like they are blown out after sitting still for more than a few minutes. All that to illustrate: Pack weight is very important.
As for firearms, I know the forum on which we are posting, however this is not the trip for carrying. The weight, legality, necessity, etc. are all reasons to forgo this on a thru-hike. The weight issue is addressed elsewhere in this post. As for legality; the A.T. stretches over 14 different states and passes through more than 60 federal, state, and local parks and forests. In some parts, the Trail “corridor” is only a few hundred feet wide. You will have extreme difficulty complying with all of the legal issues. Realistically, I do not think it would be possible. Check the threads here about folks just trying to comply with CCL issues, reciprocity, on a car trip. Regarding the necessity (all things considered), I believe the A.T. is one of the safest places you could be. How many acts of violence were on your evening news last night? How many can we point to on the A.T. over its more than 50-year history?
As for the Warren Doyle suggestion, I have met him on the trail. The poster above was correct about Mr. Doyle's enormous amount of miles under his belt, and about his personality. He does offer supported trips, but consider whether that is the experience you are seeking - paying someone to tell you what you will eat, where to sleep, who you'll hike with, how to hike your hike - for six months. While this is an appealing option for some, this is contrary to what I most enjoyed out there and it's not what I imagine most are seeking.
Visiting whiteblaze.net is a great suggestion. That is a forum by/for people who have done and will do what you are attempting. That is where you'll find the most relevant information. Remember, this is something very few people even try to do. Of that group, only about 10% are successful. It is an unusual thing to attempt and not something many people have experience with. As suggested before, seek out those who have long-distance hiking experience. (Bryson's book, A Walk In The Woods, is good entertainment but is not an accurate description of an actual thru-hike. A good resource would be the Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook by Ray Jardine.)
Congratulations on deciding to attempt a thru-hike of the A.T. It is one of the most rewarding accomplishments and learning experiences of my life. I'll be glad to chat with you if there is anything you'd like help with or have questions about. You can be one of those 10% who finish!
(All this is not to discount the other advice you are receiving here, there are a lot of smart folks on this forum, it is just an unusual subject about which I am very familiar. Wow, I came here enjoying learning from this great group of folks. Didn't expect to hit on a topic I'm familiar with. Now back to "student" mode.)
While it's not exciting, and may seem counter-intuitive right now, a 1oz. $10 keyring-type Swiss Army knife is what's needed for thru-hiking the A.T. I carried a promotional Victorinox Classic with a local power company's logo the entire way from Georgia to Maine and never needed more knife. What will you use/need a knife for? Cutting 0.25" cord, your toenails, and food containers. That's about it. You'll use the scissors more than the blade. White gas or denatured alcohol is your fuel, your brain and a stout walking staff your protection. If every potential thru-hiker was out chopping down trees in that narrow corridor, that strip of North Georgia would look like Moab, Utah.
There are a lot of folks who start out, for that amount of space. You'll also be too tired to gather firewood most days, and you should not count on building a fire as part of your routine, if only because dry wood is often scarce, especially on a pre-hypothermic, rainy, 35 degree day.You are getting some great advice about some fantastic outdoor knives. I've found a couple new ones for my wish list reading this. Many of those knives are just not suited for this specific, atypical, crazy(?)
, activity you'll be undertaking. While a thru-hike shares a lot of similarities with a camping trip, it also shares a lot of similarities with a marathon. Heck, you'll do marathon-mileage days while you're out. A saw, ax, entrenching tool, survival knife, and firearm are not things that fit with the marathon-like aspect of a thru-hike (carrying everything for six months, back-to-back big (20+) mile days, stress on knees, etc.) of thru-hiking.You'll be hard-pressed to find anything as large as a Gerber LST on a thru-hiker, at least after the first +/-100 miles. At the first road crossing with a store, I sent home a large Gerber knife, a can of mace, and a large compass. Hiking 15-20 miles every day with a pack over many ups and downs will make you shed anything you don't use every day and doesn't perform multiple functions; the end of your toothbrush, the cardboard core of a TP roll, the too-long straps on your pack, pages of a partially-read book, etc. Not kidding. I knew one finisher who had a cell phone - she mailed it to herself at each new town so she could call her folks then mailed it forward to the next town. Your knees will need to last 2200 miles, and pretty quickly they will feel like they are blown out after sitting still for more than a few minutes. All that to illustrate: Pack weight is very important.
As for firearms, I know the forum on which we are posting, however this is not the trip for carrying. The weight, legality, necessity, etc. are all reasons to forgo this on a thru-hike. The weight issue is addressed elsewhere in this post. As for legality; the A.T. stretches over 14 different states and passes through more than 60 federal, state, and local parks and forests. In some parts, the Trail “corridor” is only a few hundred feet wide. You will have extreme difficulty complying with all of the legal issues. Realistically, I do not think it would be possible. Check the threads here about folks just trying to comply with CCL issues, reciprocity, on a car trip. Regarding the necessity (all things considered), I believe the A.T. is one of the safest places you could be. How many acts of violence were on your evening news last night? How many can we point to on the A.T. over its more than 50-year history?
As for the Warren Doyle suggestion, I have met him on the trail. The poster above was correct about Mr. Doyle's enormous amount of miles under his belt, and about his personality. He does offer supported trips, but consider whether that is the experience you are seeking - paying someone to tell you what you will eat, where to sleep, who you'll hike with, how to hike your hike - for six months. While this is an appealing option for some, this is contrary to what I most enjoyed out there and it's not what I imagine most are seeking.
Visiting whiteblaze.net is a great suggestion. That is a forum by/for people who have done and will do what you are attempting. That is where you'll find the most relevant information. Remember, this is something very few people even try to do. Of that group, only about 10% are successful. It is an unusual thing to attempt and not something many people have experience with. As suggested before, seek out those who have long-distance hiking experience. (Bryson's book, A Walk In The Woods, is good entertainment but is not an accurate description of an actual thru-hike. A good resource would be the Pacific Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook by Ray Jardine.)
Congratulations on deciding to attempt a thru-hike of the A.T. It is one of the most rewarding accomplishments and learning experiences of my life. I'll be glad to chat with you if there is anything you'd like help with or have questions about. You can be one of those 10% who finish!
(All this is not to discount the other advice you are receiving here, there are a lot of smart folks on this forum, it is just an unusual subject about which I am very familiar. Wow, I came here enjoying learning from this great group of folks. Didn't expect to hit on a topic I'm familiar with. Now back to "student" mode.)
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What happened to "carry 24/7 or guess lucky?" I suppose the hassle vs benefit might be negative with regard to carrying, but the new national park gun ban lift (went into effect this month) seems like it'd simplify things. I'm not advocating breaking the law...but I don't think anyone giving advice here has done research in light of the new rules. That's off-topic, though, and I respect anyone saying that 1.5 pounds or so of gun would be unnecessary weight. I just don't think you're any safer on the trail than anywhere else wrt chances of being victimized. If you're through-hiking, your helper(s) could keep the firearm locked in the glove or trunk when necessary, or however they needed, to comply. I'll shut up about that now though.
It would be interesting if you'd update us on your search, and on your plans...
It would be interesting if you'd update us on your search, and on your plans...
It's all about risk assessment. In any practical sense carrying 24/7 isn't possible and the vast majority of folks with carry permits don't carry 24/7. We decide not to carry in the home or while asleep in the bed because we assess the risk as being minimal. We make the same decisions about the office or church all based on the potential for the hazard we're trying to mitigate. The AT ain't Philly so we make the decision that risk is low.
You'd be wrong about that. Remember the new rules are to apply the individual state's carry rules inside the part of park laying in that state. TN and NC are great examples for the GSMNP since the park lies in both states, but the AT runs through a dozen states and not all of it through NPS parks. If your carry permit isn't good for all 13 states the AT runs through (think MA, MD, NY) then you'd have the permit problem to deal with.
A gun is a single purpose tool on a trip that cries for multiuse gear. If a small handgun that weighs what a "Quarter Pounder" does is important enough for you to lug for 2,000 miles it may be reasonable to you to do so.
Thruhike98
Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 26
You make some good points conwict, both directly above and in your earlier posts.
(Note: I know we're diverging from the OP's knife question, but I thought I'd share my experience regarding the other topics that have come up in the thread.)
I thought about the A.T. when I heard the National Park news. I.A.N.A.L., but I believe what I read said the change would make the National Parks match the carry laws of the States in which they are located. I am not sure whether that applied to National Forests also. The A.T. passes through two National Parks, the Great Smoky Mountain and the Shenandoah, about 200 of the 2200 miles. Let's say the new rule/law removes the unique Federal restrictions (reverting to the States) from all Federal lands: Nat. Parks, Nat. Forests, Nat. Recreation Areas, etc. That still leaves 14 states to coordinate with, as well as local regs for specific State Parks, Recreation areas, etc. I know many of the States do not have reciprocity with some of the others. I think it would be extremely difficult to do this successfully/legally.
Regarding the relative safety, this is something one can determine objectively. I don't recall the specific number of murders on the A.T., but I believe it is fewer than ten in 50 years. Chicago had 426 murders for the year 2008, as of late October. If one wanted to be in a safer environment, they could leave Chicago and move to the A.T. I know bad things happen, but one must juggle many factors when deciding what to pack. It's just like the decision the hiker will make when considering everything that'll be hauled on that trip. Lantern? Cell phone? Camp chair? More than one change of clothes? (I carried none of these.)
As for the use of "helpers" - this was mentioned in an earlier post and in mine above. I don't want to give the wrong impression. The vast majority of thru-hikers would use no outside assistance from something like a support team. That's just a service an individual offers. It's not something that's common at all.
All this being said, a thru-hiker can carry whatever they want. One guy carried a cat. These are just my experiences, and those of the people I know, having completed the hike the thread's author is attempting.
Yes, as conwict says, please keep us posted on your choices and progress.
(Note: I know we're diverging from the OP's knife question, but I thought I'd share my experience regarding the other topics that have come up in the thread.)
I thought about the A.T. when I heard the National Park news. I.A.N.A.L., but I believe what I read said the change would make the National Parks match the carry laws of the States in which they are located. I am not sure whether that applied to National Forests also. The A.T. passes through two National Parks, the Great Smoky Mountain and the Shenandoah, about 200 of the 2200 miles. Let's say the new rule/law removes the unique Federal restrictions (reverting to the States) from all Federal lands: Nat. Parks, Nat. Forests, Nat. Recreation Areas, etc. That still leaves 14 states to coordinate with, as well as local regs for specific State Parks, Recreation areas, etc. I know many of the States do not have reciprocity with some of the others. I think it would be extremely difficult to do this successfully/legally.
Regarding the relative safety, this is something one can determine objectively. I don't recall the specific number of murders on the A.T., but I believe it is fewer than ten in 50 years. Chicago had 426 murders for the year 2008, as of late October. If one wanted to be in a safer environment, they could leave Chicago and move to the A.T.
I know bad things happen, but one must juggle many factors when deciding what to pack. It's just like the decision the hiker will make when considering everything that'll be hauled on that trip. Lantern? Cell phone? Camp chair? More than one change of clothes? (I carried none of these.)As for the use of "helpers" - this was mentioned in an earlier post and in mine above. I don't want to give the wrong impression. The vast majority of thru-hikers would use no outside assistance from something like a support team. That's just a service an individual offers. It's not something that's common at all.
All this being said, a thru-hiker can carry whatever they want. One guy carried a cat. These are just my experiences, and those of the people I know, having completed the hike the thread's author is attempting.
Yes, as conwict says, please keep us posted on your choices and progress.
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