For the last several months, I and the stellar pair behind Let’s Trek Together have been wiping backcountry muck from our lenses, precariously balancing our devices, and keeping up with the latest hiker-trash trends to bring you entertaining and informative short form video via The Trek’s shiny new TikTok account . From silly audio covers to “ A Day in the Life ” of a thru-hiker, we’ve been going backcountry viral with some of our top posts: let’s dive into the countdown.

In this episode of “Worth the Weight?” I take the stage (or rather, the camp chair) to dish on which luxury items make it into my pack for long-distance adventures and which don’t quite make the cut. Included in this roundup are trekking poles, Leukotape, toe socks, a stove, an Ursack, an inflatable pillow, and a camp stool. This episode cued many groans from stove-savvy followers as I touted my love of cold-soaking and educated folks that though cork-handle trekking poles may save your knees, they may also attract salt-savoring nighttime visitors to your campsite. 

“When you’re thru-hiking a long-distance trail you shed your government identity and take on a trail name!” In this video, Molly walks us through some of the trail names she’s seen so far this season on the PCT via the people who’ve adopted them. Special shoutout to Danny who tried to rename himself mid-video from SharkBoy to SharkMan… it’ll stick next time, buddy. 

Honorable Mentions From the Comments:

It wouldn’t be TikTok without pure kicks and giggles content – so here’s my submission. After seeing something similar and realizing the video editing was surprisingly user-friendly, I was inspired to share my excitement for my upcoming trek of the Appalachian High Route in the most zombie-riffic style I could muster. My downstairs neighbor, on the other hand, may not be as thrilled after hearing me drop my pack for every take. Don’t be fooled – my eyes rolling back in my head are from my dedication to the role, certainly not from my fear of falling backwards. Can I get a “NRRGH NRRGH”?! 

This isn’t Molly and Dan’s first rodeo – the pair completed the Appalachian Trail 2 years ago and as you may imagine, the thru-hikers they’re encountering on the PCT have plenty of questions for these seasoned east-coast trekkers. Poking fun at stereotypes held by west coast hikers about what the AT has in store for them alongside Molly and Dan’s mesmerizing moves makes this the most viewed video on our account.

Honorable Mentions from the Comments:

@atomsconnectus: “I think one of my favorite things to watch is people from Boulder saying, ‘the AT won’t be hard, I hike 14ers all the time’ then a month later take it all back”

@heyimhikinghere: “The pct is physically easier by far but has more potential for sh*t hitting the fan moments like heat stroke, drowning and falling off the side of the trail, just to name a few. The AT is difficult because of the terrain, trail gradient, the rain, potentially catching Lyme disease but you have shelters, water, towns, trail angels, etc.”

Based on this article by the incredible J. Taylor Bell , this video not only makes me look like I’m nailing my Zoom meeting presentation but will also give you the down-low on three long-distance hiking trails sure to shine brightest on your thru-hiking belt: the C2C Trans-Continental Route, the International Appalachian Trail, and the Calendar Year Triple Crown. Want to dive into learning about three more extra-long-distance routes? Here’s Part Two, featuring the Great Western Loop, the American Discovery Trail, and the North Country Trail. Special guest appearance by Thru the husky. 

What topics would you like to see us cover next? Have an idea you think would be a great opportunity for us to flex our hiker-trash creative juices? Leave your idea for our next video in the comments below!

Featured image: Graphic design by Zack Goldmann.

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To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.

Katie (she/her) has the Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail, and Lone Star Hiking Trail under her belt with a bucket list of many, many more. She is the Social Media Lead for The Trek and enjoys any opportunity to write about her adventures, good trail ethics, and trail stewardship. Check out her adventures with Thru the husky @oatshikes on Instagram or www.oatshikes.com