Glossary of Terms

Alternative Gear
as in things outside the norm, usually having at least one of the following characteristics: inexpensive, homemade, recycled, modified, lightweight, having a function besides outdoor use
Check out http://trailquest.net/TQaltgear.html
 for more ideas

Continuist
One who hikes a long trail, either in sections or its entire length, without missing any steps so that a continuous line could be drawn. A purist follows the written guide book to the letter, passing each blaze. A bad weather reroute may necessitate continuing on an alternate path, but the trail remains a continuous unbroken line.

Green
is all about being earth friendly, not requiring much in the way of natural or man made resources. Green tactics involve recycling, reusing, repairing, and reducing both consumption and waste.

Northbounders
Backpackers who are heading north on a long trail. See southbounders for more information.

Packless System
using an external frame without a pack by strapping specially designed stuff sacks or gear items directly to it. Ultralight options and customizing especially useful in this tried and tested backpacking system. An Internal Frame Pack has the frame built inside the packcloth. A rucksack has no frame and relies on gear to form the structure of the pack.

Re Entry
This term is used by long distance hikers to describe the process of reestablishing a normal lifestyle in civilization after spending several months living out of a back pack. This process is more pronounced after hiking a remote trail like the Pacific Crest Trail where days are spent alone and there is no technology.

Sacks
stuff sacks are larger, having a drawcord closure, and usually a round or square bottom allowing for three dimensional measurements. Compression sacks utilize various straps to minimize the volume of a stuff sack, so that it fits into a backpack more readily. Ditty bags are smaller, simple sacks with a drawcord closure for smaller items, usually made with one rectangular piece of fabric.


Section Hiking
Hiking portions of a long trail. For instance, many people complete the Appalachian Trail by hiking a couple hundred miles a year until the entire 2,178 miles are finished, from Springer to Mt. Katahdin. This is not a thru hike. The ATC sells a 2,000 Miler patch to commemorate this accomplishment.
Silnylon
a fabric created by empregnating silicone into 1.1 ounce ripstop,30 denier fabric. Heavier silnylon, 70 denier, is available and sometimes used for floors in tents. Available online through several websites. See Favorite Links at http://brawnyview.blogspot.com/

Southbounders
A backpacker who is heading south on the trail. Ususually referring to one of the long trails, like the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, or Continental Divide Trail. Different logistics, reading the trail guide "backwards" and much less trail traffic are a few considerations for choosing which direction to head.

Stealth
is a concept more fully explained in October 10,2010 blog. Fitting into one's environment so that you are nearly invisible, useful as a safety and courtesy on trails. Stealth pertains to visual clues (colors, shapes, sizes) as well as noise or smells (perfumes, detergents, food).

Sustainable
refers to anything that can be easily maintained without measurable damage to environment or self.

Tarp
is normally a flat piece of gear, useful for various configured shelters, ground cloths, wrapping gear. Some tarps made specifically for a certain pitch are called structured tarps. Ultralight tarps are much different that the polyurethane tarps found at Walmart in weight and pack-ability.




Tarp-Tent
different from a tarp in my books in that it has some mosquito-bug netting, but not a full tent because it does not have a floor

Trailgods
This is a name I've given the Force that watches over, messes with, and tests the long distance hiker. This Force gives trail magic, reroutes, information, tests, and assurances. Nearly pagan in concept and actualization.

Trail Magic
Term that applies to special food or favor which seems to show up just when you need it on a long distance hike. It could be a sack of power bars handing from a tree in a sack, a person offering a ride in an obscure place, a cookout when you're nearly out of food. Some trail crews have taken to leaving coolers stuffed with snacks for hikers near the road. Not sure if that's actually magic.
Thru Hiker / Through Hiker
is someone who completes an entire trail in a calendar year (12 month period). This is more rare than you think. Skipping sections of trail by motorized transport for what ever reason during that calendar year eliminates the thru hiker designation. Hiking a necessary reroute is sometimes necessary due to fire, flood, or other concerns.

Vapor Barrier
a term used to define any non breathable fabric or gear to keep natural body moisture next to the skin, which raises temperature ratings of sleeping bags. I use a silnylon rain suit for a vapor barrier inside my sleeping bag on really cold nights. Vapor barriers trap moisture, for this reason, never use it on the outside of the sleeping bag or your bag will become soaked by your body's natural moisture.

Ultralight
a term referring to items or people so light and extreme they surpass the light backpacking world. Gram Weenie is another phrase used in this context, meaning someone obsessed with grams (28 grams in an ounce).

Zero Day
A day when no trail miles are hiked. Usually a town day, although frugal backpackers will take a zero day by a sweet alpine lake, just camping. A zero day in an Appalachian Trail shelter can be very restful.