I have been binging all sorts of content to learn as much as I can about the Appalachian Trail, long-distance backpacking, and backpacking gear. My hope is that I will learn enough to be fully prepared to hike the trail and successfully land on the top of Mount Katahdin in Maine!
My ever-growing list includes backpackers, thru-hikers, and A.T.-specific YouTubers. Some are informational, some educational, and some a combo. I will continue to add to this list so, will have to change the title eventually. But for now, check out my top 12 YouTubers for my Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike.
My List Of 12 Backpacking YouTubers
1. Dixie: Homemade Wanderlust
“Hey, Yall, Dixie here” – It is a joy listening to Jessica, AKA Dixie, from Homemade Wanderlust. She is a wealth of knowledge and has many A.T-specific YouTube Videos. I rank her as my most-inciteful A.T. resource. Check out her extremely thorough A.T. Video here:
2. Dan Becker
He is that guy that you just want to hang out with. He is very down to earth, humble, and provides very detailed gear reviews. I find him very helpful and influential with my gear choices. Check out his video on the 2022/2023 Backpacking Gear Awards here:
3. Eric Hanson: Backpacking TV
Eric is a lifelong backpacker and extremely knowledgeable. He is a professional guide and backpacker so has tons to say about backpacking gear. Oh, and thankfully helped save Dan Becker’s life. Here is a recent episode of Backpacker TV on the 5 Essential Skills You Need To Know here:
4. My Life Outdoors
Steven Smith is the voice behind My Life Outdoors. He does a great job explaining backpacking without sounding too stuffy. He is part of the reason I will be buying a Durston X-Mid Pro 1 or 2 for my A.T. Thru-Hike. Here is the video that put me over the edge toward the Durston tent.
5. Taylor the Nahamsha Hiker
Because I am living in New Hampshire, I love hearing about her adventures on the AT. Mainly because I have hiked many of the same hikes in NH. I make it a point to catch her new AT video each day. She does a good job giving insight from the trail without bogging down on too many details. Check out her most recent video here. Day 8.
6. Justin Outdoors
Justin does a great job reviewing gear but also reviews gear on the trail. He uses all the gear and provides an honest and in-depth review. Take for example his Camp Pillows Review and know that after this video he did another 2 videos just on camp pillows. Check out the first one here:
7. Kyle Hates Hiking
First, Kyle does love hiking. Second, he is a great storyteller and adds a lot of personality to his stories. Stories about backpacking that are unique and well researched. Also, he looks at backpacking gear and pokes fun at the industry and ‘stupid backpackers’. Here is a recent post about stupid gear mistakes:
8. Evan’s Backpacking Videos
I so need to stay healthy on and off the trail. Evan hiked the A.T. pretty much without sugar. Well, at least on a low-carb diet. I feel I have to do something similar. His video here explains how he hiked the A.T. on a low-carb/ keto diet. Check it out if you are interested in fewer carbs on your thru-hike.
9. Stella Hikes
Stella Hikes is an inspirational-style vlog to encourage people to get out and hike. She provides videos of her hikes and also gives insight into the gear she uses. Check out Video 1 of her 2023 AT thru here:
10. Kelly Hays Hikes
I think Kelly Hays was the first inspirational vlogger I found when I first started planning for my AT hike. I believe it was the day before she headed out on the A.T. and I thought it was intriguing that people would vlog about their hike. But I got hooked on her preparation and the daily vlogs. Check out her A.T. Day 1 here:
11. Jupiter Hikes
Jupiter provides insight and inspirational vlogging to help you get out there too. He does a great job balancing narration with beautiful views with a musical backdrop. This is a great style of video where you can just go along with him. It is as if he is your mild-mannered tour guide. Check out Episode 1 of his PCT Thru-Hike here:
12. The Hungry Hiker
Kathleen, AKA Token, is the vlogger behind The Hungry Hiker. She provides an informational blog to empower women to “go from feeling scared and intimidated about backpacking to feeling comfortable and confident planning and preparing for your own solo adventures in the backcountry.” She is the founder of The Confident Solo Female Backpacking System. Check out her solo trip video here:
Final Thoughts On My List Of Backpacking YouTubers
I know that this list isn’t exclusive. But I have been watching so many videos I have gravitated to these twelve. But if I am being honest, I would say that I follow the Pareto Principle where 80% of my viewing is 20% of my channels listed. Means, I watch the top 3 or 4 most.
Anyway, follow me as I continue to learn about backpacking the AT. Check out my recent articles here.