When I did my AT thru hike in 2012 I bought a backpack and gear online. Having little experience I started with 47 lbs in a pack that didn't fit so none of the weight was on my hips, all on my shoulders. A week later I bought a new pack and shipped about half of my gear home and over the next few months I trimmed down further and finished with a lite pack covering up to 30+ miles per day. I learned a lot about living with less and traveling simple and that's honestly probably how I found your profile more than a decade ago! Since 2014 I've been living in vehicles (I almost bought a Rialta but ended up in a Westfalia), keeping my possessions pretty lean, and exploring the world part of each year with a backpack or on bicycle. Back in 2012 I had no idea this could be my life, I kinda fell into the Appalachian Trail opportunity and then learned about people living "non traditional" lifestyles and I leaned into it. I've always enjoyed reading your posts and I'm glad you're diving into the Appalachian Trail!