I could imagine Tynan did an above average amount of research on gear and whatnot before and after the trip and has been a bit more thoughtful and aware about options. I think there is some truth that after one short trip you don't become a real expert on a subject matter. If you've done several 3 month thru-hikes, had to handle wider range of weather conditions etc, then you'll have a greater claim to know what you're talking about.