In 1958 he walked the length of the state from the Mexican Border to Oregon, a journey that was the basis for his book The Thousand-Mile Summer. Most likely he wouldn’t have stayed there for long, if he hadn’t got the crazy idea of discovering it on foot. For nine years he was a restless spirit, engaged into farming in Kenya, construction in Zimbabwe, and prospecting in Canada. He served as a captain in the Royal Marine during World War II and emigrated to Africa after the spook was over.

Like its predecessors, The Complete Walker IV is an essential purchase for anyone captivated by the outdoor life.Colin Fletcher was a backpacker and writer, best known as the author of The The Complete Walker, the comprehensive guide to backpacking that Field and Stream magazine has called ‘the hiker’s Bible’.īorn in Cardiff, Wales March 14th 1922, Fletcher was educated in England. After a thoughtful and painstaking analysis of hiking gear from hats to boots, from longjohns to tent flaps, they remind us that ultimately hiking is about the experience of being outdoors and seeing the green world anew. They end as they began, with a philosophical and literary disquisition on the reasons to walk, capped off with a delightful collection of quotes about walking and the outdoor life. Their equipment searches are exhaustive they talk in detail about everything from socks to freeze-dried trail curries. How much to bring? What are the ideal clothes, food, boots, and tents for your trip? They evaluate each of these variables in detail-including open, honest critiques and endorsements of brand-name equipment. In this book the authors confidently lead us through these technological, ethical, and spiritual changes.įletcher and Rawlins's thorough appraisal and recommendation of equipment begins with a 'Ground Plan,' a discussion of general hiking preparedness.

Not only has backpacking become more popular, but a whole ethic of responsible outdoorsmanship has emerged. During these two decades we have also seen a deepening of environmental consciousness.

The equipment recommendations are therefore not merely revised and tweaked, but completely revamped. The eighteen years since the publication of The Complete Walker III have seen revolutionary changes in hiking and camping equipment: developments in waterproofing technology, smaller and more durable stoves, lighter boots, more manageable tents, and a wider array of food options. Together, they have made this fourth edition of The Complete Walker the most informative, entertaining, and thorough version yet. For the first time since 1984, we have a new edition of the classic book that Field & Stream called 'the Hiker's Bible.' For this version, the celebrated writer and hiker Colin Fletcher has taken on a coauthor, Chip Rawlins, himself an avid outdoorsman and a poet from Wyoming.

The complete walker iv