Pre-Trail 2024 No Stupid Questions Post - Got a question you're too afraid to make a post for? Ask it here!

Darwin on the Trail (Youtube) always has a camera and lenses. Check out some of his videos and see how he handles them.

Try the pinned post at the top of the subreddit. The link under the one that takes you to this "No stupid questions" post is the shuttle list.

If a hostel has laundry services it probably has a selection of smocks, T-Shirts, and scrubs that you can wear while your laundry washes. Like Vince and Winston in Pulp Fiction.

Take the Red line from the airport all the way to North Springs and then book an Uber. Or if you need something last minute, there's an REI one stop sooner at Sandy Springs. It's a $3.50 ticket vs an extra $50+ to be picked up from the airport.

Alternatively you can message one of the other shuttle services, but they'll likely want you to still take the Marta north, making the driver's job much easier. 

Of note, the Airport Marta station is under construction, so you'll take a bus from the airport to College station first.

I tell people this every year. I am a big guy who runs super hot all the time. I started on April 15th, 2019 at 7am. It was below freezing and I needed my shirt, fleece, and puffy to not be cold as all heck on Springer. I was able to de-layer by about 10, but that initial chill was not a small thing.

Oh and I'm from Central New York if that helps your "do you understand true cold" part

Phone calls are pretty ok for most of the trail and Verizon is usually the top dog. I was able to watch full Youtube videos a couple of nights when I was having trouble sleeping. When you're down in a gap (between mountains) it can be very hit and miss. And the trail towns part really depends on where in the trail you are. There are only a handful of towns directly on the trail. But you are generally able to hitch or shuttle to a place that would be big enough to have a library if you needed one.

Since you'll be checking a bag anyways for poles and other pointy bits, I just wrapped my whole bag in a trash compactor bag (my pack liner) leaving the handle out and taped it before checking it. So I only carried a small stuff sack of all my electronics onto the plane with me.

I was wondering the same thing. I left my butane and my bear spray at home because these obviously cannot fly with me. I ended up just throwing my whole pack and trekking poles in a larger suitcase that I am going to check and throw out when I get to Atlanta. It's all ripped up and needs to be disposed of anyways, but I suppose you could maybe mail a luggage bag home after arriving in Atlanta. I also put an Apple Airtag in the bag, god forbid it gets lost. Cannot replace all of that gear.

Much of the Appalachian Trail is a series of up and downs. The west (PCT) will have bigger/longer climbs, but once up or down you may stay there awhile. Georgia looks like a sign/cosign graph. Trekking poles are real nice on your knees.

Here's an elevation guide, where right near 30 miles is Blood Mountain, which then drops down into Neel's Gap. If it's wet, those rocks are really slick.

Someone that helps hikers (typically at no cost) along the trail. That help can be as simple as giving them a bottle of water or taking their trash for them, or something as advanced as bringing out a small outdoor kitchen and cooking a feast for anything that comes through that day.

Some people are constant trail angels and are well known in the community, and others just help out because they're in the right place at the right time.

Allergies are going to be very shuttle specific. Best bet is to ask the driver up front about it, but there's still no guarantee that a dog hasn't been in their vehicle at some point. Many people unfamiliar with severe allergies might not understand the nuances of "there's no dog in here right now" vs. "A dog has never been in this vehicle"

The trail runs down the spine of a mountain range, and through very few towns of any sizeable population. You may be able to uber from a resupply town to the trail, but attempting to uber off the trail will be downright impossible for large sections.

There's a few REI's north of Atlanta that would would be passing on your way out of town, that should cover your last minute supplies. I can't speak to "good" craft beer but your best bets are probably going to be somewhere around ATL itself, or a nearby larger town like Dahlonega (which has a university so i imagine has some decent bars).

52 West Brewing looks real nice, but doesn't look like it has food to go with the craft beer

I carried and drank Huel as my breakfast for a couple of weeks, but it quickly grew to be a pain in the ass so I ditched it. Tricky to get into the bottle, difficult to mix with cold water, etc.

That said, I advise everyone to take a multi. The hiker diet is terrible and I got iron-deficiency anemic towards the end of the trail. (I know because I tend towards it anyway and there are certain warning symptoms.) I'm a guy, but a women's multi set me straight right away.

This is anecdotal, but I suspect a lot of us are quite low in micronutrients when we finish, possibly to the point where our performance is affected. Mine certainly was.

I knew someone who ate protein powder; he spooned it directly into his mouth. He would get periodic mail drops of it.

It's not a particularly calorically dense food since it doesn't have much fat. Whatever your protein goals are, remember that hiking is an aerobic exercise; you aren't doing anything that would promote much hypertrophic muscle growth so your protein needs are closer to NIH recommendations than to muscle bro science recommendations. Also remember that wheat products have glutton in it, which is a protein, so even small concentrations of protein add up when you eat 2x the amount of calories as a normal diet. A 4000 calorie daily diet of nothing but Cheezits has 80g of protein.

It trends down--the Gap is roughly 1,600 feet below Clingman's--but there are steep and rocky portions nonetheless.

Without knowing anything else about the shape you're in, how healthy your knees are, etc., I'd say that day-hiking that section is doable for a novice. It's 7.5 miles long and at any point you feel like the trail itself is too difficult, you're very near the road and you'll be able to switch over to it.

Wouldn't worry about bears. Unlikely in that section, but you might spot a random one anywhere you go in the park, so of course google what to do when they're near.

It will help you get used to hiking, yes. If you mean for something else, you would have to be more specific.

The 501 and Eckville shelters have charging because they're previously house properties that the ATC now owns and the shelter is an auxiliary building and charging is a power strip from the main house. The Fontana Hilton has like one of those mall kiosk phone charging stands with USB power. Partnership sorta has charging in the sense that if you get there when the visitor center is open, they have a power strip out the window. The free town one in Glasgow also had outlets.

Not really, no. Even the sign-ups portion for the ATC is voluntary and more or less anonymous

Early April is still cold, like life-threatening when wet, below freezing windchill cold. There were people shuttling 20 miles back/ahead into Uncle Johnny's during a rain storm on 4/8 last year because they were getting frostbit.

After a certain month, you don't need rain pants, but I still used the Frogg Togg jacket even in the Vermont/Maine section. Despite the fact that you're moving and it's summer, the rain is cold water and you're being pelted for hours; I wore the Frogg Togg for warmth.

You mean the balds? Have your pick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_balds. I think Max Patch, Beauty Spot, and Hump Mountain are probably the most popular balds.

Yes, you will want to be able to filter water along the trail. Most hikers carry 1-2 liters (or less) at any given time. The higher amount (2+ liters) generally only needed for overnight dry camp (no water source nearby) or known dry stretch of trail.

I tend to carry a bit more than most because I prefer not to have to stop to filter more frequently (when I stop I usually try to drink a liter, then might filter and carry 2L just so I don't have to stop again). Many hikers will just carry 1L max through the day, stopping more frequently to add water. Some drink directly from a bottle with filter attached, so they aren't spending time filtering.

Yes, there are times when some smaller water sources may dry up. Most of the guides tell you if a source is reliable or not. Also the FarOut app can be helpful in that regard as hikers will leave comments regarding water sources. You get used to estimating what you need.

Sometimes the trail takes you right by a resupply option or through the middle of town. Sometimes a resupply option is 0.5mile or mile road walk from the trail. Sometimes a decent resupply is 10 miles away and you'll need to hitch or get a shuttle. If you are planning a stay at a hostel, sometimes they include a ride from the trailhead and/or a ride into town for resupply.

The guides usually tell you how far from the trail a service is located, but that hiking 'plan' that you linked only gives a bare minimum of info (most, but not all, of the highlighted 'resupply' points for example tell you if you need hitch/ride vs being right on trail). I would suggest using a more complete guide and/or the FarOut app for planning purposes.

Prettiest part of the trail with the best views? You want to do The Whites up in New Hampshire

Awesome biodiversity in the Green Tunnel you hear all about? Great Smoky Mountain National Park down in NC/Tenn

Don't mind travelling a bit in between? Do both

Both of these areas are what would be considered "strenuous" in hiking terms. Just FYI

If you’re doing the Sandy Springs REI stop, there’s also a Publix supermarket, Target, Costco and Academy Sports nearby

Show up with food adequate to get to your next point of resupply, whatever you think it may be. For a lot of people that's at Neels Gap.

Starting March 7th NOBO, flying in to Atlanta. I am one of those people who have already acquired food for my first stretch. Its allowed me to do some practice hikes with my full pack weight, and get a feel for where and how everything is going to be in my pack for weight distribution. I've also been able to test eating it for a day to get a better idea of whether or not its going to be enough.

My impression is that a lot of folks (?most) have their first few days of food packed and ready to go. It saves the time/effort of doing it once you reach Georgia, and especially for folks who are new to long-distance hiking and resupplying, it's something they may not have much experience with yet, so it's more comfortable to be able to plan out those first few days somewhere other than the aisles of a grocery store.

That said, if you plan to take a Marta train from the airport to Sandy Springs for shuttle pickup, there's an REI there where you can pick up a fuel canister and some resupply, and also some markets not far away where you could shop before being picked up.

It's not rude to put it in a bear box, and some areas, like Greyson Highlands, require you to.

I usually put mine up against a tree somewhere neither close nor far and nowhere near a ledge. I also put reflective tape on it. 

Not once did a bear mess with it.

Scrape out the foodstuff with something (they make plastic scrapers), pour some water in, and drink your soupy mush.

Or just don't wash it.

But definitely dont rinse it out and pour food smell all over the place.

I spent $1500 a month and didn't expect to. 

That is a doable budget given what you've described. HYOH and all, but...you're describing the community college version of a thru hike whereas most people are going for the 4 year on-campus college experience.

The most meaningful pictures you take won't be of landmarks or views; it's going to be of people you vibed with, whether you knew them for a couple hours, days, weeks, or months. The green tunnel, the snakes, the views - it all blurs together, but I remember EVERY day of my thru based on who I camped with, who I hiked with, who I split a pizza with, who was on the other side of the breakfast table. There are people speed running the AT in 4 months, and I'm sure there's a chance they find each other, but most of the crowd is moving at a slower pace, so you're only going to cross paths with them for a day at a time. Your socializing skills will be tested to the max and your bonding will be limited because it doesn't sound like you're going to spend time in town with people.

I met multiple guys in Maine, doing sub-120 day thrus, who had gotten all the way there and still not gotten a trail name because they didn't spend enough time with anyone else. One of them, had just been blindsided by mahoosuc notch, because he didn't research enough, but also because he wasn't talking to enough people on trail to hear what it was and that it was coming up. In some ways, success is kind of a team effort.

I use a fanny pack from Hilltop Packs but do not use a pack with padded hipbelts or hipbelt pockets so I can't speak to either getting in the way of the other. However, a friend of mine does use a fanny pack and a pack with a padded hipbelt and they never look too uncomfortable or seem to have issues. I will say that having 3 liters of capacity right in front of me is my preferred method. Snacks, ditty bag, gloves, and sun glasses all go inside.

If I were to buy another fanny pack I would strongly consider Red Paw Packs as they have a mesh sleeve for a water bottle. I like using the fanny pack for short day hikes and bike rides so integrating space for a water bottle makes sense for me.

Go-to for what, carrying things? Some use them, some don't. It depends on what you're hiking with and what you would use it for. A lot of backpacks come with tiny pockets on their straps for snacks and stuff as you hike. It really boils down to what need you would have for it. If you're bringing an actual camera or something do document the hike with, the extra space would probably be worth it.

Otherwise, not really needed.

Great section, temperature range sounds about right, but could be much hotter or much colder. May in NC is a fickle month.

Just know you’ll need two cars to shuttle back or need to book a shuttle. You’ll be on trail with a lot of thrus so consider doing some trail magic!

OUTSTANDING Waynesboro-based shuttle driver with great local knowledge and other resources:

"Soggy 717-331-8827 / [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Owner: Chris Vores - “Soggy”. Based out of Waynesboro, PA. $ Pet friendly # Insured. 365 days & holidays"

Used him for a local drop off last fall. Good dude with strong local knowledge about exactly the distance/destinations you're thinking of.

I found him here (he was my first call and I got SO lucky!).

https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/articles/2023-shuttles.pdf

I sent my trowel home. Tried a bidet but they're no good IMO--spraying icy-cold water on your junk at eight in the morning or whatever is too close to torture for my liking.

All depends on the soil/rock types in the area. I often walk in areas where holes must be dug due to soil type and volume of visitors. For me I've found a solid plastic trowel does the job for ~50g.
If I could guarantee the local geology/vegetation would provide me with the means to dig an excellent cat hole, I would rely on the environment (or my poles etc etc).

As for bidet, no I don't see the point in buying one, UL or not. I bring an extra bottle lid into which I have made a very small hole, so I can pressure wash the area just fine for the price of £0 and the weight of a few tears. Yes I put the lid on my drinking water bottle. No I don't have any worries about cross contamination. No need for extra bottle or a specialised bidet cap or whatever.

I set my tent up, and then realized (luckily) right beside it was a fresh pile of poo and toilet paper. It is hard to dig without a trowel. I lost mine and the one hole I had to dig was not deep enough. Also, I tried someones deuce of spades and it hurt. I just used a plastic gardening trowel

why not a dedicated small water bottle with a nipple type tip? 

Is this something you have practice with? Water falls to the bottom of any bottle. However the bottle is oriented to get water to squirt out of its opening, your anus needs to be at the receiving end of that squirt. Can you get your body into that position relative to holding the needed bottle orientation and performing the squeeze? If you can, all the more power to you, but a bidet changes the direction of the squirt by 90 degrees, that is the point of it.

I did run out of food twice, early in the hike 

Due to a tramily miscommunication, I ran out of food. Technically, I hit town with absolutely zero food, but that's because I rationed dinner the last 2 nights.

If you run out of something, just ask if anyone has some to spare; someone will help you out. I know I donated fuel a couple times (I simply couldn't let someone ruin their hard boiled eggs by running out of fuel). Even if you're by yourself, a lot of times, you don't need hot water; things like instant coffee, oatmeal, ramen, mash potatoes; those are edible with cold, you just need more time. For TP, I hear anything can be used as TP if you're willing. I carried a portable bidet as backup. It only weighs 0.35 oz and I already had a seperate bottle (that I kept to pee into at night and could rinse out for bidet). I only chose to use it a couple times because the water is really cold in the winter and the splashback was a little too close to my shoes when using a cathole.

Bears are hibernating when it's cold. Also, unless you're going to run it through a dishwasher, there is always some food smells on you and your bottles.

The probability of getting a bear in your tent on the AT, and the probability of getting a bear in your tent because of food residue water are the exact same.

No.

No. Some people don't do trail names. Some people make up their own. Some people try to avoid it and then become "Just John" or "no name" or something like that. It's generally a moniker bestowed on how people know or recognize you by learning your backstory or a notable characteristic about you.

But you don't have to use one, and you definitely don't have to respond to one you don't like. You can even pick your own before you head out of you want. No one will know its origin, and there are many trails. Just try to avoid the kind of 'obvious' or cringe names and you'll be fine.

Or accept it and become the 79th Bigfoot of your year.

There's about 4 of them in the Useful links section of the side bar

If you're more of an App person, you can do AllTrails or HikerProject or Gaia GPS. They all have free versions that let you see trails/routes to an extent.

I used a long sleeve shirt and the thinnest pants I could. I was brutally got some days, but I found two ticks on me (at least one dead)

You can get convertible OR Ferossi pants, which should help keep cooler as needed.

There really isn't a good answer to this question. Everyone is very different and those products look like they are designed to be warn in the sun/heat. The hoodie just looks like normal wicking material with long sleeves and a hood. If you find them comfortable, go nuts. I personally don't know what use the hood would be on one of those, since if it's hot out you dont want the hood up anyway.

This is one of the many things I like trekking poles for.

This isn't really an AT related question or hiking related question. It sounds like you want to know if you should let an aggressive dog bite you or not?

No, probably don't wait for a dog to bite you.

Best options on trail would be:

1. Put something between you and the dog (tree, large rock, building, picnic table), preferably something you can stand on for elevation purposes

2. Wield something with some length to it to keep mouth away from you (trekking pole, walking stick, normal stick)

3. Pepper spray it if you have to

4. Use kicks/legs rather than punches/hands

You can also use your backpack as a buffer between you and the dog if you have a chance to take it off, or it is already off.

The owner being upset about it is a future thing to worry about. If an animal is attacking you, letting it continue and kindly asking the owner to stop it when (if?) they appear is silly.

I thru'd with the pack that I already owned and had no regrets. It was heavy, 10 years old and larger than I needed, but I knew that it was comfortable and I was used to packing in it, so I didn't need to adjust my routine at all.

If it is a pack you are comfortable with and have experience with there is nothing wrong with it. Ultralight and the concept is to decrease your payload to make hiking easier on your body. Less weight = less stress on joints, ligaments, muscles, etc.

If your base weight is under 25 lbs you are probably fine but can reduce if you can afford it. If your base weight is more than 25 lbs I would take a look at some gear lists or even ask for a shakedown here (or elsewhere) and people can probably help you out.

For perspective I hike with my Atmos 65L which is even heavier than your pack.

A lot of people wait until the NOC to get a permit. They have a workstation in the outfitter that's pretty much dedicated to that.

Download it to your phone to save weight. https://www.theatguide.com/product-category/pdf/

I got my permit on trail.

The AT Guide was sold at Amicalola Falls when I was there. REI has a lot of books and guides but it might be best to call ahead and ask them directly. The guide only came out super recently and doesn't appear to be in their online store if they intend to stock it there.

You can do Smoky Mountain Permit on the trail. Since it's only good for a specific window after ordering it I would wait so that you can know your timing better.

Not crazy - it's an important piece of gear to keep dry and you're concerned about that.

I am a user of dry bags, and probably use more than most, but feel better with the extra layer of protection, and organization. Assuming you are using a waterproof pack liner of some type - I use a white compactor bag - I would say that two bags for your quilt is overkill. The stuff sacks are not usually waterproof in any case. I use a 13L StoS ultrasil dry sack (1.5oz) for my (10deg) quilt. I can compress it well, and that goes inside the liner. Many hikers just compress the quilt into the bottom of their pack liner - that uses space better, but if you've got the room and feel better with that little extra protection like I do than I think a dry sack is fine. Weight of those extra sacks is a consideration as well, so you may want to consider splurging on a good-quality UL one (Hilltop, ZPacks, etc).

Also, you may want to compare a couple different sizes of dry bag. You don't need to use the entire volume, but you might get a better compressed size to fit your pack's depth with a larger one (i.e. the 8L might end up being a six-inch wide tube, whereas a 10 or 13L might be a shorter 7.5in wide tube, which may fit the space better for packing.

Im wondering basically the same thing but from the opposite end of the spectrum. Until now i always put my sleeping bag in the bottom of my packliner, without any extra bag. And i was fine with that for a 60$ synthetic bag, with the precious down bag im not so sure anymore :D

But generally i wont use drysacks for waterproofing, only 2 stuffsacks (clothes & dittybag) for a bit of organization, and the waterproofing comes from my trash-bag/packliner.

So id like to add to your question: Is it worth to use a stuff/compression-bag for your sleeping bag?

3-5 days is typical. First major resupply from the start is 31 miles in. Georgia has a lot of road crossings so you can sort of 'choose your own adventure' style it if you want, but the second one is usually Dick's Creek Gap at mile 69ish.

The only place with a potentially longer than 3-5 day resupply is the 100 mile wilderness. There are no resupplies there unless you arrange it with one of the hostels (I believe it is some kind of bucket food drop).

Some people also choose to not resupply in the Smoky's and push on through. That could give you a longer than normal haul, but you would know that in advance

“hiking dog”

Dogs are not allowed in the Smokie's, which is why I assume you are discounting it. Other than that, the southern portion of the trail does not have ladders or water crossings of that nature. The major rivers or large streams are bridged.

Flip Fuel would be more pain than it is worth, easier to just resupply with a fresh can.

I started on April 15th at Springer Mountain and it was below freezing and windy as all heck. I needed my puffy, fleece, and base layer to weather it. You will want something warm that can stop the wind, even if you only end up using it as a bonus pillow.

It's gonna be really hot on the Southern part of the trail during that time, 70's to 90's. At some of the higher elevations lows in the 50's at night in May increasingly hotter. The towns you walk right through or hostels that are directly on trail are the best places to send boxes - Fontana Dam, Hot Springs, Damascus. I would send to businesses and not to post offices. Post office hours are kind of wonky all up and down the trail.

I googled lows in the Smoky's in May, which said expect lows in the 40s. From experience, roan high knob was 41 last year around the time you might be there 

Start in Maine and go SOBO.

Honestly, anywhere. Starting Georgia and going north is nice. I liked the area north of winding stair and also just past the Smoky's. Of course, Maine and New Hampshire.

I ditched my pack cover (ineffective at end of the day) and you definitely need a waterproof dry-bag for your quilt, make sure it goes inside the pack liner as well for double protection (Got to keep the sleep system dryzabone).

Cut the pack cover. A liner / contractor bag works fine, that's what I used and nothing ever got wet inside. I did replace it once.

If consider cutting the rain skirt also if your hiking in shirt running shorts

So I've gotten some of those nylofume pack liners for storing my sleeping quilt in. Super light, works like a stuff sack, and keeps everything nice and dry. A lot less weight than a stuff sack too. I don't carry a pack cover anymore because if the rain is more than a shower, everything seems to get wet anyway. I do better with the umbrella.

Keeping quilt/sleeping bag dry is the most important compared any other things in your pack. I highly recommend a stuff sack for your down quilt as you do not want it to get wet during packing/unpacking.

I did a mix of boxes and town resupply. Honestly boxes is not worth the bother and if I ever did this again I would not do boxes

A few things for that.

1. MRE's vary wildly in quality and taste - I would recommend watching some of Steve's videos on MRE's, maybe he ate yours

2. You can set up a bounce box with the post office. Basically it's a box you can continuously forward to a USPS location up the line, and you are only charged when you open it up. Here's a lengthy thread explaining how that works . Downside is one of these is not going to hold enough for the dozens of resupplies. You can include other things in said box btw, not just the food.

3. If they are all the same flavor, you will get sick of them pretty quickly. Repeat with any food out there. Even foods you absolutely love, you will get sick of eating every day for a month. You may be able to trade with others who are curious, but MRE's are not typically known for their amazing taste.

4. Assuming you have someone that can send these to you, you can arrange them to mail things ahead and just tell them to stop when you dont want them anymore. MREs may "expire" but they probably arent fully expired. See Steve's videos above.

If a store only had a certain brand, would you question buying it and using your stove directly on the can? I didn't pay any attention to the blend, it all got mixed together. All the stove is doing is mixing air with fuel and burning it. The fuel blend doesn't matter too much.

I felt guilty when I bought new canisters before I completely used the old one, but i was afraid of running out of fuel between towns where canisters are available.

Refill is a painful exercise and I have not found many refill options during my thruhike last year.

I did my whole hike on mailed boxes. I liked the fact that all of my meals were pre-packed in zip-lock bags to cook in and eat out off. And I was able to add freeze-dried beef or chicken to my Knorr sides for a protein source that's lighter than tuna pouches or spam singles (used those too, but the freeze-dried meats added variety). I never had a box not be there when I got there, but did have to hustle a couple of times to beat the P.O. hours. I shopped sales and repackaged food for a couple of months before I left. I'm sure I saved enough money to cover the postage, but maybe not much more. It did mean that I could eliminate food from my on trail budget. Knowing that I had all of my resupply covered meant that the money I had could all go to laundry/showers/hostel beds and town food. I found the experience to be positive enough that I've continued to use mailed resupply on subsequent hikes, but now I look for businesses (hostels, campgrounds, outfitters) that will accept boxes to avoid the P.O. hours issue.

It's not worth it. It's better to go with the flow when you're out there

IMO no, for at least two reasons.

-You don't want to have to manage your hike around the USPS's schedule. Trust me, you'll want the freedom to be spontaneous.

-As of this writing a large all-you-can-fit package from the USPS costs $22.80, so you're already $22.80 down on any potential cost savings.

If you're starting in atlanta it will immediately cost around $80 to get to the trail.

Current wisdom is the trail will run you $6000 - $10,000 to complete

I met someone who pre-bought a few pairs of shoes before trail and got em nicely broken in so she could post them to herself on trail.

By the time she posted out her first pair her feet had changed so much she couldn’t hike in her older shoes. She told me all this while hiking in her sandals, trail runners clipped to her pack

Unless you’ve thru-hiked before and REALLY know what you need, just buy em on trail!

I met someone who pre-bought a few pairs of shoes before trail and got em nicely broken in so she could post them to herself on trail.

By the time she posted out her first pair her feet had changed so much she couldn’t hike in her older shoes. She told me all this while hiking in her sandals, trail runners clipped to her pack

Unless you’ve thru-hiked before and REALLY know what you need, just buy em on trail!

1. Buy less expensive shoes
2. Hike in no shoes
3. Take advantage of duct tape and super glue

Otherwise, unless you have great timing, you aren't going to stumble across hiking boots/trailrunners at a surprise discount while hiking along along the same route as all the other hikers.

If you happen to have someone you know stateside you could bulk order and keep them at their place, then have them ship to you when you need them. But the shipping would probably wipe out most of the savings from your 'bulk' buy.