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About ZPacks ZPacks was created in early 2005 by avid backpacker, thru-hiker, and gear designer Joe Valesko. The business was started shortly after Joe's 2004 Appalachian Trail thru-hike as a way to bring some of his home-made but highly functional gear items to the public. All aspects of the store, including gear production, are handled by Joe himself. Joe is also employed full time as a software engineer. Keeping operations small allows ZPacks to offer gear at lower prices and with greater flexibility than would otherwise be possible. It also means that customer satisfaction is the top priority. Some of Joe's Adventures:

Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike - 2,174 miles / 142 days When: May 17th through October 7th 2004 Trail Name: "Lightweight Joe" Base gear weight: About 8 lbs of almost entirely home-made items. Photos: I carried disposable cameras on this trip. Here are scans of a few shots: Appalachian Trail (16) Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike - 2,663 miles / 147 days When: April 29th through September 22nd 2007 Trail Name: "Samurai Joe" Base gear weight: About 5 lbs (gear list) Photos: I took over 1000 digital pictures on this trip. Here are some of the better ones: Southern California (69), The High Sierras (92), North California (73), Oregon (92), Washington (67)