Knowing what to bring can be hard if you aren’t an avid wilderness adventurer. Even with experience, I always find I wish I had brought something or left something behind.
- TENTS
- SLEEPING SYSTEMS
- HIKING PACKS
- TREKKING POLES
- COOKING SETUPS / CANNISTER STOVES
- WATER PURIFICATION
- MEALS TO GO
- HEADLAMPS
- FIRE KIT
- CLOTHING
- CRITICAL PERSONAL SUPPLIES
TENTS
Big Agnes Ultralight 1-man tent
SLEEPING SYSTEMS
– You should feel comfortable in almost any conditions the trip might throw at us, and chief to that success is a quality sleep system. I would NEVER recommend a heavy, low quality sleep system. This is one area you should not cheap out on.BAGS
PADS
HIKING PACKS
Hiking with and securing a regular backpack is a terrible idea. They are rough on your back and not terribly secure. Here are some bags I have had great success using in the mountains and the forest.
EDITORS CHOICE – Osprey Atmos AG 65 – the greatest pack I have owned. 10 years running and she is still a rock solid tripping bag.
TREKKING POLES
A truly forgotten MVP for any distance hiker, or heavy load hiker. I cannot stress enough how amazing trekking poles really are for improving your speed and reducing strain on your body.
Black Diamond Pursuit – Ive had these for 10 years, and hundreds of miles.
Dynalock Ascent – My wife swears by em
COOKING SETUPS / CANNISTER STOVES –
Even if there is a fire going, a camp stove and iso fuel is excellent for boiling personal water on the go. Buy it once, always have it.
THE KING – Jetboil Flash – Tony brought this on our trip and it changed my mind about personal stoves of this size. SO FAST.
Small but mighty – BRS Outdoor BRS-3000T
Cheap, but damn it works – Aotu Mini stove
Cannisters – Any will do – JetBoil ISO cannisters
WATER PURIFICATION
Personal kits are cheap and can be used anytime. Great for on the lake, away from basecamp. DO NOT travel without a water system as a back up. No bleach or iodine is needed if not traveling in jungles.
Sawyer Squeeze – Chosen by the US AID department for all foreign travels to affected regions, this little guy is the absolute best of the best. It can attach to any standard size water bottle with a 20oz bottle top. Bring the little pouch in case you lose your big water bottle.
Katadyn Hiking water pump filter – High tech, but so damn useful. More expensive than I want, but it is a modern marvel.
Flavored water packets – Despite filtering, water can still taste a little funky if your source is a little… brown. Mask the flavor and break up the monotony of just water with a little flavor boost. I get some with caffeine for those mid day pick me ups.
Instant Coffee – If you’re a black gold drinker like myself, no trip into the woods is complete with out instant coffee packets.
MEALS TO GO
You will need 5 lunches and 5 brekkies, so make sure you have enough to satisfy. You can always bring more than you need, just dont go crazy or youll be lugging 5 extra lbs you wont eat.
Silverware – Critical component to not having to eat with a stick. I recommend a few
HEADLAMPS
You cannot survive out there without a head lamp. A flash light should be considered a last resort, though I do bring a mini with me every time I travel. Hand free pissing at 2 am during a rainstorm is much easier that juggling a flashlight.
Replacement batteries – find your own
FIRE KIT
Venturing out without a fire kit is a surefire way to die in the woods. Make sure you have something to start fires with.
CLOTHING
You dont absolutely need clean outer layers every day. Bring fresh undies, socks and underlayers, and then no more than two pants and two outerlayer shits. Water resistant layers are a must.
Dry Bags – Keep your clothes dry, keep your dirty clothes separate, and can be used for any number of things like water collection, trash bags, and more. DO NOT SLEEP on dry bags.
33k Feet UV wilderness shirts – truly excellent to prevent sunburn on the lake or in the desert.
WATER LAYER – Marmot PreCIP Weather Jacket
WATER LAYER – Marmot PreCIP Weather Pants
CRITICAL PERSONAL SUPPLIES
Travel Bidet – this will save your asshole from swamp ass and doodoo berries. No more shit stains boys!
Bug Shirt – A real winner for those buggy nights, this little guy will keep you safe from all manner of critters. Light, packable and breathable.
TOILET PAPER
BUG SPRAY
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