My Gear Closet
With so many great brands out there that manufacture such great gear, it's hard to know what, and who to choose. This is some of the great gear I own and love, but this isn't by any means a "plug" for any company or their gear. I do have my favourite companies, but I'm always willing to try something new!
SIERRA DESIGNS METEOR LITE TENT
I've had this tent for over 10 years now, and it's still going strong. Back then, its 7lbs 5oz was considered "light" but now it's heavier than most 4 season tents. I don't mind the weight for shorter winter trips but won't even consider it for summer trekking. All things considered, this is still a great 3 season tent that keeps us warm in the middle of a blizzard.
I needed a single person tent that wasn't going to break the bank (I was only going to use it once after all!) for a backpacking trip to Peru and found this great shelter from The Northface. An ultralight shelter with room for my trek duffle, day pack and just enough lounging area to be comfortable in after a long day. Its total weight of 3lbs 7oz makes it light enough to pack without having to sacrifice any other gear when you're trying to go ultralight.
The Stormbreak series tents are good entry level shelters for beginner hikers but they're still too heavy for my liking. Its sister tent is the Stormbreak 2 which is definitely not an ultralight at a bulky 5lbs 14oz.
This "addiction" started with the quest to have the coolest campsite on the mountain! My collection started with the Biolite XL lantern and soon expanded to include the Power Light, Power Light Mini, Site Lights and 3 sets of Site Light minis!
BIOLITE SOLARPANEL 10+
Biolite SolarPanel 10+. Never be without a charge! Charges a Smartphone in an hour! GoPro dead? No problem...charge it up in 1/2 hour! Check it out at https://www.bioliteenergy.com/products/solarpanel-10-plus
The Northface
Stormbreak 1
STAY CONNECTED WITH
DELORME INREACH
I never leave home without my Delorme InReach. With Iridium satellite technology, you're connected anywhere on the planet. It has some cool features, such as 2 way texting, weather forecasts for your area, and the ability to post to your social media from anywhere in the world! In the case of a real emergency, there's an SOS feature to allow Search and Rescue to be able to located you, if needed. Friends and family can also locate you anywhere in the world with your Mapshare feature.
I can't say enough about this little gadget.
It's worth its weight in gold.
MSR Whisperlite International
This is one of the best stoves on the market. It's been around for years, and for good reason. I've owned my for well over 10 years and have never had a problem. It runs on white gas, kerosene and unleaded fuel when in a pinch. Unlike a canister stove, fuel is readily available around the world. I also do a majority of my multi day treks in the winter and anyone who's tried to run a canister stove in the dead of winter knows how well they work...not!
GSI Basecamp Cookware
Every mountain chef needs good cookware...
This is something that I was debating on for a long time. Did I really want to spend the money on good cookware? After all, I dehydrate my own backpacking meals and eat most of them right out of a Ziploc bag. However, it's nice to whip up an omelette or pancakes when you've been sitting on a mountain for days, waiting out the weather! I don't always take the complete set on all treks, but it's nice to have when a larger group comes along.
Gregory Diva 70 Pack
For years, I've trekked with North Face packs but a couple of years ago,
I decided to try a Gregory pack. There's a reason why it's won
Backpacker Magazine's Editor's Gold Choice Award.
It's a great pack.
I do a lot of long haul trekking adventures so I decided on the Diva 70. My extra small comes in at 66 litres and weighs just shy of 5lbs.
One of the most important features of a pack for me (besides the fit)
is that it is a top and front load.
There's nothing worse than having to rifle through your whole bag to get something from the bottom.
The detachable lid is handy for day scrambles, a separate sleeping bag compartment and 10 external pockets are all great features.
This pack has been through mud, sleet and blizzards with me so far
and has yet to disappoint.
HAPPY FEET WITH SCARPA BOOTS
Never cheap out on your feet! I hiked in my Asolo 535's for over 10 years before investing in these amazing boots!
Scarpa boots are worth the investment.
Capturing Memories...
Go Pro Hero 3+
This handy gadget does everything I need it to do to capture those mountain sunrises! If you've never used a time lapse, you're missing out!
Canon SX702 HS
Sure, iPhones capture some pretty good pics, but when you want quality photos, invest in a real camera. This compact piece has an unreal zoom that will capture a crystal clear pic of that mountain peak that's miles away!
Bear bangers and flares
An Organized Disaster
Before every trip, I always lay out my gear to ensure I don't miss anything! In addition to my gear above, some of my basics for summer trekking includes:
~
~Therm-a-rest Neo Air Therm sleeping pad
~MEC Aquilina -7 down sleeping bag
~Essential 10 Emergency Gear
~First Aid Kit
~Hot Hands (for emergencies!)
~Candle lantern
~Matches
~Bear spray
~Knife
~Paracord
~Headlamp
For Winter Trekking, add the following:
~Snowshoes
~Crampons (or ice spikes, depending on conditions)
~Long Johns (Merino Wool)
~Merino Wool clothing (including Merino underwear and base layers)
~Toque, mitts (not gloves) , balaclava
~Avalanche probe and beacon
Arc'teryx Beta AR Series
Nothing beats staying warm and dry when you're spending the night on a mountain in the middle of winter...in a blizzard...at -18. Weather doesn't hold us back. We're a little hardcore that way!
I upgraded to Arc'teryx a couple of years ago and have never looked back. My previous gear left me wet and cold by the time we summited and I was beginning to not be a fan of winter climbing. Arc'teryx changed that for me. It's gear that's worth every penny.
Ice Breaker Merino Wool
The best of the best. Ice Breaker makes superior quality clothing that keeps you cool in the winter and warm in the summer. The women's Merinoloft Ellipse Long Sleeve Half zip is one of my favourite pieces in my gear closet. Its 230 midweight fabric is odour resistant and absorbs moisture while still keeping you warm. Don't settle for the cheap imitation Merino products sold at wholesalers. These contain very little merino wool and are mostly polyester.
Ice Breaker's underwear and base layers are also second to none and my first choice when heading into the backcountry in the dead of winter.
Therm-A-Rest Neo Air XTherm
Being cold is not fun when you're sleeping on a mountain. The Neo Air XTherm has an impressive R-Value of 5.7 and will keep you warm all night long on top of that layer of snow and ice. Not much larger than a Nalgene water bottle and weighing in at only 430g (regular size), this sleeping pad is worth its weight in gold.
