Gear
What I'd carry today. Based on what I carried then — and what that cost me.
Every gear recommendation on this site comes from the same place: understanding what doesn't work, because I've been there.
The cast iron skillet. The wet sleeping bag. The campfire that almost went out in a monsoon. The tent pitched on a slope that slowly filled with water.
That's the education. The recommendations below are the result of it.
The Short Version of My Philosophy
Carry less than you think you need. The stuff that matters — shelter, sleep system, cook system, water — should be light enough that you barely notice it. Everything else is negotiable.
Buy once, buy right. A $40 piece of gear you replace every two seasons costs more than a $120 piece of gear that lasts ten years. This is the math that took me too long to learn.
The best gear is gear you'll actually use. The most sophisticated ultralight setup in the world is worthless if it's too complicated to set up at dark-thirty in the rain.
Core Categories
Sleep System
Your sleeping bag and sleeping pad are the most important investments you'll make. Everything else can be improvised. A bad night's sleep in the backcountry affects everything.
More coming soon.
Shelter
Tent, hammock, tarp — the choice depends on where you're going and how you sleep. I'll break down all three.
More coming soon.
Cook System
This is where I have the most opinions. See The Cast Iron Skillet They Made Me Carry for the origin story.
More coming soon.
Pack
Everything else goes in here. Getting the pack right is about fit more than features.
More coming soon.
Gear pages are in progress. Stories come first — the recommendations grow out of them naturally.