Backpackn Gear
In this post I'll discuss the gear I currently use, which items I would actually recommend, and which items are on my wish list. Note: most of my gear is a mix of expensive & relatively inexpensive items. I attempted to do backpacking on a budget, which is why I wouldn't recommend some items since they are somewhat cheap. But others I splurged on and totally love.
Although this is mostly a backpacking blog (for now), if you're in the market for basic traditional camping gear, simply purchase gear with light weight equipment in mind so it can be used for traditional camping as well as backpacking adventures where every little bit of weight counts
Side note, I typically will only purchase items at REI when they have sales. Their sales are fairly rare, but they do happen! They have their anniversary sale every May, which is their biggest sale of the year. Also they have a rewards/member program, which you might want to consider opting into if you start acquiring gear from them. The only thing that sucks about their rewards program is they don't give rewards (i.e., money back) on sale items/when you use promo codes, which is essentially the only time I buy from them.
*In this picture from left to right/ top to bottom: 65 Liter Backpack, Sleeping bag/quilt, Stove, Camera Stand, Tent, Sleeping Pad, Water Filter, Water Bottle, Flash Light, Instant Coffee, Cups, Hygiene Body Wipes, Water Insert, Dry Shampoo, Skin Care Products, Make Up Bag, and Hiking Boots.
*Gear missing from this photo: Bear Canister w/ Food, Propane/IsoPro Canister, Spork, Plastic Bags with Spout, Battery Bank, Battery Air Pump.
My Gear.
Backpack/pack (MountainTop 65L Internal Frame Backpack Hiking Backpack with Rain Cover). This is one of the cheaper backpacks out there, which is the only reason why I purchased it. I would NOT recommend this pack to someone looking for a high quality pack. It isn't the most comfortable, the clasps are fairly cheap, and it came with holes it in. This is my temporary pack until I upgrade to *hopefully* my dream pack (mentioned in my wishlist).
Backpack # 2 (Gregory Paragon 68 Pack - Men's). This is the backpack I have officially stolen from my boyfriend. I actually really like this pack, its spacious, durable, and aesthetically pleasing. And my favorite part is that it's extremely comfortable, from the straps on my waist, chest, and how it sits on my back. Some downsides: 1. It is fairly expensive (~$250), 2. It doesn't have many straps on the outside. This is unfortunate because I always tie random junk (e.g., sandals, toilet paper, water bottle) to the outside straps. Overall, I would recommend this product, which also works well for femme body's.
Sleeping bag/quilt (Sierra DesignsBackcountry Bed 700 / 20-Degree Sleeping Bag). I really like this sleeping bag, it's made of down so it needs to be looked after with care. It feels spacious and keeps me warm at night. It can keep heat in temperatures as low as 20 degrees, which is perfect for most winter trips or traveling to alpine lakes. It is also really LIGHT and compresses really small, which is perfect for saving on space and weight. Btw sleeping bags come with a stuff sac, you can actually use this to compress your clothes to take up less space. As for your sleeping bag, you can just stuff it into the very bottom of your pack.
Sleeping quilt #2 (Nitro Quilt 800 / 20 Degree). This is the sleeping bag my boyfriend uses and it is amazing. The design is more like a blanket, rather than a sleeping bag that wraps around your body. It is the new wave of sleeping bags because it is light weight and compresses really small. It will keep you super warm in cold temperatures, just make sure you get a well insulated pad like this one: Nemo Tensor Alpine - this is the exact one we use and would highly recommend.
Stove (Fire-Maple Pot/Jet Burner Stove System with Electric Ignition). This is another cheaper purchase. It's essentially a knockoff of the Jet Boil Flash Cooking System, which is twice the price. The Fire-Maple gets the job done, but it is made with material that tends to melt if you have the flame going full blast. Also it somewhat leaks gas when screwing it onto the gas canister (??), but this hasn't been a serious issue.
5a. Stove (Jetboil Minimo cooking system). I ended up getting the minimo because it’s way lighter than the fire-maple and other jetboil systems. i read reviews about the igniter not working after a while, so i’ll have to see how that is. so far, no problems!
Camera Stand (Bontend Flexible Tripod). I already had this camera stand prior to taking it backpacking. I like the camera stand itself, but I bet there are better lightweight stands out there that are just as effective.
7. Tent (REI Co-op Camp Dome 2 Tent). This was one of my first backpacking purchases. In a nutshell, this tent gets the job done. It's nice, simple, and on the cheaper side. However, it weighs almost 5 lbs so it is not ideal for backpacking. Eventually I will invest in a tent that weighs no more than 2 lbs. UPDATE: the don’t sell this tent anymore, they have an updated version here. But the updated version is 3x the old price, you might as well get a different tent if you’re going to spend $200+.
7a. Tent (Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2). I just purchased this tent and it is such an upgrade. It is pretty expensive, but 2.5 lbs less than my older tent (#7). Because it is lightweight, it is more fragile and needs to be handled with care. However, I love it and the color!!!
8. Sleeping Pad (Big Agnes Q-Core SLX Sleeping Pad, Long & Wide). This sleeping pad is a perfect example of me purchasing unnecessary shit, but I love it. I'm 5'6 and this sleeping pad is extra long and extra wide, which is intended for a grown ass human (which I am not). It is super comfortable, pretty durable, and lightweight. Downside is that the insulation is not ideal for cold weather. If you have a low temperature rated sleeping bag and are not backpacking when it's extremely cold, then this isn't an issue. If you don't get this sleeping pad, then I recommend getting one that is at least 3 inches thick. Good sleep is everything.
9. Water Filter (Katadyn Vario Filter). THIS IS AMAZING!!!!! The water filter game has changed so much over the years. This filter has a dual action pump that pumps water twice as fast as normal water filters. Highly recommend. If you get this water filter, then you should get the water bottle that fits with it (#9).
10. Water Bottle (Nalgene Tritan 32oz Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle). I really like this water bottle in general. But the reason why it's amazing is because it screws onto the bottom of the water filter!!!!! Making it super easy to directly pump water into the water bottle. If you get the water filter, you should get this water bottle too.
11. Headlamp. Honestly, any headlamp will do as long as it is bright and doesn't weigh too much.
12. Instant Coffee (Starbucks Instant Coffee Medium Roast Packets). As far as coffee goes, there aren't too many light weight options. I am not a huge coffee drinker so I'm not too picky about the taste of my coffee.
13. Cups. Get any lightweight cup(s) that can withstand boiling water. I just so happened to have some, but I have no idea when or where I got them. I've heard people recommend the GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug, but I can't attest to it. It's on my wishlist though.
14. Water Bag (High Sierra Hydration Pack). HIGHLY RECOMMEND! If you don't get this exact one, then any similar one will probably work just fine. However, make sure the nozzle will let water out by applying pressure with your hand (think milking a cow). As long as your water bag can do this, you now have a makeshift water hose!!! Check out the photo on the left. I used a carabiner to attach the water bag to a tree branch and could easily wash my hands, face, refill my water bottle... the possibilities are endless.
