when it comes to hiking gear, the first thing to recognize is the inherent tension between two gravitational pulls:
- "I must have the newest, most advanced, and most specialized gear"
- "I am not Batu Khan setting out for the Eurasian Steppe"
Whichever prevails is a matter of temperament. My father was closer to 1, and my mother clearly in camp 2. I place myself, against my will, near force 1.
It wasn't always like this. I made it through years of travel in rough terrain without ever thinking that things such as specialized hiking shoes or rain jackets existed.
It all changed with the advent of Instagram, I reckon. But enough rambling.
basic hiking gear
Thanks to our two toddlers, nowadays our hikes are frequent, easy, and short. We drive long distances to reach the trailhead, hike for no more than two hours, and typically do not make it to the main attraction (the waterfall, the pool, the giant sequoia), but we do have lots of fun.
Here's what I bring:
footwear
- Arc'teryx Konseal FL (cobalt moon/agra): technically not a hiking shoe, but an approach shoe. Great for hiking nonetheless with extremely reliable grip on the soles, and minimalistic look.
- Smartwool Hike Crew Socks (full cushion): hard to go back to regular socks after trying these.
clothes
- Jacket: Patagonia Nano-Air Jacket (color: hot ember / vintage 2020 and it looks like things have changed since then)
- Base layer: any cotton t-shirt. Yes, cotton. It feels nicer than synthetic materials.
- Pants: my favorite pants that people hate → Prana Stretch Zion Slim Pants.
- Headgear: P-6 Label Trad Cap and, for cold days, Smartwool Headband.
other, tech stuff
- Daypack: Terravia Pack 22L. Perfect size to carry a water bottle, snacks, and extra sets of clothes for the kiddos. Slick design.
- Navigation: iPhone + All Trails.
- Garmin epix (Gen 2) Sapphire 47mm
- Optional: DJI Osmo Mobile 6 paired with iPhone, Sony a7c ii + prime 24mm or 40mm lens
post hiking
- In the car, nicely packed in a 6L cube, I keep one extra set of clothes for each kid. We almost always make use of this.
- Slip on shoes: I've been eyeing the Teva ReEMBERs and imagining how heavenly my feet would feel in them after a long hike, but the reality is that I'm not hiking the PCT (or the Eurasian Steppe) and this is the year of not buying sh*t.
- Credit card to pay the restaurant bill. Usually lunch, and usually seafood.
the sum up
Nothing special is necessary, but there's a good degree of fun investigating and comparing products.
At the end of the day, I realize that I've become a Patagonia fanboy.