GEAR 101: INTRO TO OUTDOOR GEAR
Just the basics to help you start choosing your outdoor gear.
When the wind is strong, sometimes the road provides you with a kitchen. Or a tire. Gear can be fun and creative!
Choosing the right outdoor gear can be intensely overwhelming. You walk into a gear store and the choices seem endless. Looking online one person says this is the only way to go, while another says nope, this is actually the only way to go. Don’t lose hope. Take it from me, someone who has used both the wrong gear and the right gear and who has worked in the outdoor gear world, choosing your gear is actually surprisingly deeply personal, and there is no real universal right or wrong answer, only what is right and wrong for you.
So sit back, carry on reading, and I’ll try to give you the very basics of how to choose outdoor gear that will be right for you. And remember, you can really do anything using anything, it’s just that the better the gear is tailored to you and your activity, the more comfortable you’ll be, and the activity will be slightly easier. It’s still possible to do everything with the wrong gear, so don’t stress too much.
Sleep System – AKA. Tent, Sleeping Mat, Sleeping Bag
The best thing about a good sleep system? The views it allows you to enjoy!
Choosing your outdoor gear should probably start here. Your sleep system will most likely be the thing that comprises the most weight and space in your bag. Depending on what you’ll be doing and where you’ll be doing it, it can be pretty important, and easily get pricey. If you’re going ultra-lightweight, this is where the majority of your focus should be. No fear though here’s what to look out for.
Tent
When choosing a tent there are a few things to consider: how heavy, how packable, and the structure. The secondary things to think about are things like how waterproof it is, how much mesh and ventilation does it have, what size.
Shelter is actually a more accurate term than tent as a broad category title. This section can also include bivy, tarps, and hammocks.
Sleeping Mat
Sleeping mats will make a difference when you’re trying to get a good night’s rest on anything from a concrete floor or uneven rock surface. They are also magical in cooler to cold weather at helping insulate you so the cold ground doesn’t absorb your body heat leaving you up all night shivering.
As with the rest of the gear, this comes down to you and your personal preferences. I’m a side sleeper, and as such like a thicker sleeping mat so my hips don’t smash into the ground. I also sleep curled, so I actually have a 3/4 length mat because I don’t need the padding to go past my knees.
So what you’re looking for is the thickness (or R value), the length, the materials, the packability, and the weight.
Sleeping Bag
Walk into any outdoor gear store and the sleeping bag choices all look the same and there are a huge number of them. Don’t worry, finding the one for you isn’t actually that hard. Just remember that different trips might need different sleeping bags. One of the big things to keep in mind is how you like to sleep. Some people can be warm all day but as soon as nighttime comes, they’re immediately cold. Some people use no duvet all winter. Cater to your own needs, not what someone else says is right. Oh, and the temperature ratings you see, the low end is closer to what is survivable, not what will be comfortable.
Down usually packs more warmth for its weight, but is pretty useless if it gets wet, so if you’re doing a canoe trip maybe consider synthetic or a mix. Mummy shaped bags tend to feel a bit warmer, but some people hate the constriction and they can’t be connected, so maybe a barrel shape would work better. Point is with so many choices, finding the right bag for you can be done!
Footwear
Just because they’re retired doesn’t mean your hiking boots can’t still be in your life.
Depending on your adventure, your footwear might be the most important thing you use. If you’re doing major hikes, the wrong footwear will make the experience difficult, unpleasant, and painful. Take it from someone who has bruised and lost toenails and has had blisters on blisters from the wrong footwear, it sucks.
Never fear though, we can get through it together. There are plenty more details on choosing the perfect match for your feet, but the basics come down to what do you need them to do for you. Got weaker ankles or heading to a lot of uneven volcanic type rock, think about a higher boot. Heading to walk in a desert, lots of mesh and no waterproofing might be your best bet.
Basically you want to think about the fit (when in doubt go a bit bigger, it’s easier to add a thin sock layer than to stretch a shoe), the materials (waterproofing, leather, mesh, oh my!), the weight, and the tread.
Backpacks
The right backpack allows you to happily get to Mount Doom and back. No eagles required. (Bonus Buddy sighting if you’re keeping track.)
Again, this one is going to be extremely important to get right if you’re planning on doing some major hikes. Remember that this puppy will be strapped to you all day every day with some serious weight. There are some things about how a bag is worn that are technically the way you should do it, but at the same time, I wear my bag in a slightly ‘wrong’ way because it works better for my body that way. You know how things feel to you, and an industry-standard might not work for you. Choosing your perfect pack can be overwhelming, but there are some tricks to make it easier.
Oh, and remember, a heavy pack is never not going to feel like a heavy pack. There is no magical bag that will levitate that weight off you. It’s about finding the bag that keeps the weight from being painful.
Clothing
The right clothes mean enjoying the adventure rain or shine!
Here’s where the industry is failing us as humans of different shapes and sizes a bit. Hiking and adventure type clothes tend to fit small and are usually designed for people shaped like those you see in the ads. Never fear my fellow curvy people, we can still get dressed and have adventures.
Here’s the secret: adventure in whatever is comfortable for you. Sure, some materials are better than others, certain features are super handy. Want hiking clothes but nothing’s been fitting and you’re discouraged? Been there, done that. A few plus-sized hiking clothing options exist. Don’t believe me? Check out Sportive Plus. There are more out there, you’ve just got to look.
Eating
Hiker hunger is real! Think about what food you want to have. Choose something you look at like I look at a kilo of peanut butter.
Choosing your outdoor gear is about more than just the tools you use. It’s also about the fuel that will sustain your body while you test its limits. Granted this section of gear is more about stoves than anything else, but also consider the pots and pans you’re going to cook in, and what you will be cooking. And remember to keep in mind that hiker hunger is real and you’re going to want to eat way more than you expect. The size of your pot and your food supply should reflect that.
Stoves and Pots
There are several types of stoves, and they all have pros and cons. It’s all about choosing the one that’s right for the specific adventure you’re going on. Think about the temperature and altitude you’ll be at because that will affect your fuel. Where are you going, because different fuel sources are easier to get in some regions vs others. What size and weight are you willing to carry?
Food
I’m gonna say it, dehydrated food is expensive, but I’m always jealous on the trails when other hikers are rehydrating a bag of delicious smelling curry mush and I’m sat in the corner with my sad bowl of ramen and some instant mashed potatoes. No amount of salt and pepper will turn that into what I’m smelling from those silver bags of goodness. That being said, I actually never bother to buy and bring dehydrated food on my trips because it’s just too expensive and not worth it to me.
But I’m not a foodie and look at my meals more as sustenance than anything else, so it’s always been a low priority for me. For you, a good tasty meal to look forward to might be the exact right thing to invest in to get you through those unexpected muddy days on the trail. If that’s you, then hell yeah get that dehydrated food. Or maybe consider getting a food dehydrator and making your own.
Accessories
Some adventures require more accessories and gear than others. Headlamps are universal though!
There are about a billion camping and outdoor accessories out there. If you can think of it, there’s probably a collapsible version somewhere. Not kidding. I once saw telescoping travel chopsticks. CHOPSTICKS. Accessories run from the ludicrous to the life-saving. What you have the space, desire, and need for will change depending on where you’re going and what your trip is. What you’re willing to take on a bicycle vs what you’ll bring in a suitcase that is going from train to taxi to hotel will be vastly different.
When choosing your outdoor gear accessories, consider things like a light source, water purification systems, cutlery, first aid, and of course the frivolous luxury items that bring nothing useful but joy. Personally I always have a vial of glitter and a journal and watercolour pencils. If you ever see me on the trail, ask me. I’ll have them.
If you want more details, you can check out 5 Tiny Lifesaving Items Never To Leave At Home.
And that’s it, you’ve now passed Gear 101: Intro to outdoor gear. A+ for everyone! Now that you’re armed with a basic knowledge of what questions to ask and what to consider, get choosing your outdoor gear and hit the road. The best way to figure out what is your perfect setup is trial and error. Trust me, I’ve gone through a lot of the wrong gear to narrow down what features I like and what specifics work for me. Don’t have thousands of dollars to drop on gear? Neither do most people. Just get out there and have yourself an unexpected adventure.
