What did you use, where did you go, how did it work, why did you bring that? Gear is the means to adventure - choose wisely and save yourself the hassle
It doesn't have to be pretty - it just has to work - and work well. Cheap or expensive, homemade or custom-made, color coordinated or totally weird, gear simply gets you through the biggest adventure of your life. The adventure of being outdoors. More is not allows better, and "Be Prepared" does NOT mean take everything you can. GEAR is the MEANS and NOT the END. In our consumerist culture it's sometimes hard to remember that minor detail.
What gear comes with me on a particular trip depends entirely on the unique conditions I may experience while on that trip. I don't always bring a rain jacket, but I always bring my camera. I always bring a compass, but I don't always need paper maps. SAFETY is about SMART choices and not about simply MORE choices - simply having something with you doesn't ensure that nothing could go wrong.
Here are some lists of what I took on my longer trips, and some examples of how you might go about considering what gear to bring. REMEMBER: this is what I brought with me, and that doesn't mean it's right for you. Now go make impulse purchases and keep the economy afloat. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, don't sue me if you drown in a pile of your new gear.
What gear comes with me on a particular trip depends entirely on the unique conditions I may experience while on that trip. I don't always bring a rain jacket, but I always bring my camera. I always bring a compass, but I don't always need paper maps. SAFETY is about SMART choices and not about simply MORE choices - simply having something with you doesn't ensure that nothing could go wrong.
Here are some lists of what I took on my longer trips, and some examples of how you might go about considering what gear to bring. REMEMBER: this is what I brought with me, and that doesn't mean it's right for you. Now go make impulse purchases and keep the economy afloat. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, don't sue me if you drown in a pile of your new gear.