2023 SUMMER GEAR GUIDE
Everything you need to get out into the backcountry.
I can still remember my first time camping in the backcountry. For years all my gear was old stuff from my parents. When I say old I mean it was from the late 80s and early 90s. After years of using this gear, I started to get tired of being cold, wet and uncomfortable. I remember always seeing all these people walking by on the trails in nice brand new, and I dreamed of one day having that kind of gear. Fast forward 10 years, I have purchased gear ranging from a couple of dollars to a couple of hundred dollars, constantly trying different brands to find something fit perfectly and was good quality. Everything listed below is the gear I currently use on a regular basis. Please keep in mind that it took me years to be able to amass everything. It didn’t happen overnight. Keep in mind that I haven’t tried every piece of gear on the market, but I do believe in the items that I have listed below and have done extensive research on each to make sure it was worth my money and would last in the environments that I am constantly hiking in. If you’re looking to start hiking or camping, or mountaineering, or if you’re already an outdoor enthusiast but want my opinion on gear and what you should spend your hard-earned moeny on, this blog post is for you.
Bag in photo: Arc'teryx ALPHA FL 40 BACKPACK
Backpacks
This is the gear that I bring with me when I head out into the mountains. It’s important to remember that these products are some of my personal favourites and I have found that they are the most comfortable and practical for the kind of activities that I do. When you're purchasing your gear, here's a pro tip that I use.
Look for a company that has a great warranty policy, and that stands behind their products. I’ve found that Arc’teryx, Osprey Packs, Rab, MSR and a few other companies are the best for standing behind their products no matter what happens to them.
Find a product that is super comfortable and fits really well with your body because, trust me, you do not want to have gear that causes discomfort when you have to walk 40km back to your car.
These are the main backpacks I use for hiking here in North America as well as around the world.
Multi-day backpacks.
ARCTERYX Konseal AR 55 BACKPACK[click here]: The Konseal 55 is my go-to bag for Multi-day trekking adventures (4-7 days). This is the perfect bag for extreme environments such as trekking through the Canadian Rockies when it’s -40 degrees and whiteout conditions. Your gear will stay nice a dry no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. It’s super lightweight, comfy, with plenty of room.
OSPREY Atmos 65 - MENS[click here]: The Atmos 65 is my go-to bag for super light, quick backpacking trips into the mountains. I have found that this bag is one of the comfiest backpacks on the market. If you're planning on backpacking internationally, this is the go-to bag. It compacts down really well and can be tossed around without breaking.
Multi-day + day backpacks
These are the bags I use if I am doing any ultralight backpacking or day hikes/climbs.
Arc'teryx ALPHA FL 40 BACKPACK: This is probably my favourite bag I own. It’s super lightweight and is perfect to bring along with you for a day of scrambling and climbing. A bonus of having this bag is it’s also waterproof and can be flattened down so you can stuff it into your multi-day backpack for when you want to head out from base camp and climb one of the surrounding peaks.
OSPREY Farpoint 55 - MENS: This is a great bag if you are wanting to head off and do a nice simple day hike. This bag is very comfortable and has a lot of room to be able to fit your gear.
Hyperlite 3400 Southwest 55L Backpack: From bushwhacking to tight squeezes, this lightweight pack is designed to go where others falter. The ultra-abrasion-resistant Dyneema handles the most rugged adventures while still being light enough for fast missions. This is now my go-to bag for when travelling. It’s perfect to bring as a carry-on and can then be used as a day bag as well as a multi-day backpack for longer adventures.
Check bag + trekking bag.
The North Face Base Camp Duffle - Unisex
It just works for everything, including travel. High-tenacity fabric is water resistant and stands up to many seasons of hard use. It’s perfect as a checked bag, holds up extremely well when you are at base camp and can easily be spotted on the baggage conveyor belt when picking it up from the airport.
Clothing
When dressing for the outdoors, you want to dress in layers. The reason you do this is to remove these layers before you start to perspire. The goal is to prevent your inner layers from getting damp. Damp fabric is also very uncomfortable against your skin. One important thing to remember is NO COTTON. Cotten absorbs water and takes a very long time to dry. This keeps you feeling sweaty when it’s hot out and also brings on chills when the weather becomes colder.
Base Layer
The first layer you wear should fit close to your skin, but not so tightly that it impedes your movement. You want to buy clothes which are breathable and depending on the weather you’ll want something that also, keeps you warm and dry or cool.
Icebreaker 200 Sonebula Legging - Men's
Icebreaker's lightweight and breathable 200 Sonebula Legging is our go-to choice for keeping our thermals at just the right spot on hikes, ski trips, or for cold weather camping. It's made with merino wool which comes with a motley of amazing benefits: warm, breathable, quick to dry, fast to wick, and—one of our personal favourites—naturally odour-resistant.
Icebreaker 200 Oasis SS Crew Top - Men's
Icebreaker made its Men's BodyFit 200 Oasis Short-Sleeve Crew out of merino wool to regulate your body temperature so you'll stay cool when you're working up a sweat under the sun and warm when you dip into the shade of the trees. It's also anti-odour so this shirt stays fresh after a week of backpacking across the Rockies. Great fit for having to carry a backpack for multiple days. Some shirts can cause chafing but this one so far has been amazing and I haven’t had any issues with it.
Icebreaker Anatomica Boxer + Fly - Men's
The Icebreaker Men's Anatomica Boxer + Fly combines a trail-worthy performance with the comfort you crave every day. Its merino wool blend offers long-lasting softness, and it's thermal-regulating, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying for a solid performance while backpacking. Merino wool is also naturally odour-resistant for a touch of freshness when there isn't a washer in sight.
Mid Layer
Jacket in Photo: Arc'teryx Atom SL
This is typically the layer that will provide you with your primary warmth while in the backcountry. I usually recommend you bring two of these layers when your heading into colder weather.
Fleece: Bringing a fleece is a great way to keep you warm during those cold west coast nights. RAB makes a great fleece called the QUEST PULL-ON. My go-to fleece is usually the Arc'teryx Atom SL Insulated Hoodie.
Puffy Jacket: These jackets are one of the best things that you can have in your bag. I highly recommend checking out Arcteryx’s CERIUM SL HOODY. I’ve found that it’s super warm and it compresses well. This is a bonus for when you don’t have very much room in your pack.
Outer Layer: Water Resistant & Breathable Shells
The first thing you want to have in your bag is a lightweight, compressible waterproof/breathable jacket and pants especially if you live here on the west coast.
ARCTERYX BETA SL JACKET: Arcteryx makes some of the best jackets on the market. I have found that the Beta SL is one of there best lightweight jackets that they make. You could wear this jacket in a monsoon and still be completely dry.
Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket: Since I had my SL stolen I have been using just the Beta AR. It’s an amazing jacket.
ARCTERYX BETA SV BIB: Hands down this is the best pair of shell pants I have ever purchased. They are highly versatile and are built for rugged mountain conditions. One of my favourite features is the two-way zippers which allow you to unzip the side of the pants which allows for ease of removal over boots and crampons.
Shoes
Footwear is one of the most important things when you go hiking or backpacking and it is something that you do not want to go cheap on. Just remember the shoes are like tires for your feet, and when you are 25km down a hiking trail, you don’t want to get a “ flat,” such as having your feet covered in blisters, because your feet are your only mode of transportation.
SALOMON QUEST 4D 3 GTX: Surprisingly comfortable, the SALOMON QUEST 4D 3 GT is one of the best boots I've ever worn. They are fantastic for multi-day backpacking trips and I’ve found that they are very breathable and will always stay dry even if you're walking through small creeks and puddles.
LA SPORTIVA TRANGO TOWER GTX: If I’m scrambling up a mountain or crossing a glacier, I will be wearing these boots 99.9% of the time.
LA SPORTIVA TX4: I've found these shoes fantastic for a nice and easy day hike. They have a fantastic grip for when you are hiking up scree and mud.
ICEBREAKER LIFESTYLE CREW SOCKS - LIGHT CUSHION: Socks are also very important. I've been using the LIFESTYLE CREW SOCKS for a couple of years now and I absolutely love them. If you are heading out for a multi-day hiking trip, I highly recommend bringing two or more pairs of socks.
OUTDOOR RESEARCH HELIUM BIVY
Shelters
OUTDOOR RESEARCH HELIUM BIVY: I love using a bivy bag when I go on solo backpacking and climbing trips. If you are looking for something that is very minimalistic and ultra-light I would definitely recommend purchasing one of these guys.
MARMOT CATALYST 2P, 2 PERSON: This is my go-to tent for when I'm heading out on a backpacking trip with another person. The MARMOT CATALYST 2P is a very roomy and livable tent. It’s super light and very simple to set up and takedown.
MARMOT CATALYST 2P, 2 PERSON
Sleeping Bags & Pads
THE NORTH FACE FURNACE, -7C: This is the first sleeping bag that I purchased a few years ago. Backpacking here on the west coast can be very wet and cold. But having a bag that combats the moisture in the air and dries really fast is super important, especially if you're spending more than one night in the backcountry.
MARMOT NEVER SUMMER,-18C: I will primarily use this bag when the nights start to get colder. This is probably the best all-around bag that I’ve come across. The MARMOT NEVER SUMMER is the ideal bag for trips when sub-freezing weather is imminent. This bag retains your body’s warmth while maintaining a super-high warmth-to-weight ratio.
THERM-A-REST TRAIL SCOUT: This is the sleeping pad that I’ve been using for a few years now. It is a lightweight mattress perfect for when you are wanting to keep weight to a minimum. I’ve found that it holds air all night and folds down into a compact size that will perfectly fit into your backpack.
Food & Cooking Supplies
The one-up side of cooking in the backcountry is the everything tastes better, especially when it's warm.
For stoves, I will either use MSR’s POCKET ROCKET STOVE or JETBOIL’s FLASH 2.0. Both of these are fantastic choices for use in the backcountry. Depending on how much room I have in my bag I seem to use the Jetboil a majority of the time because it boils water insanely fast and is really easy to clean and pack away.
This is one of the items you do not want to forget when you go hiking or backpacking. Trust me it really sucks when you're standing on top of a mountain, and you go into your bag, and you realize that you left your food in your car all the way down in the valley. Here’s a pro tip for when your packing: if you are planning on going for a 3-day backpacking trip, pack enough food for five or six days because plans always change, and you never know if you might end up spending a couple of unplanned extra days in the backcountry.
Water Bottles & Filters
When you are backpacking, it is very important to have clean and safe drinking water. I use the KATADYN VARIO DUAL TECHNOLOGY MICROFILTER to filter my drinking water. LIFE STRAW also makes a great water bottle with a filter built into it which is great if you're trying to cut back on the weight in your bag.
GPS & MAPS
It's s always a good idea to bring along a GPS or a map, especially if your planning on heading off of the trail and into the woods. If you would like to learn more on how to use a map and a compass, I would suggest checking out BCMC (https://bcmc.ca/m/events/home/) for more information and courses regarding this.
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