Gear Reviews

Upgrade Car Ceiling Cargo Net Pocket

August 2023. Bought this to add more storage in my mini campervan. I thought I would hang it in the back but it didn’t work when I raised my bed into lounger mode so I straped it to the front so it sits right behind my driver seat. It’s high enough that I don’t see it in my rear view mirror. I am pleased with this as it adds space to store things like clothes and bananas :)

Olee Sleep Tri-Folding Memory Foam Mattress Topper

August 2023. Bought this to replace the 3 bench cushions and cot mattress I had been using in my mini campervan. It wasn’t very expensive ($75) and I debated whether or not I even needed to upgrade to this or just get by with what I had but the more I’ve slept in the van the more the cot mattress got twisted up. I’m very pleased with this upgrade and I sleep great in the van. And since it is tri-fold it works when I raise my bed to become a lounger.

Ryno-Tuff 21W Foldable Solar Panel

March 2023. 17.5oz. Bought this for my Hayduke Route Hike to replace an old Goal Zero Nomad 7W panel. Since I buried food caches along the way I wasn’t expecting to go into many towns so I needed a way to keep my phone charged. Therefore I bought a bigger battery bank and this solar panel to charge it. I kept it in my pack’s side pocket which was more exposed to vegetation and sand but it withstood the beating it got. I didn’t take long enough breaks for it to charge my battery bank fully so I sometimes had to hang it on my backpack. I was always surprised at how well that worked and my battery bank was full after a few hours. It did get scratched up a bit when it was hanging off my pack while I was having to bushwhack but it didn’t seem to affect it much. The panels also usually had sand on them but it was fine. The only thing that was concerning was that the plastic bit that you put the usb cord into seemed flimsly attached to the panel itself. I had to be really careful when plugging and unplugging so as not to tear it off. I also noticed that when I used the left port it didn’t charge, but the right did. ?

BLUETTI EB70S Portable Power Station | 800W 716Wh

March 2023. Bought this for my solar setup for my mini campervan. I chose this brand over other competitors (after lots of research/YouTube videos) due to this brand being the only one to use LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) batteries (for now). The technology with batteries is progressing rapidly and I’m sure there will be even better, longer lasting ones on the market soon. I also chose to do the power station route instead of getting individual batteries, controller, etc. It’s pricey but ease of use makes up for it. I simply plug in the cord from the solar panel and it charges it up like a battery bank. I then plug the fridge up to it and voila. I have noticed that it turns itself off sometimes during the night, I’m assuming because it’s low on battery due to running the fridge, so I need to look into all that. I’m still in the trial phase of learning how all this works so hopefully it will continue to go well.

Inui 20000mAh battery bank

March 2023. 12.7oz. Bought this for my Hayduke Route hike. I had previously been using a Goal Zero 7800mAh battery bank, but since I wouldn’t be going into towns much along the way I needed a bigger battery bank (and solar panel) to keep my phone charged. The longest I went without going into a town was 2 weeks. This worked well. I like that it gives a number% rather than 4 blocks. I did find it to be persnickety, meaning that it would sometimes stop charging when plugged into a wall outlet. And when I would disconnect my phone from it and reconnect it it wouldn’t charge. I had to unplug everything and replug it all in for it to work for some reason.

Sandisk ixpand 64G

January 2023. I hardly have any space left on my phone but I don’t want to delete photos/videos so I got this to store photos and videos, specifically for my Hayduke hike. I can also store maps and documents on it. Surprisingly I filled this up with hundreds of videos and had to get my parents to mail me another one in my resupply box to the South Rim. Since I hardly had any storage space on my phone I was having to download videos every two days. The only hassle was that I had to take my Lifeproof case off and on in order to insert it into my phone.

renogy 200 watt 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel

January 2023. Bought this for my mini campervan to be more self sufficient when vanlifing. This primarily powers a fridge but also charges my laptop and any other electronics. I am pleased with the performance and glad I went with 200W instead of 100W due to how much it takes to keep the fridge running. I’m also glad I chose a hard panel that I installed on my roof rather than foldable panels. I wanted something that could charge as I’m driving and parked rather than having to pull out and set up the panels. I am still in the trial/learning process so hopefully it continues to go well.

JoyTutus 22Liter 12volt Fridge

January 2023. Bought this for my mini campervan to be powered by a solar panel. I now have over 3 weeks living in the van using the fridge and I am pleased with the performance. I have filled it to capacity and probably could have used more room, so I think for more than one person this would be too small. I keep it around 43 degrees and it fluctuates from 39 to 46 in eco mode (even in 90 degree desert weather). It takes more energy that I expected and sometimes my power station will turn off during the night due to limited power left. I am still in the learning process so my review could change.

LOKSAK OPSAK Odor-Proof Barrier Bags - 12" x 20" - Package of 2

Summer 2021. I first heard about this bag back in 2016 when I found one in a hiker box when I was working as a ridgerunner on the Appalachian Trail. I took it and didn’t use it until 2020 on the Pinhoti Trail. I wanted an extra barrier of protection for my food bag since I don’t always hang my food. I think the common misconception of these bags is that they are NOT like Ziploc bags. Ziploc bags are not odor-proof. These are. Bear canisters are not odor-proof. So, I place one of these bags in my 9L Sea to Summit food bag and then place individual gallon/quart/sandwich ziploc bags of separated foods in this. My food bag is not waterproof so I also feel like this opsak adds another barrier of waterproof when I hang my food up and it rains in addition to being odor-proof. I got new bags this summer to use on the Benton MacKaye Trail and as a ridgerunner in Shenandoah National Park (they have bear boxes at the shelters-so that’s even better than bear cables/bear poles). …Food storage depends on where you’re backpacking but I think the best would probably be a combination of using these odor-proof bags and the Ursack.

Platypus Big Zip Evo 3L

October 2020. I’ve used Platypus water bladders ever since my AT thru-hike in 2011. And this might be my 4th, I’ve lost count. I carried a 2L on my thru-hike but have since upped it to 3L and that is my go-to. This is a slightly new/different design with the tube seperator thingy (?) not at the bottom and honestly I don’t really know why they changed it up and I don’t know if it’s better. Doesn’t really matter to me. The only thing I’ve had to get used to is using the lever to release the water flow as before I used to twist the mouth piece with my teeth and I still catch myself doing that before remembering I have to use the lever. But no complaints here. I’ve only used Platypus and there’s no sense changing a good thing. I used this on my October 2020 Pinhoti Trail thru-hike.

FlipBelt Zipper Running Belt

April 2020. I got this to hold my phone (and key) while running. Previously I had been holding my phone in my hands while running and after a few miles it gets old. Before that with an older phone I used to put it in my sports bra while training for an ultra, but I found that it would scratch me up some, and this newer phone is even bigger so I didn’t want to do that anymore. I also didn’t want to use an arm band because like I said the phone is big and after a few miles I would imagine my arm would be tired from moving that weight over and over. So I did some research looking at different products and this had the best reviews so I went for it. I also hoped to get some wireless Bluetooth headphones that way I could stash my phone away and not deal with cords. I’ve used it for dozens of runs now but all 5 miles or less. My iPhone XR doesn’t really fit in the zipper part so I put it in one of the other pockets so I can access it easier since I usually look at my phone while I’m running to fast forward through podcast ads, etc. For quick access sometimes I don’t stick it in all the way cause it’s so big. And unlike some of their sales photos it doesn’t stay on my hips. I imagine any person with hips this would happen but it just moves up and sits on my waist, which is fine but it just adds more on my body that makes me hotter. It also soaks up my sweat. I also have to pull up my shirt to access my phone like I said I do often so it’s not inconspicuous. Also since the phone is so big it definitely shows under my tops. But I still like it mainly because I don’t have to hold the phone in my hands anymore and once on my waist it doesn’t bounce although I have noticed it’s not as tight as it was after many uses but maybe washing it will tighten it up again. I imagine it will be helpful to hold Gu’s and such for longer runs.

Black Diamond Storm375 Headlamp

December 2019. I had bought an earlier version of this headlamp and used it fairly infrequently over a few years. Then one day I noticed it wasn’t working. I tried cleaning it but it still wouldn’t work so I reached out to Black Diamond asking if there was a way I could send it in to be fixed. Instead they offered to just send me a new one, which was surprising and great (I've contacted them before about a pair of gloves that they ended up sending me a new pair as well). However, I still prefer to fix things rather than contributing to landfill waste, so I was a bit disappointed they didn’t have any company policy on reusing components or on extended producer responsibility, which I believe corporations/manufacturers/producers need to implent due to their impact on anthropogenic climate change. Us consumers need to push companies to do this. I feel as if businesses, especially in the outdoor industry should be leading this effort since outdoor activity is so clearly tied to our environment. …I recently used this on my October 2020 Pinhoti Trail thru-hike. I like it better than the older model because it’s easier to lock so you don’t drain the battery if it gets turned on in your pack. It is very bright, and I find that the headband adjuster is tighter than the older model which wouldn’t stay on my head.

Zhiyun - Smooth-Q 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer

December 2019. Ever since I started vlogging my adventures (see my youtube channel) I’ve noticed how shaky my videos are. I’ve been wanting a gimbal for years but didn’t know too much about them. What I did know is that I wanted something that could work with a couple of devices not just a phone. See I use my Panasonic Lumix and my dad’s GoPro Hero 5 to film (cause I had an older phone) so I wanted something that could work with those. So once I got a new phone (after 6 years my phone vanished into thin air, or it flew off my car..no one will ever know) I figured I could go ahead and get a gimbal. So I started researching and found Zhiyun well ranked. I also didn’t want to spend a lot of money as some gimbals get really pricey. A key note is that this model is not the newest version; I decided on this one instead of the newer one because of the feature where it moves 180, so essentially I can flip modes of filming from me to what I see by a double click (the newer one didn’t do that). It also should fit the GoPro and the camera, but I haven’t tried those out yet. I recently took the gimbal to Hilton Head to film at the beach. There’s a lot of gadgets and features that I don’t know how to use yet so it will take awhile to really get the hang of it, but I’ve been really pleased with the results. The smooth capture just makes my videos look a lot more professional, which is what I was going for. I recommend this one, and bonus it’s under $100.

Warbonnet Original Blackbird Hammock

April 2019. After a devastating death of my Hennessy Hammock by way of lawn mower I quickly needed to find a replacement. I liked my Hennessy hammock but I wanted to check out other brands so I remembered an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker acquaintance of mine used one on his trek so I looked at his review of it and other reviews. I liked what I saw and ordered the original blackbird, lightweight double with 40D DreamTex nylon outer and 15D Nylon Inner, in purple. I liked that it was made in the US (Evergreen, CO, near to the ranger district where I worked with the Forest Service). I received it very quickly and loved the color. My main pro is the ease in setting up. I got the polyester webbing with buckles and carabiners. I always found it to be difficult and take a lot of time to set up my Hennessy Hammock because I’m not skilled in knots, but with the Blackbird all I had to do was wrap the webbing around the tree trunk and clip it to the webbing with the carabiner-super easy. Since getting it I have used it hanging out in the yard at home, on trips, and on a week on the Benton MacKaye Trail. I like how the netting is able to fold over and tie down so you have a more open feel but still have the mosquito netting to zip up if need be. I also like the shelf they have to store things on. My only downside so far is that it doesn’t come with a rainfly like my Hennessy Hammock did. You would just have to purchase one separately. 2023 update: I took this with me to Mexico and this is a game changer for beach lounging; only thing is you gotta look for palm/coconut trees to hang it on.

Panasonic LUMIX

May 2019. This is the second LUMIX camera I’ve had. The first one was purchased by my professional photographer father as a gift back in 2011 before my Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I most liked the waterproof, shock proof durability of it and that camera lasted for years. It still worked when I got rid of it in 2018, the lens had just become scratched and foggy. So when I got a new Canon camera for Christmas 2017 I was disappointed that it wasn’t waterproof and it only lasted a few months before I dropped it in the MS river on my source to sea rowing trip. It still worked after that but eventually it broke down. So I knew I needed a camera that could take a beating due to the places I go and the activities I do. When looking at other comparable models I just kept coming back to this one because it was also the best price and I knew it would be quality since the last one lasted so long. I find that I still need a camera for my trips because my 6yr. old iPhone doesn’t take great pictures and my dad’s GoPro that I borrow doesn’t work for all situations, and instead of getting a big fancy camera I find that having a small lightweight zoomable point and shoot camera is exactly what I need and this one is the ticket.

Thermacell Backpacker

July 2018 I got this in the middle of my 2018 Mississippi River Source to Sea Row when I was dealing with lots of bugs at camp. I screwed it on to my stove gas and clicked it on. Later on I did have some trouble getting it to light and I had to click it many many times for it to ignite. I found that it helped with mosquitoes and gnats/no-see-ums but not with biting flies. I still ended up having to retreat to my tent to get away from the bugs.

Frogg Toggs Pro-Lite Rain Suit

May 2018. I bought this just for the rain jacket for my 2018 Annapurna Circuit Trek in Nepal. Frogg Toggs is a smaller company from my home state of Alabama. I'd heard about them for years and saw their gear on the AT. I ended up buying this due to the lightness and cost. A much cheaper product compared to bigger brand name gear. The jacket is lightweight due to being made from L83 nonwoven bi-laminate materials. I wasn't sure about how waterproof the jacket would be and I figured I would test it out on this hike. On the hike I was never in a downpour but did wear it in rainy conditions for hours as well as on a super windy day. I stayed dry and didn't get too hot when wearing it at lower elevations. I think this product is flying under the radar and has the potential to become very popular as a must-have on any long distance trail. I also recently took this on my Mississippi River Source to Sea Row and it worked great in downpours.

Luna Mono 2.0

May 2018. I bought these as camp shoes for my 2018 Annapurna Circuit Trek in Nepal. I used the customize tool and mine are two shades of blue. I wanted lightweight sandals because my Chaco's are too heavy to take on a backpacking trip (even though I took them last year on my Camino hike). When first receiving the sandals I initially did not like them and seriously considered returning them but didn't have time before my trip to find replacements. I do not like how the fabric straps twist at the base and how the strap goes under the sandal. I figured it would get rubbed off by walking and fall apart (this is not the case). The second tech strap seems superflous and I removed it. Walking around Kathmandu I had to constantly pull up my back strap (the tech strap must keep it pulled up). Overall I had to tighten the strap many many times so the sandal wouldn't fall off. I had to tighten it so tight that the buckle digs into the top of my foot. The sandals are not easy to just slip on and I imagine even more difficult with the tech strap. Overall, the sandal is comfortable but the constant readjusting is annoying. I would not buy them again…  I have since worn them with the tech strap and it fixes the problem of falling off, but I still don’t like that it’s not super easy to put on and take off quickly.

OUTDOOR RESEARCH SOUTHBACK MITTENS

February 2018. I bought these for my 2018 job working all day outside at a ski resort. I also needed them for skiing. I was told mittens are warmer than gloves because your fingers can touch. One of the requirements for new gloves/mittens was to have a wrist leash. I'm always worried when I take my gloves off on the ski lift that they are going to fall off, which they have before, so this leash is great. These are my first pair of mittens and I am enjoying them. They keep my hands very warm while I work all day outside in 30 degree weather.

JBL Clip 2

Summer 2017. I only have a non working cassette player in my car and where I was living at the time I didn’t have good radio service so I got this small bluetooth speaker to listen to podcasts on the way to work. This was a game changer for me, and I have used it nonstop ever since. I also took this on my MS River Source to Sea rowing trip and it greatly increased my daily quality of life and happiness to have music and podcasts to listen to while rowing all day for months. I’ve used it while rollerblading down trails, kayaking and tubing down rivers, and relaxing in hot tubs. This has become an essential gear item and I don’t leave home without it. JBL says it’s waterproof but I’ve never gotten it super wet besides a couple of drops. The clip is handy to clip to backpacks and such. The sound quality is great but now I’m thinking of getting a bigger speaker for the car, but will still use this for other activities.

montbell down hugger 650 #0

Probably top 5 favorite purchases I've ever made. Sleeping in this bag is like sleeping in a cloud. I normally toss and turn all night and this bag doesn't get me all twisted up due to their warped seam lines. I sleep cold so I wanted to get a very warm bag for nights in the 20s and 30s; this bag does the trick. I bought this specifically for my Long Trail thru-hike in 2016. I have since slept in this in my camperolla in 9 degree weather at 9000ft in Colorado.

SEA TO SUMMIT AEROS PILLOW

I purchased (summer 2016) this pillow after long consideration and talking with other hikers on the Appalachian Trail. I always used my clothes bag as a pillow, on my thru hike and ever since. However, I found that I couldn't get comfortable and I couldn't sleep well cause I was constantly adjusting the clothes bag. The clothes bag was lumpy, smelled bad from my dirty clothes, the material of the bag would stick to my face, and lastly when I wasn't carrying many clothes there wasn't anything in the bag. So I talked to several hikers about what kind of pillows they use and the majority was Sea to Summit. I saw hikers carry big ones, small ones, and soft ones. I knew I didn't want a big one and I wanted one with soft fabric. So I went to the closest REI and picked the Aeros, regular size. My review: it's great! It's the perfect size and even has a curve to fit my neck. The softness is nice and cozy on my cheek. The inflation and deflation process is super fast and efficient. I like how you can inflate it as much as you want. For instance, I used it while using my hammock and deflated the pillow slightly which made it much easier to use while in the hammock. The only scare was when I washed it (cold water) and went to blow it up the first time and it didn't blow up in the right shape. I recently washed it again and didn't have that problem. All in all, I highly recommend the Sea to Summit Aeros regular pillow. When you're hiking all day you need to get lots of rest, and I can sleep much better with this pillow.

Specs: weight-2.8oz, price ~$43, inflates to 5in thick.