We often get asked what gear we use for taking photos and what equipment we bring with us on our outdoor adventures. Well, we have finally compiled a list! Everything below has been personally tested by us and is what we have truly found to work best for our needs. We hope you find it useful. Feel free to comment below and share your favorite products with us.
Camera and Electronic Gear
This sweet little pocket sized camera is our bread and butter. It has all of the bells and whistles we need, while still being lightweight and easy to travel with. It takes great low light photos, fantastic food shots, and offers great depth in pictures. The lens automatically opens and retracts, unlike many competing cameras, making one handed shots a breeze. No more fumbling with that lens cap! As an added bonus, we have found that it is the best point and shoot camera for astrophotography. We have tried the older version, which is great, but if you want wifi to post pictures instantly, get the Sony RX100 III version. If your motto is, “buy the best and forget the rest” you’ll want the premium model, Sony RX100 IV. It offers higher quality AF continuous shooting and 4k video, while staying lightweight and pocket sized.
Wasabi Power Battery (2-pack) and Charger
This inexpensive battery works great with our Sony RX 100 cameras and will give you peace of mind when you are on a long trip. Theres nothing worse than running out of battery power right before you capture the most epic photo! Two batteries and a charger for $18? You can’t beat that!
This tiny lens packs a big punch. It attaches to any smartphone with a simple twist and, voila! The Moment lenses are great for carrying minimal gear. They are made of glass, to make your photos clearer and sharper. We love this little lens for capturing landscape photographs, as well trying to capture the essence of tiny spaces.
This little iphone lens is handy when used with the Olloclip case. It snaps on easily and is small and lightweight to carry around. The fisheye lens is always fun and the wide angle is great to capture small spaces or landscapes. We honestly don’t use the macro lens’ very option, but it is a cool feature to have available.
Samsung 64GB EVO Micro SD with Adapter
We use these memory cards with our Sony RX100 cameras. They’re reliable and since it comes with an adapter you can use both the larger format, or smaller format. 64GB will be plenty of room to store your photos.
Anker Power Core Mini Portable Charger
We carry these lipstick sized iphone backup batteries around with us when out for a long day. They fit easily into a bag or a purse and keep your precious phone from going dead.
This is handy for taking photos while on ski chairlifts, on boats, and on hikes. Wear the lanyard around your neck for security and easy access. Nobody wants to see their phone plummeting hundreds of feet down to its death.
Hiking, Camping and Backpacking Gear
Enlightened Equipment Convert Quilt Sleeping Bag
Enlightened Equipment offers pre-made and customizable sleeping bags. The Convert quilt offers customizable down fill, temperature, length, width and colors! Unlike regular sleeping bags, the bottom can be opened up to let your feet breathe, or cinched shut to keep the heat in. Their bags are super-light. The 20 degree, 950 fill in regular/regular weighs in at 21.6 ounces! Great for backpacking when every ounce counts!
Nemo Losi 3 Person Backpacking Tent
This tent is light enough to carry for backpacking adventures and is easy to set up. One person can easily do the job if need be. It’s the perfect size to fit two people, two backpacks, and a large dog, which is how we use it. It’s also comfortable for three, but your backpacks will have to reside outside of the tent. Don’t forget to order both the footprint and pawprint if you purchase this tent.
Nemo Astro Air Lite Sleeping Pad
This sleeping pad is so small and light to carry! It’s also one of the most comfortable sleeping pads for a good night’s rest. If you are looking to cut down on gear weight and volume, you need to get this!
This hammock is super simple to set up. In just a few minutes you’ll be ready to lounge. It fits two comfortably (up to 400lbs), so cozy up! We love this for weekend camping trips and even backpacking trips. If the weather is nice, it makes the perfect sleeping space. Don’t forget to also purchase the suspension system, which is sold separately.
This gravity water filter is great to bring on camping trips, backpacking adventures, or long hikes. It’s lightweight, simple to use. What’s better than fresh mountain spring water?! We use it and filter directly into our Nalgene bottles.
Gregory Paragon 58 Backpack
Gregory’s Paragon 58 is a fantastic, lightweight pack that can haul your gear for a quick overnighter to a multi-day adventure in the wilderness. The shoulder straps can be adjusted for your height. The hip pockets and hipbelt can be adjusted and customized to your liking. The water bladder compartment can be removed for use as a daypack. The pack also comes with a rain cover! We took the pack on a 3 day backpacking trip and loved it. The pack is comfortable and has tons of room to stow all your gear.
Gregory J63 Backpack
This women’s backpack is lightweight, has plenty of space for a 2-5 day trip, and has all off the right pockets and access points. The best thing about it is the cross flow suspension…ahh air relief to minimize a sweaty back! We tested this on an 16 mile up and downhill there and back trail with approximately 25lbs of weight. We didn’t get any sores or pressure points. Their newer model, the Gregory Jade 63 is pretty much the same pack with some added padding for comfort.
Gregory Maven 55 Backpack
Slightly smaller than the Jade 63, the Maven 55 is the perfect size for a short overnighter or a couple day trek. At only 3.6 lbs, you’ll be able to carry all your gear for hours without feeling too much of the load. We also love that they have a great ventilation system that helps keep you cool as you hike up that mountain!
You won’t want to waste space in your pack with a large towel. This microfiber towel takes up minimal space and does the job.
It’s super helpful to have a handy dandy headlamp after the sun sets. This one gives off plenty of light and has a couple of different brightness settings.
Ultralight and Watertight Medical Kit
Always be prepared when out in the wilderness! This little kit is lightweight and has all of the essentials, just in case.
Mountain House Food
For a hearty meal in the back country, bring along some Mountain House food. All you have to do is add hot water and you are good to go. Our favorites are the Spaghetti, Chili Mac with Beef, and Rice & Chicken. Don’t forget to bring along a water boiling device to heat up your water.
Coleman Camping Stove
For car camping, this camping stove works great. You get two burners and enough heat to make some delicious meals!
Clothing
Salomon Women’s X Ultra Mid GTX Hiking Boots
If you want to get in to hiking, it’s time to invest in some good shoes. After some rolled ankles, we learned this the hard way. These Salomon boots are extremely lightweight for hiking shoes and don’t feel clunky like other ones we tried out. The mid/high tops offer extra ankle support and stability. They look pretty nice too, more like sneakers and less like the ugly brown ones we usually see. You can also purchase the Men’s version here too.
Blisters are the worst when hiking and backpacking. A good pair of socks will make a huge difference in comfort. Smartwool makes both men’s and women’s, which we recommend.
Patagonia Nano Puff
Love this lightweight, yet warm jacket. It’s easy to pack…just stuff it in to the nooks and crannies of your bag or backpack. Both men’s and women’s jackets are available. You can also get the hooded version, which I personally prefer.
Patagonia Down Sweater Jacket
If you are always cold, you’ll want to get the warmer version of the Nano Puff, the Down Sweater. Sill lightweight, and easy to pack, it is a bit thicker for those cold winter days. Once again, it comes in both men’s and women’s versions.
Dog Gear
Ruffwear Approach Pack and Singletrak Hydration Pack
Ruffwear makes the toughest and best quality doggy gear around. Their packs are durable and when following their size charts the gear fits our pups just right…nice and snug, but comfortable enough to run around all day in. The Approach Pack is perfect for a long day hike or overnight hike. The Singletrak Pack is great for dogs who drink plenty of water. It’s streamlined and comes with thin water bottle packs for each side.
* We were in no way compensated to make this list, although there are some affiliate links.
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