The Kit

What I carry
and why.

This is my current setup. It changes slowly — I'm not chasing gear, I'm chasing simplicity. Everything here has earned its place through miles, not marketing.

Shelter

  • Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1

    Single-wall DCF mid with a trekking pole setup. The HMG Mid 1 is roomy for a solo shelter, handles real weather, and the DCF construction doesn't absorb moisture or rot. Not the cheapest option, but it's the one I stop thinking about once it's pitched.

Sleep System

  • Enlightened Equipment 20° Quilt

    Quilt, not a sleeping bag. The insulation you compress against a pad does nothing — a quilt removes it and cuts weight. The 20° rating gives me real margin in shoulder season on the AT.

  • Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite

    Inflatable with an R-value that holds up in cold shoulder-season nights. I pair it with a thin closed-cell foam pad underneath — the combo is warmer, quieter, and more puncture-resistant than either alone.

  • Gossamer Gear Thinlight Foam Pad

    Half-length closed-cell foam that rides on the outside of the pack. Adds R-value under the torso, doubles as a sit pad, and provides puncture insurance for the inflatable. Under 3oz.

Pack

  • Hyperlite Mountain Gear Contour

    Frameless DCF pack that carries better than its category suggests. The roll-top closure keeps rain out without a cover. I've put serious miles on this and it hasn't given me a reason to look at anything else.

Footwear

  • Topo Athletic Pursuit

    Trail runner with more structure than my previous Altras. I switched recently and it took a few hundred miles to dial in — but the stability is real and I'm not going back. The ankle support argument for boots still doesn't hold up, but a shoe that actually holds its shape on technical terrain? That matters. I wear these with Injinji liners and Altra gaiters.

Water

  • Sawyer Squeeze

    Reliable, repairable, and the backflush is foolproof. 3oz. The filter I've trusted on every long trail.

  • CNOC Vecto 2L

    Collapsible dirty bag for collecting and filtering water. The wide opening makes scooping from shallow sources easy. Packs flat when empty.

  • CNOC Thrubottle

    Clean water carries. Soft-sided, collapsible, and durable enough for daily use on a long trail.

Navigation

  • Gaia GPS

    Downloaded topo maps for offline use. Runs on your phone, which you carry anyway. I've never needed a dedicated GPS device on a long trail — this covers it.

Cooking

  • Cold soak — Lightsmith 20oz jar

    No stove. No fuel. No cook kit. I cold soak everything — oats, couscous, ramen, instant mashed potatoes. It takes longer than cooking and you learn to like it. What you get in return: less weight, no morning fuel logistics, and nothing to clean. The Lightsmith jar is purpose-built for this — wide mouth, durable, right size.