ENO DoubleNest Hammock

This is another one of those items I always keep in my pack. There's nothing like the feeling of taking off your boots and swinging in a hammock after a long hike. The ENO hammock is breathable, super lightweight, compact, and holds up to 400 lbs, so there's never a concern about hanging it over precarious edges. The 9' straps make it's easy to hang almost anywhere. I recommend the DoubleNest over the single because the extra fabric allows you to wrap it around yourself to create ledges for your arms and legs. You can also create a cocoon to block out the light if you want a nap. Allow yourself this little pleasure.

Amazon $99.90

LuminAID Packlite 16

This is another one of those items I'll never be without. Weighing in at under 3oz, you won't even feel it. You'll definitely notice it once you blow it up and turn it on though. The solar panel fully charges in 7 hours and will power the LED for up to 6 hours on the hight setting and 30 hours on low. There's also a flashing emergency setting, it's waterproof and floats!. I hang the unit at the top of my tent and it completely illuminates the interior. At home, I fold it up and prop it in the window so it will be ready to go on my next trip. This is a no-brainer. Buy it.

Amazon $24.95

Nemo FILLO Backpacking Pillow

I didn't expect to like this. I can sleep well pretty much anywhere if I have my familiar pillow, but this looks nothing like my familiar pillow. I've tried the stuff sack filled with clothing. I've tried the air pillows. I've tried nothing at all. Then I tried the Fillo and fell in love. It fills with air, but on top is a layer of memory foam that makes all the difference. The air pad type air intake allows you to precisely control how much loft you want. I tend to roll up my coat underneath to get it higher, then let out some air to make it softer. It's comfortable even on my side. Rolling up into itself makes it the perfect pillow for me.

Amazon $47.64

Therm-a-Rest ProLite Sleeping Pad

I've been through a few sleeping pads and ultimately settled on the There-a-Rest ProLite Long. I was skeptical about using a self-inflating pad because they are so thin and I didn't think I'd be comfortable. In the end, this is better than the air mattresses I have used. The best part is that it doesn't make noise when I turn at night so I don't wake up. I've used it down to the low 40's so far and I'm not cold at all. I also don't ground out (I weigh ~190lbs). I'm 6'3" and the long version is plenty long enough. It does take a few minutes to inflate, and I wish it was a little wider, but overall I am very happy with it.

Amazon $109.95

LifeStraw

This is one of those items everyone could easily add to their pack. It's 9" long and weighs only 2 ounces. As long as you have a water source, you can have clean drinking water. It's basically a large straw with a filter inside that traps out 99.9% of protozoa and bacteria from up to 1000 liters of water. On top of that, for each LifeStraw® you purchase, one school child in a developing community receives safe drinking water for an entire school year. We first used the Lifestrpaw on our trip to The Enchantments where we didn't want to have to haul water up Aasgard Pass. Drinking ice cold water straight from a melting glacier after a long hike is an amazing sensation.

Amazon $19.93

Mophie Powerstation XL

There's nothing so frustrating to me as your battery dying when you are in the backcountry. Cold weather drains the juice even more than normal. I found a solution to this issue with the Mophie Powerstation XL. I love the size and weight and speed with which it recharges my iPhone. The smaller Powerstation is plenty of extra power for a day hike and the larger XL version holds up to 8 recharges for longer trips. The cold doesn't seem to affect the unit like it does the iPhone. You'll always find this in my pack.

Amazon $129.95

Platypus GravityWorks 4.0L Filter System

Everything about the Platypus GravityWorks water filter makes purchasing it a no-brainer for me. As long as you have a water source and gravity, it's going to work for you. After finding a camping site I simply fill the dirty bag with water and set it up to filter into the clean bag. Well before having my tent set up I've got 4 liters of cold, clean, bacteria-free water waiting for me and I didn't have to pump anything! As long as you follow the back-flushing instructions after use (simple), the filter should last up to 1500 liters. So cool.

Amazon $119.95

Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core Sleeping Pad

The Q-Core is a very comfortable sleeping pad for a solo hiker. I say that because it's not very quiet and moving around is likely to wake both you and your partner up at night. I've tried a few insulated air pads and they all suffer from this same issue because of the materials required to achieve the R-rating. The bi-directional baffles feel very secure and although there is no integrated pump, it only took about 5 minutes to fill it up. Ultimately, I went with a self-inflating pad and sacrificed some comfort for quiet.

Amazon $179.95

REI Campware Long Spoon

It's a little strange to call a spoon "Gear", but it only took one use to love this spoon so I figured I would share. If you have ever used a standard length spoon to dig to the bottom of a deep, dehydrated food bag, then you unavoidably ended up with gunk all over your hand. This spoon's 8.5 in length lets you keep your fingers out of the food while eating. It won't stain, rust or melt in boiling water. Acetal is a durable, reusable plastic that's BPA free and dishwasher safe. The texture even feels good in your mouth. For $2 you won't go wrong.

REI $2.00

Manfrotto MTPIXI-B PIXI Mini Tripod

This little guy is awesome for hiking and backpacking, and essential if you want to take a time-lapse video. The Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod is super compact (closed length 7.28") and very lightweight (0.51 lbs) but can hold a 2 lb camera. This is more than enough for my use with an iPhone or GoPro. The ball head allows me to plop this down anywhere and achieve a quick level. I've used this for dozens of hikes and never had a single issue. For less than $25 this is a steal. [UPDATE: On my Rampart Lakes over-nighter someone really did steal my tripod...]

Amazon $24.88

Salomon Men's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe

The success of my Salomon boots led me to try some trail running shoes for warmer weather. The Salomon Men's Speedcross 3 Trail Running Shoe is awesome. These shoes are ultra-lightweight, fast drying and super comfortable. They are built for the trail with a sweet lacing system that requires no tying and tucks away in a pouch on the tongue so it never snags on any veggies you might be going through. The toe is wraps and protected with the sole material and these things grip to dry rocks with ease. I say "dry" because on wet surfaces these shoes are not great. Get them for the summer, but swap them out if you plan to be on a wet trail.

Amazon $125.00

Marmot Fuse 2P Tent

I was looking for certain qualities in my tent. The Marmot Fuse 2P tent had it all. I wanted it under 4lbs and with enough interior volume to prevent me from rubbing my head and feet against the tent wall to avoid getting condensation on my bag. I'm 6'3" so meeting these minimum length requirements eliminated a lot of the competition. The Fuse's unique design pulls the tent outward at both ends before going up. Most tents angle inward from the ground on all sides, effectively reducing the usable space inside. I have tons of room in this tent with plenty of room head and foot to store other gear. The entire tent is mesh to keep the weight down and the flysheet is fusion-welded (hence the name) to make it waterproof. My only issue is that one of the vestibules is much smaller than the other. Other than that, this tent has been awesome.

Amazon (Currently unavailable)

Enlightened Equipment Revelation Quilt

I'm a bit claustrophobic so the idea of confining myself to a mummy bag hasn't set well with me from my youth. Until I can work out my issues, I decided to use a sleeping quilt instead of a bag. The up-side to this decision is that a quilt is much lighter than most traditional bags and many ultralight backpackers are switching to them even without the phobia. The best quilt I could find is made by Enlightened Equipment which has a variety of quilt styles in enough color combinations and custom configurations to give you exactly what you want. I went with the Revelation with DownTek™ Water Repellent Down. You can strap these quilts to your pad or open them up like a normal quilt in warmer weather. The best feature for me is the ability to open up the foot so I don't feel like I'm going to die. The downside is that each quilt is custom made so you'll need to wait 3-5 weeks for delivery. Customer service was great.

Enlightened Equipment $250.00

Osprey Men's Atmos 65 AG Backpack

The Osprey Men's Atmos 65 AG Backpack is new for 2015 and was tough to get at REI when I purchased it. The fuss was all about their new Anti-Gravity™ ventilated suspension system. After trying on a variety of models, I did feel that the Atmos had something the others lacked. While I don't love everything about the backpack, it does position the load very well and keeps the back of the pack off of your back which keeps you cooler. A continuous panel of lightweight mesh extends from the top of the backpanel to the hipbelt and contours to your body. My typical pack weight is around 35 lbs and 65 liters seems to be the perfect size for a mulit-day trip.

Amazon $259.95

Wrightsock Coolmesh II Socks

You have to know that I wouldn't write about socks unless I had a good reason... These things are amazing. They have a double-layer which acts as a sock liner and absolutely prevents blisters because the inner layer sticks close to your skin while the outer layer moves with the boot. The two layers make the sock thick and comfortable all day. They have a ton of styles, but I've used the CoolMesh II for my summer hikes exclusively. I'll be buying their Merino Wool style for the colder months. I love these things.

Amazon $8.41

Kahtoola MICROspikes

These are life-savers. At the very least, they are limb-savers. The Kahtoola MICROspikes are easy to put on and take off and they barely move around even after long distances. You'll go from "impending accident" to "leisurely walk" on the trail as soon as you put them on under wet, slippery conditions. The confidence and peace of mind they give you is worth every dime. My only word of caution is that it's very easy to snag your pants on the spikes as you bring your back foot forward. This causes an almost instantaneous face-plant in the snow. After doing that a few times you'll get the hang of it and be ready for the next time. 

Amazon $64.95

Salomon X Ultra Mid 2 GTX Hiking Boot

I.LOVE.THESE.BOOTS. You are looking at the Salomon Men's X Ultra Mid 2 GTX Multifunctional Hiking Boot. Salomon has been around for a long time and they know what they are doing. These boots required absolutely no breaking it, they are super light (1.1 lbs), have Gor Tex waterproofing, laces that don't ever come loose, amazing stability, and a sole that grips like nothing I've seen. I could not be more impressed by these boots. I've even gifted pairs to others and recently purchased the women's version for my daughter (she loves them).

Amazon $156.75

Black Diamond Trekking Poles

I probably did more research on my poles than I did on my tent. That's probably because my poles do more for saving my butt than my tent does (I love my tent btw). I settled on these Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles for several reasons. They are 100% carbon fiber which makes them very lightweight (just over 1lb), They have Double FlickLocks which make adjustments smooth and simple in any weather, The handle is cork so it absorbs moisture and won't cause blisters, and the Nubuck strap has no seams so it's comfortable around the wrist. These poles have been a lifesaver (probably literally) on numerous occasions.

Amazon $159.95

Black Diamond Spot Headlamp

Once I realized that leaving a summit before sunset was unacceptable, I had to invest in a good headlamp. The Spot from Black Diamond had everything I wanted. I was looking for the brightest light I could find that would keep me safe and enable me to reliably see all of those imaginary forest creatures lurking in the shadows. This headlamp is 130 lumens with a custom dimming feature, red lamp, easily adjustable positioning, comfortable strap and locking system so it doesn't turn on accidentally in my pack and drain the batteries. I recently purchased The Storm for my daughter which has 160 lumens and is waterproof. You won't go wrong with either of these models.

Amazon $34.95

Geigerrig Hydration Packs

Geigerrig makes the best hydration packs I've found and they are perfect for day hikes when keeping hands-free fluids in you is essential. Their packs use a pressurized "hydration engine" with dual compartments for air and water. Pumping the air chamber up pressurizes the water compartment allowing you to spray the water from the hose. I can't tell you how handy this has been. The packs carry 2 or 3 liter bladders. I typically fill half with ice and the rest with filtered water before a hike and have ice cold water the entire time. The Rig 1210 is my go-to bag for trips less than 15 miles. My wife uses the Rig 710 because it's lighter, smaller and she doesn't drink as much. A also have the Rig 1600 for longer trips and used it exclusively for two weeks in Israel and Jordan recently. I have found their customer service to be stellar. That alone will bring me back.

Amazon $149.99