I admit that I have a problem. I'm addicted to gear. I can't get enough of it. I obsess over the research before I buy, so you can be assured that I've done my homework if I recommend a piece of gear. Coming from a design background, I look for elements of style as well as functionality. Both are important to me, so if I find a beautifully functional equipment in a hideous color, It will take a lot for me to buy it. So now that you understand my priorities, here is the day-to-day gear that I use:

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.

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.

These are life-savers. At the very least, they are limb-savers. The Kahtoola MICROspikes are easy to put on and 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. 

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.