Spending time in a variety of environments quickly taught me how important it is to have adventure gear that you can rely on. You don’t want to get caught discovering that your jacket is less-than-waterproof in the middle of a torrential downpour. Or having to turn back in the middle of an epic hike because it’s way colder than you expected.

These items have become my favourites over years of trial and error. Generally, items that are lightweight, easy to compress and pack, and multipurpose are the types of things that make it into my bags time and time again. I also like items that work well for both travel and outdoor adventure. Here are the seven items I bring with me on every adventure:

Klean Kanteen

This 40 oz stainless steel water bottle is a beast, and crosses over from travel to backcountry with ease. Whether I am embarking on an epic road trip or a week in the woods, this is the water bottle I am taking with me.

What I love most about this water bottle is how it can handle a range of temperatures. Because it is single-walled stainless steel, I can heat water in this bottle right over the fire. If I am trying to keep my water cool, the stainless steel does a great job (as long as I don’t leave it out in the sun).

The Klean Kanteen bottle is like a more versatile Nalgene. You’ll pay more up front, but get more out of it in the long run. This is a great piece of adventure gear that I use every single day, whether I am getting on a plane, hitting the trail, or sitting at my desk.

Buff

I am at my absolute worst when my ears get too cold. Maybe your ears aren’t as sensitive as mine, but I’d be willing to bet you have had a few moments when you wished you had packed something warmer.

For me, the Buff is a lightweight and easy way to beef up my layers and add a bit of comfort in any situation. It can be a neck gaiter, a toque, or both. I have used it as a headband, a sweatband, and have dunked it in many an ice cold creek to cool off.

A bandana or scarf can do many of the same things, but I like the tube structure of the Buff. They make them in merino wool, too, which stays warm even if it gets wet.

Arc’teryx Shell

This is definitely one of the more expensive items on the list. But, in my opinion, it is hard to overvalue a good outer layer. Dry means warm, warm means comfortable, and comfortable means fun. This is the only clothing item on my list because it is the only one I won’t leave home without. It makes it into my bag on every trip, every hike, and every bike ride.

You can definitely find a shell that will do the job for less money, and that’s totally fine. I love my Arc’teryx because it has a nice fit. I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I didn’t try it on, but it was the perfect combination of snug and comfortable, and it made me look all hot and curvy in the store. Plus, the hood articulates nicely, the arm vents make it easy to regulate temperature, and the waterproofing is unfailing.

If you have some cash to invest in a quality shell, try on some high end options. It’s one of those things that you want to be able to rely on when you need it. I am a pretty cheap bastard, and I have not once regretted this purchase.

Swiss Army Knife

I found this knife at an estate sale. It was super sharp, in mint condition, and cost me maybe $8. I love this knife because it has all of those items that are so annoying to find yourself without – bottle opener, corkscrew, can opener, knife.

Maybe I just drink a lot, but these are the kinds of things I like to have in my pocket. I have been on so many camping trips where everyone brought wine and nobody brought a corkscrew. I get to be the local booze hero every time this happens.

This is obviously not TSA approved, so make sure it goes into your checked luggage when you fly.

Space Pen

Even before I got back into blogging, a space pen was a staple for every adventure. I love being able to quickly jot down an idea, someone’s email address, or notes about a hike or a pub or an attraction.

The Fisher Space Pen is perfect. It’s sleek and cool looking, really small when its lid is on, and writes in all conditions (I have yet to test this, but apparently it will write in space). Ink refills are inexpensive and easy to find, and it fits in my pocket without being annoying.

My one complaint about this pen is that its small and slippery nature make it easy to lose. I hate hate hate losing things, but I did have to replace mine a couple of years ago after it went missing for a couple months. It eventually turned up, though, so now I have a spare.

Field Notes

I like writing in Field Notes journals because they are good looking, compact, and come in a variety of styles. I buy them in 3-packs to minimize how much blank paper I am lugging around on any given adventure, and I like to use the dot graph paper.

The one I am using now is the Expedition style in the photograph above. It is a pocket sized 3.5″x 5.5″, and is also waterproof. The paper is different, and hard to get used to. On the Field Notes website, they recommend using a Fisher Space Pen with the Expedition notebooks, but I don’t like the way the ink sticks to the paper.

I’ll probably go back to a more traditional model when these ones are full, but I still think it a good choice for more rugged adventures, especially where your journal is likely to experience exposure to harsher elements.

Canon G15

To the occasional disappointment of friends and family, I don’t like souvenir shopping when I am traveling or adventuring around. For me, the best souvenirs are photographs of my favourite people and places. A lot of people say that being behind a camera lens is no way to experience a place, but for this introvert, it is a valuable part of the experience.

I like to take pictures, but I am by no means a professional photographer. So, I use a Canon G15, which is sort of a fancy point and shoot camera. I can change things like aperture and shutter speed if I want to (which I have used for things like nighttime and action photography), but mostly I just use the auto function and let the camera do the work. The digital zoom is pretty good, and it’s small and simple enough to take anywhere.

I have had this camera for about five years now and, if I had to buy a new camera tomorrow, I would buy the exact same model. It’s fancy enough that I can do everything that interests me, but not obnoxious enough that it needs its own bag to bring it anywhere. It is a pretty hefty initial investment, but I have had mine for nearly five years and don’t anticipate needing a new camera for a good long time.

Summary

There you have it, my seven favourite pieces of gear. Trying out new gear is fun for me, so stay tuned for information on new gear I am trying out.

Are you a gear junkie like me? What is your criteria for great gear? What do you bring with you on every trip? Let me know in the comments!