Guasacate, Nicaragua
© Jasmine Hanner 2022
MY TRUSTY HIKING GEAR
I travel all the time and have beat up these items to the best of my ability. They all won me over with their durability, affordability, and sustainability.
Pocketknife
Leatherman. Any one will do, honestly they're all perfect. But the Skeletool has 7 tools and only weights 5oz... and on a long hike or adventure every ounce counts.
All-Around Shirt
Icebreaker. They’re comfortable, soft, incredibly breatheable, great in hot or cold temps, and will never give away the fact that you haven’t showered for three days. Not a whiff, seriously.
Hiking Boots
Colombia. My favorite boot for 12 years now. They're not too heavy, great support, waterproof, and I have NEVER, ever gotten a blister in them. Some might call that a miracle.*
Backpack (60L)
Deuter. Maybe pricey, but you are making an investment. I've beat mine up as hard as I can, and it's still as sturdy and comfortable as ever - 12 years later.
Compact Camera
Sony RX100 II. This little camera has all the pro features: Carl Zeiss lens, full manual settings, RAW capability... but it's still easy enough for any amateur. Plus, like all my gear, it's lightweight and can take a beating!
Water Bottle
Vapur. Ok, sometimes you'll want a Hydraflask for hot/cold drinks, or a Camelpak for long hikes. But for everything in between, this is the best! When empty, the flexible "bottle" rolls up into nothing and takes up zero space.
Pepper Spray
Sabre Red. If you're going to be traveling around the world, it can't hurt to have a little defense up your sleeve. This gadget is light, takes up very little space, is police strength, and has a range of up to 10 feet / 3 metres.
Laptop
Dell Inspiron Intel Core i7. I did a LOT of research. IT pros said this is the cheapest & best performing laptop. It has 12G RAM, 1.8GHz processor, 1 TB hard drive, & weighs under 5lbs. The crucial bit is the i7 processor. And with a good case, it travels very well.
Laptop Case
Casebuy. This laptop case is water resistant, which I can happily attest to several different incidences. It has a fluffy fleece shockproof lining inside, with enough space for a book too honestly, and four spacious pockets for your notes.
Eco-Toothbrushes
Genkent. These eco-friendly toothbrushes are made from sustainable materials, are super cheap (8 for $7.50!), and quite honestly, clean my teeth better than my old single-use plastic toothbrush. Win-win.
Sunscreen
Ocean Potion. I'm constantly in the sun surfing or hiking, & won't wear sunscreen that harms aquatic life. I tested a lot of different natural sunscreens and still got burnt to a crisp. I never get burnt with Ocean Potion & it doesn't have harmful ingredients oxybenzone/octinoxate. Plus it actually smells nice and isn't greasy at all!
*Or, Mammut Impact GTX are super amazing if you have a long and skinny foot/ankle like Bob.
Rainjacket – Outdoor Research Mentor Jacket (or any other jacket made of Gortex Pro shell) it’s actually water-proof, not water-resistant, like another brand we tried, and it has a hood with good facecover and a drawstring for situations like oh say, 80k wind gusts in a downpour on the top of a mountain.
Blister bandaids – Bob says... "What worked better was getting new boots… my new Mammut boots …. my feet have never been happier. Wore them on a hot and sweaty 2 day hike without breaking them in and not one blister!" But for regular bandaids though, definitely get Bandaid Tough Strips!
Tent - Macpac Olympus. Although not used on the hikes with huts, it has been used and abused on many other trips. If you want a solid tent that will last, stay upright in a storm and keep you warm and dry (even when camping in the snow) this is the only tent to get!