As 2018 comes to a close, I thought I’d put a list together of some of the items I’ve used most heavily throughout the past year. Splitting the year living in Connecticut and then California, and driving cross-country with all my worldly possessions has nurtured a desire for functionality and essentialism in the “things” I own. I’ve divided the 18 items into four categories: Self-Care, Camera Gear, Miscellaneous, Wearables, and included links of where you can find them. I’d love to hear your feedback, questions, or any tips on what you think would be useful for adventures in 2019!
Self-Care:
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I’ve seen Dr. Bronner’s in stores for a long time but didn’t start using it until about two years ago. They’re not wrong when they say it works for everything. I’ve used it to wash dishes while camping, get the smell out of musty wetsuits, wash dogs, and a bottle of peppermint is currently in my shower. I started with the lavender but think peppermint is a better all-purpose scent. It only takes a few drops for most jobs and I usually pick it up at Target when I’m running low.
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I picked this up at Marshall’s a few months ago, and couldn’t be happier with the find. I’m a big fan of Alba’s sunscreen and this scrub is super refreshing.
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With a bunch of health issues over the past two years, I’ve been on and off all sorts of multivitamins and supplements in the hopes of reducing pain and feeling better overall. This year I started incorporating Amazing Grass’s Green Superfood into my routine after my morning cup of coffee and enjoy knowing that I’m starting my day with a dense serving of nutrients.
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Out of all my foam rollers and massage tools, this is definitely the most intimidating for first-time users. The Theracane is meant to focus on myofascial trigger point release (imagine a lacrosse ball that can pinpoint and work spots even more directly). After two years of back pain I thought I’d give it a try and have had a ton of success focusing on trigger points near my hips with my Theracane. I took a page out of Chris Burkard’s book and bought the version that breaks down into two pieces. I’ve had no issues with durability and love that I can fit the two pieces in my everyday backpack.
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I originally bought these as a way to ease back into working out after surgery, but now they live between my travel bag and a shelf in my room. It’s nice to have a portable gym no matter where I’m going, even if I mostly only use these for curls and tricep extensions. I tend to only use two or three bands and paired them with some leg resistance bands for a go-anywhere gym that weighs under a pound and costs less than 30 dollars.
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Unlike the cheap resistance bands, I took the opposite approach when it came to a yoga mat. I’ve loved my cheap Gaiam from Target that’s lasted me three years, but I wanted a mat that could continue to grow with me as my practice progressed. I toyed with the idea of a cork mat, but one of my coworkers teaches Vinyasa classes and swears by the Manduka Pro. I chose the Manduka PROlite for portability, and am excited at the prospect of it getting even more comfortable over time.
Camera Gear:
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It’s my first full-frame camera, and even after having it for six months, every time I pick it up I’m amazed by the quality of the build and seemingly endless features. I picked up the Metabones V adapter so I could still use my Canon lenses, and am blown away by the accuracy of autofocus and ability to use Sony’s eye-autofocus with my Canon lenses. Because it has so many features, the menu can be cumbersome to navigate if I haven’t picked up the camera in a while.
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I’d love to own an F-Stop Gear or Peak Design Bag one day, but the North Face Heckler I’ve owned since 6th Grade is still going strong and is the perfect size as my every-day backpack. I found this Apecase on Amazon as a cheap way to protect my A7iii, but I’ve ended up loving this set-up way more than my camera specific Lowepro bag. Instead of having a small camera bag that a) advertises its a camera bag and b) can barely fit a Clif Bar and Ipad after you’ve loaded a body and three lenses, I can comfortably fit my A7iii with 24-70 attached, 70-200, and 50mm into the Apecase plus multiple jackets, laptop and extra gear into my North Face bag. Considering how expensive camera bags are, this was probably my best bang for buck purchase of 2018.
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With my non-native lens set-up on the A7iii, an underwater housing was going to be costly and confusing. Aquatech’s introduction of the AxisGo as a super legit underwater housing for iPhones is a game changer for underwater and surf photography. With an iPhone X and a good video app such as FILMIC Pro, I have everything I need to snag crisp video clips from new angles. I’ve used it for surf video in Rhode Island during a fun summer swell, and for some early fall fly fishing shots at the Truckee River in California.
Miscellaneous:
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By no means do I identify as an avid Fly Fisherman, but I absolutely love the thrill of hooking a fish and I found out last summer that thrill increases exponentially when using a fly rod. I chose the Redington Crosswater 6WT as an entry level do-it-all workhorse. Like many outdoor hobbies, fly fishing can quickly put a dent in your bank account, but the Crosswater 6WT has been the only rod I’ve needed to catch everything from big trout to small stripers, and even sunfish and bass.
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When you buy a nice surfboard, you want to keep it nice. After buying a 9’0” log for small summer swells I quickly realized it was going to take a lot of material to cover such a big board. Ho Stevie makes super affordable surf gear and the board sock has held up super well. It’s definitely saved me from countless scrapes and dings.
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In just under a year this has become my most used bag for trips ranging from 2-5 days. Combining the 30L size with my North Face backpack, I was able to pack enough for 10 days of travel through Micronesia. I have a size Medium North Face Base Camp Duffel that I love, but this bag is so much more practical for a wider variety of trips. It rarely gets fully unpacked before the next trip.
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I know this is sort of a curveball and might not neatly fit into the category of gear, but this is the book I would choose if I had to tell everyone of my friends to read one book I’ve read in the past year. Graham Allison does a fantastic job of informing readers with a plethora of knowledge without putting them to sleep. If you’ve heard about China in the news and want to know why the relationship between the U.S. and China matters now more than ever, this is an amazing place to start.
Wearables:
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I’ve worn the same pair of RayBans for the last four years and decided over the summer it was time to try something new. I love that the Lowdown 2’s are versatile enough to be my casual everyday pair of sunglasses and also stay on my face during a 30-mile bike ride or when I’m fishing knee-deep in the middle of a fast-flowing stream.
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I’ve never really been a huge sweatpants guy. I liked wearing the slim fit Adidas soccer sweats and that was about it. The lululemon ABC pant is one of my favorite pieces of clothing and I thought it might be time to give the ABC jogger a try. It’s been an amazing piece of clothing for morning yoga, the gym, slacklining, runs to the grocery store and it has even held up super well with rock climbing. It’s been a great do-everything jogger that hasn’t shown any signs of wear.
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Yes, it's a jacket that cost me an arm and a leg, and I absolutely waited until the right time when I saw it was on sale. But now that I have it, I couldn't imagine my wardrobe without it. It has almost entirely replaced my Nano-Puff I've had for 5 years and if I could take only one jacket to a desert island for the rest of my life, this is my choice (I'm assuming said desert island would be cold enough to require a jacket).
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I mentioned earlier how I swear by the Lululemon ABC pant, and it's so bad my girlfriend gives me hard time for how often I wear the same pair. But I recently stumbled on this pair of cords in Santa Cruz and they have quickly earned a spot as a hearty runner-up to the ABCs. I'm just sad I'll have to put them away for Spring and Summer.
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(Skye you were right, and I should have listened to you sooner) My friend Skye told me in fall of 2017 that her Blundstone boots were the most comfortable pair of shoes she owned. It took over a year, but I finally got a pair super recently and have been completely blown away! My Blundstone 585's are without a doubt my favorite piece of gear of 2018 that has seamlessly blended style and function. It probably won't be long before I get another pair to set aside as work-specific to get dirty and beat up. I won't even try to describe the feel because you have to try them on or wear them for a day to get the full experience (Blundstone sells factory seconds for seventy dollars on Backcountry).
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