We packed so much shit.
Okay, so figuring out what to pack took some serious consideration.
We knew we needed camping gear, clothes, toiletries and food. It doesn’t sound like a lot and when you first think about it you’re like “Oh yeah no problem. I have that, it shouldn’t take up too much room. Right this way stuff.” Then you actually start packing, making piles and filling up tote bags and you’re like “Why is there so much? Where is this all going to fit? Do I really need this book/tweezer/dress/whatever random thing? ” and you have to downsize and reconsider what is actually going to be useful.
I’ll break our packing down into four sections Gear, Clothing, Kitchen & Miscellaneous.
Gear
Featherstone UL Granite 2 Person Tent – I can’t recommend this tent enough. I’ve had it for five years. It holds up to any type of weather I’ve put it through. There have been puddles outside of our tent and it’s been totally dry inside. It’s small cozy, beyond easy to set up and is so compact. It’s great for backpacking.
REI Co-op Camp Stowaway Low Chair – We have two of these chairs that we bought a few years ago. We love them for camping or for using on the beach. They get really low to the ground and are comfortable to just melt in while digging your feet in the sand.
North Face Cat’s Meow Sleeping Bag – This isn’t the exact sleeping bag I have, because I bought mine over ten years ago at this point, but it is similar. I’ve used it a loooot and it’s as good as new, so it’s definitely worth the investment.
Coleman 50 Quart Cooler – We keep the cooler in the backseat and reach in for snacks all the time while driving. It’s a little big for this trip, but we didn’t feel like buying a new one so this one had to do.
Alpine Stowaway Pot 1.1 Liters – This little pot is great for heating things up or boiling water. We use it on stovetops, over open fires and hot plates.
The North Face Hedgehog Hiking Shoes – Keith’s hiking shoes. He’s had these for 2.5 years and they don’t look worn at all
Columbia Dakota Drifter – I bought these maybe 5 years ago now. I LOVE them. They’re so comfortable and waterproof. I bought mine a size and a half bigger than what I usually wear and it’s really nice for hiking, especially if your feet swell at high elevations or for when you’re going down steep hills and wearing thick socks.
Black Diamond Moji Lantern – I love this little cutie lantern. The glow of it is so nice. It hangs up perfectly in our tent as well.
Leatherman – This will always come in handy.
2 Sport Filtered Berkey Water Bottles – These water bottles are amazing!! You can literally fill them up with river water if you need to and they’ll filter everything out. The plastic is BPA free. I’ve used Berkey for years and I have one of their filters at home. I’ve had it for almost ten years. The filters are carbon based, they come in different sizes and you can wash them so you end up saving a ton of money if you would usually use something like a Brita.
2 40 oz Thermoflasks – We’ve had these thermoflasks for two years now. They’re amazing for hot or cold drinks. The places we’re going can get up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s pretty nice to have cold water when you want it. They hold temperature really well.
Kitchen
Magic Bullet – This is one of the best things we brought down with us. I use it for cooking and making smoothies almost every day.
Greenpan Ceramic Pot & Pan – I LOVE these pots and pans. I’ve had them for a year and they look brand new. The coating doesn’t have any PFAS, PFOA, lead or cadmium and are eco-friendly. They don’t burn or scratch and are so easy to wash. I didn’t bring the entire set, but brought one of the saucepans. It’s great for boiling water or making quinoa, rice, pasta, grains, etc., I also brought the 3 qt skillet. It’s great for cooking veggies or making soups.
Miscellaneous
LaCie 1 TB External Hard Drive – I have a MacBook Air and it has noooo memory, so I brought an external hard drive to be able to store pictures and videos on.
Sharper Image Deep Tissue Massager – This isn’t the exact massager we have from Sharper Image, but it’s very similar. I think the only difference is that ours comes with more attachments. It works really well and is great for the price compared to others that are like $400, but it is the one thing we brought that we don’t really use that often. We mostly just forget we have it, but when we do remember it is nice. I probably wouldn’t bring it if I could turn back time since it isn’t essential to our daily routine.
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To be continued…
Groovin' and Cruisin' 