What We Pack
for the Backcountry
Gear List
Backpacking is more fun, safe, and lightweight with friends! Our gear list is optimized for two hikers.
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Kosan 35L Carryall Travel Backpack
Osprey Lumina 60L Ultralight Hiking Backpack
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MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Tent
Klymit Insulated Double V Sleeping Pad
MEC Delphinus -9C Down Sleeping Bag
MEC Draco -9C Down Sleeping Bag
Outdoor Research AirPurge Compression Dry Sack 15L
SealLine Blocker Compression Dry Sack 20L
Trekology Aluft Travel Pillow
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Scarpa ZG Lite GTX Hiking Boots
Helly Hansen Vanir Salka 3L Shell Jacket
Rab Microlight Down Vest
MEC Terrena Stretch Convertible Hiking Pants
Helly Hansen rain pants
Helly Hansen base layer top and bottom (pajamas)
Tank tops, underwear, socks
Toque & gloves
Sunglasses and case
2 Mesh bags
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Scarpa Kailash Trek Gore-Tex Hiking Boots
Arcteryx Beta Gore-Tex Jacket
MEC Boundary Light Down Jacket
Helly Hansen rain pants
Helly Hansen base layer and pants (pajamas)
Woods hiking pants
Shirts, underwear, socks
Toque & gloves
Hat
Spare glasses and case
Glasses cleaner and microfiber cloth
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Tomshoo Camping Stove, Pot and Frying Pan Set
Isobutane-Propane Canister 230g
Metal Windscreen
Plastic Utensils
Large freezer bags, small ziplock bags
Paper towels
Dry bag and carabiners
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Dehydrated Meals (Backpacker’s Pantry)
Instant Noodles
Dehydrated Fruit
Jerky
Granola Bars
Trail Mix
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Nalgene Water Bottle 1L
Smartwater Plastic Bottle 1L
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Hydroblu Versa Flow Inline Water Filter
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Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Toilet Paper
Hand Sanitizer
Mosquito Repellant
Sunscreen
Microfiber Towel
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2 Hiking Poles
2 Woods Headlamps
Bear Spray
Generic First Aid Kit
Jade’s Emergency Kit
Swiss Army Knife
Electrical Tape
Lighter
GearAid Patches
2 Tent Pole Splints
Hand Warmers
1 Pad, 1 Tampon, 1 Pantyliner
Ibuprofen
Nail File
Wet Wipes
Band-Aids
Hair Ties
Masks
Earplugs
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Personal Phones
Huawei P40 Pro - just for photos
USB to USB-C Charging Cord
Anker Powercore 10000mAh Battery
Canon RP Mirrorless Camera
Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM Lens
Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM Lens
Peak Design Capture Camera Clip
2 Spare Canon LP-E17 Batteries
GrePro Dual Charger for LP-E17
Spare Sandisk SD Card
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Offline Maps on Google
Screenshots on Alltrails
Downloads of Official Maps
PDFs of helpful blogs
eBook
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Grand Trunk Double Hammock and Tree Straps
Hotcore Wingman Tarp 290cm x 290cm
Thermacell Backpacker’s Pack Repeller
Sea to Summit Mosquito Head Net
Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Liner
Thermarest Argo 2 Person Blanket
Ronsonol Lighter Fluid
Swimsuits
Water shoes
Rain poncho
Solar Charging 26800mAh Portable Battery
Peak Design Aluminum Travel Tripod with Ultralight Feet
Backpack
Can you believe I dragged a suitcase on my first round-the-world trip? This is rather embarrassing in hindsight, but after chasing trains and cobblestone streets, I was determined to purchase a proper travel backpack the moment I got home.
I went all in on this Kickstarter campaign for the Kosan 35L Carryall Travel Backpack specifically because it was carry-on sized. While the curved straps of the day-pack gave me major shoulder pains, the 35L backpack worked so well on its own that I naturally began using it for backcountry camping too. The downside is its hefty weight at 1.9kg, attributed to built-in security features like metal clasps and heavy duty slash-proof fabric have no use in the wilderness (except in fight with a bear).
Jimmy’s Osprey Lumina 60L is a mere 0.8kg — less than half the weight of my Kosan backpack! To achieve those spectacular weight-savings, the Lumina fabric is so thin that it’s translucent, so they don’t recommend stuffing it full. This is why they look nearly identical when filled. (Plus I end up carrying the heavy stuff 😓) Naturally you might question its durability, but we’ve had zero rips after 50+ days of backcountry abuse!
Sleeping
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX is a fantastic free-standing ultralight tent. It was definitely the most popular tent at seen in Alberta backcountry campsites on all our trips.
I strongly recommend the Klymit Insulated Double V if you frequently backpack as a pair. This was the best upgrade we made after our first year using two single pads. No more gap!
The MEC Delphinus and Draco sleeping bags zip together to form a 2-person sleeping bag. So cute!! We naively thought that sharing body heat would keep us warmer, but that is a total lie. The mummy shape is king.
Compression sacks are vital for carrying our down sleeping bags. I prefer the SealLine Blocker over the Outdoor Research as the blocky shape is much easier to pack vs a tube shape.
My down vest doubles as a pillow but Jimmy insists on a dedicated Trekology pillow. In dry Alberta winters, temperatures always drop significantly at night so sleeping with a toque is mandatory. We also carry a set of pajamas (base layer tops + bottoms) to have something clean(ish) to sleep in.
Clothing
I don’t focus too much on technical specs for outdoor wear as key measures like waterproofness and insulation change over time with regular use and diligence in maintenance. As long as you have a particular type of clothing - hard shell, mid-layer, hiking pants, waterproof boots - then you’ll be okay.
Some people carry more soft layers (underwear, socks, shirts) but it really comes down to how much you can withstand your own stench or have opportunities to rinse & dry in clean water. Fabric material really makes a difference as you want something anti-odor but also quick-drying.
On the West Coast Trail we learned that everything will get soaked no matter what, so those rain pants just become another piece to dry over a campfire. It is often better to wear less.
Pro-tip: Leave a fresh set of clothes in the car for when you head back to civilization.
Cooking
I love spying on everyone’s cooking setup around the communal picnic tables! This affirms my belief that a small stove, such as this Amazon knockoff of the MSR Pocket Rocket is the superior choice. It’s tiny, lightweight, and includes a pot + pan perfectly sized to store your fuel inside when not in use. We cook all meals directly in the pot rather than only boiling water, and split half the meal into the lid so we can eat simultaneously.
All brands use the same isobutane-propane fuel and we found that the 230g canister typically lasts an entire week. Much better than carrying a huge one around for an entire season (we did that too). A solid windscreen can also make your fuel last longer, though some may see it as unnecessary weight.
We have a drawer full of plastic cutlery from our take-out addiction to cycle through on each trip. Paper towels are a luxury item we love for quickly wiping oily food remains off the pot and tossing into the large freezer bag we use for trash.
A dry bag and carabiner may be essential if the campsites have bear hangs instead of lockers.
Food
Eating on backcountry trips is often more expensive than a home-cooked meal. In my opinion paying for convenient pre-made meals is totally worth avoiding the hassle of meal prepping, cooking, and dehydrating your own food.
We share 1 pack of dehydrated food like Backpacker’s Pantry for breakfast and 2 packs for dinner. I recommend their Pad Thai, Beef Stroganoff, and most pastas. Rice-based dishes don’t seem to rehydrate well and I don’t like beans. Remember, you are trapped in a tiny tent in a tiny sleeping bag all night...
Lunch is taken on the trail as a mixture of granola bars, dried fruit, jerky and trail mix.
Water
Glacier-fed streams and rivers in the Canadian Rockies are incredibly clean, especially in the high alpine. I do not hesitate to drink the water directly without filtering if I have no other choice. I’ve never experienced issues or heard of anyone getting sick. It even has a sweet taste from the abundance of minerals ground up by the glaciers.
Our water filtration set up uses a Lifestraw paired with a 1L Nalgene. This approach is much faster than setting up a gravity filter or pumping to get clean water. It also allows you to hike without carrying any water and drink directly from streams. On paper that sounds like significant weight savings but in practice you would need to lay on the ground chest-down with your face in the river. If that seems like a fair trade off then all the power to you!
We also carry a knock-off Sawyer filter for the sole purpose of making our favorite backcountry dessert: Backpacker’s Pantry dark chocolate mousse.
Toiletries
We carry only the bare minimum to keep the dentist happy, our asses wiped, and skin free from sunburns and bug bites.
There is no “showering”, but given the opportunity we love skinny dipping in glacial lakes and dancing under freezing waterfalls. A full-size microfiber towel helps in the aftermath, plus it can double as a blanket for warmth or soak up water in the tent during a big rain storm.
Safety
I have a higher risk tolerance than most people, so maybe take this section with a grain of salt.
We don’t carry GPS communication devices. Occasionally we remember to tell somewhere where we’re going.
I personally don’t believe in bear spray because most bears in Southern Alberta/BC are very accustomed to humans. They are more scared of you so just move slowly and speak firmly to make your presence known. The closest we ever came to using the bear spray was on a huge male caribou in rutting season with antlers likely longer than the spray range.
The standard first aid kit is a waste of space in my opinion. Unless you can tell me exactly what each item does and how it assists in a plausible backcountry emergency scenario, then it probably won’t cross your mind in a real emergency.
Alternatively, I carry a personalized emergency kit containing everything that has saved the day in my past travels. For example:
Our tent pole broke and by sheer luck my friends were borrowing another tent of mine that came with a tent pole splint. We failed engineering so many alternatives before I remembered this handy tool.
In Hawaii I waded across the mouth of a river, chest-deep in brown water at the end of a valley inhabited by wild pigs. It got really itchy down there, so thank you wet wipes!
Twice I have cut open my foot underwater and used a pad as a giant bandage. Both times it healed perfectly with no scars.
Electronics & Camera
Realistically, your phone can do everything you need - photos, navigation, flashlight, entertainment.
I carry an extra Huawei P40 Pro for photos because my actual phone is junk. Plus I have a mirrorless full-frame Canon RP camera with an all-purpose 24-240mm lens and a wide 16mm lens for mountain landscapes.
The PeakDesign Capture Camera Clip keeps it accessible and out of my hands while hiking.
With all these devices, an external power bank like the Anker Powercore becomes necessary to juice up dead batteries.
Digital Assets
I am guilty of preparing information for offline use at the last possible minute before cell service peters off as we’re driving through the mountains.
Make sure everything you need digitally is downloaded in advance, such as permits, Google offline maps, Alltrails screenshots, trail reports, blog posts, and ebooks.
Optional
On shorter hikes we like to bring a hammock for lounging and a tarp for extra coverage.
Hiking in spring or summer means you may need extra mosquito protection like a Thermacell or mosquito head net.
If there’s a water feature I want to swim in but there’s likely to be people around, I will carry a swimsuit. It is somewhat inconvenient as I find swimsuits take a long time to dry.
A sleeping liner can be a great idea for extra warmth, though personally I’ve never used mine.
If there’s no fire ban and we have plenty of time to hang out around camp, we will bring lighter fluid as a hack for starting campfires.
Occasionally I have carried a tripod with ultralight feet to stage photos, but I think propping it on a rock works 90% of the time.
Lastly on very long hikes, I will swap out my external battery for a higher capacity battery with solar charging.