28 items tested · Engineer-reviewed
Welcome to
the Kit Room
26 pieces of gear. Tested in the Himalayas, Patagonia, the Dolomites, and the Canadian Rockies. Zero fluff — just honest, engineer-grade reviews ranked by real-world performance.
30
Items reviewed
4
Mountain ranges
6
Categories
Field Note: This guide contains affiliate links. If you purchase gear through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend equipment I have personally mountain-tested and trust.
Footwear
Norda 002
Top rated
La Sportiva TX4 GTX
Top rated
Scarpa Mescalito
Top rated
Scarpa Terra GTX
Recommended
Altra Lone Peak 8
Rab Cirrus Slipper
Packs & Bags
Osprey Atmos 50
Recommended
Osprey Aura 50
Recommended
Osprey Hikelite 26
Osprey Farpoint 40
Osprey Fairview 40
Salomon Running Vest
Fjallraven Hip Pack
Osprey Dry Stuff 20L
Hardshells & Waterproofs
Insulation
Rab Microlight Alpine
Top rated
Arc’teryx Proton LT
Recommended
Arc’teryx Atom Hoody
Recommended
Rab Infinity Alpine
Patagonia Retro-X
Montane Terra Trousers
Camping & Sleep
Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2
Top rated
Rab Alpine 800 Sleeping Bag
Recommended
Sea to Summit Sleeping Pad
Accessories
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Kit Rankings
All 26 Items · Ranked
Scored out of 10 · Mountain-Tested
| # | Item | Category | Score | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fujifilm Camera |
Accessories |
9.4 | Read → |
| 02 | Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 |
Camping & Sleep |
9.2 | Read → |
| 03 | Norda 002 |
Footwear |
9.2 | Read → |
| 04 | Rab Microlight Alpine |
Insulation |
9.1 | Read → |
| 05 | La Sportiva TX4 GTX |
Footwear |
9.0 | Read → |
| 06 | Scarpa Mescalito |
Footwear |
9.0 | Read → |
| 07 | Arc’teryx Atom Hoody |
Insulation |
8.7 | Read → |
| 08 | Rab Alpine 800 Sleeping Bag |
Camping & Sleep |
8.7 | Read → |
| 09 | Rab Infinity Alpine |
Insulation |
8.6 | Read → |
| 10 | Black Diamond Trail Poles |
Accessories |
8.6 | Read → |
| 11 | Osprey Atmos 50 |
Packs & Bags |
8.5 | Read → |
| 12 | Osprey Aura 50 |
Packs & Bags |
8.5 | Read → |
| 13 | Arc’teryx Proton LT Hoody |
Insulation |
8.4 | Read → |
| 14 | Scarpa Terra GTX |
Footwear |
8.4 | Read → |
| 15 | Osprey Hikelite 26 |
Packs & Bags |
8.4 | Read → |
| 16 | Mountain Equipment Guide Gloves |
Accessories |
8.4 | Read → |
| 17 | Sea to Summit Sleeping Pad |
Camping & Sleep |
8.3 | Read → |
| 18 | Osprey Farpoint 40 |
Packs & Bags |
8.2 | Read → |
| 19 | Osprey Fairview 40 |
Packs & Bags |
8.2 | Read → |
| 20 | Montane Minimus Lite |
Hardshells & Waterproofs |
8.1 | Read → |
| 21 | Ciele Cap |
Accessories |
8.1 | Read → |
| 22 | Arc’teryx Beta AR |
Hardshells & Waterproofs |
8.0 | Read → |
| 23 | Patagonia Retro-X |
Insulation |
8.0 | Read → |
| 24 | Salomon Running Vest |
Packs & Bags |
7.9 | Read → |
| 25 | Montane Terra Trousers |
Insulation |
7.8 | Read → |
| 26 | Fjallraven Hip Pack |
Packs & Bags |
7.8 | Read → |
| 27 | Altra Lone Peak 8 |
Footwear |
7.6 | Read → |
| 28 | Gregory 3D Hydro 3L hydration Reservoir |
Accessories |
7.6 | Read → |
| 29 | Osprey Dry Stuff 20L |
Packs & Bags |
7.5 | Read → |
| 30 | Rab Cirrus Slipper |
Footwear |
7.3 | Read → |
Packing Lists
Proven gear lists for the world’s best adventures
Core Gear
Multi-Day Hiking
The Ultimate Backpacking Packing List
Everything I carry on overnight and multi-day adventures, from shelters and sleep systems to clothing, safety and cooking gear.
Read the list →
Patagonia
South America
Torres del Paine Packing List
Prepare for Patagonia’s legendary winds, unpredictable weather and long trekking days with this O Circuit gear checklist.
Read the list →
Dolomites
Europe
Alta Via 4 Packing List
The complete hut-to-hut and via ferrata gear list for tackling one of the most demanding routes in the Italian Dolomites.
Read the list →
Himalayas
Nepal
Annapurna Circuit Packing List
Essential gear for trekking to 5,416m, managing altitude, staying warm and travelling independently across the Annapurna region.
Read the list →
Grab & Go — Packing Lists
Trekking Packing List
Multi-day mountain trek essentials. What actually makes it into my pack.
View checklist →
Camping Packing List
Wild camping and multi-night overnight kit, stripped to essentials.
View checklist →
Canada Packing List
Rockies and backcountry Canada — what I actually bring on BC trails.
View checklist →
Hiking Packing List
Day hike to multiday trail. Scalable kit list, tested across four continents.
View checklist →
Hostelling List
Light travel, hostel-optimised. Everything you need, nothing you don’t.
View checklist →
