The once-a-year Mind the Moss gear expo

Let's do this

David Stanley CC BY 2.0

Before we do this, please let me get something off my chest. I don’t like hiking gear guides. Our popular conception of hiking is crudely shaped by outdoor gear makers that want you to buy a $600 backpack with translucent pockets, a semi-ergonomic inner frame, and hip-belt with mesh holsters for water bottles or those energy goo packets that taste like something from a circus animal. It’s not that I’m against a backpack like this going to market. For some expeditions, it makes sense to have technical hiking gear. But what makes me mad is how outdoor gear guides prop up this aestheticized idea that to be a hiker in general, you need to own top shelf gear. Major hiking magazines and influencers hawk the gear and perpetuate the aesthetic because that’s how they make their money. And I think this is a disservice to hikers.

Because, as we covered last year, you don’t have to burn a whole paycheck on hiking gear. You can get quality hiking footwear and pack essentials at consignment stores, hardware shops, and in some cases, even dollar stores! Highlighting the alternatives to plumping for upscale gear can help eliminate the real or perceived “buy-in” price that dissuades people from getting into hiking. Doing this also scratches a real itch. Hiking guides are well-read because on a subliminal level, a lot of us enjoy shopping and acquiring things. Bearing in mind that we’re about to segue into winter holidays that involve gift-giving, I’ve been thinking about how to publish a gear guide for MIND THE MOSS that stays at least partially rooted to this newsletter’s anti-elitism roots.

So for 2022, I’m highlighting examples of field-tested and proven hiking gear, all of which have made my hikes pleasurable and/or safer this year. These gear selections are aimed at a wide audience—you can be a casual or beginner hiker, or a hardcore “I just climbed out of a gulch” type, and still enjoy the functionality of this stuff. Nothing in this year’s gear expo retails for more than $100, with most of the gear priced well beneath that threshold. I purchased nearly every item on the list without any outside support. Two of this year’s entries were sent to me by manufacturers to test, with no compensation or affiliate kickbacks. (I’ve made note of this in two listings below.)

With that, I give you the 2022 MIND THE MOSS GEAR EXPO:

Dr. McDougall’s boxed soups ($4): If fishing out that bag of peanuts and dried fruit breaks your heart every time you’re on a trail, I urge you to discover the world of boxed soups. A protein-rich and vegetable-laden alternative to traditional trail snacks, soup boxes have the benefit of folding flat when you’re finished eating, allowing you to slip it into a plastic bag it and tuck it into the narrowest recesses of your backpack. You also don’t have to worry about the soup spoiling on a hot day, after being in your pack for several hours. (The same can’t be said for a turkey sandwich purchased at a gas station near the trailhead.) I’m partial to Dr. McDougall’s organic soups lineup, for the variety of soups they offer beyond the standard chicken noodle. Just be sure to take up caboose position if you’re hiking with a group and you’re packing the boxed chili.

Adventure Medical Kits Tick Nipper ($7): Performing tick checks after any hike is a cornerstone of New England living. When you’ve got one of the buggers embedded in you, removing the tick without severing the head (crucial) can add stress to an already unpleasant situation. While tweezers are the usual tool for this scenario, I’ve had good experiences with the Adventure Medical Kits Tick Nipper. The paper-thin jaws of this pincher device are designed in a way that allows you to slide them between the tick’s body and your skin, without bisecting the tick. It also has a magnifying glass feature, which you might consider using to identify the kind of tick that’s sucking your blood. Slip this into somebody’s stocking to give them a cold shudder this holiday season.

HATORI miniature LED flashlight ($8): If you’re going hiking in the latter half of the day, you’ll want to bring source of illumination that’s more robust and durable than the flashlight feature on your smartphone. The standard headlamp that offers 100-250 lumens runs on several AAA batteries and often retails for upwards of $30. A cost-effective alternative is the HATORI mini LED flashlight. This pen-sized torch cranks out an impressive 150 lumens of light, on the strength of one AAA battery. You can carry it in your hand, or you can try clipping it to your hat or backpack straps. If you choose the hat route, then you might as well bring two lights to double your lumens.

MyBevi insulated beverage tumblers ($20+): Tumblers are one of those things that many of us have stored in a pantry but would never think of chucking into a backpack. But for the type of leisurely hike that can be done with a toasty coffee or a frothy brew in hand, a tumbler will enhance the decadence of your adventure. This summer, I got to test a few of MyBevi’s classic insulated beverage tumblers. Here’s what I learned. Not only do these things help preserve the temperature of whatever beverage you’re carrying for several hours, but the 26 oz. tumbler can keep a canned beverage ice cold on a broiling day. Imagine: you stick a tallboy of your favorite seltzer or beer into the tumbler, screw on the lid, and toss it in your backpack. Then, upon reaching a blazing summit or lake or wherever it is you’re hiking to, you slide the can out of the tumbler, crack it open, and take a cathartic chug, reveling in the magic of modern engineering.

Repel windproof travel umbrella ($30+): In earlier newsletters, I’ve talked about the simple joy of hiking with an umbrella on a rainy day. But a lot of travel-size umbrellas are structurally vulnerable to gusts of wind that might be whooshing through the trees or skyscrapers where you’re hiking. I bought the Repel windproof travel umbrella on the promise of greater resiliency amid windy conditions and folks, this thing delivers. I’ve used it at Acadia, up in the Green Mountains, and along countless hikes around Boston on days when the sky is spitting and huffing. I wouldn’t want to test its limits in a place like the Franconia ridgeline, but for hikes that are located below the treeline, this is an excellent umbrella. I love it and now I’m dreading the day when I forget mine at a movie theater and lose it, which is the fate that befalls every umbrella that I own.

PHOOZY Apollo thermal phone capsule ($30): For better or worse, smartphones are becoming a standard hiking tool, thanks to navigational apps like AllTrails and the phone’s ability to facilitate search-and-rescues. But as many of us have learned the hard way, winter temperatures can knock out a charged smartphone battery in just a matter of minutes. A portable power bank, which I recommended in last year’s gear newsletter, can be a good failsafe if your phone dies. But you can also prevent that scenario by putting your phone into a thermal case and tucking it deep in your pack. I’ve had luck with the PHOOZY Apollo thermal phone case. I presume the case was named after Apollo, the god of music, because preserving your smartphone power would allow you to whip it out and summon a playlist for a mid-hike dance party. (Don’t knock it until you’ve tried cranking Giorgio Moroder on top of Mount Hale.)

Coalatree Kachula Adventure Blanket ($52 9̶0̶): Just like the MyBevi tumblers, this colorful multi-use outdoor blanket arrived at my doorstep by way of the manufacturer, whom I guess had seen my byline somewhere and wanted feedback and/or coverage. Since then, the Coalatree Kachula Adventure Blanket has become my go-to blanket for mid-hike picnicking, for three reasons. It’s antimicrobal, which helps cut down on odors and grunge after using it outside. It folds up nice and small, to the point where it can be easily stuffed into a backpack. And it has a built-in sash pocket that allows you to use the compressed blanket as a sitting cushion for stony trail environments. It’s also water-repellent and it can allegedly be used as a poncho, with a detachable hood. I’m skeptical about this, but next time I’m hosting a picnic and a thunderstorm ruins everything, I’ll update this post. Also, the blanket is currently on sale for $52.