GEAR GUIDE

I’m not going to spin you, this camera is a heavy hitter and it’s probably way more than the average person needs.

As I’m primarily interested in adventure travel, lugging around a giant DSLR camera felt impractical. Hiking at high altitudes for an extended period of time, you want to minimize weight.

It’s because of that I ended up looking at mirrorless options.

Initially I purchased the Sony A7 III. That camera is an amazing, low light and video beast! But I don’t shoot much video so when Sony announced this full frame 61.0MP monster I was all in.

Now if I could only get around to making some of those prints I have planned to make full use of it!

This Zeiss lens is probably my favorite. It’s super wide angle and boy do I love me some wide angle pictures! I just wish I bought it sooner. No, it’s not cheap but good lenses never are. It depends on the situation, but I keep this on my camera probably 75% of the time.

I am however planning on upgrading to the Sony 16-35mm GM in the near future.

I have to say, I couldn’t be happier with this purchase. It’s sharp, light, and has a good range.

I chose this G-lens over the GM 24-70 f2.8 for a few reasons. First, and foremost was the staggering amount of reviews that complained about both the size and the weight of the GM. Second key factor was the extra range from 70-105mm since my telephoto starts at 100mm.

I LOVE this lens. This thing looks beautiful and takes beautiful pictures. I can’t even express how much I love it for photographing wildlife. The only drawback is that it weights a lot.

The 100-400mm range is ideal for a safari. Then, should you choose, you can throw on a teleconverter for added range. I recommend the 1.4x teleconverter which will bring your reach up to 560mm. I’m personally not fond of the 2x teleconverter because you’re losing a lot more light. 

Since it weighs over three pounds, when bag weight or space become an issue, it’s usually left behind unless I’m going somewhere that specifically calls for it.

I love drone photos so of course I had to get arguably the best one on the market for travel. (At the time.)

With a Hasselblad camera sporting a large 1 inch sensor that takes 20mp photos and a compact size, this drone is a travel photographer’s dream.

I like to put this in the air whenever I get the chance but be sure to follow all of the rules for wherever you’re going. Some foreign government’s have vastly different drone laws than we do in America.

These laws can net you a considerable fine if you’re caught breaking them. A man in Taiwan was fined $20,000 for flying a drone into a restricted area twice!

Should you purchase from Amazon be sure to check out the different package deals that include extra accessories for roughly the same cost. These bundles change often so try to find one with an extra battery if possible.

Because why buy one drone when you can buy two?

Super light and legal pretty much everywhere in terms of size, this is a fun drone to have. 

It takes great pictures and records in 4K so I’ll bring this with me on hikes and longer trips where I can’t manage the weight of my larger Mavic Pro 2. 

I’m not the biggest fan of tipods as they’re bulky, add unwanted weight, and slow things down. But every now and then, I do need one. Sometimes while traveling solo they’re a necessary evil.

I chose this tripod because at the time, it was one of the lightest on the market. This the only tripod I’ve ever used and I’ve had no complaints with it.

If I used them more often I’d probably upgrade to the Peak Designs Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod but I don’t, so this will do!

Always bring extra batteries with you.

There’s nothing worse than missing the shot because your battery died on you.

I usually bring three for my camera and three for my GoPro.

I don’t shoot video so I’ve found that to be plenty considering I’ve spent extended periods of time without access to electricity.

Just be sure to charge them when you can.

Currently my main camera bag and in my opinion, damn near close to the best camera bag for an outdoor enthusiast.

Built like a day pack, it has a unique origami compartment for your camera equipment that you can expand and contract based on how much camera gear you want to bring with you.

I like this bag so much that I’m planning on doing a complete write-up on it. National Geographic likes it too because they awarded it the title of “Best Camera Bag for Travelers.” This bag comes in two sizes. The smaller Athlete which I use, and the larger Adventure.

The Farpoint 55 is my workhorse for general travel and what I bring when I won’t be married to my bag. Backpacking across Europe? Yes. Camping or trekking? No.

With a stowaway back panel and a zip off day-pack, this bag fits everything you’ll need for pretty much any trip. I have put this bag through the ringer and it’s still going strong but should a problem ever arise, it’s covered by the Osprey All Mighty Guarantee.

While this bag appears somewhat large at 55 liters, that includes the zipoff pack which is 15 liters. So with that detached, it’s only a total of 40 liters.

What I like to do is take the day-pack off and stuff it inside of the main bag. Once I’m on my trip I then use the daypack for any overflow that I might accumulate such as clothing or souvenirs. This also comes in a larger 70 liters but the extra space is unnecessary in my opinion.

With the day-pack removed this bag will also fit most carry-on requirements. Don’t ask if it’s small enough, just do it. You’re far more likely to get it through as a carryon. I’ve only ever been told no once and that was when I directly asked if it was small enough.

There is a women’s version. the Osprey Fairview which provides a different anatomical fit.

Wearing this bag on your back is like wearing nothing at all. Osprey knows quality and the hip-belt is the most comfortable I’ve ever used. I purchased this bag for use as my day pack on Kilimanjaro and it was a dream to wear.

While it is a bit larger than recommended for Kilimanjaro, I needed a little extra space for camera gear as my bag had to fit any necessary camera equipment for a safari the following week. That included my 100-400mm telephoto lens which weighs over 3 pounds.

A smaller, 38 liter option (better for Kili) exists as well as the Osprey Kyte which is the female version.

I did a ton of research while trying to choose a duffel bag for Kilimanjaro. And when I say a ton, I’m not talking hours. I mean days.

I watched every video, read every article, and visited every store that sold duffels.

Luckily it took me as long as it did because TNF released an updated version of the Base Camp the same day I was going to finally place my order.

I’m not joking. THE EXACT SAME DAY. I powered up my laptop, and when I opened my browser, “BASE CAMP DUFFEL—L UPDATED DESIGN” with a new picture was staring at me.

This bag is bomber. And while it isn’t fully waterproof, it’s going to keep your stuff dry. The main selling point for me was the separate compartment that’s designed for keeping things like shoes or dirty clothing separate.

I purchased the large which is 95 liters but it comes in 6 different sizes: 33L, 50L, 69L. 95L, 132L, and 150L. Be sure to check which bag you’re purchasing as most amazon sellers have yet to update their offerings. The updated version has the side compartment and a daisy chain that goes along the entire side like in my picture.

I’ve never had it packed tight and probably could have fit all of my Kilimanjaro gear in the 65L, but I like having the extra space.

This isn’t just a camera bag so much as it is a photography travel system. If you’re a photographer and like traveling carry-on only, this is the bag for you.

35L and expandable to 42L, it was designed for a photographer to be able to bring all of their gear as well as any necessary travel accessories.

I’ve used this bag to fly carry-on only to several countries.

Too big to use as an every day bag? No worries! It has a removable camera cube that converts into a lightweight day bag!

This is the smallest bag that I own and while I do like it a lot, I’ve long since reached the point where I have outgrown it in terms of how much photography equipment I carry.

It’s best suited for light day trips or walking around in a city.

I’ll still remove and use the camera cube from it on occasion but only in cases where I can fit that inside of a larger bag.

I love all things Arc’teryx.

With 850 down fill power, this is a warm jacket. Don’t confuse it though, it’s not a parka. While you can wear this on its own, and look great while doing it, these jackets work best in conjunction with a hard-shell over top.

I bring this jacket with me whenever I’m going somewhere outside of the summer season because you never know. I was in Barcelona and temperatures were in the 90s but 2 weeks later in Vienna, it was around 40 with cutting winds. You never know.

Should you prefer, there is a hooded version as well. Which I also own, in red.

Waterproof, windproof, bombproof, and breathable. This Super Light (SL) Gore-Tex jacket is the gold standard of keeping you dry. I did a ton of research on waterproof hardshells and the Zeta SL won the prize.

I wore this on my Kilimanjaro ascent and while it didn’t rain, it kept me shielded from the relentless wind on summit night.

The storm-hood was clutch because it allowed me to shield my neck and head. I don’t think I could have been any happier with this purchase. Lightweight and highly packable, you can take it anywhere.

The type of shirt I bring depends on where I’m going, and what I’m doing. Lots of sun and extended periods of time outdoors? I burn easily so I like the Columbia Silver Ridge with Omni-Shade technology.

Lightweight and moisture wicking, these shirts will help you stay cool, dry, and unburnt.

If short sleeves are on the menu and I’m hiking, I’m fond of anything performance. One such shirt I like is the Columbia Men’s PFG Zero Rules shirt. I own several others by LL Bean and The North Face but I’m not going to list everything so if you’d like to know, feel free to ask.

If I’m just cruising around a city somewhere I’m most likely in a regular cotton shirt. But for the love of all things… if you’re trekking, leave the cotton at home. I can’t even express how lucky the Australians on my Kilimanjaro trek were that it never rained.

Heavy cotton sweatshirts, sweatpants, and t-shirts at altitude?? I almost choked when I saw them. When cotton gets wet at altitude it’s almost impossible to dry. “You really should have done your research.”

Over the years I’ve done a lot of shopping for the perfect travel pants. I’ve pulled up every article titled, Best Pants for Travel, I’ve tried on dozens of styles, looked at them under microscopes, and these are what I settled on.

They fit perfectly, are lightweight, moisture wicking, dry fast, and offer Omni-Shade sun protection.

Another key feature that I wanted is they have one regular cargo pocket, and one zip cargo pocket. I like zipper pockets for the extra security they offer and the regular for being able to freely drop something into it. The best of both worlds.

I almost never wear shorts but should you desire, there’s a zip off convertible version as well.

PSA: Don’t hike in jeans. Ever.

I own about 10 pairs of these in pretty much every style. Wool socks are like a dream when worn day to day but when you’re hiking or backpacking, they turn into an essential.

If there’s one thing I’m going to stress, it’s take care of your feet. These wool socks are soft, comfy, wicking, fast drying, and antimicrobial. That means your feet are less likely to stink after you’re done wearing them for the second (or fourth) day in a row if you’re backpacking and have no access to a washing machine.

Darn Tough also offers a lifetime guarantee on their socks so don’t worry if you wear a hole in the toe.

Smart wool makes good socks as well and I own two pairs of their heavy mountaineering socks for cold weather.

I usually wear a hat while traveling. First it was one by Hurley which for some inexplicable reason, EVERYONE in Peru wanted to buy from me. I ruined that hat in the ocean so now I wear the Arc’teryx Bird Cap. I like this hat because of its low crown. Most hats fit like an Abraham Lincoln stovepipe hat on me, but not this.

If you look at my pictures, yes it does appear different. I took a white paint pen and colored in the logo because you couldn’t see it and straight black was too plain for me. There you go, Arc’teryx. I fixed the black version of your hat. Sponsor me?

As soon as it starts getting cooler I have a blue wool hat with birds on it that I like to wear. Unfortunately I don’t have any links for it because they’re handmade in Germany for sale in Switzerland.

If the shop owner is to be believed, you can only buy them in Mürren… for an exorbitant $50. Normally I wouldn’t have paid that much for a hat but while trying to get a haircut, the plastic length guard fell of and I got buzzed. Wasn’t happy.