Twenty-five years, six continents, and more washboard logging roads than we can count; this is what actually survives the trip. Not just what looks good in a flat-lay photo (although hey, I enjoy doing those photos for these products too!). This list is for you, and it’s what comes home dented, salt-stained, and still working.
A quick word on how we tag things, because we think you deserve to know exactly what you're clicking:
🟢 Trail Partner - we use it, we love it, and if you buy through our link, the brand kicks a few dollars into the travel fund at zero extra cost to you.
🟤 Gear We Bought - our own money, no kickback, no strings. If that ever changes, you'll be the first to know.
📍 Local Resource - a BC business we trust enough to send you to directly, no affiliate math involved.
No hidden anything. Now, onto the stuff that actually earns its place in the rig.
EDC - Every Day Carry
Popov Leather Field Notes Notebook Cover 🟤 📍
Hand-sewn in Nelson, BC which means every scuff and scratch this thing has taken over the years is basically a Canadian success story. It holds trip notes, coordinates, and the occasional coffee ring with equal grace.
Gerber Pocket Knife 🟤
Opens boxes, cuts rope, occasionally saves a meal when the "easy-open" packaging lied to us. A knife you don't think about until the exact moment you desperately need one. Pro tip: remember to take it out of your pocket before you head to the airport - learn from my mistakes as I’ve lost one that way.
Apparel
Popov Leather Brown Leather Belt 🟤 📍
Boring to talk about, impossible to travel without. The combination of beautiful handcrafted workmanship and daily practicality. This one's outlasted three pairs of pants and is the best belt I’ve ever bought, bar none.
Popov Leather Canada Patch Truckers Ballcap 🟤 📍
The cap that's been in more photos than either of us. Sun protection with a side of unapologetic patriotism. Want a different design on the leather patch? No problem!
Vessi Stormburst High Tops 🟤 📍
Waterproof sneakers from a Vancouver company, built for the exact kind of weather Vancouver is famous for. We've walked through tide pools, mud, and one memorably ill-advised river crossing in these, and our socks stayed dry every time.
Northbound Gear Adventure Pants 🟤 📍
A Canadian brand making genuinely tough water-resistant pants. The kind that shrug off a surprise downpour instead of turning into a cold, clingy problem. We reached out directly on this one since there's no formal affiliate program yet, so consider this an honest, unpaid recommendation with a pitch already in their inbox.
Northern Sun Convertible Winter Travel Jacket 🟤
Built for Canadian winters that no longer play by the old rules where one day it’s sideways rain, the next bone-dry wind. But the best perk of this comfy jacket is that it compacts easily into a travel pillow. Yeah, you heard that right, and it comes on nearly every flight! This jacket handles the PNW weather whiplash and travels super easily. Another direct-relationship brand for now, no kickback, just genuine use.
Kensington Prairie Farm Alpaca Wool Socks 🟤📍
Here's a fun one: this alpaca farm is in Langley. As in, down the road. Their wool socks are absurdly warm for how thin they feel, and honestly the story of visiting a working alpaca farm ten minutes from home to buy socks is a better piece of content than the socks themselves, and the socks are great.
Merino Tech Base Layers 🟤
The layer between you and hypothermia on a cold shoot morning. Doesn't itch, doesn't stink after day three of no laundry access, which is the actual bar for base layers on the road.
West Coast Tees 🟤📍
Simply, well-made tees from a local shop. With an awesome array of original designs on tees, hoodies, and more as well as stickers and postcards for all adventurers. Not every piece of gear needs an origin story; sometimes you just need a shirt that doesn't fall apart after twenty washes.
Staying Connected, Off the Grid
ZOLEO Satellite Communicator 🟤
The trips worth taking are often the ones with zero cell signal, which is exactly the problem this solves. Emergency connectivity and check-ins when we're genuinely beyond the nearest tower. No affiliate program exists here yet, so this recommendation is as unpaid as it gets.
Airalo Regional & Global eSIMs 🟢
Affordable data the second we land somewhere new, without the airport kiosk roaming shakedown. One of the first things we set up before any international trip.
Get $4.50 off your first purchase with referral code JASON5975
Capturing the Story
Canon EOS R10 Mirrorless + RF-S 18-45mm, 50mm, and 100-400mm lenses 🟤
The workhorse. The 100-400mm has caught wildlife from a respectful distance; the 50mm handles the quiet, human moments; the 18-45mm is the everyday lens that's on the body more than any other. We're pursuing Canon's affiliate program, but approval isn't guaranteed, so for now this is just us telling you what actually works.
DJI Mavic Mini Fly More Combo 🟤
The aerial shot that turns "we drove somewhere pretty" into something you can actually feel. Small enough to justify packing, capable enough to matter.
DJI Osmo Pocket 2 Vloggers Kit 🟤
Always in a pocket, always ready. The camera we grab when a "real" setup would mean missing the moment entirely.
DJI Action 2 🟤
For the environments where a mirrorless body has no business being; water, dust, the inside of a kayak. It takes the hits so the R10 doesn't have to.
Canva Pro 🟤
Thumbnails, social graphics, and the occasional overlay are all built here. We're in the queue for their creator program, which is more selective than it used to be, so consider this a genuine daily-use recommendation with no financial relationship yet.
CyberLink Video Editing Software 🟤
Where the raw footage actually becomes an episode. There are a few editing platforms to choose from, and this is our go-to choice. For a content creator, having a real editing platform is essential, and the reason a day of filming turns into something watchable.
End of the Day
Award winning Shelter Point whiskies; a perfect way to wrap an adventurous day!
Shelter Point Distillery Single Malt Whiskies 🟤📍
Vancouver Island single malt, and proof you don't need to leave BC to end a trail day properly. Plan ahead and enjoy a visit to their tasting room.
Roots & Wings Distillery Johnny Handsome Whisky 🟤📍
A local pour with a name that's more fun to say after the day you've just had. One of the more unique and enjoyable stops you can make in Langley. Tell them Jay sent you!
Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company & Smokehouse 🟤📍
Fantastic beers, amazing BBQ, and hands-down some of the best cornbread we’ve had. This place is a “must stop” destination in Parksville BC on your mid-Island adventures.
and more to come soon!
This page updates as programs change and gear gets replaced, so it's a living list, not a one-time post. Got a question about something specific here, or want to know why we ditched a piece of gear that used to be on this list? Drop it in the comments, we’d love to chat with you about the gear we use, abuse, and trust!