The road chose me

As you might imagine, driving 65,000km while hiking, camping and living outside as much as possible for almost two years is a good stress test of even the highest quality gear.
Below are the items that proved invaluable to me.

Camping Gear

Kathmandu Mountain Tent
A 21st birthday present, this tent has been with me for every adventure of my life. Thousands of hours in the sun destroyed the fly, and half-way through the adventure Kathmandu sent a new one all the way to Ecuador, no problems. Free.
After an estimated 1000 nights of use, it was finally falling apart and I left it in Argentina.

Petzel Headlamp
I can’t fathom how I ever camped without one of these. Recharging the AAA batteries while driving was great.

Trangia Cook Stove
I’ve had this alcohol burning stove kit for 4+ years and it’s still going strong. Completely indestructible, I’m confident I’ll have it for years and years to come.

Therm-a-rest Sleeping Pad
A Christmas present to my brother something like 8 years ago, the trusty Therm-a-rest is a must have. I sleep better on it than in a bed these days.

MEC brand -7°C Sleeping Bag
I saw something close to -20°C at Yellowstone in this bag, which I’m still using every weekend, as good as new.

Raichle Hiking Boots
I bought the boots a couple of years before setting out and finally destroyed them on the hike into Machu Picchu after many thousands of hours of hiking. I’m buying a new pair ASAP. (Raichle is now owned my Mammut)

Electronic Gear

Fuju FD6000FD Camera
Four years and tens of thousands of photos later, I still use my camera all the time. Even after a huge tumble in Ecuador, and a large amount of sand inside from windy Patagonia, the camera is going strong.

Dell Mini 9 Netbook
Over two years and a $35 replacement screen later, I’m typing on this tough contender right now. All the connectors and inside are rusty from the salty sea air in Central America, and it’s still going strong.

Jeep & Gear

Dunlop Radial Rover RvXT Tires
77,700km on one set of tires.

Jeep Wrangler TJ
After 65,000km without a single mechanical problem, my Jeep was by far and away the best piece of equipment I had.
By very definition, it was the perfect vehicle for the job.

-Dan