In Part 2 of my “favorite hiking gear” rundown, I’m continuing the pile of stuff I used over the past year while hosting Epic Trails and traveling to some pretty wild places. This one’s a mix of unglamorous essentials and a couple comfort items that just make life better in camp. I talk food storage with a BearVault bear canister (more and more parks require them anyway), and then I immediately pivot to the “do I need this?” category with a lightweight little camp stool—because sometimes you don’t want to sit on a bear canister like a peasant. From there I get into water filtration and the whole “keep it simple” approach. I tried a bunch of options, including Hydrapak-style extra-carry solutions like the Flux bottle, but I’m still a huge fan of a basic gravity filter like the LifeStraw setup: easy, not crazy expensive, easy to clean, and it just works. I also hit sleeping bags (including the Big Agnes Greystone 30—light, but yeah, expensive), why stuff sacks are underrated for staying organized, and my Costa Rica MVP: permethrin-treated clothing for mosquitoes (with the big safety note if you’ve got cats). I wrap it up with hiking poles and why you don’t need to spend a fortune—cheap poles do the same job, you’re mostly paying to shave weight.