Gear

The Complete Kit

Shelter, sleep, water, power, cooking, navigation, safety — the whole kit is on this list. It covers road trips, overlanding, and backpacking. Every item is something I've put actual miles on.

Browse the full list on Amazon →

Hair Care

The hunt for high quality hair products is actually pretty simple: just use Jessicurl.

Once or occasionally twice a week I wash with Gentle Lather Shampoo followed by Too Shea! Conditioner. I'll use a bit of Too Shea! as a leave-in and a pea-sized dash of Spiralicious Gel for hold and frizz control — applied just out of the shower, combed through with fingertips, scrunched with a microfiber towel then wrapped to dry.

Dry climate? Use Hair Cleansing Cream — the glycerin retains moisture. High humidity? Stick with Gentle Lather Shampoo.

Beyond the products: a microfiber drying towel, silk pillowcase, and silk scrunchies are non-negotiable. Yes, I use all three. Yes, I've had to explain this to my father.

Offroad Navigation

There are a lot of apps for finding campsites and trails. None come close to onX Offroad. Colored public land boundaries mean I always know where I'm stepping. The 3D map feature shows terrain ahead before I ever hit dirt. Downloading offline maps is one of my first steps on any trip.

Staying Connected

Before I land anywhere overseas I set up data, and I quit buying physical SIM cards years ago. Airalo is an eSIM — download the app, buy a plan for wherever you're headed, and you've got service the moment the plane touches down, no hunting for a kiosk in an airport where you can't read the signs. Ran it all over New Zealand and through Europe on the honeymoon. Get an Airalo eSIM →

The Truck Build

Suspension, solar, fridge, water, storage — the full build list is on Amazon.

My rooftop tent is the Roofnest Sparrow Eye. The clamshell design handles wind better than any softshell, the fiberglass shell is repairable in an O'Reilly's parking lot with standard epoxy putty, and the build quality exceeded what I expected when I bought my first one. Read my full review here, and the modifications I've made here.

Keeping Her Clean

My detailer recommended Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic wax spray and I haven't used anything else since. Monthly wash, rinse, spray, dry with two large microfiber towels. Full detailing list on Amazon. Thirteen years old, looks brand new.

Camera Gear

Everything I shoot with — cameras, lenses, water housing — is listed here on Amazon. And the pen: Pilot V5 RT. Simple. Never fails.

Camping Gear

From beachside highways in Charleston to backpacking under Denali to a park in Sumner, New Zealand — everything on this list has been tested. Non-negotiables: a good pack and a Lifestraw Go bottle.