Cityscape Photography

When it comes to hiking gear, you can spend anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand—and when you’re starting out, spending a fortune usually doesn’t make much sense. That said, I’ve learned the hard way that the right gear can absolutely make or break a trip. That’s why I’m a big believer in what I call “day cost averaging.”

Take a backpack, for example. If you spend good money on something that’s comfortable, durable, and fits properly, and you use it for hundreds of days over a few years, the cost per day becomes pretty tiny. More importantly, it saves your back, your shoulders, and your mood on long hikes. For me, that trade-off is always worth it.

I take the same approach with boots, shoes, jackets, and layers. I’ve been using Osprey packs for over a decade now, and Salomon footwear has carried me through thousands of kilometres of trails—from big mountain days to long-distance hikes. None of this is about chasing the most expensive gear. It’s about choosing things that work, last, and let me focus on the hike instead of what’s rubbing, breaking, or slowing me down.

Everything below is what I’m currently using on the trail. It’s a setup built around comfort, reliability, and long days on your feet—without carrying more than you actually need.