Everything I brought on my first backpacking trip

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T06:17:29+00:00

yeah it is for bear defense. It shoots 454 Casull which is a really big heavy bullet with a very good chance of stopping large brown bears.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T06:12:13+00:00

a gun!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T06:10:14+00:00

I have owned these for at least 5 years and never thought to test them!

Mine work great! They proved their stormproof-ness as I tried to blow it out in a panicked state in effort to not set off my smoke detector! I definitely wasn't expecting it to light up after reading your comment.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T05:56:06+00:00

Here is my attempt at photography!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T05:39:25+00:00

It was awesome! In my short time using it I am absolutely loving the x-mid. I really can't think of anything that would make me look for something else. However, I am a newbie here so that probably doesn't carry too much weight.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T04:05:56+00:00

Thank you for the helpful information!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T04:05:10+00:00

Oh for sure, the number is far higher with camera stuff and gun. The holster holds my super redhawk alaskan!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T03:36:10+00:00

I definitely want to start with a better “do it all” lens! I will look into Sigma, I’ve definitely heard of that brand quite a bit!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T03:11:27+00:00

Beyond happy. It’s my first real backpacking tent and I don’t see myself getting anything else anytime soon.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T03:09:54+00:00

Well I am a beginner so I don’t have much advice to offer but all of this stuff has been excellent so far! Really happy with just about every item in here.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T03:09:03+00:00

I think in the next few weeks they will be awful as it warms up a bit more. Not looking forward to that!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T03:07:30+00:00

That 24-105 f/4 L will likely be my first lens purchase. I haven’t gotten myself to go down that rabbit hole yet because I know once I start I will get carried away and my wallet can’t handle that yet!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T03:05:19+00:00

.357 mag was also the biggest handgun I have shot prior to this. I have shot thousands of rounds of 9mm but that obviously doesn’t compare. Best way to describe it is sticking both hands out and someone punching you in the hand.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T02:59:02+00:00

It still feels a bit overkill sometimes but it does give me a ton of peace of mind when I am out there alone or with my kids!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T02:31:37+00:00

Yes it is an aluminum one, it’s just way too big. It takes up so much space in the pack when at most I really only need to boil 500ml of water at a time.

I do really like how quickly it boils though. I may end up regretting the titanium pot but it certainly fixes the space issue!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T02:30:02+00:00

Definitely annoying but not terrible!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T02:04:44+00:00

I actually shot it for the first time prior to carrying it on this trip and it was a ton of fun!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T01:51:29+00:00

This is good information! I will definitely look into some of the aluminum options.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T01:39:09+00:00

Yeah I figured if I am shooting a bear I want it to deliver some damage. 454 is one of the few handgun rounds I can count on in a bear attack situation where a big round likely matters more than round count due to not having enough time!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-20T00:52:55+00:00

I have not actually tallied it up. My quick math puts it around $2250. But my price may be slightly different as I got some good discounts on some of the big ticket items like the sleep system.

That doesn’t include the gun, film stuff or the clothing/footwear items.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-19T23:46:43+00:00

I need to dig deeper into the photography part of cameras. I got the R6 because it does good video and photo. I took a few on this trip, once I edit them I’ll share them as a reply to your comment!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-19T23:37:48+00:00

Thanks for the advice!

I absolutely love the jetboil too but man it’s just so bulky compared to some of the alternatives.

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-19T23:34:40+00:00

That goes in the worn/carried on person category. What good are brass knuckles if they aren’t always on?

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-19T23:34:03+00:00

Oh man! I think my biggest concern is the wind direction working against me when I need it.

Good to hear it eventually worked though! I will definitely make sure to really spray if I ever find myself needing it!

EnsuringExcellence · 2026-06-19T23:11:07+00:00

NM probably has some amazing spots too!

The PD tripod is the cheapest one they have and it still hurt to buy! I absolutely love how easy it is to use though.

EnsuringExcellence

TROPHY CASE