I’ve spent the last two weeks thoroughly researching and buying all the items I will need for my trip. This has been a monumental task because, to keep costs down, #TerryTreksUSA will primarily be a car camping trip. I’ve never camped on my own before, so I don’t have anything I need. Having to buy a bunch of gear has always prevented me from taking an extended trip around the USA. But I’m biting the bullet, doing my due diligence, and buying everything I need. On sale or on eBay where possible.
Strangely, buying stuff is harder than in the past because there is so much information available online. Before TerrysTrek2002, I just went to an REI and bought whatever they had. But now Amazon has hundreds of reviews for every item, many of which contradict. Expensive items will have professional reviews. Some items have YouTube reviews. Making sense of all this information has been time-consuming.
Adding to the complexity is my desire to spent some time in the backcountry. I’m researching trails, getting permits, and buying the gear I’ll need to survive alone in the woods.
Another complexity is my Grand Canyon rafting trip. Six days on the upper Colorado River will be amazing. But at the end I will have to carry my gear ten miles up and out of the Canyon to the South Rim. So my gear has to be on the light side.
Finally, I’m a budding travel photographer, and plan to post lots of pictures here. That means I need a couple new lenses, a computer for processing and storage, and accessories.
Thankfully, I’m almost done. I think I need one more trip to REI to buy small camping items such as my stove. Then I can focus on planning my trip.
Once I have everything, I’ll write about all the gear I will be taking.
