Gear Review

Apr 18, 2011 — Gear — 2 min read

Here's a review of my gear that I've been using for the past 13 months since leaving Chicago.

Motoport Ultra II Air Mesh Kevlar Suit - still in love with it. Very comfortable, great for hot weather up to the chills of the altiplano. 5 crashes so far (since 2007) and still going strong. Easy to wash and looks good when walking around non-riders. All black also commands attention from uniformed officials.
Teknic Speedstar Gloves - excellent. Fingers started wearing through, but patched it up in Bolivia. Love the wrist protection.
Rev'It Celsius Winter Gloves - gets the job done, but wear silk glove liners and rain covers for maximum protection.
Oxtar TCX Comp Boots - durable and by now, comfortable. Squeaky but fixed with regular application of teflon wax. Torsional resistance really works.
Arai XD - excellent helmet. Comfortable materials. Easy to wash and keep clean. Visor is indispensable, love it. Only got caught once or twice in the winds of Patagonia, not an issue.
Aerostich Triple Digit Glove and Boot Covers - works well, but starting to lose effectiveness after so many years. Reinforced with duct tape.
Hind Base Layers - basic synthetic running gear. Sweat, rinse, dry, repeat.
Anti-Monkey Butt Powder - mana from heaven.

Keen Venice Sandals - fantastic. Works as advertised. They're my only footwear and have worked in all sorts of social situations. Very sturdy, hiked up to Machu Picchu in them. No signs of wear. Lots of stubbed toes prevented.
GuideGear Cargo Pants - bought cheap ones from hunting store, works great. Easy to wash because synthetic, but watch the flying embers from campfires!
REI MultiTowel Lite Medium (25.5" x 15.5") - lightweight, compact and absorbs all the water after a bath, dries quick.
Wahl Lithium-ion Trimmer - excellent motor, long battery life, but died after one year of use. Had to buy another one, sooo good for the baldness.

Catoma Twist Tent - just the perfect size for infrequent camping. It's true that you don't need to camp at all if you want thru LatAm, but there are some really nice spots and this tent takes up very little space.
MSR DragonFly Stove - functions great, so far. Very convenient to just take fuel from the gas tank and simmer option makes cooking rice possible.
LifeSaver Water Purifier- works as advertised. I haven't spent a single penny on bottled water. I take water from a restaurant, tap, river, put it thru the filter, pump and drink. Haven't been sick due to water.

Fretting about all that gear allows me to enjoy moments like this...