Best Outdoors Gear of 2022 - Top 5 Picks!
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Today is March 13th, 2023, and I’m overdue on revealing my top picks for the best outdoors gear that I used in 2022. Some items were purchased in 2021, but I got to really test them in 2022, while other items were bought in 2022. Either way, these are the my top picks as I reflect on 2022.
Before getting into my top picks, I want to start with a few honorable mentions that are long overdue.
First, I have to give a shout out to Easthills Outdoors, who sent me a down blanket to test out and review.
Unfortunately, the product linked above is a different version than Easthills Outdoors sent to me, but you get the idea: it’s a 650 fill down puffy blanket with a DWR treatment and, in the case of the one I received, it has snaps so that it can be configured as a top quilt with a foot box.
For the price, I am very impressed with this down blanket, and it very quickly found became my top choice, among the many options that I have in my arsenal, as an ultra light and ultra compact option for backpacking trips with warmer night time temperatures.
While I am very impressed with the down blanket from Easthills Outdoors, I feel like I can only give this product an honorable mention because it’s frequently uavailable on Amazon.com.
However, with the exception of the logo, I think that the following blanket is made in the same factory in China, as it looks identical (even the colors) to what Easthills Outdoors sent me:
The second honorable mention that I want to mention telescoping tarp poles from Green Elephant that come in two sizes; I bought a pair of both sizes.
While it’s true that this is rather expensive compared to finding sticks for free, sometimes it’s just nice to have the right tool for the job ready to go.
On my last camping trip, in February of 2023, I arrived with maybe 15 minutes of daylight before the sun went down. It was very nice to have these instead of having to look around in the dark for sticks.
But, because these actually cost quite a lot considering there are free options, I feel like I can only give these telescopic poles from Green Elephant an honorable mention.
Okay, let’s get on with my top 5 top picks for 2022, starting with a versatile piece of clothing for hiking, backpacking, and camping: a windbreaker.
MY NUMBER ONE PICK:
In 2022, I took advantage of a sale that Kuiu was running on their windbreaker, and immediately I fell in love with it. The link I’ve provided is to the new version, as I got a great deal on last year’s model, but the same principles apply: it’s an ultralight and packable windbreaker with a DWR finish.
A solid windbreaker is a great layering option for when a fleece jacket like the Kuiu Peloton 97 Fleece Zip-T Hoodie would be warm if only the wind wasn’t rushing straight through it.
Because the Kuiu Windbreaker is such a great layering option to provide wind and water resistance layered on top of midlayers and does so at an ultralight weight, in situations where I don’t need a full blown rain jacket, the Kuiu Windbreaker has earned a spot as one of my top picks for 2022.
MY NUMBER TWO PICK:
My number two pick comes via my friend Jayberry Miller, the owner of Tuff Possum Gear, and it’s the venerable Shackelton EDC Satchel, which I just can’t say enough about.
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Believe me, I am not without my fair share of haversacks, but among them all, this is without question my favorite for EDC use. I honestly didn’t expect that I’d use it nearly as often as I do!
Plus, Jayberry is a really good dude, and I’m very happy to say that this product hit a homerun!
What I really like about the Shackelton EDC Satchel is the inside back velcro panel which can acommodate up to four of what Jayberry called Skittles Pouches, which allow for a fantastic modular system.
Here’s an image from the Tuff Possum Gear website showing a single Skittles Pouch attached with velcro to the back of a Shackelton EDC Satchel.
I know that this is about an item that I bought and or tested in 2022, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that just recently Jayberry launched a new accessory for the Shackelton EDC Satchel, which I have not bought, but I did see one first hand last month at a winter campout, as J.C. Messer of Messer Custom Leather bought one for his Shackelton EDC Satchel, namely the Satchel Organizer Panel from Tuff Possum Gear.
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MY NUMBER THREE PICK:
For my number three pick I have to go back to clothing and mention the Vario Jacket from Outdoor Vitals.
2022 brought many new and exciting things for me and among them is the concept of really dialing in my outdoors clothing system with the addition of some active insulation, in this case the Vario Jacket from Outdoor Vitals.
What i really like about this jacket is how well it dumps heat when I’m active!
The Vario Jacket from Outdoor Vitals earns a spot in my Top 5 list because of its innovative use of active insulation and how well it performs for me in a variety of situations, whether as a soft shell jacket or as an active midlayer. It just plain works and does what it claims.
Another unique thing about Outdoor Vitals is that they have what they call the Live Ultralight Membership that is essentially free and offers a host of benefits including member only pricing, member only products, and free shipping.
Basically the Live Ultralight Membership works like this: Outdoor Vitals deducts $10 per month from your bank account as the “cost” of membership, but in reality, you don’t really lose the $10, as it accrues in your account at Outdoor Vitals where it basically functions as an Outdoor Vitals account that you can use at any time to pay for purchases at Outdoor Vitals.
Essentially, you get all of the benefits of membership in the Live Ultralight Membership program for free.
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To learn more about the Vario Jacket from Outdoor Vitals, check out more in this blog post that I wrote last week:
Introducing Outdoor Vitals: Get into the Vital Outdoors!
MY NUMBER FOUR PICK:
At the number four spot we return to clothing, but this time I’m not linking to a specific item so much as a category of items: liner socks.
There are a number of reasons why liner socks are so awesome, but in a nutshell, they’re awesome because they’re essentially adding a wicking base-layer to your feet just like we often do with other parts of our bodies.
Backcountry.com offers a variety of liner socks for you to consider, but i generally go for a silk liner sock in hot weather and merino wool blends in cooler weather.
Not only do liner socks help wick moisture away from your feet, thus keeping your feet dry and, therefore, warm, but liner socks like those from Injinji keep your toes separated and thus reduce the chance of blisters because your toes can’t rub up against each other!
MY NUMBER FIVE PICK:
Similar to how my number four pick wasn’t a particular item, but a category of items, my number five pick follows suite, except in this case I want to highlight a company that makes and sells myriad items that I use so often that sometimes I forget about them, namely Sea to Summit.
I’ve used so many products from Sea to Summit that last week I wrote a blog post just about Sea to Summit products that I’ve bought and used over the years.
Check out my blog post here.
Really, though, if I had to pick one item from Sea to Summit to highlight on this Top 5 list, perhaps I’d go with their camping storage products like dry bags and compression sacks that may not be as sexy as a knife, for example, but when I dry bag saves your clothes from getting soaking wet, you’ll be thankful to have another great product from Sea to Summit.
Well there you have it - my top 5 outdoors gear list for 2022 plus 2 honorable mentions…
Leave a comment below letting me know what some of your top outdoors gear was in 2022 or what gear you’re hoping to acquire in 2023!