My second annual list of my top ten favourite pieces of women's gear is out! 2016 has been a busy year full of adventures far and wide from trekking in Nepal to canoeing near the Arctic Circle to rock climbing in New York State. Here is my list of 'go-to' gear:

1. Outdoor Research Iceline Jacket and Pants- Jam packed full of technical features, you rarely find a piece of clothing perfect for it's intended sport the first year it's out. I wore this outfit to ice climb all last winter and can't wait to use it again this year. Here's my full review for the jacket and the pants.

2. Orbit Pole- The Orbit Pole is the ultimate selfie-stick for adventurers. It's a bomber camera boom that has a dial on it so you can rotate the camera's POV (point of view) as you are filming. It's accompanied me on almost all of my backcountry adventures this year and allowed me to catch amazing photos and videos. And it still looks brand new. Comes in two versions: Regular (carbon fiber and aluminum) and Trim.

3. Mountain Equipment Co-op Sandbagger Pants- These pants have been my favourite go-to pants for all adventures. I climb in them, hike in them, and canoe trip in them. I brought 2 pairs with me to trek in for 17 days in Nepal and 1 pair for a 15 day canoe trip in Northern Canada. They are stretchy, flattering, and functional. I love them.

4. Astral Green Jacket- I finally upgraded my personal floatation device in 2016 to the top-of-the-line Astral Green Jacket. After wearing it in whitewater for 20+ days this summer, I found it to be bomber.  It's outfitted well for whitewater rescue operations and protection of your core back and front. I am in love with the front pocket to store gloves/camera/snacks/etc. My only beef with this jacket is that you have to put it on over your head, but that also means it probably won't come off when you need it most. 

5. LaSportiva Sparkle Alpine Touring Boots- Ski boot fit is completely personal, but the LaSportiva Sparkle AT boots are a perfect fit for me. I have a long, narrow, low volume foot and found that all LaSportiva products (trail runners, climbing shoes, mountaineering boots) fit me well. The microadjustments of these boots are a bit tough to figure out at first, but allow the user to customize the fit better than standard buckles. These ski boots are the best fitting boots I have ever worn hands down and have taken my backcountry skiing to a new level. 

6. Woolx Base Camp Hoodie- Woolx make exceptional merino wool clothing. Super soft, not itchy, and made with feminine cuts and features. The Base Camp hoodie features a hood, thumb holes and a flattering hip length cut. This hoody I keep grabbing to wear as my favourite lightweight baselayer in cooler weather. See my full review on this hoodie here.

7. Steripen Adventurer Opti- After travelling to Nepal for a month this October, I purified over 100 Litres of drinking water with my Steripen Adventurer UV light. Convenient, lightweight, and user-friendly, and most importantly effective, I made it through without any intestinal ailments. For more tips on travelling to Nepal, check out my blog here.

8. Beal Dynaconnexion - Commerically made personal safety anchors have been around for a few years but this year was the first year I tried one. For years I used slings or hand-made anchor systems made out of cordelette but as soon as I tried the Beal Dynaconnexion, that was it. A staple on my ice and rock climbing harnesses, I find it super handy for clipping into anchors and rappelling off routes. Well made and functional.

9. Smith Pivlock Asana Sunglasses- The Smith Pivlock Asana sunglasses are my ultimate favourite glasses for any active adventure. I use these for teaching, cycling, paddling, hiking, climbing, etc. The fit well under a helmet or hat, are lightweight, and style-y. The come with 3 different lenses suitable for different light conditions. I have 3 pairs of them and love their coverage, high quality, and frameless design.

10. Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody- Last but not least is my favourite mid-layer, the Arcteryx Atom LT hoody. A popular crowd favourite, this jacket does not disappoint with it's synthetic insulation and fabric wrist gaskets. The hoody holds its own in fairweather, and acts as a great mid-layer under a shell in poor weather. I wear it all the time at home, but this year it really shined while trekking in Nepal. No wonder 5 out of 6 of our group members had one!

Need more ideas? Check out my list from 2015 here. 

 After a trekking trip to Nepal in October 2016, I've compiled a list of tips for future trekkers in the Everest region:

Trekking Agency: You should use one. Priority at the tea houses, translators, amazing knowledge of the area, culture, and logistical wizards. I have no regrets about using one, and giving the people of Nepal my money. I chose Nepal Vision Treks, who met or exceeded every expectation I had. Highly recommended. For our group of 6, we had 3 porters, 1 assistant guide and 1 head guide.

Money: Even if you've paid for a trekking company package, you'll still need to bring Nepalese Rupees with you. Paying for wifi (350-500 rupees per night), hot water (150-300 rupees), bottled water (150-350 rupees), battery charging (~350 rupees/hour), and other supplies (toilet paper, chocolate, pringles, coke, beer). There is an ATM in Namche, but it's better to have already exchanged money in Kathmandu. You will also need to have on hand your tips for your porters. Our 3 porters and 1 assistant guide stayed in Lukla preparing for their next trek and so we had to tip them before returning to Kathmandu.

SIM Card: Buying an NCell SIM card is cheapest at the airport. For $11, a 1 GB data plan was used almost every day on the trek. There were 3 places that the cell network didn't work and wifi had to be bought.

Diamox: Most people start taking Diamox in Namche, and I would recommend this. We had people in our group who waited until it was too late to start this medication and had altitude sickness. Preventing altitude sickness is never a bad thing! Count the number of pills before you go. We had people with 7 pills vs people with 28 pills on our 17 day trek. The more the better. Diamox can be used both prophylactically and as treatment for altitude sickness.

​Germs: Use hand sanitizer as much as possible. Shared dining areas, bathrooms and pillows are vectors for viruses. Our group came down with a nasty cold virus, despite all our preventative measures. One suggestion is to bring your own pillow case as you never know who has been coughing into it the night before.

Female Menstruation: Menstruating at altitude can complicate acclimitization and be a pain. If possible, use birth control methods to avoid having your period. If not possible, note that 2 of our group members started their menstruation cycle at 4400m and then it stopped over 4900m and then started again upon return to 4800m. Using a Diva Cup is recommneded compared to tampons as it produces less waste.

Gear: Make sure you buy good gear before you go and use it. Here is a list of gear our group thought was important/not important:

Don't bother: Thermos, gaiters, water bottle parka, selfie stick, SPOT satellite messenger, microspikes (used for 10mins), pee bottle.

Essential gear: Sunhat, Buff, thick down jacket, sunscreen, lip screen, sunglasses, energy bars, nuun tablets, hand sanitizer, medications, ear plugs, headlamp, travel lock, baby wipes, toilet paper, toque, light gloves, merino wool clothing, UV proof clothing, light softshell jacket, Osprey backpack, hiking poles and a -15C to -25C down sleeping bag.

Have any questions? Don't hesitate to ask below! Read my trip report for my trek to: Everest Base Camp and Cho-La pass.