We’ve already tackled what gear you should be thinking about when you’re heading out to the gym or diving deep, but we’ve yet to touch on some reliable equipment to bring with you when you’re treading known ground: your outdoor routine.
If you find yourself constantly subject to the weather and battling the elements at work or at play, the following items may be invaluable to add to your everyday carry.
Waterproof notebooks
Rite in the Rain notebooks are the number 1 choice for note-takers and writers who find themselves out in the field quite often. Rite in the Rain offers a myriad of notebook types, all promising to be a writable surface regardless of any weather condition. My personal preference is Rite in the Rain’s hard cover plain-paged notebook – great for both notes and sketching.
Alternatives include the Aketek spiral notebooks and the Indestructible Field Book sets. The Indestructible Field Books come can come in 5.5″ x 3.5″ and 5″ x 7″ options. Both alternative waterproof notebooks come in a lined format.
Write-anywhere implements
Having an all-weather notebook won’t matter if your own pens smudged, bled, or stopped working during extreme conditions. This makes pencils a great option to carry on your person most of the time.
Some great mechanical pencil options include the Pentel P207 and the Rotring Rapid Pro. If you prefer the permanence of ink to the reliability of a pencil, Rite in the Rain also produces some great all-weather pens. Fisher’s Space Pens are also great alternatives for a reliable pen that you can use for your write-anywhere moments.
The Most Rugged Multi-tool/Utility Knives
The Leatherman Wingman and Juice are great multi-tools to have around with their option for needle nose and regular pliers if you find yourself encountering handy work that demands such tools. If you’re looking for more general utility and portability in your multi-tool, you can never go wrong opting for a Victorinox Huntsman. Those with more portable tastes might prefer the Victorinox SwissCard.
Gerber is also a great option for multi-tools and utility knives. The Gerber Suspension-NXT is more affordable than either Leatherman and Victorinox while providing 14 different functions that you’re already looking for in a good multi-tool. For a smaller multi-tool option, Gerber also has the Dime – a pint-sized multi-tool that comes in under 3 inches when closed, a definite bang-for-your buck option.
Money storage
Get an E-Wallet. Seriously. The only cash you should be carrying around should just be enough for a quick meal, your personal commute, and a little extra to get you out of an emergency. For carrying a reasonable amount of loose cash, a thin all-weather wallet like the ones made by Haiku are a great option.
Aside from being easier to conceal and carrying just enough money for your daily needs, not carrying around a bulky wallet is better for your posture and back. Fat and bulky wallets should be eliminated from your life as they’re probably filled with materials that you’ve stuck in them and forgotten about.
