The Loadout, vol. 1

The gear I used for the Fan Dance

A couple months ago, I asked you, my readers, what sorts of topics you’d like me to cover here on Swimpruf, and a few responded with interest in more gear content. I also acknowledge the opinion that there are enough “gear” websites out there that run reviews and packing lists with affiliate links to shopping sites. It does seem like everyone is trying to sell you something. I assure you, when I write about gear here, I won’t do it with the goal of getting anyone to go buy anything, or to give gratuitous exposure to brands. Rather, I quite like the idea of doing a bit of a debrief of what I packed, wore, used, and abused on a specific adventure, and then tell you what worked and what didn’t. I think writing about gear as something to fetishize and collect is far less of an interesting perspective than to look at it for its purity of purpose, design triumphs and flaws, and its actual use. You know, the same way I like to write about wristwatches. 

I have a few adventures coming up this year, and some unique pieces of new gear to try out, and I’d love to tell you more about all of that in the future. To be clear, I will still link out to specific products on brands’ websites, only so you can read more about their specs and see better photos than I can provide, but not with the hope that you’ll whip out your credit card. I also think that long serving gear that becomes stalwart favorites, relied on over and over, is worth covering. We tend to celebrate the “new” but I know from my experience, most of my kit is stuff I’ve owned and used for years, sometimes decades, and I’d love to give those their due too. So, without further  preamble, here’s my first installment of a loose series I’ll call “The Loadout.”