When my daughter proposed we go on a three-week jaunt around Ecuador to celebrate her college graduation, I hesitated. My Spanish was rusty from disuse. It had been decades since I鈥檇 been backpacking in South or Central America, and the last time I went, I ended up in the hospital for two weeks with something amoebic.
But after I learned more about Ecuador, the fifth most biodiverse country in the world, I got psyched and booked my ticket. We hiked, mountain biked, and rode Criollo horses at 13,000 feet. Andean condors with eight-foot wingspans flew 20 feet overhead. We chilled on the beach at , ate small lobsters, and stood on cliffs as blue-footed boobies and frigate birds soared overhead before snorkeling around one of the coves on . Near Papallacta, we soaked in volcanic hot springs and watched misty clouds drift among the emerald-green hills. And, because it runs in the family, Grace got sick, compelling us to skip the Amazon to explore the old cathedrals, restaurants, markets, and museums in Quito, the world鈥檚 second-highest capital city.
Ecuador rocks. It鈥檚 a beautiful, wild place with friendly, adventurous people and one of the most constantly changing landscapes you鈥檒l ever encounter鈥攚hich is why you need to pack wisely. Here are ten pieces of gear that performed admirably.
Scarpa Epic Lite ($135)
I wasn鈥檛 sure I could get by with just one pair of shoes, but the tough and ever-comfortable was all I ever needed. Going on 12-mile hikes, hopping on a horse, then a mountain bike, getting rained on, walking through mud, drying them off in front of the fireplace, and doing dinner in the city the next night鈥20 active days and they still felt brand new.
Outlier Slim Dungarees ($198)
It鈥檚 always iffy to use the word 鈥渂est.鈥 But in this case, I won鈥檛 hear any further arguments. These are the on earth. Because they look really good? Well, yes. But I also wore them nearly every day, without washing, because they somehow never got dirty. Airports, buses, long hikes in the heat, biking in the cold, strolling around the city鈥攖hey鈥檙e the best.
Gregory Baltoro 85 ($350)
With so many eco-zones to deal with, you need an array of stuff. The 5.3-pound indulged me by always expanding, in new and undiscovered ways, to swallow up whatever I fed it, from dromedary bags and travel pillows to trekking poles and four alpaca blankets, plus the many pounds of chocolate we brought home for gifts.
Cotopaxi Kusa Shirt ($160)
For average nights in the mountains, a (in this case, a shirt-jacket) was essential, and for colder nights higher up, this plus a fleece sufficed. The copper-and-orange DWR ripstop nylon on the Kusa shirt gives it enough flair for city use, and llama-fiber insulation means you feel right at home in the sierra, even if those llamas aren鈥檛 always so welcoming.
Arc鈥檛eryx Zeta LT Jacket ($425)
When the rain and wind picked up, meant I was untouched. It鈥檚 pricey, but with drizzle that could last all day鈥攁nd winds often whipping up out of nowhere鈥攖he Zeta was an essential piece of protection. The sleeves allow for a couple layers underneath, and the hood is spacious enough for a helmet without looking bulky. At only 12 ounces, this jacket asked very little of me and gave a lot in return.
Duckworth Vapor Hoody ($110)
Dressing for the tropics is all about protecting your skin from sun and mosquitoes鈥攚ithout getting too hot to move. The well-designed, superlight , made from anti-stink, fast-drying wool, is sheer and loose enough to wear on the hottest days. It protects your neck, and the light-gray color discourages the skeeters from giving you trouble.
Goal Zero Lighthouse Micro Flash USB Rechargeable Lantern ($25)
This might be the for late-night trips to the eco-lodge鈥檚 composting toilet, but with the push of a button, it also transforms into a diffused lantern that sheds enough light for reading a book. It holds a charge forever, but the USB plug makes for easy use with your power brick. If you鈥檙e truly going off the grid, it also works flawlessly with any Goal Zero panel.
Nature Nate鈥檚 Honey Packs (30 for $12)
Though we had a stash of bars, gels, and jerky, it was that we kept coming back to when the food gods weren鈥檛 smiling on us. To power through a day on the trail or a long airport layover, this is some of the best-tasting honey you鈥檒l find, and the packets are so light as to be negligible.
Farm to Feet Damascus Socks ($22.50)
It can be hard to get to a laundry when you鈥檙e always moving from place to place, so I was stunned that never stunk鈥攅ven after several days of heavy use. Chalk it up to the odor-resistant superfine merino wool. They鈥檙e also eminently comfortable, offer plenty of warmth on chilly nights, and provide a hug to your leg muscles to keep them primed.
NatureSpace App (Free)
Your Airbnb neighbors will party until three. Roosters will crow at four, well before first light. And earplugs will not save you. Pop in your earbuds and of Indigo Raindrop, an endless (or timed) succession of gentle plonk-plonk-plonks, and you will be back in Sleepland in no time.
Olukai Makolea Flip-Flops ($80)
I lied: I had a second pair of shoes. The nonslip EVA footbed makes easy to walk in for miles, and the quick-drying feature meant they weren鈥檛 cold and damp when I slipped them on the next morning.