Jungle Gear
Packing for a jungle trek is a little different than packing for most other backpacking trips. The main difference in packing for a jungle trek is considering the humidity, mud, rain, and rivers.
When in a tropical rainforest it is best just to accept the fact that you are going to be wet all the time.
Here is a list of my gear that I packed for the Panama El Camino Real Trek
Backpack:
The rainforest is called the "rain" forest because it rains every day. While hiking it will rain on you. In other ecosystems a pack cover would be the right choice to protect your pack and stuff from rain but in the jungle the cover catches on branches and becomes hard to keep on. Not only does it rain a lot but most treks involve wadding waist high through rivers. Many people choose to allow their packs to get wet and place the internal items in dry bags. Instead I use a Sea to Summit Hydrolic pack which is really good at keeping the water out.
Sea to Summit Hydrolic Dry Pack 65L
Size: 65 Liters
Weight: 2lbs 15 oz/ 1332g
Everything in my backpack is also placed in a dry sack. Using different bags inside the backpack helps with organization especially since there are no pockets in the Hydrolic pack, just one big opening.
I use an Exped 40 Liter sack to store my clothes
Exped Shrink Dry Bag 40
Size: 40 Liters
Weight: 6 oz/ 170g
I also use an Exped 20 liter sack to store dirty cloths
Exped Shrink Dry Bag 20
Size 20 Liter
Weight: 6 oz/ 170g
All my socks and underwear are in their own small 5 liter dry bag so I can reach new socks easily if I need to
Exped Shrink Dry Bag Pro 5L
Size: 5 Liter
Weight: 4 oz/ 113g
My toiletries are in a zip up dry bag
Exped Zip Pack UL S
Size: 5 Liter
Weight: 1 oz/ 28g
Sleeping Bag:
It is hot and humid in the jungle and a sleeping bag is not necessary. In fact it would be bad to have a sleeping bag because it would soak up water. In the jungle we sleep in hammocks and only need a thin sheet to sleep. But sometimes I like the security of a bag. So I use a hot weather bag liner with insect repellant.
Sea to Summit Coolmax Liner with Insect Shield
Temperature rating: It is thin and wicks away moister for hot weather
Weight: 8.6 oz/ 244g
Trekking Poles:
Leki Micro Vario
Weight: 1lb 3 oz/ 539g for the pair
Rain Protection:
When hiking in temperate climates or in the woods it is best to try and stay dry. Getting wet can cause you to get cold, hypothermia, and discomfort. To avoid getting wet in rain conditions I carry a small poncho that also covers my backpack. Other members of the Longwalkers carry pack covers or simply use a trash bag. In the rainforest it is useless to try and stay dry. It is best just to accept the fact that you will get wet. Being wet in the rainforest is not so bad since it averages about 80 degrees Fahrenheit/ 27 degrees Celsius. A pack cover does not work well either since the dense rainforest brushes the cover off or tears it.
Despite all this, I still carry a Sea to Summit Poncho in case I want to take a moment to get out of the rain plus it only weighs 8 ounces.
Sea to Summit Ulra-Sil Nano Tarp Poncho Shelter
Weight: 8.1 oz/ 230g
Extras: Is a poncho, pack cover, and turns into a shelter using trekking poles.
Water:
It is very important to filter your water when you are in a jungle. There are many parasites that you can catch from drinking the water. Because water is plentiful in the rainforest I dont carry my usual gravity system. Instead I carry a Sawyer Mini. I can filter one bottle of water at a time very easily.
Sawyer Mini Water Filter
Type of System: Squeeze pouch or straw
-Can be screwed on to any size bottle
Filter Life: Can filter 100,000 gallons (Basically a lifetime)
Weight: 4 oz/ 113g
Stove:
I love my Jetboil but there are times that I cannot use it. When traveling on a plane you cannot take fuel of any kind. Many countries do not have or sell gas fuel so my Jetboil is useless in most countries. There are a couple options for stoves when traveling internationally. There are stoves that run on gasoline which are probably the most universal. You can find gasoline in every country. The other option for stoves is an alcohol stove. This is what I use. I like alcohol stoves because they are cheap, easy, and very light. You can use liquid alcohol like ethanol or denatured alcohol or you can use alcohol dry tabs like the military stoves use. I pack my Vargo Titanium alcohol stove when traveling internationally and then as soon as I arrive at my destination I go to a hardware store and buy some liquid alcohol.
Tip: Although I use a titanium alcohol stove it is just as easy to make a cheap one. You can buy a can of cat food, dump the food (or feed a cat) punch holes in the side, and now you have a stove for less than a dollar. To learn more check out the Longwalkers page on making your own cheap ultra light backpacking gear.
Vargo Triad XE Multi-Fuel Stove
Fuel Type: Alcohol
Material: Titanium
Weight: 1.5 oz/ 42g
Vargo Windscreen
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 1.3 oz/ 38g
Optimus Terra Solo Cook Set
Material: Aluminum
Weight: 7.1 oz/ 200g
Size: 0.6L (pot)
Extras: Has measuring marks on the inside of the pot. Has pour spout. The fry pan doubles as lid. There is enough room inside to store a stove, 4 oz/ 100g gas cartridge, plus extras.
Cups and Utensils:
Sea to Summit Delta Insulated Mug
Size: 16oz
Weight: 4.6 oz/ 130g
Sea to Summit X Mug
Size: 0.5 liters
Weight: 2.4 oz/ 68g
Sea to Summit Alpha Light Spoon
Weight: 0.4 oz/ 11g
Headlamp:
Black Diamond Revolt
Output: 130 Lumens
Run Time: 80 hours on high/ 300 hours on low
Weight: 3.4 oz/ 96g
Knife:
SOG Powerassist
Weight: 9.6 oz/ 272g
Watch:
Not everyone wears a watch while backpacking but I feel helpless without a watch. I love Suunto watches. They work great for backpacking and Scuba Diving. My Suunto Core tells me my elevation as I climb mountains, it has a compass to help with direction, it has a thermometer, it tells me what time the sun will rise and set, and it tells me my depth when I scuba dive. Also I am usually not a fan of the way digital watches look but Suunto has great style.
Suunto Core Watch
Extras: Altimeter, barometer, compass, thermometer, sunrise and sunset times, plus many more.
Clothing:
Hat:
I have pale skin and am prone to sun burn. I NEVER backpack without a hat. Because I hate using sun screen and want full protection so I use the Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap. It has a removable neck and ear flap that I put on when out in full sun.
Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap
Pants:
For backpacking you need to have synthetic pants that dry quick, are light, and breathable. If you are only going to have one pair of hiking pants make it convertible pants so you can switch between pants and shorts. Kuhl makes some of my favorite pants and shirts for backpacking.
Kuhl Liberator Convertible Pant
Socks:
Wool is the best material to wick away sweat and prevent chaffing. The worst thing you can do to your feet is wear cotton socks while hiking. Wool socks are the only way to go when hiking! Smartwool makes some of the best wool backpacking products out there. Whether I am in the desert, the rainforest, or the snow, I wear Smartwool socks.
Smartwool PhD Socks
Underwear:
Smartwool Underwear
Shirt:
I use synthetic hiking shirts that dry quick. I usually use a long sleeve shirt that I can role the sleeves up. It is important to me to protect my arms from the sun. For overnight or long backpacking trips I wear 1 hiking shirt and pack a T-shirt. Once I make it to camp I take off my hiking shirt to air out and I put on my camp T-Shirt. The next day when I start hiking again the hiking shirt goes back on.
Columbia Omni-Shade Long Sleeve Shirt
Kuhl Renegade Long Sleeve Shirt
Shell:
REI Elements Jacket
Weight: 16oz/ 454g
Boots:
When hiking in the rainforest through rivers it is important to have jungle boots. Usually military boots are horrible to hike in. They are too heavy and usually uncomfortable but when it comes to the jungle, military jungle boots are a must. Jungle boots are necessary because they have drainage ports at the bottom to drain out water as you wade through rivers. If you were to do this in regular hiking boots they would soak up water and become heavy.
As far as I am concerned there are 3 choices when it comes to jungle boots. The best are Alt-Berg, a British company. then the second best are Altama, an American company that makes boots for the US military. And then there are all the random Chinese ones. The Chinese jungle boots are the ones you find in army surplus stores. I didnt want to pay for Alt-Berg so I went with Altama.
Altama Jungle Boots
Weight: 4lbs 8 oz (for my size 12 boots) for the pair
As a backup shoe I always carry my Vibram FiveFinger when I am going to be in wet conditions. Sandals do not work in water because they pull off of your feet.
Vibram FiveFinger Treksport
Weight: 12.4 oz/ 352g for the pair
Accessories:
You always need Carabiners
Sea to Summit Accessery Carabiner