Outdoor
Hiking and the outdoors — gear I actually used in the Japanese mountains.
AminoVital Pro: The Amino Acid Sticks I Take on Long Hikes in Japan
I've hiked since I was a kid, and on long days I carry AminoVital Pro. What it is, how I use it before and during a hike, and one rule about the packaging in the mountains.
La Sportiva Aequilibrium ST GTX: The Boot I Stopped Thinking About
Yakushima tent trips, heavy loads in the Northern Alps, scrambling, long flat approaches. After all of it, the Aequilibrium ST GTX is the hiking boot I reach for without deciding.
Millet Drynamic Mesh: The Weird-Looking Base Layer That Keeps Me Dry
A string-mesh underlayer you wear next to the skin. I originally bought it for hiking, but I've come to think it's not just for the mountains — it's genuinely good for any situation where you sweat heavily.
The North Face Dry Dot: 3–4 Years in a Japan-Market Base Layer
A long-sleeve hiking base layer that's a standard in Japan. After 3–4 years in the mountains here, I understand why. What's good, and the one downside with the black.
