What is your favorite piece of field gear that you recommend?
Ask A Biologist Monday 6/14/21
Mine is the Leatherman “sidekick”. It’s got a ton of tool options, including a saw that has come in handy so many times.
Answers from Biologists:
Leather gloves. I seem to need them for everything.
Hydroflask. Hot stays hot and cold stays cold.
Camelbak backpacks.
Tourniquet. I haven’t had to use it (thankfully) but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.
Neck gator and hat.
Mountainsmith Lumbar Pack! Perfect for accessing what I need without a backpack.
Good boots and a bandana.
Leatherman and Osprey backpack.
Construction gloves. They get gross but they save my hands from bugs and stuff.
Darn tough socks. Best hiking socks ever and guaranteed for life.
I work on the coast so a must for me is a good pair of muck boots and a bug net/sunhat.
A wide-brimmed hat.
My phone. I use GPS apps that allow you to georeference everything (points, photos, notes). Makes it super easy to export at the office and it can be used “offline”.
Duct tape. Repairs, waterproofs, keeps bugs out of my pants.
A good pair of snake boots and sunscreen.
Ariat Dublin River boots. They’ve been from salt marsh to blizzard and are so comfy.
A portable charging bank so I can keep my phone fully charged in the field.
Colombia fishing SPF longsleeve shirts.
A small fan that I hang around my neck.
A good buff! Keeps the sun off your neck and sunblock out of your eyes. Doubles as a mask.
Xtratuf boots.
Rite in the Rain notebooks. In yellow so you don’t misplace them.
Muck boots. I always keep a pair in the truck. Dry feet are everything!
A change of clothes.
Field guide apps.
“Good fitting” boots make or break a field day. The kind depends on your feet.
Fanny pack, Tecnu, Steadtler markers.
Ziploc bags. I always have a few in my pack.
Avenza and OnX map apps.
Field overalls. To set and check pitfalls without having to worry about my pants creeping down.
OnX phone app. Land ownership, topo, and aerial maps all in your back pocket.
Off Deep Woods and a folding buck knife.
Flannel long sleeve shirts and a cowboy hat to keep off the sun.
Tecnu!
A high quality pair of rubber boots.
Baseball cap. Helps prevents ticks and stops your hair from getting snagged.
Yeti 65oz bottle. Keeps drink ice cold all day. And a wet bandana around the neck.
Sunscreen.
Bushnell waterproof binos. I bring them everywhere. The worst feeling is missing a cool animal sighting.
A good field vest. Look like a nerd but I like them way more than backpacks. All the pockets.
Zip ties. You can fix almost anything with them.
Sling backpack. Don’t have to take it off to access what’s inside.
For the winter: hot hands to stay warm.
Fanny packs instead of backpacks all day, every day!
A compass. Can’t die like a phone or GPS unit.
A good headlamp. Also, Avenza maps, if available.
Mios electrolyte drops or Gatorade packets for your water bottle.
Overalls! So many functional pockets and no crack when I bend over.
Fly fishing gloves. Keeps the hands warm and can unfold them to write neatly.
My Outdoor Research head net.
My clipboard. The clip piece is a built in calculator and there’s storage space inside.
