Written by: Sarah (@adventures.of.blondie)
What a whirlwind summer it has been, I swear every year, summer flies past faster and faster! As the larches start turning here in the Canadian Rockies and the overnight temperatures dip, it seemed like a good time to wrap up my learnings from summer 2026!
It has been a fun summer working with Valhalla Pure and of course, trying out some incredible gear which has made backpacking easier and even more fun! I just got back from a hut trip at Mount Assiniboine and I have to say the LuminAID solar lantern has been a game changer, making an otherwise dark cabin fully illuminated at night, I now never leave on a trip without it.
I have shared a few key pieces of gear below, which continue to make it into my pack, were new this year or which really helped me have a better experience in the backcountry this summer.
A Timeless Piece Of Gear I’ll Never Leave Home Without
There are many pieces of gear I use year after year but one stands out and that is my Garmin InReach Mini 2, while there are newer versions of this much loved item, the mini 2 is the perfect safety messenger for me. I don’t need to send images like the newer versions allow. Brief messages to home when I’m out in the backcountry and the ability to send an sos in the worst case scenario really is what I look for. Paired with the awesome battery life, the Garmin InReach Mini 2 is something I have been using for years now and I don’t expect to stop anytime soon.
My New Favourite Piece Of Gear
For a few years now, I have been trying to lighten my load for backpacking and this year I tried out the Thermarest Vesper Quilt. While better suited for warmer, summer backpacking trips, it has really helped me cut some of the weight in my backpack for multiday trips.
I used this quilt for backpacking trips and hut trips and its tiny pack size and minimal weight have allowed me to travel faster and be more comfortable on long hiking days. I also love feeling cozy when I am camping and the Vesper Quilt really lofts up and feels great to sleep under. It is a great addition to my backpacking gear list and I am sure I’ll get even more use of it in summers to come, especially on longer multi day backpacking trips.
Check out my entire review here: The Ultimate Ultralight Sleep System and Shelter For Under 2 KG
The Piece Of Gear Everyone At Camp Was Jealous Of
It was a bad summer for mosquitos and during a backpacking trip to Baker Lake near Lake Louise, they were particularly bad! Sitting down at the lake felt like a non-existent dream, even trying to cook at the tables in the eating area was a challenge. While others ran for cover in their tents on an otherwise beautiful day, I was able to sit out and enjoy the evening because of my Thermacell Backpacker. Once it heated up I was perfectly protected from the irritating buzzing and biting of the mosquitoes.
The following morning, a fellow camper came up to our table and asked if it was a Thermacell that we had in the middle of our table. I replied that it sure was and she chuckled and said last night she was wondering how we had managed to sit out for so long, while everyone else had gone back to their tents. She cut her trip short due to how bad the mosquitos were and before she left our table announced she was off to buy a Thermacell so she didn’t have to worry again.
New Brand Of Backpacking Meal I Am Obsessed With
I like to play safe with my backpacking meals, when I find ones I love, I eat them on repeat. Who wants to end a long day of hiking with a meal they can barely stomach or doesn’t agree with them!
This summer I decided to try a new Canadian brand of backpacking food, Sly, and honestly, zero regrets so far! In fact I would go as far as to say General Tao might be my new favourite backpacking meal. The flavour was so good, I ate the entire pouch and never struggled once. Packed with flavour, it felt like a real treat after a long day on the trail. I can’t wait to try more of their meals but for now, you’ll find me enjoying Sly General Tao on most of my backpacking trips.
The Biggest Gear Switch I Made This Summer
For the past ten years I have been backpacking in hiking boots, most recently the La Sportiva Raptor Mid GTX have been my go to boots and I am sure as we head into the shoulder season, with its muddy trails and cooler temps, I will be grabbing them off the shelf once again.
However, for this summer, I decided to try out backpacking with trail runners. So I grabbed a pair of Hoka Speedgoats and headed out for an overnight trip to Egypt Lake back at the beginning of July and haven’t reached for my hiking boots since!
I honestly can’t believe I haven’t tried backpacking in trail runners before, they held up so well over the summer and for the first time, I didn’t want to rip my shoes off the minute I got to camp and throw on my sandals. They were comfortable on the 20km hike into Berg Lake and even got me the 30km into Assiniboine Provincial Park and up the rocky Wonder Peak. This is one change I made this summer that I will definitely be sticking with in coming years.
Summer Round Up
I have had the pleasure of heading out on numerous backpacking trips this summer and it has been made even easier with awesome gear from Valhalla Pure which hasn’t let me down, regardless of conditions. It has been so fun trying out new gear, exploring new and old places and really dialing in my backpacking gear.
While the first snow has started to fall in the alpine of the Canadian Rockies and my backpacking season is winding down quickly, I am already looking forward to getting out again next summer and continuing to put my gear to the test.
