5 Summer Gear Essentials You Didn't Think You Needed
John Seaton Callahan via Getty
Headed to an Island off Panama this summer with your mosquito netting to wait for the perfect south/southwest-angled swell? Perhaps your travels will take you charting the Gulf of Alaska by a seaplane?
You might be, but chances are that most of us are spending our summer at the local beachbreak or maybe visiting fam up the coast for some angling and beach days. We don’t need a coffin cooler that’s going to keep ice for three weeks. And hydrophobic surf trunks? Why would you want baggies that are afraid of the water?
But there are some key items you should have in your backpack for the after-work splash, the five-day jaunt to a surf camp or just chilling on the boat pretending you know how to fish. These are functional items to make the most of summer. We’ve included links to each brand. Or better yet, go ask at your local shop.
RUMPL EVERYWHERE TOWEL
Several summers ago, I was staying in a little apartment with no washer and dryer. I used the Everywhere towel after every surf session and shower, and it was dry when I needed it again. Saved me from piles of damp beach/bath towels and trips to the laundromat. The polyester microsuede is anti-microbial, so it never funked up.
I’ve used it for three straight weeks in the Caribbean with no wet towels in the rental car. I’ve dried my wet dog to keep the inside of our tent from getting soaked when backpacking. I take it every time we’re on the boat for a quick change that I can easily stuff into a backpack. It packs up to the size of a beer can and weighs .8 lbs. There’s no reason you should be lugging heavy, stinky, wet beach towels this summer.
BAJIO HOPEDALE
Chances are that you’ve had dozens of pairs of sunglasses in your life. You’ve bought them based on how they look on your face with the only other requirement being keeping you from squinting.
Bajio has deep roots in the fishing world and most surfers wet a line from now and then. The blue-light blocking polarized lens completely changes what you’re looking at, literally easy on the eyes, but also creating a more polarized view in full sun conditions, which can be nine full hours in the summer, depending on your latitude. For lake or coastal angling, they help focus when you’re looking into the water. They give you a fantastic clarity of vision and save your eyes during mid-day surf checks with recessed nose pads and a snug fit. The style of the Hopedale is classic for beach, beer garden, outdoor shows or wherever a summer Sunday takes you.
LEATHERMAN SIGNAL
While the outdoor industry has a ton of sexy fixed-blade knives out there, you’re best off with pure function. The Signal is an all-around outdoor-use multitool that should live in your pack for not just surf, but any summer adventure – overnight backpacking, a little photo road trip, a rafting weekend or a little car camping.
The Signal is a handy one with 19 tools, one of which is the bottle opener, which you will likely use at the beach and in all of the above occasions. You’ll always need the pliers. And some of them you may never utilize, but things like a blade, saw, hammer, and bit driver will come in handy for making simple gear repairs, pitching a tent or bleeding out a bluefish.
I also like the fact that the 420HC combo blade can be opened and locked with one hand. It’s premium steel so it’s not going to corrode. And at 4 inches and 7.5 ounces, it’s no sweat to keep it in your pack all summer.
DAKINE MISSION 30L
If you’re not climbing Everest, you probably don’t need a full-body harness. Similarly, if your summer is mostly skating the boardwalk or hanging at the beach park, you don’t need an elaborate pack. Don’t get us wrong, Dakine makes solid bags for more ambitious excursions but you don’t necessarily need those for a morning log session and a pitaya bowl.
A good backpack is the key to keeping your stuff organized, dry and a little less sandy (if your car, bed and shower don’t have some sand, you’re not doing summer right.) The Mission is your perfect daily driver. The main compartment has a roll-top, which is clutch for not only keeping out rain or splashes over the bow of the boat, but also keeping the wetness inside. So, you can put wet trunks, towels or a wetsuit inside without making a mess in transit. The backpack features ergonomic padded shoulder straps and a solid fit for long walks to the beach from wherever you have to park in August.
The other aspect I really like is that you can access exterior pockets without going in through the roll top. There is a fleece-lined sunglass pocket, a stretch mesh panel, and two water bottle sleeves to make grabbing keys, shades, wallet and phone super easy.
RIP CURL GROOM TOILETRY BAG
This one is for organization’s sake and imperative if you’re surfing or beaching with kids. There are any number of dopp kits and packing cubes you can use as well, but make sure to buy something that won’t let liquids ooze out. Rip Curl is a trusted brand that doesn’t make cheap crap.
Of course, you can use the toiletry bag on your trip to the North Shore next winter, but it’s good to have a bag that lives inside your pack with essentials – your wax, snacks, sunscreen, something to combat rash, wax comb, simple first aid essentials, bug spray, and all the other stuff you need all summer. You know where these items are at all times and it’s not just lost in your bag, leaking onto your new trunks.
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