The vehicle is the platform. Everything aboard serves a specific function, or it does not come aboard. The question is never "what do I need today." The question is "what environment am I entering."
Decisions made once, in camp, at a table, with time to think — are better than decisions made at the trailhead under pressure. The kit is the pre-made decision.
KIT PHILOSOPHY
ANALOG FIRST
Any instrument that works without power, network, or batteries is preferred over one that requires them. Paper and pen work at -20°F, underwater, and in a Faraday cage. They have a 400-year service record without a single firmware update. Technology fills the gaps paper cannot reach. Paper fills the gaps technology cannot survive.
MINIMUM VIABLE DEPENDENCY
Every item that requires another item to function is a liability in the field. Evaluate the chain. If the chain has more than two links, question whether the item belongs on this platform.
FIXED LOADS, NOT DAILY PACKS
The vehicle carries a permanent base layer. Environment-specific overlays are pre-packed and pulled by terrain type: water, overland foot, vehicle-only observation, remote overnight. The departure decision is which bag leaves the truck — not what goes into a bag.
PERMANENT BASE — ALWAYS ABOARD
NAVIGATION
- Paper maps — operating region, current scale
- Baseplate compass
- Field notebooks — Rite in the Rain, pocket and standard
- Pens, pencils, permanent marker
- GPS unit — handheld, batteries carried separately
DOCUMENTATION
- Field computer — Thinkpad T480, air-gapped configuration
- Primary camera body + standard field lens
- DJI Mavic Mini 2 + controller + 3 batteries
- Audio recorder — handheld, field-grade
- 128GB SD cards × multiple — stored separately from cameras
POWER
- Power station — vehicle-charged base unit
- Flexible solar panel — single panel, roof-deployable
- USB-C and barrel connector cables — labeled
- AA / AAA NiMH batteries + charger
- Battery status log — last charged, last tested
MEDICAL
Sealed hard case. Laminated index card inside lid lists every item and last inspection date. Refreshed quarterly. The card is the memory. The card gets signed and dated.
- Trauma kit — tourniquet, pressure dressing, chest seal
- Standard first aid — bandages, antiseptic, tape
- Blister and foot care
- Personal medications — current supply
- Water purification — tablets and filter
- Emergency thermal blanket × 2
COMMUNICATIONS
- Satellite communicator — two-way, SOS capable
- GMRS radio × 2 — waterproof rated
- Mobile phone — offline maps downloaded before departure
OVERLAY BAGS — PULLED BY ENVIRONMENT
WATER
- Waterproof field notebook + pencil
- Underwater writing slate
- Waterproof camera — Olympus TG series
- Dry bags — 5L × 4, 10L × 2
- Dive mask, fins, wetsuit (environment dependent)
- Tow float / safety marker
OVERLAND FOOT
- Daypack — expandable, 30L
- Hydration — 3L minimum carrying capacity
- Emergency shelter — bivy
- Field rations — 24hr minimum
- Trekking poles [I DONT LIKE THESE]
- Headlamp + spare batteries
REMOTE OVERNIGHT
- Sleep system — rated to environment minimum
- Shelter — tent or tarp, terrain dependent
- Cook kit — single burner, titanium, all-fuel
- Extended rations — 72hr
- Extended power — additional solar, battery bank
OBSERVATION PLATFORM
Vehicle-stationed, or handheld. Device pointed at a scene. Researcher may be elsewhere.
- Field observation unit — VF2-based, MIPI camera array
- Tripod / mounting hardware
- Extended power — for unattended logging
- IR / UV filter set — environment dependent
- Weatherproofing — pelican case or equivalent housing
This manifest is a living document. Items are added when a gap was discovered in the field. Items are removed when they have never been used across three consecutive expeditions. The kit earns its place or it does not have one.
Last reviewed: 2025-08-02