Sunday Gravy #7

Some Favorites, Siberia, & Not-so EDC

Sep 02, 2024

Happy Sunday, folks. It’s been a chill, relaxing Labor Day Weekend for Rex and I… a lot of lounging, catching up on sleep, pizza, and time to think.

Saturday night pizza, with an eager observer.

I’m moving out of Los Angeles soon. In an attempt to conquer my procrastination habit, I’m starting to chip away at packing up my small apartment - the perfect opportunity to step back and evaluate all my belongings. “What do I really need? What do I neglect or no longer use? What can/can’t I live without?”, I asked myself as I purged through my things. Well, these are some of my favorite items, videos that inspire me, and a look at my “not-so everyday carry”.

Favorite Gear

It’s easy to collect too many things. They quite literally pile up over time… each piece equipped with a use case, a memory, or a reason you convince yourself to hold onto it. My closet’s well populated, but I only regularly wear about a dozen things. I’ve got a rather utilitarian approach to clothes… my criteria is:

It has to be comfortable. If I’m worried about how uncomfortable I am, that’s wasted mental capacity.
It has to be cool. Cool to me… which is subjective but important. Many people have the luxury to dress for more than the primitive objectives of warmth and protection. If your clothes don’t give you a certain sense of confidence, swagger, and identity… that’s a miss. I want to wear something that makes me feel like “me”.
It has to be durable / quality. I hate shit that doesn’t last. It’s a waste of money and resources. I also hate avoiding certain activities because I’m afraid of ruining clothes. I’d rather buy/wear stuff that can go anywhere… survive a beating… and build character. So with that, these are my favorite things:
Price. I’d argue this is my least important measure for 2 reasons: 1) not because money doesn’t matter, but because I’m ok paying more for something that’s worth every penny. There’s always cases where items are not worth their inflated sticker value, but generally quality and cost are hand-in-hand. 2) The cost of confidence is immeasurable. My favorite “big boy” fishing purchase was a beautiful Sage rod and a Ross reel. Did it cast THAT much better than the rods I was previously using? Did it catch THAT many more fish? No, not really, and I recognize that. But the price was justified to me based on how I felt using it. It made me feel like a fishermen. It made me feel legit. People say money and materials don’t buy happiness, but they certainly play a large part if they make you think of yourself in a certain light. A fly rod that makes you feel like the best fisherman on the river… a chef’s knife that gives you confidence to make a new dish… a camera that expands your passion for photography. It’s more about the relationship with the endeavor than it is the gear itself, and quality instruments can provide the passion and confidence you need to fall in love with something. Don’t go bankrupt buying something, but smartly splurge if it has more than just monetary return. That fly rod was stolen out of my car in LA, but I’m still glad I bought it.

So with all that, here’s some of my favorite things:

Pants

Dickies: Loose Fit, Double Knee Work Pants

I’ve worn these pants constantly for the last two years, and they’ve held strong through wrenching on motos/cars, dive bar outings, camping, and everything in between. (The only rips/tears are at the bottom, because I bought the wrong size and cut them).

Pros: Sturdy belt loops, good pockets, material/double knees are tough as shit.

Cons: TOO much swag, if such a thing is possible.

Fjallraven G1000 Vidda Pro Ventilated Pants

I have 2 pairs, love both. I wear them while hiking/camping/fishing. Paired with Fjallraven’s Greenland Wax… they’re pretty damn weather resistant. I wore this pair exclusively on my 5 day moto trip.

Pros: Weatherproof with wax, vent zippers, adjustable bottom cuff, baggy fit.

Cons: no butt pockets, which is where I usually put my wallet.

Backpack

North Face 32L

I don’t know the name of this bag - I bought it in 2017 and have taken it on every trip since then. It’s started to garner some wear and holes… but it works perfectly. 32L is the perfect size for a short trip / hike… I’ve even managed to make it work as my sole vessel for a couple weeks in Peru.

Pros: Exterior frame, hip/chest straps, lots of pockets, holds varying sized Camelbak pouches perfectly, 3 zippers to the main compartment for easier access to items at the bottom.

Cons: none.

Honorable Mention, Random Favorites (not pictured, yet):

Airlock fishing indicators - I use these 95% of the time I’m nymphing. I’m not a huge fan of yarn, especially if I’m fishing more than one fly and a lot of split shot. Sometimes I forego the indicator altogether and just tightline a really heavy setup (poor man’s euro rig).
Redwing 875 boots.
Omnicharge powerbank - awesome battery life, 120V outlet.
Peak Design camera clip

Favorite Videos

My apartment lacks a few common amenities - a microwave, air conditioning, and a TV. Due to that last one, I really don’t watch too many shows… I like to watch YouTube occasionally, and I’ve come to love a few really exceptional videos.

A Thousand Casts - YETI

YETI makes all kinds of amazing videos, but this is my all-time favorite. Insane storytelling and bucket list adventure from an amazing human. This is a must watch… seriously. Sacrifice 28 minutes to experience it.

Happy People

A multi-part series, and longer than 28 minutes, but incredibly eye-opening. “Happy People” documents life in Siberia for remote, hunting/trapping communities. This is an honest look at some of the hardest living, working people on Earth. It’s just astounding to see how different reality is for some people. The skills and knowledge they need to survive is incredible. I fall asleep to this video sometimes… watching a Siberian stranger build skis and canoes out of a log. There’s also a lot of profound thoughts littered throughout, my favorite being:

“You can take away anything from a man - his wealth and health and the like, but you can’t take away his craftsman’s skills. Once you learn a trade, you always know your trade for the rest of your life. You pick up things from others along the way… a bit here, a bit there. Adding your own little improvements.”

It really showcases how modern conveniences have drastically changed our lives (for better and worse)… My biggest worries aren’t even on their radar - they’re worried about building 1,000 Sable traps to survive the winter. Simple, deliberate lives. Incredibly metal. Shoutout to my Dad for showing me this one.

YETI - Kamchatka Steelhead Project

Speaking of Siberia… This is every fly angler’s dream.

Not-So Everyday Carry

“EDC” is something you can find a million posts about. In my opinion, some of them are over the top - either too expensive and unsuited for true everyday carry, tailored too much for fashion and showmanship, or just unrealistic. Here’s mine - and I don’t carry all of these items every day. I usually only carry a few… depends on the day’s plans.

Wallet: Rusty Skull Goods. Small business based out of Southern California. The owner is super cool, and his products are reasonably priced yet quality. My wallet has developed a nice patina after a couple years of use and has held up better than any other one I’ve owned. +1 for the skull logo. I rarely carry cash, but I thought this money clip was funny.

Knife: Something my Grandpa always carries. I either carry a Kershaw or this little fish pocket knife (gifted to me by a dear friend).

Watch: Garmin Tactix Pro 7. It’s a beast, probably overkill even. Best watch I’ve ever owned.

Lighter: I bought this old zippo at a motorcycle swap meet. I never carry a lighter… but I love the Wild West. Good purchase.

Notebook: Moleskin. I love a good quality notebook for sketching, writing, brainstorming. Using the notes app on my phone works in a pinch, but I feel so much more “in the zone” when I’m writing on paper. I bring this to work and coffee shops mainly.

And lasty, the most consistent piece of my EDC…

Dog: Belgian Malinois mix, Good Boy Edition.

Pros: best friend.

Cons: sheds, takes up too much space in the bed.