This was an epic spring break trip and to take advantage of all the places the incredible Rössmonster took us, here’s a review of gear we used and loved. The list is in no particular order except for grouping a few categories with a few options as used by different members of the family.
The video below is of the Rössmonster Baja Trail overland RV truck and the adventure in general. The gear mentioned below was used on the trip and may be referenced or seen in the video. If you see a piece of gear in the video that is not described below, and you want to learn more, mention it in the comments of the video and I’ll see what I can do to share more.
Full story of the trip and the truck itself is published at GearJunkie.com.
OnX Offroad Maps App
A key feature of the Elete (top tier) subscription level of onX Offroad is the property boundaries. This way we could see who owned the land, and if stopping to camp was legal. We also used the trail reports to plan our adventures. We knew we didn’t want to hit roads that were too gnarly, but we also wanted to go places only high-clearance vehicles can get to for a bit of solitude. We only got misguided once where we thought we were taking a simple green (easy) route, but a small portion (1 mile) of the trail was a solid blue (moderate) in our book. We would not have gone that way if we knew better. Fortunately, the F350 with upgraded Carli Pintop System shocks didn’t have any problem. Also, while driving we could use the app on the built-in Apple CarPlay screen in the truck. | $35/year (Premium); $100/year (Elite); onxmaps.com
Insta360 Ace Pro 2
The adventure video of our spring break trip was shot entirely on the Ace Pro 2. Most notable on this trip was how well the wind guard attachment did to keep wind noise down. The one button record feature made capturing spontaneous moments easy without killing the battery. We recorded in 2.7K to save storage space and battery (both lasted great on this week-long adventure) but it can record at 8K when needed. | $400; insta360.com
Sunday Afternoons Kid’s Ultra Adventure Hats (Rosie & Rey)
Even in the early days of spring, the Utah sun is fierce and this hat was used by both of my very fair-skin children who needed all the protection they could get. Key features include UPF 50+ sun rating, the large front brim, the draped neck cape, vented crown mesh panels, and a wicking sweatband. The main body fabric is bluesign certified and has a PFAS-free durable water repellent finish (though we’ve not used it in the rain yet). It folds down to pack nicely and has some reflective hints for visibility in low light. | $36; sundayafternoons.com
Zeal Westwater Sunglasses (Cameron)
This medium sized frame fits me perfectly. The frame is made with a minimum of 45% bio resin and has proven to be comfortable and durable for all-day wear. Even while working up a sweat hiking through the desert the frames never slipped down. The removable glare guard panels are easy to detach or add depending on the adventure and the lenses are beautifully sharp. | $179; zealoptics.com
Yeti Trailhead Camp Chair
Like all of Yeti’s products, this chair is overbuilt—but that pays off (even with the hefty price tag) because not only did these chairs survive this trip, they are kept on our back patio all year long. Through snow, rain, hail, and the relentless Colorado sunshine. And the only way to tell they have been used is because the kids have “accidently” marked them or smeared them with sunscreen. They are nearly completely impervious—nearly because one did seem to catch a spark from a campfire and now there’s a small burn on the seat. But even then, that does not cause it to fray or come apart in any other way. Make the investment and these will pull double duty as your back yard furniture as well as when you’re on the go. | $300; yeti.com
Garmin inReach Messenger Plus
This is one of those things we’re glad to have with us but never need to use. Although, the new features on the Plus model with the ability to send photos and voice memos expands this satellite communication device even further beyond just emergency use. Previous versions (and competitor models) with non-emergent texting offered peace of mind to both parties, but this provides even more of a social “look at what I’m doing” vibe. Of course, there are other uses like sending an image of an injury to get better remote diagnosis as well. However, we were not worried about sending anything but an SOS, if necessary, on this trip. Yes, the iPhone sat comms tech is getting there, but it’s not quite there yet. Also, while having a single device that does everything is very convenient in many ways, it’s also much more susceptible to failure (being dropped while taking a photo, running out of battery, etc.). I like having a separate unit like this that is clipped on and turned off, saving battery, until it’s needed. | $500 + subscription; $300 (for the non-plus/texting only option) + subscription; garmin.com
DripEZ Secondz Collapsable Containers, 3-piece set
These arrived the day before we left for Utah and we made good use of them. We didn’t have many leftovers but these came in handy for those few meals where we did. It was also great that they collapsed to be nice and small to store until needed. The lock-latch lid kept the contents (cooked ground beef and pasta) sealed up tight even as we rattled our teeth out over miles and miles of washboard roads. I was first introduced to this brand via the prep tubs (with a built in cutting board—perfect for juicy BBQ cooking). The Secondz set comes with two 16oz containers and one 32oz container. | $45; bbqdripez.com
Best Day Brewing Nature’s Pils NA Beer 6pk
Full disclosure—I’m a teetotaler—so, this isn’t by any means an attempt to compare this non-alcoholic beer to alcoholic beer. But, I can say after a hot day of hiking around one of the national parks, hitting the Hole-in-the-Rock trail, or exploring the depths of Goblin Valley, this was a very refreshing drink to sit with under the shade of the awning in the Utah sun—or while watching the sun set. Best Day describes it as “a clean woody and crisp citrus beer with a trailing maltiness and distinct hop character”. Yeah, that sounds about right. And possibly best of all, while enjoying the grandeur and beauty of our world, this beer is made in partnership with The Conservation Alliance to help protect these wild places we love. | $14; bestdaybrewing.com
Reima Rain Jackets (kids)
The Fins really know how to protect their kids thanks to all the elements they need to contend with in the far north. The brand Reima came to the US a few years ago and have been making a big impression and have established themselves as a trusted brand for kids gear. On this trip, we were never in the rain, but we did have some strong winds and the lightweight rainwear also makes a great windblocker. Rosie was rocking the pink Reima Kuhmo which packs down nice and small so it can get lost at the bottom of a pack until it’s needed (she always has it in her school bag to be ready for those afternoon Colorado rainstorms). Rey used his Reima Nivala which is another lightweight option but comes in a dual-colorway. | $45-$75; us.reima.com
Walkie-Talkies
We had two different radio types with us on this trip. Both did great. Our primary use day was at Goblin Valley where we could put this electronic leash on the kiddos and let them explore to their heart’s content.
The Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio is a rugged 2-watt FRS unit with an IP56 protection rating (splash and snow proof). The screen face is shatter resistant and the carabiner clip is by far the most secure way to carry a radio. It even comes with a leash option (which we didn’t use on this trip—but ideal for high-angle or drop-and-it’s-gone situations). The specialized USB-C charged lithium-ion battery never needed recharging over the week we were out and the manufacturer claims it offers over four days of battery life, even in very cold conditions (-20°F)—again not a situation we were in on this trip. But I have had this radio with me while backcountry skiing and it did great there as well. All this special adventure environment specific rugged-izing and beefing up comes with a price. | $110/each; rockytalkie.com
The Midland T71 X-Talker is a much more budget friendly option at $80 for the set (plus a desktop charger stand). These are not nearly as rugged—they don’t have an IP rating and do not have the shatter resistant screen. They have the standard removable plastic aligator clip which could be bumped loose and they don’t have a leash loop as a backup tie-on point. But the micro-USB charged batteries did very well—in fact, I was super impressed that after months of being stored in the car the batteries still held enough charge for our big day exploring Goblin Valley. | $80/pair; midlandusa.com
Boots
Merrell Big Kid’s Moab Speed 2 Mid Waterproof Boots (Rosie)
These boots really proved their worth as Rosie took to the trails. The rubber outsole was grippy on steep sandstone slopes as we tackled the various down-climbs, up-climbs, and slopes of loose rocks. We never got the chance to test the waterproofness, but maybe if they still fit this summer they’ll go with her to summer camp in Maine (where it can get rather wet). | $70; merrell.com
Salewa Pedroc Pro Powertex Mid Boot (Cameron)
These have been my go-to hiking boots since they hit the market in 2024. They’re lightweight, stable, and comfortable. They’re touted as speed-hikers, and I get that with how light they are but we weren’t doing anything fast on this trip with the kids. It was all about enjoying the moment and the super grippy Pomoca Speed Hiker Pro outsole meant I could confidently hold my ground while helping the littles get up and over the obstacles in the trail (mostly in the slot canyons). | $200; salewa.com
Day Packs
Cotopaxi Dimi 12L Kids’ Backpack (Rosie)
This pack has proven to be the perfect size for lots of adventures. It has repeatedly been Rosie’s top pick because it holds just what she wants to have with her perfectly. It’s been an ideal bag to load up for road trips because it fits nicely in her foot-well. Then when we hit the trail, she just pops it on and goes. The unique Del-Dia colorway was also an immediate hit. | $60; cotopaxi.com
Near Zero Little Dean Backpack (Rey)
Rey likes the techy look and functional features of the Little Dean. It has a number of pockets and sleeves for organizing gear—in fact, the pockets are labeled with suggestions of what gear to put in that pocket. And at 20L, it can hold a lot of it. It’s still a little on the big size for him, but he’s always been drawn to bigger things. It’s also made of a nice tough fabric to be very durable. Rey is tough on his stuff. | $60; nearzero.co
Osprey Raven 10 Daypack (Jordan)
Jordan has been using this pack for years now as her go-to adventure daypack. It has proven to be durable, to have all the organizational pockets she likes and is hydration reservoir compatible. Even though it’s a mountain bike specific pack it has served her well on all kinds of adventures including all the day hikes and slot canyons we explored this spring break. | $165; osprey.com
Exped Skyline 12 Daypack (Cameron)
I picked up this pack right before this trip and am really glad I had it along. The full-length zipper on one side made it easy to sling the pack under my arm to grab or sash on the go and the external mesh pocket was perfect for my Nemo Chipper sit pad and a light rain shell for quick access… though, we never had any rain on the whole trip. The Skyline also put up with the rough scraping though the slot canyons. It’s lightweight and super economical for its size. | $130; expedusa.com
Hoodies
Himali Eclipse Sun Hoodie (Cameron)
I do not like to wear sunscreen so sun hoodies are my preference when possible. This one from Himali offers UPF 20 and UV protection, 4-way stretch, moisture wicking, and is super soft. It also proved to be durable during our rubbing against the sandstone walls of the slot canyons we explored. It has thumb loops which I only use on occasion to protect more of my hands when out in the sun for a prolonged period. It has a little zipperless pocket that took me a few times of wearing to even discover, though I never really needed it. | $80; himali.com
Cotopaxi Tapir Long-Sleeve Tech Tee – Kids’ (Rosie)
The kids have really fair skin so it’s important to get them aware of protecting themselves from the sun from an early age. This tech tee is lightweight and comfortable on the skin so it lets the body stay as cool as it can while out in the sun. It offers UPF 50+ protection along with the hood and thumbholes. | $40; cotopaxi.com
