Twin boys. Toddler daughter. Hospital Tech Support. Writer. Runner. Gamer. Creating in public again.*

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Gear

Custom Shoes

I customized my own shoes and been wearing them every day since. A few weeks ago, I turned some all white converse into some teal ones (my favorite color). When they were white, I’d put them on to wear them, but then take them off soon after because the white clashed with all of my outfits. I knew that a neutral color was the answer.

After doing some research, I noticed how simple this process would be to dye them. I filled up a large container with hot water from the bathtub, poured the entire bottle of Rit dye into the container, and then mixed it with some dishwashing liquid. I then pulled the strings off the shoes and then let the shoes soak in the container for an hour.

After that hour, I took the shoes outside to let them dry in the sun for a few hours. Once they were dry, I washed them in the washing machine, using the cold option. Once they were washed, I placed them outside in the sun once again to let them dry completely.

That’s it. Now I have my own custom shoes that feel personal to me. I took something that was left behind and forgotten, and transformed it into something that is now used daily.

Civic Access

Since starting the new job, the one thing that leaves the house with me each day is the Civic Access Pouch 2L. CAP2 for short. All photos were pulled from their website.

The CAP2 holds everything I’ll be using that day, like my badge, keys, wedding ring, Field Notes, AirPods, and a dozen other little things. This pouch is easily the best pouch I’ve ever used. From the amount it holds, to the way it zips up into a cube to travel with, and then to the way it opens up with a slant and displays what’s inside of it. That slant is what sets it apart from the competition. When opened up at my desk, it looks as if it always belongs there, holding each time that needs to be accessed.

Inside the Bag

Inside of the bag: for tech is my AirPods Pro, the Retroid Pocket Mini, charging cables and brick, SD card adapter, SanDisk Portable SSD, and an Apple AirTag. For non-tech items, I have my wedding ring, hospital badge, work keys, Field Notes, pens, highlighters, microfiber cleaning cloths, fingernail clippers, and alcohol wipes.

Leash and Anchor

I recently modified the pouch so it can be worn like a sling when walking, and then allowing the strap to be removed and put in the top zipper when I arrive. This is thanks to Peak Design’s Leash and Anchor clips. Those Anchor clips make it so a the Leash strap can be removed instantly and stored away in the top zipper. A feature that this pouch wasn’t designed for, but is now one of my favorite perks to the CAP2.

How To Pack For Destin

Backpack and Duffle

The two bags that were used to pack for this trip are The GoRuck GR1 21L and the GoRuck Kit Bag. Each bag has four main items inside of it (with many other items inside of those). Pouches, bags, and cubes. That’s the secret to packing efficiently. The amount of items that I’m able to seamlessly fit into these pouches makes traveling a breeze.

Inside of the Kit Bag

Hats, boxers, and socks are inside the Transit Packing Cube. Running shoes, flip flops, and Crocs are in the Peak Design Shoe Pouch. A week’s worth of shirts and shorts are in the Tom Bihn Packing Cube. And all of my shower and shaving items are in Gravel’s Toiletry Bag.

Inside of the GR1

All of my tech (iPad mini, Gameboy, Kindle, chargers) is inside of the Civic Access Pouch. I was able to fit my entire coffee setup inside of the GR2 Field Pocket (Aeropress, manual coffee bean grinder, and French vanilla coffee beans). A resistant band for working out is inside of the small Shadow Pocket. And then last, is a Simple Water Bottle.

How to Pack For Rustic Sky

Last year, on Newsletter 64, I wrote How to Pack. This can be considered Part Two. This letter will just be a simple breakdown of how I packed for the trip. I’m a collector of bags and pouches, and I believe that’s the key to packing efficiently. Being able to bring just the right amount is always a fun challenge. This time around, I was intentional about leaving behind more than usual. Here’s a list of everything.

For a weekend trip, I packed very light. One bag. The Goruck GR1 21L. Inside of this bag was three pouches, a classic green Stanley Thermos, and a book.

  1. For my clothes, everything was inside of the Evergoods Transit Packing Cube (8L). Shirts and shorts on one side. Boxers and socks on the other.

  2. For toiletry, I used the Gravel Explorer Mini. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, cologne, and Gravel’s travel bottle.

  3. For my other gear, I used the discontinued Alpaka Pencil Case Pro. Gameboy, AirPods, phone charger, wallet, Field Notes: Expedition, and Bellroy Micro pen.

VR-Lite

This will be a very niche section, and most people won’t have what’s needed to even try this, but it’s interesting enough to discuss. Thanks to the XR Gaming Plugin, I now have virtual reality with my Steam Deck, with games that aren’t even meant to be virtual reality. Basically what this plugin is doing is converting the input of the right joystick to the head-tracking movement of the glasses. Meaning I can tilt my head up and look at the top of a building. Here’s a video where the developer introduces you to the plugin.

Requirements:

Military Backpack (GoRuck GR1 21L)

I just purchased another GoRuck bag, the GR 21L. For over ten years now, it’s been my bag of choice. Different sizes, but basically the same bag.

I now own three GoRucks:

  • GR1 21L: the perfect size for everyday use
  • GR1 26L: too big for daily use, but perfect for traveling
  • GR Echo: a miniature version of all these bags that my wife will now use as a purse/diaper bag

I love GoRucks for being minimal and durable. They have an understated yet tactical look that blends in with whatever life throws at me. Whether it’s conferences, hiking, vacations, or daily use, this bag fits right in.

Here’s its origin story:

In 2008, while I was in Special Forces and Emily was in the CIA, we started GORUCK out of her house in war-torn West Africa. The goal was pretty simple: build a rucksack with life or death quality standards that would thrive in Baghdad and NYC, not to mention Côte d’Ivoire — and show people of all walks of life how to operate smartly and safely in some of the harshest environments in the world (using said rucksack). How to travel, how to train, how to get the most out of a life where adventure calls and tomorrow is never promised.

Mark One

I received my Mark One last week, and I’ve been writing with it ever since. It’s created by Studio Neat, a company of two people (Tom and Dan) from Austin, Texas. The Mark One is such a beautiful and minimal pen. You’ll notice from some of my Field Notes photos how nice the writing ends up being. If you’ve never heard of Studio Neat, I highly recommend their products.