The following are the gear that I own and use. This is not an endorsement of the gear but rather giving you an idea of what all is out there. Most of these are meant more for backpacking than a small hike in the Bay Area. Investing a little money in good gear can make your hiking experience all the more wonderful. Needless to say, the most important of the following are the boots. Make sure you get the best hiking boots you can afford.

Zamberlan Civetta GT (boots)

My favorite piece of hiking equipment. Even though this is a backpacking boot rather than a day hiking one, I have used it for countless hikes and it has taken me everywhere from the snow filled slopes of Mt. Whitney to the rattle snake infested depths of the Grand Canyon. I have had this for about 5 years now and still going strong. I do recommend getting a second pair of boots or sandals for the day hikes though.

Teva Wraptor 2 (sandals)

A very recent addition to my gear, it's a very sturdy hiking sandal which can even support a moderately heavy backpack.

Gregory Shasta (backpack)

A very reliable pack though without the numerous side pockets and other frills of modern internal backpacks. I have had this for a couple of years now and have taken it for many a wonderful backpacking trip. Perfect for a weekend to week long trip. If you are planning to trek the Himalayas or the Appalachian Trail, you should probably look into Gregory's Denali Pro.

Gregory RPM (day pack with water reservoir)

The insulation on this pack makes it ideal for cold weather hikes or a day on the slopes but it's good for a reasonable day hike too since the reservoir holds 128 oz. of H2O.

Lowe Alpine Contour 40 (day pack)

Good for your day hikes, this has been with me for a long time and I have taken it to the top of Half Dome and Mt. Whitney for the really long day hikes. It has even a waist belt if the going gets really tough.

Marmot Never Summer (sleeping bag)

Rated at 0°F, this bag will keep you warm when you are hobnobbing with the Grizzlies up in the Katmai NP in Alaska. The 600 fill goose down is incredibly comfortable. If you are just into backpacking the canyons of the southwest, you should look into the Never Winter (30°F) bag from Marmot.

Marmot Swallow (tent)

At 40 sq. ft., this tent can fit you, your partner and all your gear with room to spare. The color and design makes it trés cool and will elicit comments from your campground neighbors. It's what Marmot calls a 3 season Ext. tent meaning that you could survive a night on Mt. Denali without a problem.

Garmin Etrex Vista (GPS)

This is just a luxury toy for those who likes such things but it could save you trouble if you get lost in a large national park such as Monument Valley or something. But make sure you know how to use it before you get yourself in a situation like that. I have never had to use it (yet) to save myself but I use it primarily to calculate the distance traveled. One of the best portable GPS units out there.

MSR Miniworks (water filter)

Ever since I got this as a birthday gift 4 years ago, it has been a permanent fixture for my long hiking and backpacking trips. There are many faster filters out there but this does the job very well and removes almost anything you should be afraid of in naturally occurring water.

Primus Yellowstone Series (stove)

Fast, tiny and requiring no priming, this is a very convenient stove that has worked well for me over the years. It probably won't work for you in real high altitudes but for regular backpacking in the Desolation Wilderness or in Yosemite, this will work just fine.

Sawyer Products (first aid kit)

The only thing that I have used in this kit (so far) is moleskin but it does have enough stuff to last you a through hike of the John Muir trail. Make sure you constantly update the contents before they expire.

Silva Field 26 (compass)

Again, a birthday gift, it's been with me a long time but I have only had to use it once and that was before the GPS purchase. It's always good to carry since you could run out of batteries for your GPS when you need it the most.

Gerber Blades (knife and multi-tool)

You should always carry a knife or multi-tool with you if you are going for a hike longer than 10 miles. It comes in handy for many a use while out in the wilderness. Gerber blades have been around for a long time and very sharp and long lasting.

GSI Outdoors Anodized Extreme (cook set)

One of the best cook sets out there and this one won the editor's choice award in 2001 from Backpacker magazine. I have used it extensively for both backpacking and car camping trips.

Motorola Talkabout T5200 (2-way radio)

More useful on the ski slopes or an amusement park, it's still good if you have a group of people with varying hiking skills on your trip. It's supposed to have a 2 mile radius with 14 FRS Channels.

Coleman Xcursion Lantern

A very reliable and small backpacking lantern, it's useful when you reach your campsite after dark.

Therma-a-rest UltraLite™ (sleeping pad)

I have the 3/4 version but even though it's lighter, I would recommend the full version. It makes your sleep all the more comfortable. Once you get used to a pad, you will never leave home without it.

Canon Elph LT 260 (APS camera)

One of the first APS cameras to come out in the market, a very small and compact one, which takes fabulous pictures during the daytime. At night, it somehow doesn't do a good job. It does take panoramic pictures though.

Minolta Dimage 7 (Digital Camera)

A more recent addition, it takes great pictures and has 5.24 Megapixels resolution but I have yet to take it on a backpacking trip.

Nalgene Bottles (water bottle)

You should not leave home without this for the longer hikes. Very useful for filtering water and sturdy and reliable.

Clothing

I own various hiking related clothing items from companies such as Mountain Hardwear, Marmot, The North Face, REI, Exofficio and for hiking socks, Thorlos.