Choosing the right gear is extremely important. Not only is comfort and efficiency at stake but it could come down to saving a life. We own and have tested every piece of equipment included in these lists and stand by them. Sometimes the more difficult treks and Amazon rafting trips are no walk in the park but having the right gear makes it bearable and even a little fun. Both Amazon Packrafting and Andes Hiking lists are below. We make a small percentage when purchasing through our provided shopping links as an affiliate. Happy shopping!
Alpacka Packraft Classic Alpacka Raft is at the top of its game offering rugged lightweight boats built for whitewater and taking abuse. We have all 3 Classic Series sizes including the Alpacka (small), Yak (medium) and Llama (large) for all body types. Our boats also include the optional removal spray decks for punching through waves and for shielding against heavy rains. 
Sealline 70L Dry Bag Backpack Our bag of choice for river trips is the Sealline Pro Dry Pack. All of our packrafters get their own bag which is big enough to fit all gear, food and a day pack-sized amount of personal items. 
Advanced Elements 4 Piece Paddle We found a paddle which is super light yet robust enough to handle some whitewater. 
Stohlquist Fisherman PFD Not only do they look cool in green they have lots of pockets and fold down trays for rigging lines. All of our rafters get a green PFD with pockets. 
Grand Trunk Double Hammock Grand Trunk at 7 ft long and double wide is our go to hammock for the big and tall. It's also rated at 400 lbs which is at least 50 lbs more than most other hammocks. 
Hennessy Expedition Zip Hammock In addition to various generic hammocks and Grand Trunks we also have a couple of the more expensive Hennessey Expedition models. Hennessey is one of the few companies which also makes a double bottom layered hammock which is designed to keep mosquitos from biting through the fabric. 
Mr. Mocks Skeeter Beater Another way to combat mosquitos biting through the bottom of your hammock is to use a separate cocoon style net which surrounds and drapes below your hammock preventing any mosquitos from even reaching the fabric. This is my personal choice when it comes to solo trips in lower jungle areas. 
Synthetic Summer Sleeping Bag It can get chilly in the Amazon especially at higher elevations such as Manu National Park. A down bag would never do as it soaks up moisture and is too warm. 100% synthetic with a polyester fill works best. Keep it in your hammock until it cools down then use it as a liner like a taco until it's time to zip it up. A bag also keeps you safe from mosquitos biting through the bottom. 
Kelty Noah Tarps (16 / 20) We have both the 16 X 16 ft and 20 X 20 ft versions either of which are large enough to provide shelter from the rain for a group of up to 10 people each. 
3 Season Tents We have enough tents for a group of up to 12. These are 3-Season tents with plenty of mesh for hot days and reliable and detachable rainflys for wet nights. The fly can be held in place to create a patio door. These truley are 2 person tents, not 1.5 persons. There is plenty of floor space for 2 people in 2 sleeping bags comfortably. 
Millbank Bag Prefilter The Mother of God and Tambopata Rivers can get pretty muddy. This makes water filtration a real challenge when it comes to having to backflush sediment after each filter use. By first running murky water through a Millbank bag most of the big particles are removed which extends your filter's life and number of cycles. 
Sawyer Squeeze (Group Gravity Filtration) Rather than use the included bag to "squeeze" dirty water through the filter we incorporate Sawyer's larger filter into a gravity system for groups of 3 people or more. If prefiltered with a Millbank Bag it has a nice flow and can produce about 10 liters in about a half an hour. 
Sawyer Mini (Small Groups and Solo Trips) The smaller "mini" filter is great for packing light or as a backup to the Sawyer Squeeze. It also has a good flow but requires more work to get dirty water through it and can require backflushing more often. 
Aquatabs 8.5mg Tablets As either a backup to a mechanical filter or as a standalone treatment for clearer lakes and streams purification pills are a must. There is always the chance you can lose a filter or it can become so clogged up that it's no longer usable. 
Toaks Titanium 1350 ml Pot w Pan (Solo Trips) Although bigger than most titanium personal pots there's enough room for a large pasta meal. Most of our Inca Chef dehydrated meals require about this much volume when rehydrated. For our groups we use traditional full-sized aluminum cookware and steel utensils, cups and plates. 
Mil-Tec 100% Synthetic Long Sleeve Shirt In the jungle synthetics are the best option as they don't soak up moisture and dry faster than cotton. It's also a good idea to wear long sleeves and pants. Covering up as much of your skin as possible is key when it comes to the buggiest areas. 
Patagonia Torrentshell 3L Jacket This is a thicker windbreaker / rain jacket / shell which works both in the jungle and Andes. For the jungle I will just bring the shell and for the Andes I'll wear the shell over a down "sweater" or more. 
Crocs River Sandals Keeping your feet dry is probably the most important thing when it comes to multiple days in a wet environment and hours each day on the river. This is hard to do with trekking shoes. Crocs or other styles known as "water shoes" dry fast and are the most breathable. When we do longer hikes I will suggest that my clients bring both river sandals and hiking shoes. 
Garmin GPS Map 66S The included "Birdseye" satellite imagery is a crucial tool for determining river, creek and swampy areas where different kinds of wildlife are usually found. It's also handy when it comes to an ever-changing river and for finding camping spots. You can also see rapids ahead of time. The 66S is one of the few models that still accepts AA batteries which is still the most reliable and safest way to go. 
Anker Powercore 10000 Charger This is probably the best brand for chargers. Being that I use AA batteries for the GPS I'm free to use the charger for charging Go Pro and Fuji camera batteries or for an MP3 player or my old Galaxy phone which I use for playing movies at night in the hammock. 
Olight AAA Flashlight I am personally not a fan of big, heavy and powerful flashlights. I'd rather bring 3 AAAs for the same weight of one AA or larger flashlight. With a AAA setup I get 2 backups and dimmer light which feels more natural and less intrusive. If I want it brighter I'll rubber band 2 or more together. 
Lumintop AAA Flashlight Lumintop is another dependable brand for a AAA flashlight. This one is also IPX8 waterproof and comes with a little carabiner. 
Bushman Mosquito Repellent At 80% DEET this stuff does the trick. That's all there is to it. Make sure you buy good quality repellent with at least 40% DEET BEFORE you come to the Amazon because we don't have anything with DEET. Peru only offers a "floral" mixture which doesn't work very well especially when it comes to No-See-Ums. 
Aluminum Folding Chair This is the lightest breakdown stool I've found yet. For the weight and packability it's like it's not even there. After days of physical work around different campsites it becomes a necessity. It's also crucial to stay off the jungle floor. 
DD Hammocks Superlight Tarp 490 grams is pretty light for any shelter. Throw in a couple of carbon poles and a thin plastic big enough for your sleeping pad and bag and you're done. In buggy subtropical areas between mountain passes I'll bring a generic cocoon style hammock bug net and set it up between poles laying on the ground. For solo trips this is my only shelter which doubles over as a bike shelter. 
Klymit Inertia X Frame Pad Compared to other full size pads Klymit really cuts down on weight. The air pockets also help with keeping in heat whether you put the pad underneath or inside your sleeping bag. I've never had a problem with leaking and prefer not to pump it up with the included hand pump or it can get too stiff. 
Patagonia Down Sweater This find is really lightweight and packable into its own stuff sack which doubles over as an inside jacket pocket. I don't know why it's called a "sweater" unless it's referring to a lack of water resistance. This is where you'll need some kind of a shell such as the North Face "Jungle Jacket" rain jacket. 
Minus 33 Merino-wool Beanie Minus 33 specializes in Merino-wool clothing and offers various options from socks to base layers. This beanie folds up to the size of a sock but gets pretty warm. 
Minus 33 Merino-wool Base Layer Top Minus 33s base layers work as either in addition to a shell or inside your sleeping bag for those extra cold Andean nights. 
Minus 33 Merino-wool Base Layer Bottom Bottoms like these in conjunction with a down sleeping bag means the cold can't bite through both layers. I use the bottoms strictly for at night and for cold mornings while I'm waiting for the sun to hit me. 
Ortis Merino-Wool Socks Before I had good cold weather socks I'd have to layer up 3 different pairs of regular socks. You can imagine by the time I got to the third pair it became difficult to get them on. This pair of socks does the work of 3 and they are fast-drying. 
Dry Bags Dry bags! We have lots of high quality PVC dry bags, enough to fit and make sure your equipment stays dry and safe. We have both "Baja" and "Backpack" style Sealline bags from 5 liters up to 120 liters.