This one is for those who want to stay comfortable and feel good while being out in the field for extended periods of time. By “extended,” I generally mean three to four weeks or more.

In fact, this article has nothing to do with film equipment — I’ll cover that in a separate piece, which I’ll link here once it’s published.

Instead, I want to share some thoughts on how to keep your spirits up when facing unusual situations. In my case, that was the 2023 Svalbard expedition, during which we spent six weeks in the Arctic, skiing roughly 700 kilometers across the island.

On day 37 — just one day before reaching the northernmost point of Spitsbergen and thus our geographical goal — I sat down for about an hour and wrote down everything that felt valuable in that moment, as well as everything I wished I had. I can’t thank my past self enough for this exercise, as that list has since become a valuable reference for every trip I’ve taken.

I’ll use this list as a starting point when thinking about what to pack. It inspires me, but it also serves as a reminder: even if some items may seem redundant, they were written down by someone who had just spent 37 days in near isolation, with limited supplies — someone who knew very well what was needed and what was missed at the time.

I’d suggest you approach it the same way: treat this as a starting point, take inspiration from it, and adapt it to your own needs and preferences.

Without further ado, here’s my bulletproof expedition packing list: