REI and I became best friends before Iceland.

My clothing layer system works (thank you, AI, for the recommendations). My sleeping bag was cozy, and my tent was small but warm. My new Gore-tex trail shoes kept my feet dry. And my rain pants were the best purchase I made. I hiked farther than I expected and drove 30 KMs on a gravel road along the side of a mountain.

I wasn’t always comfortable, but Iceland taught me that I was more capable and better prepared than I thought.

Photo: I stayed dry even if my glasses didn’t.