When you scout properties for a living, you never know where you will find yourself. The chilly peaks of the Andes Mountains, the sweltering jungles of Costa Rica, or the tropical islands of Panama. What you can count on is the unpredictable; I have got my car stuck in a river, had engine failure while out at sea, and experienced short horseback rides that turn into all day affairs. Whatever the situation, the last thing you need is unreliable gear.

Here’s a list of the gear I’ve found absolutely invaluable during my time in Central America and beyond.

1. Go Pro Camera

Bombproof, this camera is super tough and when you purchase some of the accessories like the waterproof case it becomes a tough multi-functional tool. You can use it on a spear fishing trip or strap it to a helicopter to get a bird’s eye view of a real estate project. We attached two of them to our car on a scouting trip to Ecuador and shot 40 hours of footage.

Go Pro’s Hero cam is efficient and a real workhorse. The downside is that it can be difficult to figure out their two button system for commands and there is no way of seeing what you are currently shooting; battery life is not the best either, but the benefits outweigh the limitations. Note: I have not tested the Go Pro 3 yet, so usability could be improved in the new model.

Photo Credit: GoPro by Hero

2. Canon 7D L Series 24mm-105mm and Lens

Great images when coupled with this handy wide angle lens. Even with the crop factor, because of the smaller sensor, I can get the images we need for any use. The video is also good and has influenced my shooting style by allowing me to get images and video clips quickly. The body is tough; from rain, to mud, to bumps, the camera still works flawlessly.

I like to be as light as possible when I am out scouting and exploring; I am not a dedicated photographer, but we need good pictures, so the zoom lens works perfectly for me.

Photo Credit: Faran Grakthaia via Flickr

3. Pants

Gi III. My favorite pants by far, when you are scouting you are walking through jungles, cow fields, rivers, beaches, etc. These pants can get wet, are tough, and dry quickly. It’s important to be comfortable when you are hiking in the jungle all day looking at a 500 acre farm. When your day consists of riding a horse, hiking mountains, crossing rivers, and hopping barbed wire fences, you don’t want to slowed down by being uncomfortable. The adjustable belt allows you change up tension as necessary, like when you have batteries and lens caps in your pockets.

Photo Credit: Patagonia

4. Shirt

I borrowed one of these shirts and it showed me what I had been missing. Usually I rely on the Exofficio brand for my shirts; they are great, but they are also very hot. The Patagonia version has short sleeves which is not very good when you’re stuck in the sun on small boat scouting a coastline. Any exposed skin gets singed by the hot sun. Also when you are in the jungle, bugs can feast on you with short sleeves.

Bonus: These shirts and the pants are easy to clean with a water source and Dr. Bonners soap. When you are on the road for 14 days in a row it can be hard to do laundry; no problem if you have a sink and soap.

Photo Credit: Patagonia

5. Shoes

I have gone through so many pairs of shoes that I don’t have a specific recommendation, the truth is I haven’t yet found a shoe that blends breathe-ability with toughness. Shoes get shredded in this environment from the humidity to barbed wire fences, to trees like the Achote that are literally barbed.

I do have a good piece of advice, don’t get any thing that is open, like the currently popular Amphibious models. If you are scouting land you will be walking through the jungle and or cow fields, both of which have ants, and if you step on an ants’ nest with open shoes you will be very sorry. Also ticks and other jungle critters can get you. If you are just vacationing and not jungle trekking the amphibious models are a great choice.

Photo Credit: Jungle Boots.org

6. Flops

After a tough day in the jungle, I usually take off my boots and socks and switch up to my favorite flip flops. I have owned so many pairs of these it’s amazing. Rainbow have consistently proven to be the longest lasting in this environment, but they get really slippery when it rains. This is treacherous in rainy season, they feel like you are walking on grease, making it very difficult to not slide around, not to mention dangerous.

I recently picked up a pair of the hemp rainbow sandals (I know they are hippy dippy) and have been really happy. They have a layer of hemp across the footbed of the shoe, which helps tremendously with water, plus they have been built by Rainbow which means they are solid and have a great warranty.

Photo Credit: Flickr

7. Laptop

Apple Macbook Pro 15 inch. Great computer, but not really very tough. I am constantly fixing things on my laptop; I am not sure if it has trouble with the dusty environment I live in or bumps on the road, or humidity, all of which are bad for laptops. I think the quality of Apple products has been on a downward slide. I am currently trying to get out of the Apple eco system, but have not found a worthy alternative just yet.

Photo Credit: Flickr

8. Phone Nexus 4

My view on technology right now is that I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on hardware. The reason is, things happen, freak rain storms drown your stuff, things fall out of your bag, humidity, dirty hands, dirty power, etc. Nothing really lasts in this region so why spend money on it.

The Nexus 4 is perfect for here in that it is cheap and functional, now if I can get the same value from my laptop. GPS works well enough to mark trails, roads, boundary lines, pretty amazing actually.

Photo Credit: Nexus

9. Backpack

The Osprey Atmos 50 is a great pack, I will probably get another one when this one finally dies. Throwing it into the storage compartment under the bus, bouncing around in the back of the pickup, or just standing in the corner of the Mango Bay Villa, this pack handles it all.

It isn’t waterproof, but other than that, the pocket arrangement, main compartments and materials are smartly designed to create a quality reliable pack. I usually don’t hike much with these packs, I use it more for short little trips, and when used in this capacity it’s really comfortable.

Photo Credit: Osprey

10. Day Pack

I have had this pack for 3 years, which is amazing, I use it all the time and everything has worked well until recently. The bottom zipper has become corroded, the weather in this region is brutal on zippers. I have lost several pair of surf trunks due to zipper corrosion. The layout of the pack for carrying a SLR, laptop, phone, and all the necessary accessories works really well for me. The internal frame also helps keep the load balanced and feel solid. I sprung for waterproof bags that I keep in the pack in case I get surprised by the rain, more cost-efficient than buying waterproof packs.

Photo Credit: Campist

Do you have a favorite gear item? Leave us a comment below so we can add it to our list.