Four Pieces of Useful Boat Gear (no one notices)

There are, literally, hundreds of products we have aboard Barefoot Gal that we love and I’ve written about many of them. Four, however, stand out as being pretty much unnoticed by anyone coming aboard, and yet they make our life aboard so much better.

Useful Boat Gear

Victron Battery Monitor. Knowing exactly how much power we do or don’t have reduces all the stress associated with living off batteries and solar power. We like the Victron for its ease of installation and good price. Read more about the monitor here (purchase links also) and learn exactly what it’s telling you here.
Mantus Headlamp. Headlamps are great for focused hands-free light when working on a project. And let’s face it, there are a number of times when you need to see into a dark place while working on a boat. We’ve used a number of different headlamps over the years, and the Mantus is hands down the best although it’s also by far the most expensive we’ve bought. The light is bright, it doesn’t slip, the battery life is good, and there is no proprietary charging cord (it’s a USB-C). The fact that it’s waterproof makes it perfect for using on deck too, no matter what the weather. We love them so much that I just bought a second one! See them here.
Nature Pure (Seagull) Water Filter. We just never, ever have bad tasting water and I know it’s safe to drink. Again, the Seagull/Nature Pure isn’t the cheapest option but it’s bulletproof. We had one on our first boat and really missed it when we moved aboard Barefoot Gal, so we installed one. Read more about options for water filtering.
Good Thermos. A good stainless steel, vacuum insulated Thermos (Amazon) is one of my must-haves. Actually, I have two: one for coffee and one for making yogurt. They retain head so well and there is no variation according to the outside temperature, which gives consistent results for my yogurt-making. My recommended coffee Thermoses and yogurt Thermos.