It's an interesting read, maybe a little too hipster for my taste.

Having done my share of backpacking as a 20-something I always adapted my gear to the situation at hand. Mr Brinlee has done the same - his gear is heavy on electronic gadgets and photography, because that is what he does. Someone planning to spend even more time outdoors, doing lots of outdoor camping etc. would be well advised to bring more basic kit and tools IMHO.