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EDITORS' CHOICE AWARDS 2009: THE BEST NEW GEAR
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Backpacker Magazine – April 2009
Get This Gear: Essentials From A to Z
We tested more than 500 products–stoves, clothes, cameras, filters, tech tools, knives, and meals–to find these proven performers.
D
Dessert
Add water. Stir. Wait two minutes. Devour Cache Lake's Lemon Cream Pudding. Lick bowl clean. $3; serves 2; cachelake.com
Dog gear 
BOWL Guyot Designs' Squishy Bowl Pet is the dog version of the mashable, packable people bowl that earned Editors' Choice honors in 2007 (April). It's made of food-grade silicone, sits without spilling, and has rounded edges for easy cleaning. $10 to $20; 3 sizes; guyotdesigns.com
LEASH Ruffwear's Just-a-Cinch system auto-tightens when your dog charges that tempting squirrel; soon he'll learn to heel rather than yank. The 10mm climbing rope will last a lifetime, the webbing handle is comfortable, and a friction device prevents the collar from over-loosening. $20; ruffwear.com
PACK Here's a smart way to go ultralight: Let your dog carry his share. Ruffwear's Palisades is built with durable materials, and the load stays balanced, thanks to load-compression straps and onboard 1-liter water bladders that you can use to fine-tune weight distribution. Capacity (up to 1,098 cubic inches) is perfect for a weekend. $100; 3 sizes; ruffwear.com
Dutch oven
Iron Chef, move over. Nothing beats the Lodge Logic Camp Dutch Oven for gourmet campground cooking. Make a roast sirloin, lasagna, or a pineapple upside-down cake–and earn undying gratitude from family and friends. $40-$175 (depending on size); lodgemfg.com
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READERS COMMENTS
Are you kidding me with the $30 chopsticks?? I thought this magazine was about appreciating outdoors, not marketing a bunch of needless crap.
Posted: Nov 13, 2009 Shane
I use the nite ize s biner as a key chaine. I hook it to my belt loop. Numeros times my keys have fallen off. I usually can hear the sound of keys hitting the ground. On a recent end of Fly fishing adventure. I turned the car around to do a final check for any forgoten equipment. The metalic reflection came from the ground. I got out and there was the nite Ize S-biner. BackPacker Editors award and all. Spring not strong enough!
Posted: May 27, 2009 Lost Keys
How many backpackers do you know that carry $600 binoculars? Get real.
Posted: May 16, 2009 dropkick
I'm really surprised to see MSR's quick 2 system at the same time that GSI's dualist system is not mentioned yet it has the 2008 editor's choice and lighter than MSR's. This really makes me question the credibility of the whole backpacker's site that I have always had it as a flagship.
Posted: May 14, 2009 AN
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