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.

by: The Backpacker Editors, Courtesy Photos

H
Hammock Get a perfectly comfortable–and remarkably flat–night of sleep in the easy-to-sling Eureka Chrysalis. It's heavy for a solo shelter, but the most restful hammock we've used. $200; 4 lbs. 15 oz.; eurekatent.com

Hand sanitizer
Wisconsin Pharmacal's Pocketpak Spray Pen is slimmer than a Sharpie and slides into the smallest pockets. The pump top delivers a quick-dry mist that kills 99.9 percent of germs, and it won't freeze. $3; 0.4 oz.; atwater-carey.com

Hat
COLD Get a softshell beanie that scrunches down to baseball-size but offers the warmth and windproofness of a much burlier, bulkier dome. Cloudveil's Rayzar, made from water-resistant yet breathable Schoeller WB-400 fabric with a fuzzy fleece lining, kept one tester comfy on a winter Grand Canyon trip when lows dipped into the 30s and winds hit 25 mph. $40; 2 oz.; cloudveil.com

RAIN Outdoor Research's Coastal Sombrero is an updated version of the classic Seattle Sombrero (Editors' Choice Gold Award, 4/05). Think of it like an umbrella for your head–made with Gore-Tex Paclite and a four-inch stiffened brim. An elastic cinch battens the hat down against wind. $50; 3 oz.; outdoorresearch.com

SUN Beat the heat with Royal Robbins's Extreme Expedition Hat, made from breathable, fast-dry Coolmax. "The Lawrence of Arabia neck protected my ears and neck from UV on long, shadeless days," said one Southwest tester. Fashion note: The shield snaps off for use in non-desert-dork mode. $20; 2 oz.; royalrobbins.com

Headlamp
Ultralight The featherweight Princeton Tec Scout has three brightness levels, two flasher speeds, enough battery life for all-night epics, and a can't-be-beat price. Downside: It takes four 2032 lithium coin-cell batteries, which are pricy. $20; 1.6 oz.; princetontec.com

Ultra-versatile Mammut's X-Zoom sets a new standard for do-it-all headlamps, with the ability to adjust for every lighting need from camp chores to midnight navigation. The versatile performance earned it an Editors' Choice Award this year. See page 33. $100; 7.3 oz.; mammut.com

Headphones
Cellpoint's Flamingo Music Active Lifestyle Headset delivers clear high tones and rich bass. The customizable in-ear clips are much more comfortable and secure than ear buds. $50; 1 oz.; cellpoint.com

Heat packs
We reheat (or prevent) numb digits with Grabber Hand Warmers. They produce up to 10 hours of warmth and come in a boot version. Like duct tape, they have many uses–boosting stove-canister performance, keeping water bottles from freezing in extreme cold, drying wet boots and gloves, warming sleeping bags, and thawing everything from frozen bite valves to car locks. $2 per pair; warmers.com

Helmet
Our tester said the new Petzl Altios is "the most comfortable brain bucket" he'd worn in years. The key? Soft, wicking microfiber covers scalp contact points, and a trampolinelike net keeps the helmet floating above your head. Sizing adjustments are a cinch with the large rubberized dial. $80; 11 oz.; petzl.com

Hydration bladder
CamelBak's 100-ounce Omega reservoir is virtually indestructible (for proof, go to backpacker.com/smackdown), never leaks, resists hydration-system funk, and has an easy on/off bite valve. $30; camelbak.com