SUBSCRIBE | NEWSLETTERS | MAPS | VIDEOS | BLOGS | MARKETPLACE | CONTESTS
TRY BACKPACKER FREE!
SUBSCRIBE NOW and get
2 Free Issues and 3 Free Gifts!
Full Name:
Address 1:
Address 2:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Email: (required)
If I like it and decide to continue, I'll pay just $12.00, and receive a full one-year subscription (9 issues in all), a 73% savings off the newsstand price! If for any reason I decide not to continue, I'll write "cancel" on the invoice and owe nothing.
Your subscription includes 3 FREE downloadable booklets.
Or click here to pay now and get 2 extra issues
Offer valid in US only.
Canadian Subscriptions | International Subscriptions
CLOSE WINDOW

BACKPACKER PHOTOS

Email this page RSS feed
User rating:
-
Digg Delicious Yahoo Facebook Reddit StumbleUpon Google Newsvine Facebook Twitter

Gear Roundup: Tiny Gear

Good things DO come in small packages, and these little widgets are too useful to leave at home in the gear closet.
Text and photos by Allison Woods
«
  • So small, yet so effective! With the Brunton Echo Pocket Scope, a 7 x 18 monocular, I spotted a juvenile bald eagle (thankfully the bright orange hue made it easy to find in camp). Bonus: tiny cleaning cloth, and great optics for the price.
  • It also comes with a wrist strap and handy pouch, seen here, attached to my pack's shoulder harness for quick access. <br><b>The Specs:</b> Brunton Echo Pocket Scope, $34, 1.6 oz., comes in 3 colors, plus black, bruntonoutdoor.com
  • MontBell's Crushable Lantern Shade slips over any headlamp and converts it to a lantern. The white ripstop fabric and bottom reflector kick out enough light for a quiet read on a stormy night. Grab your copy of <i>The Help</i> and batten down the hatches.
  • Be careful not to lose this little gem; the slightest breath of wind and it's gone. <br><b>The Specs:</b> MontBell Crushable Lantern Shade<br> $14 <br>0.18 oz.<br> montbell.us
  • Nite Ize Gear Ties are like twist-ties on steroids (green tie pictured above). Get the 3" and 6" lengths for most versatility. <br><b>The Specs:</b> Nite Ize Gear Ties<br> $4-8, 2-and 4-packs, depending on size<Br> 3" .04 oz., 6" .1 oz.<br> niteize.com
  • The Vapur Element is a collapsible BPA-free bottle with a carabiner clip, flip-top/threaded lid, and an antimicrobial liner for a flavor-free drinking experience. Empty, it rolls up to candy bar size and weighs way less than standard bottles.
  • Clean it like you'd clean a Camelbak--fill with water, drop in a denture cleaning tablet, fizz, rinse. Two sizes: .7L and 1L.<Br> <b>The Specs:</b><br> Vapur .7L Element<b> $12<br> 1.5 oz.<br> .7 liters/23 oz. capacity <br>vapur.us
  • The Outdoor Research Ultra Trail Gaiters kept dirt, and mud off of my socks and shoes on a chilly spring romp on Washington's famously damp Olympic Peninsula. Double hooks up front and a drawcord top made them stay put.
  • Included adhesive Velcro sticks firm to the back of your trail runners. The stretch-woven Cordura fabric fits close, so go up a size for the best fit. <br><b>The Specs:</b> OR Ultra Trail Gaiters, $45, 2.7 oz., Unisex medium/large, orgear.com
  • Sea to Summit's Ultra-Sil daypack gobbles gear like a hungry climber at a Vegas buffet. It's great for summit days with the Ten Essentials, plus it doubles as a stuffsack for your sleeping bag. Has: A roll-top packbag. Lacks: A sternum strap.
  • The siliconized nylon packbag sheds water and wears like iron. But I'd trade the lacing system for a mesh water bottle pocket. <br><B>The Specs:</b> Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Daypack, $55, 3.2 oz., 22 liters/1343 cubic inches, One size, seatosummit.com
>
»
So small, yet so effective! With the Brunton Echo Pocket Scope, a 7 x 18 monocular, I spotted a juvenile bald eagle (thankfully the bright orange hue made it easy to find in camp). Bonus: tiny cleaning cloth, and great optics for the price.
Image 1 of 11

So small, yet so effective! With the Brunton Echo Pocket Scope, a 7 x 18 monocular, I spotted a juvenile bald eagle (thankfully the bright orange hue made it easy to find in camp). Bonus: tiny cleaning cloth, and great optics for the price.

READERS COMMENTS

Page 1

Very cool. One addition I would like to see is a lightweight filter, like the LifeStraw. It's listed here, among others: http://eartheasy.com/lifestraw
— Mike

If you're going for a stowaway backpack, skip the uber-sil expense and go for one that costs less and has outside pockets since you'll *always* be using these for sightseeing/picnics/raingear+snacks/kid implements etc. Our favorites are the REI Stuff Travel Pack (sturdy and water resistant) or the Hammock Bliss Daypack but there are many others.
— Scott

Does anybody else notice how consistently slowly the Backpacker.com site loads? Makes sitting and waiting for slideshows, etc. kind of maddening.
— Dave


POST A COMMENT

Your Name:
Comment:
My Profile Join Now

Most recent threads

Gear
Best Pillow
Posted On: May 21, 2013
Submitted By: GottaGamble
Gear
Newbie thinking about getting into backpacking!
Posted On: May 21, 2013
Submitted By: 92hatchattack

Most viewed Most emailed Top Rated

  1. Lighten Your Tent by 22 Ounces

    Six easy ways to lighten your tent load.

  2. How to Fit a Week's Gear into a Weekend Pack

    Don't own a massive pack for your big annual adventure? Here's how to make it ...

  3. How to Make a Survival Bracelet

    In an emergency, you can use paracord for lashings, tourniquets, shoelaces, ...

  1. Hiking to Grand Canyon's Royal Arch

    Join photographer Elias Butler on this trek to one of the Grand Canyon's hidden ...

  2. How to Make a Survival Bracelet

    In an emergency, you can use paracord for lashings, tourniquets, shoelaces, ...

  3. 2010 Reader Photo Contest

    Your best shots: BACKPACKER readers have been to some spectacular places and ...

TIP 20: Drink-Up High

At higher elevations, your blood releases water to carry more oxygen–so hydrate often when hiking above 8,000 feet.

Special sections - Expert handbooks for key trails, techniques and gear

Editors' Choice 2013
412 trail-tested products

Boost Your Apps
Add powerful tools and exclusive maps to your BACKPACKER apps through our partnership with Trimble Outdoors.

Carry the Best Maps
With BACKPACKER PRO Maps, get life-list destinations and local trips on adventure-ready waterproof myTopo paper.

FREE Rocky Mountain Trip Planner
Sign up for a free Rocky Mountain National Park trip planning kit from our sister site MyRockyMountainPark.com.

Follow BackpackerMag on Twitter Follow Backpacker on Facebook
Get 2 FREE Trial Issues and 3 FREE GIFTS
Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
The Best Trails in America
YES! Please send me my FREE trial issues of Backpacker
and my 3 FREE downloadable booklets.
Full Name:
City:
Address 1:
Zip Code:
State:
Address 2:
Email (required):
Free trial offer valid for US subscribers only. Canadian subscriptions | International subscriptions