Published April 4, 2012 01:01AM
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.
'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…'
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.
The Specs: Brunton Echo Pocket Scope, $34, 1.6 oz., comes in 3 colors, plus black, bruntonoutdoor.com
Be careful not to lose this little gem; the slightest breath of wind and it’s gone.
The Specs: MontBell Crushable Lantern Shade
$14
0.18 oz.
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.
The Specs: Nite Ize Gear Ties
$4-8, 2-and 4-packs, depending on size
3″ .04 oz., 6″ .1 oz.
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.
The Specs:
Vapur .7L Element $12
1.5 oz.
.7 liters/23 oz. capacity
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.
The Specs: 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.
The Specs: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Daypack, $55, 3.2 oz., 22 liters/1343 cubic inches, One size, seatosummit.com
Text and photos by Allison Woods