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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