Gear Picks of the Year for Six Environments:
Desert | Forest | Mountain | Road Trip | Snow | Water
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Best of Adventure: Forest - Gear | Trend | Destination
1. The Overnight Pack
Editor's Pick: Best Value
Gregory Z 55
At three and a half pounds and 3,350 cubic inches (54,897 cubic centimeters), the tough, top-loading Z 55 ($189; www.gregorypacks.com) is the smartest, most versatile pack out there. Take it for a single night or the whole Pacific Crest Trail. |
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2. The Light Hiker
Asolo Contour XCR
No piece of trail footwear is more essential than the light hiker, and no light hiker is more essential than the Contour XCR ($120; www.asolo.com). A Gore-Tex membrane, an aggressive tread, and an incredibly well-designed midsole place this shoe in best in breed.
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3. The Tent
Sierra Designs Asp
"Fast and light" too often means "small and tight," but not with the two-person, three-season Asp ($319; www.sierradesigns.com). At 34 square feet (3 square meters), backpacking tents rarely come this livable and spacious—not under five pounds (2 kilograms), anyway. Near-vertical mesh walls lend a palatial, airy feel, and dual doors boost your sense of freedom.
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4. The Field Camera
Editor's Pick: Best Innovation
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N2 and Sony GPS-CS1
Find that waterfall again? Pair the ten-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-N2 ($450; www.sony.com) with the wireless GPS-CS1 data logger ($150) and you'll link GPS points to every shot you take.
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5. The Sticks
Snow Peak Chopsticks
Nothing dresses up backcountry ramen like the unpretentiously named Chopsticks ($20; www.snowpeak.com), which feature white ash bottoms that slide into hollow stainless steel tops. At one ounce a pair, they're light enough to take on your thru-hike.
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6. The Flashlight
SureFire Kroma
Is this thing legal? The Kroma ($299; www.surefire.com) is like a pocket laser: The five-ounce (142-gram) torch pumps out 50 blazing lumens, has additional red and blue beams, and is virtually indestructible. Battery time is a bleak 90 minutes on high but lasts a strong eight hours on low.
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7. The Softshell
Editor's Pick: Best Comfort
Marmot Gravity
With a market awash in cheap softshells, what makes one stand out? The details: Velcro cuffs, a microfleece collar, and a water-repellent finish that won't wash away. They're all in the Gravity ($160; www.marmot.com), the best we found. |
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Photographs, from top: Courtesy of Gregory; Courtesy of Asolo; Courtesy of Sierra Designs; James Westman; Courtesy of Snow Peak; Courtesy of Kroma; James Westman
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