TOWEL Sea to Summit Pocket Towel The antithesis of the tarp-size palm-and-sunset beach blanket, Sea to Summit's 16" x 32" Pocket Towel packs down to the size of a baseball. Made of a silky synthetic microfiber, it weighs 1.5 oz but drinks like a sailor, absorbing 3 times its weight in water. [$15-$23; seatosummit.com]
TRAVEL PANTS Patagonia Continental Zip-Offs Patagonia Continental Zip-Offs Ounce for ounce, Patagonia's lightweight Continental Zip-Off Pants are one of the most versatile pieces of travel clothing you'll ever own. Made from a quick-drying, wrinkle-resistant, and water-repellent nylon-polyester blend, they weigh 15.5 oz (25 percent less than your average pair of jeans). Unzip the lower half of the legs when the sun comes out, and the Continentals fall just below the knees -- far more desirable than the mid-thigh, nerd-on-safari look. [$88; patagonia.com]
BACKPACK Arc'teryx Naos 55 A shell will keep your body dry during a rainstorm, but forget to line your pack with plastic and you'll quickly learn the misery of wet clothing. By constructing its Naos 55 out of waterproof fabrics and zippers and fitting it with a drybag-style rolltop design, Arc'teryx lets your gear endure storms of biblical proportions. While most expedition packs run about 5,000 cu in, at 3,420, the Naos 55 requires deft packing and a light-is-right ethos to make the most of a multiday trip. But the reward is Arc'teryx's typically superb design and cutting-edge construction. Oh, and dry socks. [$429; arcteryx.com]
SUNGLASSES Smith Optics Effect Protect your peepers -- and look cool doing it -- with Smith's Effect. The tortoiseshell frames have an eight-base lens curve (six-base being Aviator-style, 10-base being buglike) making for a full-wrap design that allows virtually no light seepage. The polarized copper lenses also minimize eye-cooking glare and have a slight mirror that hides your wandering gaze. [$139; www.smithoptics.com]
KNIFE Leatherman Locking Liner e307x A trusty pocketknife is essential for most any type of travel. Built around a modest 2.8-in serrated stainless steel blade, Leatherman's Locking Liner e307x comes equipped with a flip-out screwdriver and six tips, plus a carabiner for securing the knife to your belt loop or backpack. And, at the end of the day, the carabiner doubles as a bottle opener for impromptu toasting around the campfire. [$86; www.leatherman.com]
INFLATABLE KAYAK Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame Exploring a new destination by water provides one-of-a-kind access most tourists never have a chance to experience. But there's a reason more people don't do it: Traveling with a touring kayak is a logistical nightmare. (For starters, try finding an airport taxi with a roof rack.) That's why we're so fond of the Advanced Elements AdvancedFrame inflatable kayak. The 10-foot-5-in-long, 36-lb kayak fits inside its own suitcase-size bag, takes just five minutes to inflate, and provides a remarkably high level of paddling performance. [$399; advancedelements.com]
SANDALS Keen Boulder Rocks have a funny way of stubbing your toes while you're wearing sandals, so Keen added some much-needed protection to the category three years back, when it designed a rubber toe bumper. The 11.6-oz Boulder, with its aggressive outsole and breezy upper, easily makes the transition from trailbed to riverbed. [$90; keenfootwear.com]
COMPASS Suunto MC-2G Global Navigator Call us traditionalists: We love GPS, but we still pack a compass. Unlike other models, Suunto's liquid-filled MC-2G works in all five magnetic zones -- i.e., anywhere on planet earth. The secret: The magnet functions independently of the steel needle. [$75; www.suunto.com]
HYDRATION PACK CamelBak Alpine Explorer Most hydration packs lack enough storage for true adventures, but CamelBak gives its Alpine Explorer a generous 1,862 cu in of cargo capacity -- enough for a long day of backcountry travel, even with the gear required for constantly changing weather. The 3-liter reservoir is fitted with CamelBak's unrivaled leak-free bite valve. [$100; camelbak.com]
BUG REPELLENT SUNSCREEN BullFrog Mosquito Coast Applying sunscreen on top of bug repellent can result in an inefficient concoction that can irritate your skin. A two-in-one solution: BullFrog's Mosquito Coast. Recently approved by the EPA, it's a spray-on cocktail of clear, nongreasy waterproof sunscreen (SPF 30) and an insect repellent that keeps bugs at bay for up to 8 hours. Plus, it's DEET-free, so it won't melt watches, sunglasses -- or your skin. [$9; chattem.com]
TENT Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2 For adventures that require you to bring along your own lodging, consider packing the Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2. This three-season, two-man tent has an all-mesh canopy for maximum ventilation and a simple-to-pitch three-pole design. Best of all, it weighs about 4 lbs, which means you can pack more handy trail "accessories"...like that flask of bourbon. [$295; www.mountainhardwear.com]
LIGHTER Windmill Delta Stormproof Aeolus may have lent Ulysses nice breezes, but don't expect the wind god to cooperate when lighting a campfire. Instead, ignite Windmill's Delta Stormproof lighter, which can start your fire in 80-mph winds and uses five O-rings to keep water at bay. [$45; essentialgear.com]
BACKPACKING BOOTS Scarpa ZG65 XCR As hiking boots have evolved, bootmakers have been able to engineer more support into less shoe. Case in point: Scarpa's ZG65 XCRs, which weigh a sturdy 3.8 lbs and are one of the only ankle-high boots on the market to meet Gore-Tex's strict standards for use of its waterproof-breathable XCR membrane. [$139; scarpa.com]
MOBILE STORAGE Kiva Designs Rolling BMR Duffel Those torpedo-shaped growths known as roof boxes practically scream "tourist" -- or, worse, "valuables inside." Another option: Kiva Designs' 8,064-cu-in 36" Rolling BMR Duffel. With its integrated lash system, you can strap it securely to your rig's roof rack, then roll it down upon arrival. A removable cover keeps everything dry. [$270; kivadesigns.com]
THERMOS Stanley Half-Quart An update of a nearly century-old classic, the Stanley Half-Quart thermal bottle has been upgraded with a rustproof stainless steel body and a built-in 8-oz drinking cup. Weighing in at more than a pound, the Half-Quart will take years of abuse -- backed up by Stanley's lifetime guarantee -- and still keep hot drinks hot and cool drinks cool for 24 hours at a time. [$25; stanley-pmi.com]
SLEEPING BAG Sierra Designs Trade Wind Superlight, highly compressible goose down cocooned inside a waterproof-breathable shell means Sierra Designs' new Trade Wind delivers all the advantages of a down bag without the usual get-it-wet-and-you're-screwed caveat. Rated at 15°F, the Trade Wind will take you well into the cold months but, at 2 lbs, 15 oz, won't break your back during summer weekend trips. [$330; sierradesigns.com]
PACKABLE FRISBEE Granite Gear Flyer A super-packable foam disc covered in heavy-duty Cordura fabric, Granite Gear's Flyer might be the perfect time killer. Bust it out while you're waiting for the bus to Budapest or the train to Rome and you'll make friends instantly. [$16; www.granitegear.com]
ALARM CLOCK Oregon Scientific Handheld Weather Forecaster This 2.7-oz alarm clock is the size of a cell phone and measures temperature, humidity, and the barometric trend. You'll get the 12- or 24-hour forecast anywhere in the world you awaken. [$40; www.oregonscientific.com]
STOVE Jetboil Group Cooking System Anyone who's ever tried to coax a simmer out of a clunky, antiquated camp stove will salivate over Jetboil's 21-oz Group Cooking System (GCS), which delivers the BTUs in a lightweight integrated burner/1.5-liter cooking pot that eliminates priming and doubles efficiency. Going solo? Jetboil's 1-liter Personal Cooking System shaves 4 oz off your load. [GCS, $100, PCS, $70; jetboil.com]
SOAP Dr. Bronner's Magic 18-in-1 Peppermint Pure Castile Soap Rather than hauling around a Dopp kit loaded with toiletries, consider minimizing with Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Peppermint Castile Soap. The name says it all: This organic liquid soap can be used as shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, shaving cream, massage oil -- even toothpaste. Note: While the menthol scent will leave fibers and pores minty fresh, you'll probably want to bring along a tube of toothpaste anyway. [$5; drbronner.com]
PERSONAL PLANETARIUM Celestron SkyScout If your knowledge of constellations begins and ends with the Big Dipper, here's hope for your next camping trip: The SkyScout identifies any object in the sky using a combination of GPS technology, internal sensors, and a database with more than 6,000 astronomical destinations. Or you can tell it what you'd like to view and it will point you in the right direction. [$399; celestron.com/skyscout]
TRUNKS Quiksilver Morning Sun Surf trunks like Quiksilver's Morning Sun are standard issue for many a world traveler. But they aren't just for swimming or surfing. Made of lightweight nylon oxford, these trunks dry quickly and wear comfortably in hot and sticky climates. You'll also want a few compartments for your goods, and this pair has two buttoned cargo pockets and a zippered security stash for valuables. [$55; quiksilver.com]
HEADLAMP Black Diamond Spot Headlamps face the unenviable task of trying to excel in two very different categories: They need to be small and light, for easy shlepping, and they must deliver enough shine to find the latrine on a moonless night. At 3 oz (with 3 AAA batteries), and equipped with four LED bulbs (one of which is larger and hyperbright) that can bust through as much as 130 feet of post-midnight dark, Black Diamond's new Spot will help you find your way to and from the can. [$43; blackdiamondequipment.com]
EATING UTENSIL Snow Peak Titanium Spork Part spoon, part fork, Snow Peak's spork does the work of two utensils -- maybe even three, considering the edges are sharp enough to cut vegetables. Crafted of lightweight titanium for durability, this spork will keep you chowing no matter what your travels spill onto your plate. Nor will its teeth snap, the way they do on the plastic sporks you pilfered from Taco Bell. [$9; www.snowpeak.com]
HAT Outdoor Research Element Bucket A classic wide-brimmed bucket hat updated with space-age fabric, the SPF 50+ Outdoor Research Element Bucket does more than just shun the sun. Made with Schoeller's dynamic 3XDRY material, the 2.1-oz hat repels moisture, resists stains, and fights odors, while the Coolmax headband wicks sweat away from your brow. [$30; orgear.com]
BEDDING Cocoon Travel Sheet Don't expect a $5-a-night hostel to have clean sheets. Sliding into Cocoon's Travel Sheet, an ultra-thin sleep sack with a pillow pocket, will ensure a clean bed. Choose from nine materials. [$20-$65; cocoonusa.com]
MOUNTAIN BIKE Scott Nitrous 20 Getting the 41-lb Nitrous uphill isn't easy, but once you're bombing downhill, hold on: With 8 in of suspension travel, the bike eats bumps, boulders -- even picnic tables. [$2,539; scottusa.com]
SURVIVAL KIT Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak One of the smallest things you pack might well be the most important. Adventure Medical Kits' Pocket Survival Pak weighs a mere 3.9 oz, but it's got everything you need when situations take a turn for the worse. For your quarter pound you get a howler whistle, rescue mirror, compass, fire starter, and all the hardware you need (scalpel, fish hooks, safety pins) to do a little spot surgery and keep the vultures from feasting. [$30; adventuremedicalkits.com]
POWER CONVERTER Franzus Auto Adjust Smart Converter Using converters can be like playing roulette: Pick the wrong wattage and -- bzzt! -- you've fried your electric razor. Luckily, the Franzus Auto Adjust Smart Converter takes the guesswork out of conversion by automatically sensing the correct wattage and safely converting 220-volt electricity for use with U.S. electronics. The kit also comes with the five most common adapter plugs, which should cover travel in most foreign countries. [$50; franzus.com]
WATER PURIFIER First Need Deluxe A gallon of water weighs 8.3 lbs; First Need's Deluxe weighs 15 oz. Carry or pump? You do the math. Connect it to your Nalgene or SIGG water bottle to purify nearly 2 quarts per minute while also meeting EPA standards for filtering out germs, viruses, and pesticides. [$95; generalecology.com]
PLAYING CARDS Hoyle's Encyclopedia of Card Games The storm hits, and your campmates rush for the tents. How will you bide your time once you tire of counting the squares in your tent's fabric? Humans have played cards for hundreds of years; the activity will likely get your group through a few hours. Unfortunately "Go Fish" will lose its appeal long before the rain passes. Enter Hoyle's Encyclopedia of Card Games. It will remind you of the familiar (poker variations) and school you in the unfamiliar (Skitgubbe, anyone?). Just don't gamble away your sleeping bag before the weather breaks. [$13; amazon.com]
SHELL L.L. Bean Mountain Storm System Long known for capable but fashion-challenged outerwear, L.L. Bean steps it up with the Mountain Storm. A wispy Gore-Tex Paclite jacket with a zip-in softshell or fleece liner, it'll fend off the worst Ma Nature offers. [jacket, $189, softshell or fleece, $99; llbean.com]
BREWING Tribal Fiber Coffee Filter Mix grounds and hot water and you get "cowboy coffee," a murky, granular sludge with a kick. But if you'd rather not pick grit from your teeth all afternoon, scoop your grounds into Tribal Fiber's hemp coffee filter before adding water. It's made without dyes, chemicals, or bleaches, and because it's reusable, it will last through many a cattle drive. [$4.50; tribalfiber.com]
WATER BOTTLE SIGG Bottles Pressed from a single coaster-size slab of aluminum, a Swiss-made SIGG bottle provides a stylish alternative to plastic. The seamless wall endures drops on gnarly surfaces, such as volcanic rock; even so, we think dings decorate the bottles nicely. Inside there's a baked-on water-based coating that won't chip, crack, or affect the taste of liquids. Choose from 107 styles and 17 lids, all interchangeable. [from $15; www.sigg.ch]

Contributors: Mark Anders, Ben Hewitt, Dan Koeppel, Steve Morgenstern, Joel Weber
Photographs by: Jeff Harris (opener); Michael Pirrocco (all others)
(May 2006)