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Grayl Water Purification Bottle

Merrell Antora 2/Nova 2 GTX Trail Shoe

Gregory Maya 16 Day Pack Royal Robbins Bug Barrier Tech Travel Long Sleeve

I’m a water bottle person. Hydration packs are great, until they leak or you have to refill them. I also don’t like to carry more water than I need for a day hike. The beauty of the Grayl Ultra Press Purifier ($89.94 for the 16.9 oz. version, $99 for the 24 oz.) is that it is a water filter and a bottle all in one. Fill the outer bottle in any stream or lake, press the inner bottle with its built-in carbon filter down and you can fill a 24 oz bottle in about 20 seconds with pure, pathogen-free drinking water. The bottles are not light – 12.5 oz – but they fit in a backpack outer pocket for easy reach on a day hike.

I recently headed to Colorado to do a series of day hikes in the Rockies. For the flight, I packed my Gregory Maya 16L ($109.95) with a 14-inch laptop, books, a Grayl waterbottle (see above) and sweater. Once out there, the Maya took everything I could use for days of fishing high mountain streams (the pole case fits nicely in one of the side pockets and straps in) and hiking to snowfields. support you.” The Maya’s mesh back and 3D foam back panel keep the air flowing and your back cool and the Biosync adjustable harness and micro adjustments on the shoulder straps are easily adjusted when the load gets heavier. The stretchy outer pocket is optimal for quick-stashing a light rain jacket and a top inner zippered pocket for storing a phone or keys. There’s also a hydration sleeve and ample pockets on the waist band. I currently have two of these packs – one’s ripped from overuse – and may invest in a third. Note that the men’s version of this (and they are designed to fit differently) is the MiWok.

Just before I headed off on that trip to Colorado, GORE-TEX sent over a pair or Merrell Antora 2/Nova GTX ($120, men’s is the Nova) hiking shoes to test. I usually don’t like to take an untested pair of shoes on a hiking trip (I have perennial foot problems and a Morton’s neuroma that acts up). But I threw them in with a pair of tried-andtested Oboz boots. I wore the Antora 2s on the first day, and the next and the next. After a week of hiking through streams and marshy areas, across scree and old snowpack, these shoes kept my feet dry thanks to GORE-TEX’s Invisible Fit waterproof, windproof membrane. The membrane is used by a number of shoe brands now and for good reason: It works. The Antora 2s with an option for wide-sizing, a midsole that has EVA foam and a 8.5 mm heel-to-toe drop is one of the most comfortable trail shoes I’ve worn. They are going everywhere with me from now on.

The Royal Robbins Bug Barrier Tech Travel ($60) is long-sleeve, light-weight, wicking, bug-proof shirt that has become my go-to shirt for hiking, traveling or just hanging out in the back yard. It’s soft, breathable and the polyester fabric with the patented Insect Shield not only protects against bugs but also has a UV 50 rating. Throw a flannel shirt over it for a bit more protection from snares if you are bushwhacking. On top of that, it’s tailored so you can wear it out with a skirt. The shirts come in men’s and women’s models, and there's a line of Bug Barrier pants, too.