7. SteriPEN AdventurerOpti — This water purifier pen zaps viruses, bacteria and protozoa such as giardia and cryptosporidium with ultra-violet light. Press the button, dip the lamp into your drink, and wait 90 seconds to purify. Presto! Clean water at the ready to drink. $99, www.steripen.com. GearJunkie product review: www.gearjunkie.com/steripen-adventureropti.
8. Suunto Vector HR — On my wrist all year long, the Vector HR provides altitude, barometer, clock, compass, and heart-rate monitor functions without a blink. Bomber construction. Reliable functionality. A crucial tool in the outdoors. One caveat: Its alarm is too quiet, and you might oversleep! $329, www.suunto.com. GearJunkie product review: www.gearjunkie.com/tech-watches-suunto-timex.
9. Saucony ProGrid Kinvara — For training days and road running, the light, fast and fun Kinvara shoes have risen to the top in my closet. The “barefoot”-style shoe has mesh uppers and a unique outsole that’s skimmed down to just the essentials, including an exposed mold of EVA foam dotted with triangles of durable rubber. On my scale, the Kinvara weigh a scant 9.3 ounces per shoe (in men’s size 13). From my review: “This lightweight shoe with built-in support rides a thin line between speed and support, a place where daily training and race-speed minimalism can finally meet up.” True dat! $90, www.saucony.com. GearJunkie product review: www.gearjunkie.com/saucony-progrid-kinvara.
10. Giro Prolight — As seen in the Tour de France, the Prolight lives up to its name: The helmet weighs a mere 6.8 ounces! (That’s the approx. weight of an average banana, for comparison.) Fit is low-profile and tight. Airways and 25 vents keep your head cool as you ride. I like the no-fuss adjustment system and the sleek fit. Perfect for daily use as well as race-day performance to boot! $200, www.giro.com. GearJunkie product review: www.gearjunkie.com/giro-prolight-helmet.
—Stephen Regenold writes about outdoors gear at www.gearjunkie.com.
