SURE, IT'S NICE WHEN the pooch joins you on an overnighter, but having him stomp around your tent after rolling in fresh elk scat? Suddenly Man's Best Friend becomes Your Worst Nightmare. Next time, set him up with Ruff Wear's MUTT HUTT, a new freestanding four-pound dome tent designed specifically for dogs. Its sturdy fiberglass poles unfold like an umbrella's and secure, via a tent-top fastener, with a satisfying snap. The door's elasticized, overlapping nylon panels seal out rain, wind, and roaming bears, while allowing Mr. Mudlover to move in and out with ease. Guy down the rain fly and you've got a North Pole-worthy warren. ($88, small; $98, large; 888-783-3932, www.ruffwear.com) —Nick Heil
(Photograph by Chris Bartlett)
A DIGITAL CARABINER? Well, no, but the ALTITECH, High Gear's new eight-mode backcountry computer, is useful for other things, such as divulging altitude, heading, temperature, and time. Once clipped to a belt loop or a backpack daisy chain, the onboard barometer offers—via large, reader-friendly digits—both accumulated altitude over a long day hike and a sense of whether that storm is rolling in or out. It may also be the ultimate skiing accessory: Not only is the AltiTech moisture-friendly (it's water-resistant to 100 feet), it's sure to impress your mates on the lift. ($140; 888-295-4949, www.highgearusa.com) —James Glave
(Photograph by Chris Bartlett)
OH, THOSE SWISS! They're always coming up with elegant, efficient solutions to age-old problems. In this case, the crux is agua, and how best to tote it around. Enter the new SIGG TRAVELER WATER BOTTLE, a sleek and durable—though easily dinged—aluminum canister lined with a nonreactive coating that resists the funky odors that have retired many a hydration bladder. Trick it out with the optional Jogger's Belt waist pack and HydroTube with bite valve, and you're sippin' on the run. One caveat: Your shiny new Sigg resembles a fuel bottle. When arriving, exhausted and thirsty, at a dark campsite, take care not to mistake one for the other. (As shown: $42; 800-253-3974, www.sigg.ch/english) —Tim Sohn
