COOKING ESSENTIALS:

• water filter: a gurgling mountain brook can seem like the picture of innocence until you gulp down a mouthful of water-borne nasties. After all, you don't know if some mountain goat has given up the ghost just upstream. That's why any self-respecting outdoorsman takes to the trail with a water filter or purifier of some description. These things won't break the bank, hardly weigh anything, and are remarkably easy to use. [read water filter reviews here]
• stove and fuel: for some, food and drink is the frame of reference for time well-spent outdoors. A well-brewed cup of joe as you wake or hearty evening meal after many miles on the trail offer their own reward, multiplied exponentially when combined with a mountain view. A lightweight, reliable stove will become your best friend, and the choices out there are fantastic, whether you're tucked up in the Himalayas or overnighting by a quiet local lake. (Don't forget that fuel—and, of course, food!) [read stove reviews here]

More Cooking Essentials:

• cookset and utensils
• matches and lighter