* Instant purity...did you ever think it could be so simple? The First Need Deluxe water purifier ($80) does it all, without chemicals, hold time, or electricity. The hose connects directly to Nalgene bottles, and the "no hands" gravity-assisted pumping feature means the First Need purifies while you concentrate on other essential camp chores. Like, say, finding a route up that boulder next to the tent.

* How could Nalgene possibly improve its incredibly durable, absolutely leakproof, lifetime-guaranteed Lexan bottles? Create them in four fruity colors, of course. Now, whether you're drinking hot coffee or cold Tang (or cold coffee and hot Tang), you'll do it in iMac style. They're still nine bucks.

* The Brunton Multi-Navigator ($399) combines the latest GPS technology with a built-in magnetic compass, an altimeter, and a barometer that gives you a 12-hour forecast. Push the "StraightHome" button and it shows you the fastest way back. Think of it as a digital Lassie.

* "Don't just do something, sit there!" Light and fast is one thing, but backpacking is lame without a camp chair. The Original Crazy Creek ($39) is the closest thing you'll get to a backcountry Barcalounger. Salsa, TV, and remote control not included.

* The 15.1 ounce Optimus Nova stove ($140) boils a liter of water in less than four minutes, and is easy to prime and clean with an included tool. Best of all, the Nova allows for precise flame control with any liquid fuel source, even jet fuel—should your Lear get grounded in Bhutan.

* Unless the idea of torching 20,000 acres of Western forest appeals to you, it might be best to skip the campfires next summer. The no-drip candles in the Candlelier lantern ($34) burn for at least nine hours and produce no dead batteries for the landfill, while the spring-loaded tubes keep the flames at a constant height. Looks like you'll have to burn your beer cans at home.

* Made in Italy of high-quality leather and Keprotec, a Kevlar-reinforced fabric, these lightweight (3-pounds, 12-ounces) L.L. Bean Gore-Tex Speed Guide boots ($189) are designed with, uh, speed foremost in mind. Whether you're hauling a 35-pound pack for several weeks or tackling an afternoon hike, your feet will be happy and fast.

* Granted, the Wenger MiniGrip ($90, bottom left) won't replace that 411-piece socket set hanging in your garage, but it's the next best thing to lugging a steel toolbox into the backcountry. The eight-ounce unit holds six screwdriver bits and has a serrated blade, needle-nose pliers, a metal saw, and a wood saw. Pop open a lukewarm bottle of beer, whittle sticks for campfire marshmallows, and start fixing the bikes for tomorrow's ride.

* If the X-Men carried Swiss Army knives, this would be their blade of choice. Press the Victorinox shield and the Altimeter Tools ($97, bottom right) digital readout of altitude and temperature appears on an LCD window embedded in the translucent handle. The display features an auto shut-off to save the battery. And the usual smorgasbord of implements (can opener, toothpick, tweezers, scissors) remains relevant, regardless of which decade—or planet—you think you belong to.

Photos: Clay Ellis