Minimalists and traditionalists prefer a single-bladed folder that slips easily into a pocket. More tech savvy gear geeks lean toward the versatility of the multi-tool, which provide an array of functions in one pocket-sized package.

A recent reader request sent us scurrying to find the best folding knife and the best multi-tool we could find for general outdoor use. We decided to focus on weight, durability and functionality as prime considerations, as well as comfort in hand. Bearing all this in mind, here’s what we came up with:

The Aegis, from Lynnwood-based SOG Knives, sports a 3.5-inch blade that locks in both the open and closed positions – this is a nice feature since even an exposed blade tip can be a significant problem in a pocket. To open the blade, slip the small safety on the back of the handle to the “open” position and use the thumb-stud to flip the blade out. As the blade comes forward, SOG’s ‘surest assisted technology’ (SAT) engages and a pair of springs quickly pushes the blade up into its locked-open position.

The straight-edged steel blade holds an edge remarkably well – we found it sharp enough easily slice through 1-inch tubular webbing, even after a week of whittling around camp during a fishing expedition into Idaho’s Henry Fork country.  The Aegis’ nylon handle features checkering and inserts of tacky rubber to ensure the knife stays firmly in hand, even in wet conditions. The Aegis proved durable, tough and comfortable to use even with light gloves. It sells for $93.25 and weighs a mere 3.1 ounces. For more information, visit www.sogknives.com.

On the multi-tool side, the new Crucial FAST from Portland-based Gerber Knives. This compact tool includes an assisted-opening blunt-tipped blade for quick, secure deployment of the knife edge. Beyond the knife, you’ll find a firm pair of needlenose pliers, flat- and Phillips-head drivers, bottle opener, wire cutters, and a second blade (partially-serrated). The Crucial is smaller, lighter and more functional than many of the larger, more expense multitools on the market. Indeed, for the price, and weight, this tool can’t be beat for the backcountry. The Crucial FAST retails for $58.00 and weighs just 5.8 oz. Visit www.gerbergear.com for more information.

Donna in Mountain Hardwear Dry.Q

W.L. Gore offers its lightest, most breathable membrane ever to the market this year, but competitors also offer innovative new products to challenge the king of waterproof breathables. We found some winners among them:

Polartec’s NeoShell membrane moves moisture — or “breathes” — faster and in greater volumes than traditional shells, even in frigid conditions. The membrane is air-permeable so air may flow freely through it, rather than requiring an interior heat to “push” through the membrane as with Gore-Tex breathable products. The Stretch Neo Jacket from gear maker Rab utilizes the Neo-

Shell in a fully waterproof-breathable jacket with a softshell feel. During a hot, wet climb up to Spectacle Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the Stretch Neo transported sweat so efficiently we briefly worried about its waterproofness. But torrents of rain failed to penetrate, even as perspiration smoothly evaporated through the shell.

The sleek Stretch Neo sports just a few frills — nice zipper-sealed gear pockets to keep gadgets handy but dry and a stowaway hood that proved comfortable when in use and unnoticeable when folded away. It sells for $365. See us.rab.uk.com andwww.polartec.com for more details.

Mountain Hardwear developed a new membrane it calls Dry.Q, using licensed technologies from General Electric, maker of the eVent membrane. Like NeoShell, the Dry.Q membrane is air-permeable.

The best use of the Dry.Q membrane for general outdoor use is in the Mountain Hardwear Drystein jacket. We put this jacket on a few female testers and sent them into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, as well as into the heavy fog and rain of northern British Columbia. They all reported the same thing: Not only does the jacket’s main body block rain while shedding sweat moisture, but the jacket design helps improve its breathability. Taking advantage of the new material’s capabilities, the designers tossed out the old-school use of pit zips and inserted panels of highly breathable stretch material under the arms. That provides great breathability, and improves the wearer’s mobility without compromising weatherproofness. The women’s cut fit testers perfectly, even over modest mid-layers for insulation. The jacket sells for $425. For more information: www.mountainhardwear.com.

Finally, the W.L. Gore company refuses to rest on its laurels, and this fall brings the lightest, most breathable Gore-Tex product ever. Gore-Tex Active Shell technology pairs an ultrathin Gore-Tex membrane to a featherweight face fabric to create sleek, lightweight jackets designed for high-energy aerobic activities in all weather conditions. Vancouver, B.C.-based Arc’Teryx uses Active Shell in its Beta FL jacket. By stripping off all unnecessary features, such as pockets (just two chest pockets remain) and pit zips — no need for them given the breathability — the Beta FL meets the featherweight requirements of minimalist hikers, as proven by our fast-packing testers during an outing to Ingalls Lake. The jacket tips the scales at a mere 11.4 ounces. $450.

That’s a lot of people and a lot of money. Still, many of those animal lovers want to hold onto as much of their paycheck as they can — which explains the emails we’ve received asking for suggestions on the best affordable binoculars available today.

After checking out several binoculars, we found a couple that have crystal-clear optics at a reasonable price.

At the top of the list stands Brunton’s Echo Compactseries. We recommend the 8-power version (8×25) since 10-power compacts can be difficult to hold steady (the extra magnification also magnifies any vibration/hand shake, creating an unstable image).

The Echo 8×25 glasses proved remarkably comfortable in the hand, and the lenses were sharp through the field of vision — we noticed just a hint of fuzziness at the extreme edge of the field of view. The light transmission was very good, presenting a bright view, even at dusk and dawn when wildlife is most active. We used these while watching young bighorns scamper in the twilight above Umtanum Canyon in Central Washington, and to spy on ospreys hunting trout in the Yakima River Canyon.

The Echos even earned praise from our hardest-to-please binocular tester: Donna has a small face, and frequently finds she can’t bring binocular barrels close together enough to allow easy viewing. The Echos, though, fit her well, while also working wonderfully for our bigheaded, wide-eyed lead tester (yours truly). The Echo 8x25s weigh 38 ounces and sell for $120. More info: www.bruntonoutdoor.com.

For a smaller, lighter pair, we recommend the Pentax Papilio 8.5×21 binoculars. These compact optics fit comfortably in the hand, adjust to fit a wide variety of faces (including Donna’s) and weigh a mere 10 ounces. The optics are sharp and clear — not as bright as the Bruntons, but nearly as sharp. What’s most remarkable about the new Papilios, though, is the focusing range. These binoculars have a close-focus distance of just 19.5 inches, meaning you can zoom in on that bee sitting on the flower right in front of you. You can examine the patterns of pollen on its legs, and count the hairs on its back as it flies over to sting you! No other binoculars we’ve found — or even heard of — offer this ability to act almost as a microscope on your wilderness adventures.

The Pentax Papilio 8.5×21 binoculars sell for $149. See www.pentaxsportoptics.com.

Sit-on-top kayaks represent one of the latest trends in fishing boats, and Hobie makes one of the most innovative of these. The Hobie Mirage Pro Anglerkayak offers a broad, stable hull that allows anglers to stand securely on flat water for easy casting to skittish fish. The Pro Angler incorporates Hobie’s MirageDrive propulsion system, which lets you keep a rod in your hands while powering across a lake or bay. In basic terms, you crank foot pedals that drive a couple fins below the boat. During testing on Lake Washington near Sand Point, we were able to move as fast, if not faster, than with a traditional kayak paddle. A hand toggle controls the boat’s rudder.

With the Pro Angler, it’s easy to maneuver around “fishy water” while keeping your rod in hand and your line in the water. And all anglers know you can’t catch fish if your line isn’t in the water.

Beyond that hands-free propulsion, the Pro Angler sports multiple rod holders, so you can have two or three rods rigged for different conditions. This way, you can quickly change strategies without having to re-rig one rod. It also offers two big cargo areas, which can be outfitted with optional live wells, and a high backed seat to make operation of the MirageDrive easy and efficient.

The deck rails and floor of the boat are fitted with traction mats, so you can stand up without worrying about slipping. The 38-inch width keeps the deck stable underfoot when standing, provided your fishing waters are fairly calm. The boat is so stable, in fact, I found I could stand on the deck without worry, even as my yellow lab decided to swim out from shore and climb aboard. She made it onto the boat and I stayed upright and casting with only minor rocking.

The boat’s 13-foot, 8-inch length and v-keel help keep you on course while powering across a lake. The Pro Angler is a unique fishing craft that can help put a lot more fish in your net. The boat sells for $2,499. More information: www.hobiecat.com.

Despite this growing affinity for dogs as pets, canines on trails continue to be a contentious issue. Some hikers feel domestic dogs have no place in the wilderness, citing cases of dogs attacking or molesting other hikers, harassing wildlife, and fouling trails and campsites. Yet, as with any trail user group, a small segment of the group creates the problems. With some care, understanding, and education, dogs can be tremendous trail users.

♦ Hiking with Dogs Clinic ♦

FRIDAY, JULY 22^nd

6pm-8pm

It’s A Dog’s  World Training and Agility Center

16024 60^th. Street E., Sumner, WA 98390

The key is education not only for the dogs and the dog owners but also for the general hiking public who will surely, at some time or another, encounter dogs on trails. People with sentiments against dogs on trails will successfully push for dog bans if dog owners continue to let their canines run freely up the trails, chasing wildlife (which, depending on the species pursued, could be a state or federal offense, punishable by sizable fines and/or jail time for dog owners) and harassing other hikers. And any unwanted approach of a hiker by a dog can be considered harassment.

Yet hikers create a dangerous precedent when they start advocating for the ban of some users—even canine trail users—merely because some of those users are behaving badly. With dogs already banned from some trails, trail “purists” are setting their sights on other bothersome uses. There are calls to outlaw trail runners on some trails, to ban certain styles of climbing (e.g., eliminate the use of fixed anchors anywhere in designated wilderness, and limit the amount of chalk used on big wall routes), and to severely limit the number of day hikers in some wildernesses.

The question is whether dogs are harmful to the natural environment, and the answer clearly is “no more so than hikers.” Just as there are responsible and irresponsible hikers, there are responsible and irresponsible dog owners. Dogs who are well controlled by their owners and picked up after by their owners can be among the least intrusive types of trail users. Animals restrained by leash or by good training stay on the trail, and they do no damage to the hard-packed tread (at least, far less than their two-legged friends). They don’t trample vegetation at campsites (to the degree humans tend to do). They are no more of a threat to water quality than other hikers (dogs should be led at least 200 feet from water sources when they need to defecate, and their waste should be buried—in other words, dogs should adhere to the same guidelines as humans). Done right, dogs can actually help hikers see more wildlife with less impact to those wild critters.

That has been my own experience hiking with dogs. A well-trained dog—one who doesn’t bark, who stays at heel or walks calmly on a short (less than ten feet) leash, and who obeys my vocal and hand-signal commands—increases my wildlife viewing opportunities substantially. That is, after all, why many dog breeds were created: to increase the likelihood of seeing animals during a hunt.

That’s not to say dog owners should just rush out and hit the trail. Indeed, some wild areas are off limits by regulation to dogs, such as national parks and monuments. Know the land management rules before you set out. The hikes in this book were chosen because dogs are allowed. However, trail regulations and trail conditions can change. Hikers should contact the land manager before every hike to find out the current regulation status and condition of the route. But what I would like to focus upon here are special considerations that dog owners must always bear in mind when traveling with their four-legged friends. Hiking in the Cascades is one of the most enjoyable pursuits you’ll ever experience, but it can also be one of the most deadly. All that beautiful, natural wilderness poses great danger to ill-prepared and unsuspecting hikers and their canines. A stroll through a sunny wildflower meadow at 6000 feet in the North Cascades can become a nightmare struggle through a slippery, sodden field of mud in a matter of moments. Thunderstorms can develop and blow in with little or no advance warning.

Hikers who plan to spend a day on the trail may twist an ankle while crossing a talus slope and end up having to the spend the night, waiting while someone makes the long hike out, summons medical personnel, and then leads them back to you. Dogs many sprain a knee or elbow, tear a pad, encounter a porcupine, or fall off a ledge.

The key to having an enjoyable and safe hike is being prepared—both you and the dog—not just for the conditions you expect to encounter but for the unexpected conditions, as well.

Readers seem to agree, with many e-mailing suggestions of apps for me to try, or asking for my recommendations of best apps for their outdoor adventures. Here are a few of the apps that I turn to at times while playing outside. Note: These apps were all tested on my 2-year old iPhone 3G.

iBird Explorer (Western)

There are a number of good bird-watching guides, including a nice one from Sibley’s. But iBird offers some great features not found on other packages. First off, iBird’s Western edition includes more birds (828) than Sibley’s full North American version (811), but at a fraction of the cost. The iBird Explorer Western app also features a comprehensive search feature, letting you find birds by primary and secondary colors, as well as body size, wing shape, tail shape, flight pattern and more. You also get drawings of each bird species, photographs, range maps and even audible calls/songs. This is a great birders’ app, which is available for both iPhone and Android devices. $9.99; see www.ibird.com.

Audubon Wildflowers

Audubon offers most of their nature guides as e-book/apps today but the one that really shines above the competitors is Audubon Wildflowers — A Field Guide to North American Wildflowers. The database includes more than 1,800 plant species, covering all of North America. The app features an efficient search engine, a broad database of color photographs, and detailed descriptions of each plant species. A wonderful trail tool for hikers. Available for iPhone and Android. $9.99; see www.audubonguides.com.

Scats and Tracks

Hikers know that encountering wildlife generally enhances wilderness travel. Sometimes, though, your only encounter will be with the trails left by passing critters. Being able to understand the signs left behind helps you enjoy the virtual encounter. FalconGuides’ most useful digital guide is the Scats & Tracks: North America app. With this iPhone app, you can identify the tracks and droppings left by 150 different animal species. There’s even a “ruler” page so you can accurately measure track lengths. $6.99; seewww.falcon.com/scatapps.

Star Walk

Backpacking offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the night sky without the distraction of city lights. But as I lay in camp, gazing at the heavens, I’ve frequently wondered what stars and galaxies I was watching. No longer. With Star Walk, I have a star map in hand. Star Walk uses current location (using the iPhone’s GPS chip) and date/time to show you exactly what’s in the sky above you. Best astronomy app I’ve found. $2.99;www.vitotechnology.com.

M-Hikes

When you want to get out on a trail at a moment’s notice, turn to M-Hikes, from The Mountaineers Books. Using your phone’s GPS, this app will point you to a trail near you. You can specify how close you want the trailhead: 0.5 miles, 5, 15 or up to 50 miles from your current location. This inaugural app from The Mountaineers offers routes from the Washington “Day Hiking” series, so it’s purely a Western Washington app at this juncture. But if you’re visiting friends in Port Angeles (or Olympia, or Tacoma) and you want to know where to go for an afternoon hike, this tool will tell you. $5.99; www.mountaineersbooks.org.

The high-pitched buzz of rapidly beating insect wings just millimeters from your ear rates second on the annoyance scale, coming in only just behind the incessant itching that results from being bitten by the blood-suckers.

Fortunately, you can beat back the biters. A host of products provide solid options for repelling mosquitoes, black flies, and no-see-ums and the like. Some even repel ticks and chiggers.

Area-wide Airborne Protection

A host of products promise to rid a broad area of pesky bugs, but we found only one that comes close to upholding that promise. The ThermaCell Lantern (www.mosquitorepellent.com) does what citronella candles and sonic blasters can’t: repel mosquitoes and most flies from a reasonably large area around camp. The ThermaCell Lantern sports 8 LEDs that provide nice evening illumination around camp, but more important, it also provides a cloud of Allethrin to push back the bugs. Like permethrin, the synthetic chemical allethrin mimics a naturally occurring insect repellent found in chrysanthemums. Unlike permethrin, allethrin works as an airborne compound, create a ‘force field’ against mosquitoes and black flies. The EPA has endorsed its use, and the U.S. Army protects its troop bases in heavily infested areas with similar devices.

Four AA-batteries power the lighting component of the ThermaCell Outdoor Lantern, while a small butane-fired heater releases the allethrin from a replaceable pad atop the lantern. We found the Lantern created a buffer extending about 10 feet away – effectively creating a 20-foot diameter ‘bug-free zone’ – though even a slight breeze will effect that. Therefore it’s important to always have the lantern located upwind of your outdoor living small.

Effective DEET-tails for Skin Products

Countless research studies conclude that the most effective skin-applied insect repellent is DEET. The U.S. Army first developed this repellent option for troops serving in the Pacific during World War II. The war ended before receiving final approval for use by combat troops, but it went to U.S. Marines stationed in the South Pacific in 1946. Civilians got their first DEET-based repellents in 1957.

DEET, which not only repels mosquitoes but works against biting flies, gnats, chiggers, ticks and no-see-ums as well, comes in a variety of forms. Pure 100% DEET is an oily yellow substance that is best applied as a spray-on ­– trying to apply as a rub-on treatment usually results in uneven coverage with lots of product left on your hands. While 100% concentrations is most effective for the longest time, lower concentrations generally work as well with less mess and fuss – they’ll just require a reapplication or two in the course of a day. Note, too, that heavy sweating (such as when hiking) can flush even the high-percentage versions away, thus requiring reapplication.

Our testers dubbed 3M’s Ultrathon (www.3m.com) lotion their preferred DEET-based repellent. The 34.5% concentration in Ultrathon provided up to 10 hours of repellency in most cases (the marketing literature claims 12 hours). Meanwhile the lotion-base of the product feels light and non-oily on the skin. Part of that smooth texture comes from the micro-encapsulation of the DEET. Rather than being freely suspended in the lotion, the oily DEET is encapsulated and those micro-capsules break down on your skin over time, slowly releasing the DEET throughout the day. In effect, the lotion reapplies itself for you.

Even though DEET has more than 60 years of research behind it to verify its low health risks, it should be used carefully. Because DEET acts as a solvent – just get a little 100% concentration on some plastic to verify that! – it can exacerbate existing skin problems. No DEET products should not be used on any broken or damaged skin, nor should it be applied where chafing may occur. For instance, it should not be applied under clothing, which may scour the solvent into the skin during physical activities.

Use of DEET on children can be done safely, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends DEET concentrations of less than 10% be used by children between 2 and 12 years of age, and nothing more than 30% for kids 12 years and older. The OFF! Family Care repellent line (www.off.com) proved popular with testers with kids. The OFF! FamilyCare Insect Repellent IV employs a 7% DEET solution in a pump-spray bottle that makes application on squirming kids easy and effective.

(to be continued)

Petzl’s popular Tikka 2 series gets a refresh this year thanks to a new rechargeable — and programmable — battery pack. The Tikka XP2, with CORE battery, brings backcountry lighting into the 21st century.

The star of the new system is the CORE battery pack. Users charge this lithium ion polymer battery via a USB port on a computer, or through a wall outlet using the available adapters. The USB charging cable doubles as a data cable when plugged into your computer, though, allowing you to utilize the “OS by Petzl” software (available in Mac and Windows versions).

With the battery pack/headlamp plugged into the computer, the Petzl software allows users to program their CORE battery to match their needs. For instance, hikers who need only moderate-intensity light to guide them up well-maintained trails can program the batteries to allow only 75-percent output, thus greatly extending the life of the battery. Climbers, though, can force the battery to give 100-percent output for as long as possible. This gives a consistent maximum light intensity, but for a much shorter period of time. Or you can set the battery to slowly lower its output as the battery charge drops, much like a normal alkaline battery. The software presents the settings in chart format, illustrating your output levels and life of the charge at that setting.

While snowshoeing around Stevens Pass, I programmed the CORE battery to a steady (regulated) 70-percent output since a nearly full moon provided substantial light on the snow. At that setting, the battery threw a steady beam for nearly 12 hours — far longer than I needed for my night hike.

Petzl packages the CORE battery with its Tikka XP2 headlamp for those wanting the best of the new technology. In this headlamp, once the battery is charged and programmed, you can then tweak the program in the headlamp using three different lighting modes (maximum, economic and strobe) and two beam intensities (wide angle and focused beam).

Petzl also offers the CORE battery as a retrofit option for users who already have a Petzl Tikka Series 2 headlamp. This option gives you all the features of the programmable battery with whatever options exist in your current headlamp. The Tikka XP2 with CORE battery sells for $110 and includes the headlamp, battery pack, USB charging cable and wall-charging unit. The CORE battery upgrade kit sells for $40 and includes the CORE battery pack and USB cable only.

For more information see www.petzl.com.

Camelbak, a leader in the hydration business, recognized a largely untapped market and promptly tapped it. The new Camelbak Groove bottles target users who buy bottled water simply because they don’t like the faint taste of chemicals in their tap water.

The Groove bottles sport a carbon filter element in the drinking-tube system. That activated charcoal filter strips chemicals and impurities out of water, though it doesn’t touch pathogens (that is, it’s not a purifier). The bottle works great at taking chlorine taste out of tap water, and our testers found it equally useful in stripping the aftertastes of iodine or chlorine out of our chemically treated water in the backcountry. In short, it’s a perfect bottle for use around town, or for backpackers who prefer to use the lightweight convenience of chemically purifying their backcountry water, but who don’t want the chemical aftertaste.

The 20-ounce bottle includes a spill-proof, flip-up drink valve that draws from the near the bottom of the bottle, so you can comfortably sip without having to elevate the bottle above your face. The carbon filter fits into a cylinder on that drinking tube. The carbon filter is effective for upwards of 50 gallons of water and is easily replaced.

The Groove is available in a stainless steel version (a favorite of our male testers) and colorful BPA-free plastic (preferred by most of the women — it’s brighter, lighter and cheaper). The stainless steel version sells for $35, the plastic for $25. Replacement filters sell for $25 for a 6-pack. More information:www.camelbak.com.

Another novel bottle comes from Seattle-based Stanley. Its Nineteen13 1-Handed Water Bottle pairs a fairly typical stainless-steel bottle with a unique push-button cap. The push-button mechanism on the screw-on cap opens a valve on the lid, allowing the fluids inside to flow out.

Personally, I loved the bottle for use on road trips. In the 24-ounce size, the narrow bottle fits easily in most vehicle cup holders. The cap is completely leakproof, unless the button is pushed, so it won’t slosh water on you as you bounce along a washboarded mountain road. And its one-handed operation means you can keep one hand on the wheel instead of having to steer with your knees while wrestling a screw-top off the bottle. It sells for $20 for the 24-ounce size, or $24.95 for a 34-ounce version. See www.stanley-pmi.com.

The backcountry snuggy

Take a warm, comfortable, down sleeping bag, knock out some holes for arms and legs, and then fine-tune. Make the traditional sleeping bag hood fit more like a parka hood. Adjust the leg openings so the entire bottom of the bag zips open, and configure that lower hem so it can be cinched up around your waist if you want. The result: the Dreamwalker, a sleeping bag that doubles as a parka, from Exped.

As the temperature drops, slip into your Dreamwalker parka-style to stay warm as you set up camp. While enjoying dinner, keep your arms out but drop the hem around your ankles for greater warmth while still allowing moderate mobility.

Come bedtime, zip the leggings up to create the lower half of a sleeping bag, while still having your arms free to read or prepare for sleep. Before drifting off, close off the arms to seal in the warmth and snuggle down into your mummy-style sleeping bag.

Available in 750-fill down versions rated to 20- and 35-degrees Fahrenheit, and in a synthetic-fill version rated to 40 degrees, the regular-length Dreamwalker 650 (rated to 20 degrees) weighs 2 pounds, 7 ounces and sells for $359. More information at www.exped.com.

A woodstove in your backpack

OK, this isn’t a woodstove like the one you use to heat your home. It’s a small cookstove, but rather than burning fossil fuels (compressed gas or liquid white gas), the Sierra Titanium Stove burns whatever wood scraps you find around camp.

The stove’s titanium housing is basically a double-walled firebox with pot supports on top. Small clips on the bottom hold a tiny battery-powered fan. Flick on the two-speed fan and air is fed into the firebox. When woody debris is ignited in the firebox, that airflow creates a hot, clean fire. The double walls of the firebox funnel the heat from the fire up onto the bottom of your cook pot sitting atop the stove.

It’s simple yet incredibly efficient. With even slightly damp scraps of cedar and Doug fir, as found in the Cascades, we consistently boiled a liter of water in about three minutes. During a rainy backpacking trip to Spectacle Lake near Cle Elum, we burned hunks of dry pine cones, bark and small limbs. We even succeeded in roasting a small camp pizza — not exactly a brick-oven pie, but dang good for camp fare. The small fan runs for hours on one AA battery. The Sierra Titanium, a lighter version of the original 17-ounce Sierra Stove, weighs less than 10 ounces (remember, too: you won’t have to carry any fuel) and sells for $129. More info: www.zzstove.com.