What ONE piece of gear makes you smile and why

Coleman 550b stove.

Not nearly ultralight, and its pushing it to call it even light. However, this stove straight up works, and it works well. Priming not fully needed with white gas (pump up and ignite with cookware already onboard, and just leave it set to high)

Works great with white gas or petrol, and with the kerosene generator is capable of those fuels plus kerosene, diesel, and even lamp oil.

The lowest, stablest simmer I have ever achieved with a liquid fuel stove. I can properly prepare risotto on this stove. Pancakes will be tried in the future.

Fuss and fiddle free, you just pull it out, unfold the legs, turn on fuel and ignite (assuming you stored it with pressure from last cook). This is the easiest liquid fuel stove I have.

The only issue I have besides the robust weight, is that using a windshield allows for heating of the fuel vessel.

Someone mentioned their Mora knife. I'd have to agree and even though I don't bring it on every trip, any time I have a chance to use it I feel a little bit manlier.

The two pieces of gear I've really bonded with are the Snow Peak 700ml mug and Leki Makalu Ultralite Ti poles. The mug isn't perfect, I just use some folded up aluminum foil for a lid and wish it was a little lighter, but I like it better than the half dozen other pots I've tried that are lighter or have "better" features. I've had it since I started hiking by myself in 2007, its the oldest piece of gear I still use. The poles are something I impulse purchased off Steep and Cheap also in 2007. Again, I wish they were lighter and that they had flip locks but they have been tougher than I ever hoped for. They've been with me on every backpacking trip I've ever taken, one section got bent and replaced by Leki, the baskets are all mangled, some animal has chewed on the handles on multiple occasions but they continue to support my vaults across creeks and flip branches and bushes out of the way.

Adam

My urinal bottle. Yup, <$10 at the local drug store, cheap blow-mold plastic, etc. At my age (65), I A-L-W-A-Y-S have to "dump by tank" at 0-dark-thirty in the morning. With this bottle, I stay in the warm nest, enjoy that wonderful relief of built-up pressure, and am still toasty when done. (Leave the full bottle in a safe place, though!)

I'm with Thomas on this one. Old guys know what's important. My Nalgene 32oz. Wide-Mouth Cantene is my never hit the trail with out it piece of gear. Good for 2 pees in middle of the night. There is a learning curve. Make sure your awake enough to aim properly, be sure that the bottle is in a down slope position put the cap on tight. On cold nights it's a nice foot warmer providing you get the cap on tight.

My MSR Titan Kettle.

One of my first lightweight pieces of gear that I purchased when transitioning from traditional backpacking.

Shelters, clothing, and sleeping bags have all changed, but the Kettle remains.

At the end of a long day on the trail with hard miles, there is something very comforting about pulling out the Kettle to cook up my one hot meal of the day.

The enjoyable task of slowly cooking my food…hearing the boiling water or the sound of bubbling food as it simmers to a low boil.

Talking with friends while stirring food in the mug, recounting the days adventure….all of us looking forward to our meals.

Sitting out overlooking a lake or a high mountain valley cradling a hot mug of food that warms my hands and appreciating what I have seen and done that day just puts a smile on my face.

Tony

Just a quick note to say THANKS to everyone who has responded and a special THANKS to Todd for his willingness to share how a piece of his gear made him smile.

So often, I cherish this forum for all the data, wisdom, and techie info its members provide for me, AND it has been a real enjoyable and rewarding experience to hear (and feel) the emotion each of you have shared about gear that really makes you smile. It has been interesting to see how unique and personal all the responses have been. Hopefully, for all of us, and especially for me, this has been a very good reminder that while the data, charts, and digital scales all have a purpose, least we not forget the real reason we go to the woods – for a good time, and, hopefully, for a few good smiles.

Thanks again.

P.S. – To Cesar – It seems there always has to be at least one trouble maker in the group – smile LOL! Cool list, thanks for sharing!

Caldera Cone stove.

Mora knife

Western Mountaineering bag and down coat

Squal 2 tarptent

Neoair sleeping pad.

My good 'ol Evernew Titanium 1L pot.

I've had it for many, many years (and it will last for many more, I hope), and it wasn't that expensive. It may not be the absolute lightest pot out there, but I love the lid and the fold-out stay-cool handles, and it's always the perfect size for two people (even when one of them is a morning coffee hog like me!). :^)

My REI Kimtah eVent parka is so good I smile when I use it for:

skiing of all sorts (on piste and backcountry)
wind protection (often instead of a windshirt)
rain and sleet protection

Plus I have the Kimtah eVent pants for all of the same reasons.

My wife wanted me to share her choice:

The Sani-Fem Freshette Feminine Urinary Director

She says this piece of gear makes her smile because it makes her feel liberated out on the trail. Personally, I think she smiles because now she can pee like a guy – smile.

Not smiling yet, but soon.

Smiling because I've tried it on and know just how good this pack is.

Okay, and this baby.
Who wouldn't smile at 7.9 ounces?

Vivobarefoot Breatho trail shoes because my feet get happy just at the thought of getting to play in them on the trail.

I'm 29 and I already wake to pee in the night, every night…

I was just contemplating in my head some kind of downbootie/overshoe etc for getting up in the night in camp, but this could be a better idea…stay in the shelter in the quilt to stay warm and dry.

Ever contemplated using them for extra water storage on dry stretches…? ;-)

I'm thinking this is a goer Aaron.

Any idea what the fabric is? Are those side compression straps easily removeable?

Adam – During the first 5 years I hiked, I carried an extra 32 oz Gatorade water bottle in addition to a 2L platy. The people that taught me my first backpacking skills in and around Yosemite never filtered their water so neither did I. I used the Gatorade for a night time pee bottle and for an additional water container all the time. I just washed it out in the morning and it was good to go for me. I'm sure it might gross some people out, yet I never let anyone else drink from it and it they knew of my actions, I'm sure they wouldn't want to. Besides, isn't UL hiking all about multi-use gear.

As long as you don't have some kind of tract infection, it comes out sterile anyway. Not as uncommon a practice as the more squeamish might think.

I just prefer to multi-use my used freezer bag from dinner instead. :)

… (But I'm not in bear country either)

It's all in your head :)

Ummmmmmmmm…..you guys realize there ARE things you should all keep in yer head and say publicly, right? Lol….just saying…..

But seriously, I actually look forward to middle of night pee runs – then I can get up and stretch – and look at the sky, enjoy the stars. Because by 3 am I am usually hating my back anyways :-P

Sarah – You are spot on in that some things I want to say in public, I probably shouldn't. At the same time, how can I possibly help those who might like the information I want to share, if I am overly concerned with offending those who wished it wasn't stated?

BTW – I probably just stated something in public I shouldn't have didn't I – smile LOL

Regardless…thanks for calling me out. I appreciate the honesty and it's refreshing.

So just how cool is that new phone of yours anyway?

Fun thread… and lots of great pieces… I even agree with many of them… and as Cesar started it, I gotta say, I can't pick just one… so here are a couple:

ZPacks 60L Arc Blast. I have only used it a few times, but it has been totally awesome! I love putting it on. It holds all the gear I need, rides like a dream and is just awesome…

ZPacks Hexamid tarp & Hexanet. Not super spacious, but all the room I need. Double wall, light weight, and I can set up either piece as needed, or together. And I like the white .51 cuben because I can see the stars and the moon through it…

Marmot Helium. I love snuggling up inside this thing…

Large NeoAir XLite. Maybe not so much love as for my regular size Original NeoAir, but for me, the NeoAirs are the most comfortable. It's very light, warm and I'll say that I am getting spoiled with the wider pad…

LiteTrail cook kit. I love this thing, IMO, it is about the best I can get between lightweight & yet durable, and I am comfy using it as both my pot & mug.

Caldera Cone. A beautiful piece of gear, yet very efficient and rather lightweight…

Ok, I'll stop there… :)

"you guys realize there ARE things you should all keep in yer head and [not] say publicly, right?"

Never really been bothered by that particular affliction. If it's in my head, it's generally out of my mouth. Someone forgot to install the filter…..

Oh don't you guys worry, I wasn't offended :-D

My Snow Peak double-walled titanium M150 mug. It goes with me on all but my coldest trips. In the evening I drink a bit o' single malt out of it, and then let it sit overnight without rinsing, so I can enjoy the smoky smell of the dried scotch in the morning, and then add my coffee to it and enjoy my morning cup o' joe. No piece of gear makes me smile more.

Picking a favorite camping toy (tool?) is kind of like picking your favorite child but I'll put in another vote for the WM Versalite. Insanely warm refuge when nature decides to pound you into submission. A whole lot of comfort for a couple of pounds.
As a reformed smoker, I really enjoyed the mini-Bic lighter post.