Don't Forget the Duct Tape

This book should be standard issue with every new piece of camping equipment sold. It's a great collection of tips for keeping outdoor and travel gear in tip-top shape. It's full of great advice for repairing broken zippers, snagged sleeping bags, and sputtering camp stoves, but even more importantly, it lays out the best way to keep these problems from happening in the first place. Kristin Hostetter is the gear editor at Backpacker magazine, and you can tell she's seen a LOT of gear. Heck, it's a great thing to take with you when shopping for your stuff in the first place.