Backpacking Gear Head Trivia Quiz

Answer: Water purification

Katadyn is a Swiss company that specializes in filters and other gear to produce drinkable water from wild sources. Gear-intensive methods use filtering or ultra-violet light to remove or kill harmful organisms; drinkable water can also be produced by the use of biocide chemicals or boiling.

Answer: Camp stoves

First produced in 1955, the iconic Svea model 123 is recognized as the first lightweight backpacking stove and is one of the most successful models of all time. It's simple design in brass with few moving parts makes it "bomb proof", in backpacking vernacular.

Answer: Sleeping pads

Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads became popular in the 1970s. The design featured advantages of both previous options: the insulating power of closed-cell foam and the comfort of an air mattress. The readers of "Backpacker" magazine voted the Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattress one of the five best outdoor inventions of all time.

Answer: Inflatable lanterns

Yep, a lantern can be inflatable. The Luci lanterns produced by the company MPOWERD are compact solar-powered lanterns that inflate to produce a globe to distribute the light from the small LED bulbs.

Answer: Hydration products

CamelBak is a small company of 80 people based in the town of Petaulma, CA. They produce water bottles and packs that integrate systems to carry and distribute water. In addition to outdoor enthusiasts, the U.S. military is one of the largest customers of CamelBak products.

Answer: Head lamps

The Petzl company specializes in gear for rock climbers and cavers, folks that are busy with their hands and so could use a good head lamp. Petzl head lamps are acknowledged as some of the most durable and lightweight available, qualities that are important to anyone who carries all of their survival equipment on their back for days and weeks in the wilderness.

Answer: Knives

Best known for the iconic Swiss Army Knife, Victorinox is now the largest manufacturer of pocket knives in the world. Their famous emblem of a Swiss cross in a shield can also now be found on watches, apparel and luggage.

Answer: Backpacks

JanSport is the largest maker of backpacks in the world. Begun in 1967, JanSport at first specialized in the external-frame, panel-loading backpack; panel loading was quite a change from the top-loading designs popular at the time.

Answer: Freeze-dried food

Freeze-dried food is convenient, usually requiring only the addition of boiling water to make a meal that can be eaten right from the package. However, freeze-dried food is usually expensive and the flavors can take some getting used to, but a favorite outdoors saying is "hunger is the best sauce".

Answer: Compasses

Silva is a Swedish company that began manufacturing compasses in the 1930s for the growing outdoor sport of orienteering, where competitors use map and compass to race to locate markers hidden in the outdoors. Silva continues to produce quality and dependable compasses for amateur and professional outdoorsmen and the military.