I remember being a Boy Scout and seeing my first hydration-compatible backpack…I was blown away at the technology. You mean I could have a constant source of water accessible by simply grabbing the end of a straw on my shoulder strap and putting it in my mouth??? The future is now! I wasn’t able to purchase one at the time (you know, being 11 and all), but when I bought my first pack as an adult, you can bet that “hydration compatible” was on my must-have list. That was about 10 years ago now, and I’ve been rocking a water bladder as my primary method of hydration since then. But, is that still the best way to stay hydrated in the backcountry?

We’ve talked about it before on this site, and it’s no secret to anyone who’s ever investigated backcountry hunting: backpacking can be expensive! That being said, it doesn’t have to be. I’ve always encouraged guys to scrape together whatever cheap and/or used backpacking gear they can get their hands on, and just get out there and get started. You can get a lot accomplished with a hand-me-down pack, a used sleeping bag with some life left in it, and a cheap (but not necessarily ultralight) tent. I spent years hunting the backcountry with just that setup (I was using the same mummy bag I bought in Boy Scouts, for crying out loud). I’ve boiled water over an open fire (and on a $10 Walmart camping stove), and I’ve put plenty of miles on cheap, slightly ill-fitting Cabela’s brand boots. It can be done. That being said, nice gear is always…well…nice. So, if you find yourself with several pieces of gear you’d like to upgrade but only so much money to go around (which is pretty much all of us), here are the items I would recommend upgrading first while letting your other stuff ride for another year…