Making the trail a bit less rugged

Groove to the music

Running or hiking out in the wilds doesn’t have to be as wild as it used to be. Now you can know exactly where you are and how far you’ve gone, run to the beat of your own music and ensure yourself a fresh water supply miles from a spigot.

Q-Lid Sports Cap: Cap with built-in MP3/iPod holder, earbud system and volume control.

Likes: Conveniently takes your music player out of your hand, pocket or arm band. No wires flopping around. Earbuds include bass boost.

Dislikes: Takes a while to get used to the extra weight on your head. Also, the flat surface of the MP3 device can make the cap less snug; using smaller MP3 players, such as the tiny new iPod Nano, would be the best bet.

Price: Cotton cap, $29; polyblend, $19. (800) 894 3089; www.digitq.com.

--

Train with a buddy

Garmin Forerunner 305: All-in-one GPS and heart-rate monitor wrist watch records speed, distance and heart rate.

Likes: Faintly resembling the wrist version of a convict-release tracking device, the Forerunner is sleek and lightweight. Includes a huge array of practical, convenient, cutting-edge features. Highly motivating “virtual partner” provides a programmable “training buddy” that appears on-screen as an icon that races against your own icon. “Courses” let you compete against your own past results and future goals. The device beeps and displays a message when you reach your time and distance goals or when you slip outside a set heart-rate range or cadence range (in bike mode). All workout data downloadable. No need for a remote shoe pod, as with some other systems. Can hold up to two years of data in memory. Minimal signal breakup (a common GPS problem) in forested areas and cities with tall buildings

Dislikes: Must recharge batteries every 10 hours.

Price: $299. (800) 800-1020; www.garmin.com.

--

Quench your thirst

Camelbak FlashFlo: Hydration waist pack.

Likes: Easy, comfortable access to fluid; unclip suck-hose from waist belt to drink. No irritating pack on your back. Cargo in the small of your back is unobtrusive. Holds 45 fluid ounces and 96 cubic inches for cargo. Two top-zippered pockets.

Dislikes: No waist-belt pockets for quick access to energy bars, digital camera and other want-it-now items.

Price: $40. (800) 767-8725; camelbak.com.

--

Purify drinking water -- and fast!

SteriPEN Handheld Adventurer: First water purifier to kill waterborne microbes with UV light.

Likes: Super-fast and convenient compared to traditional water purifiers, which can take from minutes to hours to make river water potable. No waiting to safely slake your thirst: In 48 seconds, this compact, 7-inch-long, 4-ounce device will purify 16 ounces of water, killing viruses, bacteria and protozoans, including Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Small enough to carry anywhere. Handy solar charging case easily recharges the pen’s batteries on the trail.

Dislikes: None

Price: Adventurer, $129.95; solar charger, $49.95. (888) 826-6234; www.steripen.com.

--

An endurance cycler and runner, Roy M. Wallack co-wrote “Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100.” Reach him at roywallack@aol.com.