We’re not in Kansas any more! These sweet boots have sticky rubber outsoles that grip rocky terrain and insoles that offer comfort right from the get go. The leather upper provides incredible support around the ankle. If day hikes on rough trails are in your future, we find the Topeka to be a sure bet.

www.lowaboots.com MSRP $195.00

Get ready for trekking in style! We love the look of this resilient boot. The suede upper features two contrasting colors and the GORE-TEX® around the ankle and inner lining keep your foot cool. The laces thread through metal eyelets that can actually move as your foot bends and your toes are protected by a reinforced toe box. The Mustang is a great medium weight boot that will have you atop the summit in no time.

www.scarpa.com MSRP $175.00

They say no matter how big your purse is, you’ll have no trouble filling it with unnecessary stuff. The Lezyne S-Caddy helps you control the tendency to over-stuff with little labeled pockets for tools and a main compartment big enough for a road tire tube. This is the sexy little clutch purse of the cycling seat bag world - a tiny suggestion of a bag with space for all the essentials. I got my bag with a Lezyne patch kit and a couple of tire tools, just as slim, elegant, and well-designed as the bag itself.

My regular bulky multi-tool wouldn’t fit in the alloted space on the bottom side of the bag, so I guess I’ll have to spring for one of Lezyne’s 4-bit multi-tools. There’s even a small, velcro sleeve inside with a dollar sign on it for your pit stop money. For those who really can’t survive with just those few items, the Caddy series comes in an “M” and an “L” size.

I’m normally a pretty disorganized, kitchen sink sort of cyclist. I’ve even done the MS150 ride with a rack pack on the back of my bike, full of sunscreen, food, spare tires, and even a hand towel. But using this bag makes you think seriously about what you actually need. Why carry around all that weight? And if you roll the spare tube just right, there’s enough space for a tube of lipstick, too. Who says you can’t have it all?

Lezyne S-caddy seat bag msrp:$14.95 www.lezyne.com

We know disposable plastic water bottles are clogging our landfills, costing lots of oil, and might be putting some pretty nasty chemicals into the water we’re drinking. That’s got us switching to refillable bottles and they’re great! But, if you’re not a fan of aluminum drinking bottles, and you worry about what leaches into your water from a conventional plastic bottle, check out this new offering from Camelbak. They’ve changed the plastic formula on their very popular “Better Bottle” to a material that’s totally free of BPA and Phthalates. It’s still the familiar hard clear plastic bottle in lots of cheery colors but without the nasty stuff.

Camelbak Better Bottle: with classic cap or bite valve (available May 2008). msrp $8, www.camelbak.com

More lights! These are flashy safety lights that can be used by practically anyone outside at night to increase visibility. The little light, not much bigger than an inch square, snaps into a clip, letting you mount it to practically anything: bike helmets, backpacks, clothing, dog collars, or wrist/head bands.

The Supernovas are astonishingly bright (visible over a mile according to Road ID) and waterproof to 300 feet, if you decide to take an underwater walk. Flipping the battery around in the light switches it from a flashing mode to a steady mode and the rounded light housing allows it to be seen from both the front and the sides. I’ve got a couple attached to my helmet straps for side visibility during my commute.  ET, phone home!

It’s hard to get a daylight run or ride or even dog walk in at this time of the year when you work full time. It just makes good sense to have a few of these flashies on hand to increase your visibility, especially when they are so easy to clip on and move around depending on your activity. Be seen, be safe!

Road ID Firefly Supernova lights, msrp: $12.99, available through the RoadID website.