Little things make big differences: the Original Buff and a rainproof journal

The big-ticket items on your hiking-gear list get all the glory, but hiking happiness frequently depends on your accessories.

Nothing exemplifies that like the Original Buff. Our intrepid team of testers were all highly skeptical of the utility of the Buff, but after days of hiking with it in Utah's Escalante region and throughout Washington's Cascades, all six testers became Buff believers.

Fans of the TV show "Survivor" will be familiar with Buffs. For those who avoid the unreal world of "reality TV," Buffs are essentially tubular bandannas. Stretchy materials are woven into a tube so there is no seam. Each Buff is about 18 inches long and about 9 inches in diameter, but the tube can be stretched to fit around a large head, or even a small torso or hips.

Chris randomly used his Buff to tie back his long locks, wore it as a sweatband, twisted it on as a stocking cap, and pulled it down as a balaclava. In windy conditions, Donna found it could be stretched over her ball cap to keep the hat in place while simultaneously keeping the wind out of her ears. Sarah used it as a hood to keep the wind out of her ears, wrapped it around her dSLR camera as added protection while scrambling through rocks, and wore it as a neck gaiter in camp to beat back the evening chill.

I put the Buff to more utilitarian tasks. I liked to wear the Buff on my wrist where it could be pushed into service as a brow-wipe. I also used it to dust off my cameras, dry my hands after washing up in creeks and as an emergency gear tie-on after breaking a compression strap on my pack.

In short, the Buff is a perfect 21st-century replacement for the ubiquitous bandanna. Now made from a variety of materials, from the original stretchy nylon to merino wool and Polarfleece, the Buff is a versatile tool worthy of inclusion on any outing. The Original Buff sells for $19.50. See www.buffwear.com for more details.

Bonus gear: Another accessory item ideally suited to the Pacific Northwest comes from Tacoma-based Rite in the Rain. This company produces notebooks and journals that are immune to water, allowing outdoor adventurers to keep journals and jot down notes regardless of the weather. The plasticized pages accept ink or pencil and won't smear or smudge. There are a host of notebook sizes and configurations available. We found the Expedition Journal No. 512 to be ideal for logging our trail adventures. The side-bound 4-5/8 by 7-inch booklet weighs just 3 ounces and costs $11.95. See www.riteintherain.com for details.

Freelancer Dan A. Nelson, of Puyallup, is a regular contributor to Backpacker magazine, and an author of outdoor guides with The Mountaineers Books. For the purpose of review, gear manufacturers lend products, which are returned after a typical use of six to eight weeks. There is no payment from manufacturers and they have no control over the content of reviews. Contact Dan with gear-related questions at gearguy@adventuresnw.net.