And you don't have to walk across a stream to get new boots wet to break them in, as in the old days. New boots should fit well overall first time out - or else you're not purchasing the right pair.

The other story here is specialization.

There are trail hiking boots, trail running shoes, mountaineering and climbing shoes, shoes for walking in water and around the camp. "You have all those things," he said.

- PACKAGED FOOD. "When I first started, about 20 years ago," Richardson said, "you could get dried food, but it didn't taste very good - in fact it tasted like dried cardboard." Manufacturers have fiddled with the recipes, instructions and packaging, adding spices and near-gourmet options to their dehydrated offerings.

These usually come in servings meant for two, four or more people - though, Richardson admits, "2" really means about "1 1/2" when you're a hungry camper slurping right out of the package.

His favorite? "Sweet and sour shrimp." Other tasty dishes include beef stroganoff, turkey stroganoff and even lasagna. He used to hate the dehydrated eggs, but even those are pretty good now.

The prepared foods also make it easier to prepare for long hikes. "You can go for days on power bars," Richardson said. He's been on backpacking trips, for instance, when his day's menu went something like this:

- Oatmeal for breakfast (just add water and stir).

- Power bars for lunch.

- A packaged meal for dinner.

- HYDRATION AND WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS. "They didn't even have these back then," Richardson said. Oh, campers and hikers could boil water or treat canteens with iodine tablets, but potable water has come a long way.

Filtration devices now help eliminate dangerous organisms, specifically bacteria and nasty protozoans like Giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium. Some filters were available a dozen years ago, but they were very slow. "Now you can get a (purified) quart of water in minutes," Richardson said. In many systems, iodine kills the germs and filters remove debris and larger organisms.

Hydration systems - wearable packs with reservoirs and tubes - allow bikers, runners and hikers to drink on the go. These can be strapped to the back like a daypack or be part of a fanny pack or backpack.

- OTHER EQUIPMENT. There have been refinements galore in other areas as well, Richardson said.

- An outpouring of books and maps is giving adventurers more and better information at their fingertips - and in their packs. "If you want to go to the Uintas, for example, you can find several books now where you used to be able to find maybe one or two," Richardson said. Their information also tends to be more accurate and understandable.